Opulent Elegance: A Journey through Ornate India (Part-2)

Despite the fact that some accounts on the Internet talk about the dilapidated state of this palace, we actually did not really find it in that bad a state. True, it looked desolate and lonely, but that kind of added to the charm of the place. It was clean and tidy and a beautiful building to explore.

Karan Mahal is another palace inside the fort and it was built by Maharaja Karan Singh ji in 1680 to celebrate his victory over Aurangzeb. The palace consists of balconies and gardens. And later the mahal was painted red and gold and patterns of glass were added to it by Maharaja Surat Singh and Maharaja Anup Singh.

When Maharaja Anup Singh ji built the Anup Mahal, craftsmen from all over were invited to decorate it. The result was an opulent structure decorated with intricate lacquer work of gold leaves, and lattice windows and balconies. The palace also boasts of a floor with Italian tiles.

Chandra Mahal was built by Maharaja Gaj Singh who ruled Bikaner from 1746 to 1787. With its gold plated embellishments, this palace is the most opulent of all. The mirrors in the chamber are placed in such a way that the King could see anyone entering this palace, from his bed.Badal Mahal is an extension of Anup Mahal and uses bright tiles in blue and white color, creating a pleasant ambience. Maharaja Dungar Singh, who ruled Bikaner from 1872 to 1887 built this palace. The idea behind the theme of this palace was to induce rains and pleasant weather in Bikaner.

Yes, you heard it right. While walking through the halls of Ganga Mahal, you suddenly come across a fully assembled fighter plane. It is a rather fantastic experience seeing it there considering all the entrances are rather tiny. We were wondering how this plane got here.

So it wasn't really such a big surprise when Maharaja Ganga Singh ji established the Bikaner Camel Corps, a troop of army on camel backs, that led several successful offensives over the years, for example, the Boxer Rebellion in China in 1900 and in Somalia in 1902-04.

Junagarh Fort was the first place we saw at Bikaner and it set the bar rather high for rest of the attractions. And while researching this place, I learnt so much about the history of Bikaner that I am rather fascinated by the city right now. I think this is the high one gets from travel, and it is better than any other high one gets from any other addiction.

3) Itinerary: While Ahmedabad worked in terms of local travel as well as day-long excursions, Vadodara was a bit of disappointment at least in terms of local travel. May be it was because of our weird hotel experience that we were not really able to enjoy the city. But in general, I feel you can skip visiting the city if you can plan a trip to Statue of Unity without entering Vadodara. I believe this was one aspect where we could have done better. Our Day 3 was so busy (tip to Lothal on the way from Ahmedabad to Vadodara) that by the time we reached Vadodara and sorted out our hotel mess, we were too put off to do any sightseeing. Also it was a Monday and apparently the city palace, which is one important places to see in the city, was closed.

If you are walking around the Panjim town and specially in core part of the town, it's hard to miss this beautiful church standing high on a platform and visible from main roads going towards Casinos or the road connecting with Fountainhas. The Church is known as Immaculate Conception Church and it shines beautiful in the evening. During my recent visit to Goa, we were crossing through this part of the town during blue hour and the church was looking stunning. Immaculate Conception Church is located in Panjim and is located on top of a hill facing the square below. The city's municipal garden is close to it and can be seen from the top of the hill. Immaculate Conception has a distinctive exteriors. The steps that zigzag across the hillside add a different vibe to Immaculate Conception. This colonial Portuguese Baroque style church was first built in 1541 as a chapel on a hill side overlooking the city of Panjim, which is a bustling area now with glittering lights on casinos on one side and a street full of showrooms. The Chapel was eventually replaced by a larger church in the 1600s as part of Portuguese Goa's religious expansion. Immaculate Conception Church houses the ancient bell that was removed from the Augustinian ruins of the Church of Our Lady of Grace in the once famed city of Old Goa. This bell is considered to be the second largest of its kind in Goa, surpassed only by the Golden Bell which resides in the Se Cathedral in Old Goa. The exterior facade of the Immaculate Conception Church, rich with Portuguese Baroque style architectural elements is painted a bright white to signify the Immaculate virgin, Mary. The imposing facade is distinctive with its two towers and centrally placed taller belfry. It can be seen from a great distance and is also often known as the ‘crown’ of Panjim.

William Dalrymple calls Fontainhas a "small chunk of Portugal washed up on the shores of the Indian Ocean". It is the only area in Goa where Portuguese is still the main spoken language. Fontainhas' heritage ambience represents the traditional Portuguese influence in the area.

The other local food that we tasted were the Golgappas in Vadodara. They were good too. In non-veg, we had Chicken curry in Ahmedabad with tandoori roti. It was absolutely delicious. However, two food items Gujaratis absolutely seem to adore were sandwiches and Pizzas. You find hawkers selling these at every corner. There are small kiosk-like shops that specialize in these. You cannot be too far away from a sandwich or Pizza shop anywhere you go. We didn't try these though. We didn't try Gujarati Thali. This is a bit of a regret for this trip. If you plan a trip to Gujarat, try a Gujarati thali from a good restaurant at least once. You can even try the kathiawadi variant.

This was one advantage of doing some research before the trip. Without prior knowledge that such a spot exists in Orchha, there doesn't seem any good reason to cross the narrow, parapet-less bridge across the river Betwa to reach the wildlife sanctuary. The wildlife sanctuary itself has some wildlife but no big carnivores to make it an attractive-enough destination. Let's face it. most of us only visit wildlife sanctuaries to see carnivores.

There are two main temples in the Southern Group of Temples in Khajuraho - Duladeo temple and Chaturbhuj Temple. The Duladeo temple is dedicated to Lord Shiv, whereas the Charturbhuj Temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, who is also known as Chaturbhuj. This temple is also known as Jatakari temple as it is located in the village Jatakari near Khajuraho.

The Chaturbhuj temple is the only temple in Khajuraho that does not have erotic sculptures anywhere. The temple was built in the year 1100 CE by the King Yasovarman of Chandela Dynasty. The main idol in the sanctum of the temple is a 2.7m tall statue of the four-armed Lord Vishnu. The temple stands on a modest podium (chabutara) and has a sanctum, vestibule, and Mandap. However, it lacks an ambulatory. The temple also has an small entrance porch. It has three bands of sculptures on its outer walls.

Above photograph is Dharavi’s Flowers by Alaniz and Federica. This artwork is by Alaniz and Federica, who decided to feature a young girl who lives in one of the world’s largest slums, Dharavi in Mumbai. There is a beautiful portrait painted with bunch of flowers and leaves in the bottom part of the wall. This wall is facing a main road with good amount of traffic. If you go to other side of the road and see this artwork again, you get different perspective. Just relook at very first photograph of this blogpost and you will know what I am talking about here.

One of the temples within the complex is the Lord Adinath Temple. This temple contains an idol with an inscription dated to year 1027 during the rule of Chandella king Madanavarman. The sculpture features Adinatha with an ushnisha on his head and dharmachakra with a small bull figure. Related Blogpost - Khajuraho Light and Sound show || A spellbinding and informative opportunity to learn about the history of the temples and that of the Chandela Dynasty

The Chausath Yogini temple will be on your left. You climb a few stairs to reach the complex. Unlike most Chausath Yogini temples, this complex is rectangular, but it is still open air. The temple dates back to 9th century and is believed to be the oldest temple in Khajuraho.

The shrines are made of coarse granite blocks. Originally there were 65 such shrines surrounding the central courtyard. Of these only 35 survive now. There is no trace of the central shrine that is usually dedicated to Lord Shiva and is found in other Chausath Yogini Temples. However, the shrine across the courtyard, facing the entrance is much larger than the other shrines and is thought to be dedicated to Goddess Durga. Rest of the 64 shrines most probably were dedicated to Yoginis. Now, however, no statues are to be found in these ruins.

When we did road trip to Spiti Valley, we came across various interesting places which we couldn't explore well. We listed them with us and will again plan specifically for those. Many of these places are in Kinnaur region of Himachal Pradesh. You cross Kinnaur when you go to Spiti Valley from Shimla. Moorang Fort is one of those stunning places we saw from distance. Above photograph is clicked from the road which connected Rekong Peo with Spiti Valley. In this blogpost, we will share about this ancient Moorang Fort and why this is an important landmark in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh.

On the way from Amb to Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh, lies the area known as Garli- Pragpur, which is famous for its 19th and 20th fusion havelis built by the enterprising clan of timber merchants, who proudly carry the surname Sood or Sud. Though most of the descendants of these prosperous merchants have moved out to more exciting, business friendly locations, their footprint is still very much visible in the villages of Pragpur and Garli.

Haripur, a town you will probably not take much heed of as you pass through Kangra in Himachal Pradesh, has a very interesting folklore associated with it. It was only when we read about it after our trip to Kangra. did we find out about it. And though we did visit the Haripur fort and accidently spotted the famous temple of Lord Ram, it was only after reading about it on the Internet, did we realize how much more there is to this neglected town.

This is a fresh photograph from recent visit to Mcleodganj. I know that old photograph of St. John Church was more interesting than this one, because that one was shot in appropriate season. Anyways, I also liked the church in new look after maintenance. Cleanness around the place is one of the main concern, although some of the local NGOs have active eye on it. There is a very active NGO called 'Mountain Cleaners', who have been keeping such place clean and beautiful. More photographs of St. John Church can be seen at - http://phototravelings.blogspot.com/2012/05/another-visit-to-st-john-church-in.html

During recent trip to Pong Dam in Himachal Pradesh, we also thought of visiting Ellora of Himachal Pradesh - Masroor Rockcut Temple. This was approximately 12 kilometers from Nagrota Suriyan and comes on the way to Dharmshala. Let's have a quick Photo Journey to Masroor Temple in Kangra Region of Himachal Pradesh, India.Here is first view of Masroor Temple we get from the neighboring road.Masrur is 32 kilometers from Kangra on Nagrota Surian link road and is famous for remarkable group of rock cut temples. They form a group of 15 monolithic rock cut temples in the Indo-Aryan style and amazingly carved. These awesomely ornamented cave temples are the only rock shrines in the northern part of India.The main shrine contains three stone images of Ram laxman and Sita but the presence of the figure of Shiva in the center of the lintel affords a strong presumption that the temple was originally dedicated to Mahadeva.Here is the what we exactly see after climbing up few stairs from the road. Masroor Temple is on left side, which is surrounded by gated boundary. After 100 steps, there is an entry gate for this temple. Archaeological Survey of India maintains this site and a ticket of 5 Rs is applicable for each entry inside the Temple.Masroor Rock Temple being located in a sanctuary area of Pong Dam, it's away from ecological threats, but now the focus is on developing a tourism and conservation mechanism that protects it from increase in tourist inflow. In recent times Himachal Pradesh Tourism Department has been successful in making this place visible on various travel maps of India. Now people know this place and plan in their itinerary during any trip to Mcleodganj, Dharmshala, Palampur or Kangr Few days back Light shows were organized during evenings at Masroor Rockcut Temple and Himchal's Chief Minister Mr. Prem Kumar Dhumal was also preset with other important folks of the state. This shows genuine interest of State Government to conserve this place and make it accessible for Tourists in Himachal Pradesh. State Government is regularly meeting with Archaeological Survey of India to better plan the growth of this placeBuses are frequent from Kangra/Dharmshala to Nagrota Suriyan and Masroor is just 3 kilometers away from this route. We exactly need to get down at Peer Bindli station. From here Masroor Temple is just 3 kilometers, which is a decent walk in hills. If not interested in walking, taxis are also available around the place. Few buses go till temple but need to wait. In Morning there is a bus around 9:10 am, 10:15 am and 11:30 am etc.. Since gap is of approximately 1 hour, one can easily walk till temple and reach in 30 minutes. If you walk, you will see lot of colorful birds on the way. There is a special mention about Masroor Rockcut temples on Himachal Tourism Website - Unforgettable Himachal !!! As of now, nearest place to stay is Kangra or Nagrota Suriyan. There are lot of lots available in Kangra, as it's a decent town around this place and Nagrota has a HPPWD Guest-House. State Government is trying to work with local folks to think about Home Stay Options. Himvani talks about some plans of government to promote Tourism in Masroor and Pong region - HerMasroor Temple is located on a Hill top from where marvelous view of Dhauladhar Mountain Ranges can be seen. We visited this place twice during two days and will share some sunset photographs from this place. Snow Capped hills of Dhauladhar Himalayas look amazing in Sunset colors. Mountains look pinkish as if all of them are colored for this special moment.Here is a Photograph showing reflection of few of the temples in this campus. There is a water pond in front of Masroor Rockcut Temples. During day time, clear reflection of Masroor Monolithic temple can be seen in this water pond. Here is a another Photograph with water reflection of Masroor Rockcut Temple in Kangra District of Himachal Pradesh, India. Local panchayat of Masoor viallge is situated on left side of this location and there is Government school on the right. As of now this School is in Temple's campus area and ASI has requested State Government to move this school to another location as any construction within 100 meters of this historical temple is not allowedThere is a temple in the middle of this campus which is dedicated to Ram, Seeta and Lakshman. Above Photograph shows the same temple in Masroor Monolithic structure with one of the employee on the right. Two employees at any point of time are deputed on this location, which means 24 Hrs duty throughout the year. There are approximately 8 employees to take care of this place and all are appointed by Archaeological Survey of India.These temples are mainly double storey and the roof is accessible through add sized staircases. Height of each staircase is more than usual stairs. Some of the portions on top are bound with iron rods. It seems that water is harmful for these rocks as they seem soft and some of the parts have severe cracks and colors around those cracks made us believe that temples need more care in rainy seasoHere is a photograph of students of Government school in Masroor which is located in temple area only. This Photograph is clicked from roof top of the monolithic temples. Calm and peaceful environment around this place makes it a perfect place for school and studiesHere is a Photograph clicked from surrounding hill and shows approximately whole Temple area with Water pond in front of it. In fact, all these temples seems to be made up of a huge hill in MasrooIn India, the rock-cut style started in the reign of the Pallava king Narsingha varman I Mahamalla (630-668 A.D.) during the first half of the seventh century . It reached its climax in the Kailasha temples at Ellora which were taken in hand during the reign of the Rashtrakuta King Dantidurga (753- 756 A.D.) and finished during that of Krishna I (758-773 A.D.). Though rock-cut caves are common in South India, yet temples cut out of freestanding rocks, known to archaeologists and art critics, are only four in number-'Rathas of Mammalapuram', 'Kailashas at Ellora', 'temple-complex at Masrur in Kangra' and the 'Dharmnatha temple at Dhamnar', 65 miles to the South-East of Jhalra Patan in Rajasthan. The Rathas and the Kailashas are built in the Dravidian style, whereas the Masrur and Dhamnar ones are in the Nagara style. Masrur beats its Nagara rival in situation, size and execution. The Masrur complex has 15 temples, the Dhamnar has only 8. At Masrur temples not separate from it surround the central shrine, buat Dhamnar the smaller ones are entirely separate from the main one. Carvings and ornamentation at Masrur are of a much superior order than at Dhamnar and the length of the latter is one- third of the former. The Dhamnar group has been built in a pit-like hollow, whereas the Masrur group is on top of a 2500 feet high hill range. One looks below, the other looks up. One depresses, the other elates. In point of situation, Masrur beats the other two also. Ellora Kailasha are built in a pit a hundred feet. However, Kailasha at Ellora is a supreme creation, one of the wonders of the world. (Courtesy - http://123himachal.com/temple/masroor.htmA view of Masrur Monolithic Temples from a short-cut path which connects temple with Masrur village on a hill below it.Rockcut style is much more difficult than the structural one. In Structural, the artist shapes the materiahttp://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=1036234607292296397l as s/he likes, whereas in the former the Material determines the way the artist should move, which must be a case of Masrur temples. The limitation makes an artist creation out of a rock a most difficult task and the ability with which the remote artist of seventh and eighth centuries carried out their purpose is superhuman. Only a few of the original shikharas stand and some of the most beautifully carved panels are now in the state museum, Shimla. The main shrine dominates the center. Although the remote location of these temples protected them from the invading army of Mahmud Ghazni and their stone construction prevented severe damage in the 1905 earthquake. This earthquake had some severe impact in Kangra region of Himalayan StateA small room is built on the entry of Masrur Temple, probably for ticket distribution. It's not in use and tickets are available on main entry gate of this temple.

Tour de Dharmshala Stadium - A Quick PHOTO JOURNEY inside the beautiful stadium at Dharmshala, Himachal Pradesh : Posted by VJ SHARMA on www.travellingcamera.com : Last project with HPCA provided a good opportunity to explore interiors of Dharmshala Stadium !!! During the break time of T20 Mahasangram finals, I entered into the stadium to see all the VIP lounges, Team Dressing rooms and other special seatings on top floor !!! Check out the quick Photo Journey inside Dharmshala Stadium !!!Dharamshala Cricket Stadium is aonly cricket stadium of international reputation in Himachal Pradesh !!! It serves as the home ground to the Himachal Pradesh state cricket team and also for the IPL team Kings XI Punjab to a limited extent... By virtue of its natural backdrop (3/5th of the stadium is surrounded by snow covered hills...) it is one of the most attractive cricket stadiums in India.In addition to Ranji matches, some international matches are also planned to be held here.. Dharmshala Stadium is going to host threeIPL macthes in 2011 !!! In 2010, a match between Kings XI Punjab and Chennai Superkings held here in which His Holiness the Dalai Lama graced the match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the picturesque Himachal Pradesh Cricket Stadium in Dharamshala. The snow covered mountains can be easily viewed throughout the year.. On entering inside the stadium, there is a huge sitting area with lots of photographs of international cricketers from various parts of the world. And this included cricketers from oldest world cups as well !!! I am not sure how this space is utilized during international matches but on that day tea, snacks and lunch was served in this area...Chairs and Tables are well arranged to serve lunch after closing ceremony of Jaypee T20 Cricket Mahasangram !!! This is same hall on ground floor... Parallel to this hall, there are few VIP lounges which were closed on that day ! Seating arrangement inside looked like modern massage chairs :)Extended part of ground floor hall with all the walls decoraed with Photographs of various cricketers in action !!!Although Dharmshala is naturally very rich place and its completely green, flowers and green plants are used inside for decorating the stadium !!! Dharmshala Stadium looked very well maintained and minute things were taken care while designing it.. I am not an expert but I was super impressed with the quality of work saw there...This was something unexpected :) Dharmshala Stadium has different portions and interiors were completely different in all of those sections.. Some parts were were very sober with all modern fittings and furniture, while other parts looked very royal with all the classic fittings in furniture, walls and roofs...Now I started moving up for first floor of the Stadium and preferred to go through stairs instead of lift ! Whole stair areas are decorated with photographs again but sizes were small which looked perfect in these narrow walls !!! Shiny marble fittings on these stairs were giving a feel of five star hotel.. And yes, waling nside the VIP lounges was really like some five star property !!!Here is a view of back side of Dharmshala Stadium. I am not sure if these appartments are for stadium staff or something else.. and the green grounds on left are used for practice.. A wonderful model of Dharmshala Stadium is installed inside the main building of this campus !!!Conference/Meeting hall of Dharmshala Stadium !!! few software folks from Delhi were waiting for Mr. Anurag Thakur to come and launch website of Himachal Pradesh Cricket association. Launch of this website happened just after final match !!!Another photographs of same area where most of the cricket conferences or meetings take place !!! Note a large projector on the front wall with a Photograph of Dharmshala Stadium on it !!!All the walls and pillars in this room were covered with leather crafts which looked very nice and gel with overall color combination used for flooring and furniture used in this Conference Hall of Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium !!!Nextto the Conference Hall, there is a VIP lounge with lot of grouped chairs with marble top tables... This whole area looked like some royal casino of Las Vegas.. I wanted to capture it better but match was about to start after a short drinks break.. So after few clicks I had to rush to other areas if any !!!Here is another photograph of VIP Lounge on first floor of Dharmshala Stadium !!!There was an adjacent hall which was decent and looked not that lavishing... But it was also closed area with decent air-conditioning... I am not sure who uses these halls/rooms during matches but after looking at India-Pakistan Semi-finals, it seemed that area shown in above photograph must be used by our leaders like Chief-Minister/Prime-Minister oe some other important people in our democracy system !!!A nice mirror was lying in the common hall which was connected to VIP Lounge, Conference/meeting Hall, and other parts which were closed at that point of timeWith this, my quick tour of 10 minutes completed and moved back tothe ground to capture electrifying actions of finalist teams of Jaypee T20 cricket Mahasangram !!!After looking at wonderful interiors of Dharmshala Stadium, I had a question that why international matches are not played in this stadium.. Last year only one IPL match help here... During the closing ceremony of T20 Mahasangram, Mr. anurag Thakur cleared by doubt. because of hospitality services in Dharmshala, international matches can't be played here. Dharmshala has not enough good standard hotels and keeping this in mind HPCA (Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association) has started constructing a Five Star Hotel there !!

During our recent trip to Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, we also planned a visit to Kangra Fort. So one morning, we started from our camp near the Indrunag temple and headed out toward Kangra. The fort is located very close to Kangra town and is visible from quite a distance because it resides at one of the highest points in Kangra.

Though the temple is a little away from the main architectural complex of Orchha, we strongly recommend a trip to this beautiful structure, because it is one of the places where you can see history, through its paintings, and also admire the power of human creativity. Related Blogpost - Stunning Bateshwar Group of Temples || Archaeological marvels at Padavali in Morena District of Madhya Pradesh

While on our trip to Orchha and Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh, in October 2021, we also had the good fortune to visit Jhansi as well. It was fascinating to learn that while Orchha is in Madhya Pradesh, Jhansi is in Uttar Pradesh, and the two cities are just half an hour apart.

After the Maharaja's death, as the British rejected Damodar Rao's claim to the throne because he was adopted. In 1854, Laxmibai was given an annual pension of Rs. 60,000 and ordered to leave the palace and the fort. However, in June 1857, the revolt broke out and Rani Laxmibai took control of the fort and led Jhansi forces against the British.

A few hundred meters from the marvelous Jhansi Fort is the relatively inconspicuous Rani Mahal. The mahal is tucked away in the crowded Jhansi Market and if it wasn't for google maps, one wouldn't even notice the unimposing entrance to it. The fact that there are several hawkers and cars blocking its stark yellow façade, make it even more subdued.

Datia in Madhya Pradesh was another location that we covered on our very productive drive back from Khajuraho to Noida. Upon reaching Datia, the state of the roads and the feel of the colony was such that we almost turned back. However a very enticing view of the Datia Palace, which is visible from quite a distance, kept us going.

In almost all temples dedicated to them, the yoginis are depicted in different forms and poses. In some they are sitting in Lalitasana. In some they are depicted standing with their animal vehicles. However, in the Chausath Yogini Temple in Mitaoli, the images of the Yoginis have all been replaced by those of shivling. May be that is why the temple is also known as Ekattarso Mahadev temple.

We hadn't really planned to visit Gadhi Padhavali in Morena, but we happened to be in the vicinity. We had travelled to Mitaoli to visit the Chausath Yogini temple near Morena, Madhya Pradesh, and VJ knew that there were other interesting sites around. Several years ago, he had done a helicopter tour of this area for a Photography assignment.

Not too long back, mere mention of the name Morena was enough to send shivers down anyone's spine. This district near the Chambal river was once a stronghold of notorious dacoits, such as Daku Man Singh, Nirbhay Singh Gujjar, Phoolan Devi, and Paan Singh Tomar. If you happened to be passing through this district and your vehicle broke down, you would automatically start praying to the lord for your safe exit from this area (this actually happened to my parents back in 1982, so I am kind of talking from experience).

It is perhaps a cliche to start a post on Kashmir with this, but let us go with it: Agar firdaus bar rué zamin ast; hamin asto, hamin asto, hamin ast! There is a specific reason why I have mentioned this quotation, whose creator is still not established with certainty, here. Because while this was said for Kashmir by either Emperor Jahangir, or poet Amir Khusrao, or Emperor Shahjahan's Wazeer, Sa'adullah Khan, when we entered Pari Mahal in Srinagar, we actually realized why anyone would feel this way.

Pari Mahal is a seven-terraced Mughal Garden that has stone arches, lush green lawns, enticing views, and in short everything if you want to spend a few hours just sitting and admiring the view.

The reason this palace is visible from such a distance is because it is 7-storey high. Even though two of these floors are in the basement, the structure is quite tall. Moreover it also gives a sense of majesty with its high ceilings, wide pillars, and stone structure.

When we visited the Datia Palace, VJ and I were the only two humans in this gigantic building and we had a gala time find our way from one floor to the other. Only a couple of staircases have been left open from each floor and these staircases aren't grand central structures. Instead they are hidden in chambers and corners and if you lose the sense of direction, you may find it difficult to find your way back.

As is usual for the structures of those times, the reason for this was supposedly polygamy. Kings of those times would have multiple queens and they would need to visit them from time to time without letting the others know about the visit. Things in those days must have been so much more complicated.

On the top floor there is a square domed building tower-like structure that in itself is 5 story tall. The architecture is Indo-Islamic and you can probably make out a vague resemblance to the temples of this region. Also, the tower is connected on all sides to domed chambers.

Apart from the intricate carvings and also the pretty latticework on the windows, the ceilings and the gates are adorned with beautiful paintings that have miraculously survived the ravages of time. You can make out the beautiful Mandana paintings and some religious and mythological motifs.

There are balconies and windows that offer spectacular views of the Datia town and also the nearby Karna Sagar Lake. These views are available from all floors except the two basement ones, which are completely dark.

Raja Bir Singh Deo probably accompanied Jahangir on his trips to Central Asia and Persia and later either had artists from these regions travel to Datia or sent local artists abroad to learn the techniques.


Whenever you are driving past Bilaspur ever, you will notice a huge body of water on the left side (if you are going from Bilaspur toward, say, Mandi. That body of water is the Govind Sagar Lake, which was formed after the Bhakra Dam was constructed on the River Sutlej.

Like a lot of things in our recent travel life, Mitaoli also happened to us by chance. We hadn't really planned to cover it during our recent trip to Khajuraho, but a timely advice helped put it on our map on our return journey. And since we were determined to make the most of our trip, we wanted to cover as many places as we realistically could.

Like the temple in Khajuraho, this temple too once had shikharas on top of all Yogini temples, but they were removed in later renovations. Very few tourists make it to this area, and due to the pandemic, it was just the two of use here. It was quite hot and a few local men were lounging about in the shade of a tree outside the temple.

Some of the the most misunderstood monuments anywhere are the Chhatris. People often confuse them with tombs or samadhis, and assume that they are built on the site where the person to which the chhatri is dedicated was cremated or is buried. However, that is not the case. Indeed Chhatris are associated with a notable person who has passed on. However, they are built to commemorate the person, and do not house the remains of the person in any form. In that sense, the best English word to describe them is cenotaph. Related Blogpost - Raneh Falls - A preserved area with Magnificent Waterfall around underrated Canyon with colourful rocks and lush green Forest with active wildlife around Ken river in Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh

This friendship between Bir Singh Deo and Emperor Jahangir proved to be very beneficial for Orchha. So when Emperor Jahangir was scheduled to visit Orchha, Bir Singh Deo ordered a new palace to be built for the emperor. This palace would sit higher than any other monument in Orchha and would be known as Jahangir Palace. The palace was built in the early 17th century.

Though the temple is a little away from the main architectural complex of Orchha, we strongly recommend a trip to this beautiful structure, because it is one of the places where you can see history, through its paintings, and also admire the power of human creativity. Related Blogpost - Stunning Bateshwar Group of Temples || Archaeological marvels at Padavali in Morena District of Madhya Pradesh

The Laxmi Temple (or Laxmi Narayan temple) in Orchha, Madhya Pradesh, is an interesting specimen of Bundela Architecture. Unlike the Raja Ram temple and Chaturbhuj temple, the Laxmi temple isn't close to the Orchha Fort. It is about 2km away from the main Fort complex and is built on a small hillock.

To put things in perspective, the temple was originally built by the Bundela King Bir Singh Deo in 1622 for Goddess Laxmi. The altar is constructed in the shape of a Yoni and the temple seems to follow the Tantric style of architecture, though there are no clear evidences of Tantric activities. Related Blogpost - Spots and Stripes at Panna National Park || Guess what we saw at the Tiger Reserve

The fact that the structure is still standing, almost intact, and the paintings still retain their colors, is a testimony to the focus on quality and resilience of these structures and artwork. Seriously, the handiwork in those times was unparalleled. Related Blogpost - Chausath Yamini Temple @ MItawali in Morena region of Madhya Pradesh, India

It is rare to find such diverse, non-religious paintings in a temple, and this is another aspect that is unique about this temple. There are paintings of wars and of meetings between Bundela kings and Britishers. You find frescos depicting the incidents dating from the time of Ramayan to the seige of Jhansi in 1857. Related Blogpost - Celebrating special Dussehra at grand Ram Leela Pandal of the town where Lord Ram is still worshipped as a king - Orchha, Madhya Pradesh

The temple that the walls and the bastions are built around is apparently a Shiva temple and as was common practice in those days, the temple is as intricately carved as was the custom in those days. You can find intricate carvings at the most difficult-to-reach corners of the ceilings.

We spent about 45 minutes here. The temple turned out to be an interesting stop after all. The area is developing quite beautifully actually and I do hope that some of the infrastructure problems that plague the surrounding areas are taken care of soon so that the approach to the temple can be better as well.

We visited the Chausath Yogini temple in the evening. That temple is slightly elevated and offered good views of the sunset. However, we will talk about this amazing temple in another post. In this post, we will focus only on the temples within the ticketed compound.

As soon as you enter the compound, the first two temples are small shrines known as Devi Mandap and Varaha Mandap. The roof of the Devi Madap has been restored in the last century. You can make this out from the cemented filling that stands out amid the sandstone.

The big temple opposite the two mandaps is the mis-named Lakshman Temple. It is dedicated to Lord Vishnu actually and is among the three largest temples in the Western Group of Temples. The temple is on a large, square platform and all sides of this platform are adorned with sculptures depicting several war stories, erotic rituals, and other glimpses from day-to-day lives.

None of the erotic sculptures are, however, inside the main temple itself, giving rise to the speculations that this symbolizes that one needs to leave ones earthly desires outside before one can ascend a spiritual plane. I somehow do not think that was the idea. Because in other temples scattered across this belt, there are several that also have erotic sculptures inside the temple itself.

One of the largest and the most intricately carved temples of the complex, Kandariya Mahadev shares its platform with a small Mahadev shrine and the mid-sized Devi Jagdambi Temple. The temple measures about 30 meters in length and 20 meters in width. The temple's shikhara rises 35.3 meters above the ground.

The temple's walls are again adorned with very detailed sculptures depicting lives of Gods and human beings and their everyday concerns - yes, including sex. Some of the sculptures though depict some highly complicated and seemingly ritualistic positions.

We saw several families exploring these temples with their young and even teenagers. While some were quite obviously awkward about it, others were studying these sculptures with keen interest and without any trace of voyeuristic pleasure. If Indian families can get to a point where sex is no longer taboo, it would be so much more relaxed and healthy environment.

Nested between the Kandariya Mahadev and the Devi Jagdambi Temples is a small temple knowns as the Mahadev Shrine. The sculpture of a rampant lion fighting a kneeling figure has been installed on the porch. This is supposed to be the emblem of the Chandelas.

Much smaller than the Kandariya Mahadev Temple and a little larger than the Mahadev temple, the Devi Jagdambi temple has only one mandap and no inner path for a circumambulation. The temple however boasts of some of the most gorgeous sculptures in the Western Group of temples.

The walls of this temple seem to celebrate female beauty and also immortal love that is found in the most unusual places. There are panels of the deity of death, Yam or Yamraj, with Nirrti, personifying death, decay and sorrow, placed alongside scenes of love and tenderness.

There are sculptures dedicated to female beauty and even vanity with beautiful women engrossed in admiring themselves and in adding a touch of makeup or hair styling to their already perfect existences. Tucked away in the recesses you can find figures of divine couples together in conjugal harmony, celebrating each aspect of love.

If you are looking for these erotic sculptures for some giggles , you will find plenty here. If you are looking for images of love, you will find that here as well. We started with the giggles, and then slowly withdrew inward contemplating the purpose of these sculptures. But by the end of our tour, we had unquestioningly accepted the existence of these sculptures just like one would accept the existence of a tree in a forest.

Now that we have addressed the elephant in the room, let's talk a bit about Khajuraho itself as well as its history. As you would also gain from the sound and light show, the city, when it was discovered had a dense population of date trees or Khajoors. And that led to it being called Khajuraho. The first actual reference in historical text was in the written accounts of the Iranian Scholar Abu Rayhan Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-BiruniAbu Rihan, as he described the region while accompanying Mahmud of Ghazni in his campaign against Kalinjar. The next mention is by Ibn Batuta, who visited this place in 1335 AD, during rule of Mohammad Bin Tuglaq.

By this time, about 85 temples had been erected in the city and it was a great religious center where grand festival of Shivratri was held, attended by a large number of people from nearby and faraway places. However, by this time, the Chandela Dynasty was in its downfall and the capital had been shifted from Khajuraho to Mahoba for security reasons. Slowly, the spellbinding city of Khajuraho faced its own decline and was abandoned. Reflecting back, that may have been a good thing to happen. Because after being abandoned, the temples did escape the worst of the wraths of Muslim invaders (though some plundering and destruction still happened). Also, time does not spare anything or anyone. So the temples were slowly overtaken by wilderness and forgotten by people.

The city was rediscovered accidentally by British India Army Captain T.S. Burt in 1838. However, by then only around 22 temples had survived. Today, Khajuraho is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and makes us proud by just being out there in all its boldness and brightness, and cheer and celebrations. Exactly what we would want to sustain and retain from generation to generation.

The timings of the show changes according to the season. From October to February, the timing of the show in Hindi is 6:30PM to 7:25PM and that of the show in English is 7:40PM to 8:35PM. From March till September, the timings are 7:30PM to 8:25PM for Hindi and 8:40PM and 9:35PM for English. We opted for Hindi show because we felt that it would be a more earthy experience. And we were right about this. The show is recorded in the voice of none other than Mr Amitabh Bachchan himself and is quite spellbinding.

The story also enlightens the viewers about the Chandela Dynasty and their contributions to India's architecture. There are some interesting anecdotes about how Khajuraho got its name and how the temples survived after being abandoned.

During the reign of Maharaja Chhattrasal, in 1728, Mohammed Khan Bangash attacked his kingdom, and at that time Peshwa Bajirao helped Maharaja Chattrasal defeat the Mughal army. And in return, Maharaja Chattrasal offered the Peshwa a part of his kingdom, which included Jhansi.

Another major story that led to the addition of the biggest and most impressive and imposing structure in the fort complex is that of Raja Bir Singh Deo's friendship with Shehenshah Jahangir after Bir Singh Deo helped assassinate Abul Fazl, one of the navratns of Badshah Akbar, who was also one of the only obstacles in Shehzada Salim (later Jahangir) ascending the throne after his father.

The dispute apparently was about a religious travel. While the king wanted to go to Vrindavan, the queen wanted to go to Ayodhya. The argument resulted in the queen being banished from the Kingdom with a diktat that she will only be allowed re-entry if she is able to bring back Lord Ram from Ayodhya. The Queen went to Ayodhya and did tough sadhana for 21 days. However, when Lord Ram did not appear even after that, she jumped into the river Sarayu. From where she emerged with Lord Ram as a child in her lap. When the Queen requested Lord Ram to accompany her to Orchha, the Lord agreed on some conditions. She was to travel to Orchha on foot, walking only on Pukh Nakshatra, and he would take a permanent seat at the place where he is set down first, and after he takes a seat at Orchha, he will be the King and there will be no other Kings at Orchha after this. The queen agreed to all these conditions and started her journey back to Orchha. In the meanwhile, the King in Orchha had a dream where Lord Krishna reprimanded him for differentiating between Lord Ram and Lord Krishna.

However, owing to these treasure wells, plunderers and other rulers eyed Kangra Fort all through the medieval ages. The earliest documented attack dates to 470 AD by the Raja of Kashmir, Shreshtha Sen. The Katochs successfully defended their fort against this attack.

Even though the fort lies in ruins today, you can still find traces of the past splendor in the tall walls, the carvings and the various temples and courtyards. Even today, it is impossible to understand the Fort without understanding its history. And history's tangible footprints can actually be found here in form of the various gates that the conquerors built here, such as the Jahangiri Darwaza (attributed to Mughal Emperor Jahangir), the Ahani and Amiri Darwaza, (attributed to the first Mughal Governor of Kangra Nawab Saif Ali (Alif) Khan), and the Ranjit Singh Darwaza, (attributed to Maharaja Ranjit Singh).

Looking at the family that stays there, you wonder how do they feel safe staying in this structure. They have young children who are curious and mischievous as children of that age are. Even if the structure doesn't betray them, you wonder what it would be like to be the sole occupants of two rooms in a huge, otherwise empty, three-storied structure. Many rooms of this haveli most probably haven't been opened in decades. What would the place feel like on a dark and stormy night?

After this, the demon prayed to Lord Shiv again. The Lord told the demon that while he could not take back the saint's curse, he could pronounce him as "Indrunag", a deity with powers of both snakes and Indra. Since then, Indrunag has been the protector deity of these hills and praying to him keeps these hills safe from heavy rains. Related Blogpost - Mcleodganj – Where the World Comes Together in Peace : by Vibha Malhotra, TOI

On the banks of Barua Sagar tal, there is also the temple of Maharshi Shringirishi, who had married Mata Shanta, the sister of Lord Ram. You need to cross this temple to reach the waterfall and to climb up to the embankment of the Barua Sagar Tal.

It is an L-shaped space, and you can either decide to park your vehicle deep inside the parking, if the parking isn't already full, or park it closer to the parking entrance and leave your keys with the parking guy. We weren't too comfortable to leave the keys with anyone as we were travelling with some luggage, so we didn't have much choice but to park it deep inside. But this would cause considerable hassle later on. Will share more later.

However, these sculptures are just lying here and not much information is available about them at the palace. You can look around them, but if you are looking for plaques describing the artwork or at least dating them, you will be disappointed. Since ASI maintains it, I hope they will make all efforts to actually turn it into a very informative museum.

When you look at the grandeur of some of these old buildings and realize that almost all cities of the country have such hidden gems, you also realize that so much priceless history and heritage lies unexplored and might also be going to pieces at a very fast pace. The speed of decision-making in our country is dismal, and considering how shoddily most of our people treat places of historical importance, the thought just depresses me. But nevertheless, ASI has slowly but steadily been working towards restoring some of these places, and I do hope that the bureaucratic machinery too will catch up soon.

After having lunch, when we reached the parking, we realized that our car was still at the far end of the parking and there was a long queue of cars parked behind it. But the parking guy was very optimistic about our prospects of taking out our car. The fact was that even if all the cars were backed out, we would need to reverse our car all the way back onto the road. There was no space to turn the car. And then when the parking guys started backing out other cars, it created ruckus on the already crowded road. The amount of honking was unbelievable. And to top it all, the car right behind us broke down and had to be pushed all the way out. In the end, we managed to reverse our car out, but it was an interesting experience, to say the least.

While we did not spend enough time to explore the palace, it was a nice place and people who are interested in art and sculptures can find a lot of articles of interest in here. At Rs. 20, the place is definitely worth a visit. The place has a lot of unharnessed potential and we do hope that ASI will take the right steps to do justice to it.

The Chaturbhuj Temple is one of the most noticeable element of Orchha Skyline. Its Vimana stands tall and can be viewed from miles away. In a way, it is like the centerpiece around which the Orchha town has grown. When you think of a temple like this, you expect it to be as opulent inside as its exteriors are. But that is one of the interesting aspects of this temple. Its insides are stark and bare with one idol at the extreme end of it. Once you are inside, it is easy to forget how imposing it is when viewed from a distance.

Almost all the cenotaphs are built on raised platforms and are multistoried, except for a few. And as is typical to most chhatris, the ceiling is domed or conical. The chhatris are visible from quite a distance and are among the most photogenic monuments of Orchha. Do take out at least half a day to explore the chhatris, and do read about them beforehand so that you know exactly what you are looking at. And a visit to the opposite bank for a sunset shot of the Chhatris too is highly recommended.

Like many forts, the Orchha fort also houses several monuments within its boundaries, including the ones that are across the bridge that connects the Orchha Palace with Orchha town. But in this post, we will talk about the monuments within the Orchha Palace complex. The oldest among these is the Raja Mahal, which was built in the early 16th century.


However, when she reached there, she recited a couplet in the court that could be loosely translated to mean "only scavengers eat from a plate that has already been touched by another person." The emperor understood that Pravin was in love with someone else and impressed by her wit, he sent her back to Orchha with honor.

We did drive around a bit, but in retrospect, we could have done more. However, it is also tiring to climb all the steep stairs to explore these palaces properly. May be one should plan for two days to explore the Orchha fort complex. One day dedicated to the palace complex only.

Some things to keep in mind while visiting Orchha: There is one single ticket for all historical monuments in Orchha including the Palace, Chaturbhuj temple, Chhatris, Laxmi Narayan Temple, etc. And that can be purchased at the Palace only. The ticket is Rs. 20 per person for Indian citizens + Rs 25 for camera. This is quite reasonable considering that this also serves as a day pass for all the other monuments. You can take your vehicle right up to Jahangir Mahal and also drive around. The roads are narrow but decent enough. There are no parking charges if you take your vehicle inside the Palace complex. If you are parking outside, the ticket is Rs. 30 per person, and the ticket is valid almost all over Orchha.

Overall, the Palace Complex is beautiful and definitely worth a visit and even a repeat visit. When we visited, it wasn't too crowded because of Covid-19, but in regular days, it will probably be crowded. However, the palace is extremely clean and that is a wonderful thing, really. Carry beverages and snacks, but please don't litter.

Overall, the Palace Complex is beautiful and definitely worth a visit and even a repeat visit. When we visited, it wasn't too crowded because of Covid-19, but in regular days, it will probably be crowded. However, the palace is extremely clean and that is a wonderful thing, really. Carry beverages and snacks, but please don't litter.


Today, when you visit this area, you would need to be aware that the area has had only about 15 years of relative peace to develop. This will help you be empathetic as your vehicle wobbles across the pothole-ridden roads of Morena (a separate post on this topic is on its way). However, once you have braved that, the rewards are worth each pothole that you crossed. And one of the most gratifying is the breathtaking sight of the Bateshwar Group of Temples in Padavali.

When you look at the temples now, it is difficult to imagine that till the year 2005, this site was nothing but a huge pile of rocks. When Shree K K Mohammed, the regional director of the Archaeological Survey of India came upon this site, there were only a couple of small temples still standing, that gave him some idea of the structure and architecture of the temples in this site. It was clear to him that in order to start the restoration, they would need to clear the site first so that they can study the foundation of temples and start piecing together the puzzle.

So the team set about the work, photographing, documenting, and restoring the small area. They were up against a tight timeline and a very challenging task. After 4 months when the dacoits returned, they were amazed to see the miraculous restoration and hence they gave their permission to let the restoration work proceed. As time passed many of these dacoits actually became a part of the restoration activity, clearing the areas, sorting rocks, and reassembling the temples. In his interview, KK Mohammed observes, "we were not only restoring the temples, we were actually restoring the lives of these dacoits as well." For some interesting before and after restoration photographs of the site, please see the following article: Article about Bateshwar Group of Temples by Kevin Stand Photography.

Not too long back, mere mention of the name Morena was enough to send shivers down anyone's spine. This district near the Chambal river was once a stronghold of notorious dacoits, such as Daku Man Singh, Nirbhay Singh Gujjar, Phoolan Devi, and Paan Singh Tomar. If you happened to be passing through this district and your vehicle broke down, you would automatically start praying to the lord for your safe exit from this area (this actually happened to my parents back in 1982, so I am kind of talking from experience).

The entrance of one temple has sculpted footprints of Vishnu. And amid this scene of greens and grey, the vermillion-covered statue of Hanuman with Kamdev and Rati under his feet, stands out. In most of these temples, Pooja isn't carried out. The temples are free for everyone to explore. And there is much to discover.

Not too long back, mere mention of the name Morena was enough to send shivers down anyone's spine. This district near the Chambal river was once a stronghold of notorious dacoits, such as Daku Man Singh, Nirbhay Singh Gujjar, Phoolan Devi, and Paan Singh Tomar. If you happened to be passing through this district and your vehicle broke down, you would automatically start praying to the lord for your safe exit from this area (this actually happened to my parents back in 1982, so I am kind of talking from experience).

Anyway, we parked our car in the the outside parking and walked the couple of 100 metres to the ticketing counter, bought the ticket (Rs. 40 per adult). As soon as we entered the Nursery though, we spotted a Rufus Treepie and a Grey Hornbill. VJ had left his camera in the car, so upon spotting these exciting birds, he went back and got it. However, we did not have much luck with birding at Sunder Nursery. May be we were not patient enough, but the sheer number of house crows and jungle crows in the gardens kind of overshadowed all other birds.

We have all had different reactions to the pandemic. Some of us have barely stepped out, others started reclaiming the space as soon as the second wave subsided. We are somewhere in the middle of that spectrum. Stepping out a little, but with precautions and only in spaces that are open. Meeting people in a social bubble (almost). And always always wearing masks when in public spaces. So I like to believe that we have been careful, but also a little adventurous.

Naina Devi temple is one of the important temples in this region and has a very well maintained campus. During this visit, we saw lot of improvements in terms of infrastructure and covid protocols were being followed pretty well. If you are visiting the temple during first half of the day, you may want to enjoy bhandara (food) in the campus. Bhandara space is open for everyone till 2pm. There is no major hotel or dhaba around the temple, if you want to eat anything. So it's recommended to have your meal at Rewalsar and then climb us. Light snacks, cold drinks etc are available around the main gate and if you are looking for a recommendation, we would suggest to have a 'Kulfi', which was amazing and that only costs 10 Rs.

Tea, cold-drinks, chips and some light snacks are offered by small vendors inside the garden. It's good to see dustbins installed at reachable places, which are quite helpful in keeping the place clean. Many families come to Lodhi Garden to celebrate weekend with their kids & family members. It's always really nice to see a different type of environment in the lawns of Lodhi Garden.

Lodhi Garden is a good place for Delhites and tourists to escape from the hustle-bustle of the city. During afternoon some parts of the garden is full of by couples seeking solitude.

Above photograph shows interiors of the mosque inside Lodhi Garden. This Mosque was built in 1494, during the reign of Sikander Lodi. Just opposite the Bara Gumbad is the Sheesh Gumbad (Glass dome). Seems like this Gumbad must be constructed using lot of glass which you can't find today. Inside Sheesh Gumbad, there are remains of an unknown family. Apart from that bats live in these structures and at times, stink when you enter into the gumbad.

Travellingcamera loves walking around these wonderful structures of Lodhi Garden and click these shadows & filtered light making various interesting shapes inside the darkness of these tombs and structures. And I love this contrast of greens outside and interiors of dark brown structures, as you can see in above photograph.

There are lot of fitness groups who do various kinds of fitness sessions at Lodhi Garden. Frequency of those sessions is different. Some are organized by individual and few by companies like Reebok & Decathlon.

Above photograph shows Tomb of Mohammed Shah.

Some time back restoration work has happened for these monuments. In fact, these days two main projects are under progress at Lodhi Garden - One is a colourful initiative by some Artists to paint all dustbins at Lodhi Garden with some beautiful designs. The second one if restoration work happening near the mosque. The work of conservation Mohammed Shah's Tomb was started with the Mohammed Shah’s Tomb. At first, restoration of the inverted lotus on top of the dome was carried out.

Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi is the official residence of the President of India, located in New Delhi, Delhi, India. Until 1950 it was known as Viceroy's House and served as the residence of the Viceroy of India. It is at the heart of an area known as Lutyens' Delhi. It is the largest residence of any Head of the State in the world. The layout of the palace is designed around a massive square although there are many courtyards and open inner areas within. There are separate wings for the Viceroy and another wing for guests. The Viceroy’s wing is a separate four-storey house in itself, with its own court areas within. The wing was so large that the first president of India decided not to stay there, staying in the guest wing, a tradition which was followed by subsequent presidents. At the centre of the main part of the palace, underneath the main dome, is the Durbar Hall, which was known as the Throne Room during British rule when it had thrones for the Viceroy and his wife. It's a must visit place for Architecture lovers.

Old Fort (Purana Quila) is very close to Zoo and a few kilometers from India Gate. If you are planning a visit during evening, you can spend good time watching light & sound show which takes you through history of Delhi. Check out the link below for more details on that. Ishq-e-Dilli - A light and sound interpretation of the allure of Delhi at Old Fort

The Hindi show starts at 7:00pm and the English one at 8:30pm (during the month of October). The timings are different during different months, so it's recommended to check out the ITDC website for right timings of these shows. For the English show, entry starts 15 minutes before the show and the show itself starts almost on time. The sound that tells the story of Delhi is perfectly in sync with the visuals projected on a facade of old fort. All these photographs show different visuals flashed on the walls of Old Fort in Delhi. The ticket costs 100 Rs per person and it's 50 Rs for senior citizen, kids & students. If you are going in a car, there is enough parking space at the gate, unless there are lot of people. If you want to use Delhi Metro for commute - take the metro to Pragati Maidan and from there an auto would charge 40/50 Rs. Several buses too travel on this road from Pragati Maidan Metro station.

Taj Mahal of Delhi in red stone is Humayun's tomb, although the real connection between Taj Mahal & Humayun's tomb is more interesting. When Taj Mahal was built, the inspiration for Architecture came from this beautiful tomb in Delhi. Certainly the size of Taj Mahal is huge in comparison to the Humayun's Tomb and other basic difference is kind of stone used. Taj Mahal is made up of white marble when Humayun's tomb is in Red Stone. Both of these beautiful monuments are symmetrical and built on top of a square platform. Look at the monument from any of the four directions and it will look the same.

Delhi is extremely rich in terms of heritage and there are 3 UNESCO sites in the capital city of India. Apart from Red Fort, Qutub Minar and Humayun's tomb there are lot of other monuments to visit & explore in Delhi. Safdarjung is very special amongst them because of various reasons like it's architecture, well maintained gardens around it, it's location and a lot more which we will share through this blogpost. We will also discuss about how to reach Safdarjung Tomb from various parts of Delhi by using various transportation systems and entry ticket fees, timings etc. But more than that, we bring you some interesting secrets about Safdarjung Tomb and places around it.

Most of the times we aim for destinations and may not give importance to places on our way. But real exploration is when you give equal importance to the journey. In fact, at times I have regretted about not enjoying the journey and usually excuse is time :). Anyways, today we are sharing about a place which we explored on our way to Barot valley and it was one of the best breaks we took. This place always remained special for me and visited a few times again. It's Dzongsar Khyentse Chökyi Lödrö Institute in a town called Chauntra in Himachal Pradesh. Let's check out this blogpost to know more about this place, how to reach and some of the details around other places to explore around Chauntra.

The colour red isn’t usually associated with peace and tranquility. But one look at this building and your perception of red changes forever. The majestic building, which is the monastery, presides over the sprawling grounds, surrounded by the green hills and resonant with the chirping of birds and the gushing of wind in the trees. In the circular dormitory, a lone monk sits against the pillar, engrossed in his scholarly exploration of the theories of Buddhism, or perhaps English, which is taught in the institute with a vision to enable the Buddhist teachers to spread the teachings of Buddha across cultural and linguistic borders. There is such concord between the Institute and the surroundings that it is difficult to imagine what the landscape would have looked like before the institute was constructed hardly a decade back. The Tibetan way of life seems so prevalent that you have to force yourself to remember that the institute was inaugurated as recently as 2004, by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and several other lamas and dignitaries.

Even though this encounter doesn’t come as a surprise, it still retains the power to inspire you with awe and, if your mind is receptive, a chance to realize how miniscule we actually are in the larger scheme of things. One leaves this place either speechless or on a spiritual high that only a long, meaningful interaction with nature can induce.

A closer look at huge statue of Budha @ Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche Institute. It located on the way from Baijnath to Jogindernagar. It's actually located at a small town named as 'Chauntra'. Hardly 2 kilometers from main highway which connects Dharmshala with Mandi/Kullu.

Badami is in Bagalkot District of Karnataka State. Badamai Cave Temples are most popular places to explore in this region. They are special because all these 4 temples are carved out of huge red Stone Mountain in Badami. Out of these 4 cave temples in Badami, 3 are dedicated to Shiva and Vishnu, while the 4th one is dedicated to Jainism. Each cave temple of Badami has brilliant carvings and intricate art-forms on walls, pillars & ceilings It's hard to imagine how people would have carved temples & god forms to depict stories. Wondering if there are artists in India who can create such things today and if government or other organisations are supporting these initiatives. While sitting at home and seeing these things on TV may not create much excitement, but when you are there lot of such thoughts cross your mind and you feel like there must be some ways in modern times to leverage such brilliant skills of artists/specialists.

Bhuthanatha Temples is located around the beautiful Agstya lake in Badami and it's mainly dedicated to lord Shiva. This temple is made up of sandstone, which is locally available in Badami area of Karnataka state in India. There are two major temples here in this complex of Bhuthanatha Temples. First temple on the east side of the lake is called the Bhutanatha temple which has a superstructure that resembles early South Indian style or North Indian style with its open mantapa extending into the lake. Second temple in this complex is on the north-east side of the lake which is called the Mallikarjuna group of temples. Mallikarjuna temples have a stepped superstructure which is commonly found in Kalyani Chalukya constructions. Bhutanatha temple contain architectural forms from different periods as it's built over the years and changed by different dynasties who ruled Badami in the past.

Open Air Museum is another interesting place in Badami which has 4 separate section and 2 of them are open air. This museum has plenty of things from mythological & pre-historic era. This part of South India has certainly lot to explore & impress.

In above photograph, Vishu is sitting on Adisheesha. This is clicked at Cave temples of Badami. Bhanshankari Temple is also located in Bagalkot district of Karnataka. This is considered as one of the important shrines in Karnataka state of India.

You can notice a mosque between these 2 rocky mountains. It's called Mosque of Badami in Karnataka state of India. This is close to the entry gate of Cave temples and the bus stand.

Aihole in this region is a store of temples & heritage. Aihole has plenty of temples and ruins spread over the town and that makes it very special. It's also advisable to accompany a guide who can share about Aihole it's history and how it transformed over a period of time. During this post we also promised about sharing some of the most stunning ceilings we saw in Badami region. So make sure you look up when you are visiting these places in Badami.


Creative Ceilings are one of the favourites of Travellingcamera and we have been sharing some posts specially dedicated to such creativity. In this blogpost we are sharing about carved Ceilings we saw at Badami Cave temples in Karnataka state of India. Most of these are influenced by religious faith and beliefs. We loved the Brahma on Hamsa in cave-3 on the ceiling but not just that.

Badamai Cave Temples are most popular places to explore in this region. There are 4 cave temples here and 3 are dedicated to Shiva and Vishnu, while the 4th one is dedicated to Jainism. Each temple has brilliant carvings and intricate art-forms. It's hard to imagine how people would have carved temples & god forms to depict stories. Wondering if there are artists in India who can create such things today and if government or other organizations are supporting these initiatives. Note the dancing shiva in the first photograph which is clicked near cave-1 in Badami. Time needed to explore Cave Temples : 2-3 hrs Entry Ticket Fee : 5 Rs for Indians and 100 Rs for Foriegners ($1.5)


Badami Fort was built by Tipu Sultan in 18th century and it has few watchtowers and 2 shiavalayas. Few other essential things include Durga Temple, Lad Khan Temple, Ravanaphadi Cave Temples, Huchimalli Temple, Meganagudi group of temples, Gowda Temple & lot others. Timings - 6am to 6pm Bhuthanatha Temples is located around the beautiful Agstya lake in Badami and it's mainly dedicated lord Shiva. This temple is made up of sandstone, which is locally available in Badami.


The ceilings show Vedic deities such as Agni and Indra, along with Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Other deities displayed include love god and goddess Kama and Rati respectively, as well as Nayikas with various emotional expressions. The carvings show the same vahana for the various gods and goddesses that are found in contemporary Hinduism. Evidence of pigment remains have survived and are visible in the ceiling. It is likely that the ceiling was elaborately painted like those in Ajanta Caves of Maharashtra. Open Air Museum is another interesting place in Badami which has 4 separate section and 2 of them are open air. This museum has plenty of things from mythological & prehistoric era. This part of South India has certainly lot to explore & impress. Aihole in this region is a store of temples & heritage. Aihole has plenty of temples and ruins spread over the town and that makes it very special. It's also advisable to accompany a guide who can share about Aihole it's history and how it transformed over a period of time.


In above photograph, Vishu is sitting on Adisheesha. This is clicked at Cave temples of Badami. Bhanshankari Temple is also located in Bagalkot district of Karnataka. This is considered as one of the important shrines in Karnataka state of India.


Cave 3 also shows fresco paintings on the ceiling, some of which are faded and broken. These are among the earliest known surviving evidence of fresco painting in Indian art. The Hindu god Brahma is seen on Hamsa vahana in one of the murals. The wedding of Shiva and Parvati, attended by various Hindu deities is the theme of another. Vellamma temple in Badami is another place to visit in this area. After exploring Badami, I am most impressed by Cave Temples. You can notice a mosque between these 2 rocky mountains. It's called Mosque of Badami in Karnataka state of India. This is close to the entry gate of Cave temples and the bus stand.


Agstya Lake is considered as a holy lake of Badami which faces famous cave temples of Badami. Apart from caves, this lake is surrounded by redstone temples & the mosque of Badami. While we were walking around the caves, this lake was clearly visible from cave-2 and beyond. It was certainly a good place for many of the co-travellers to get a photograph clicked.

During our visit to Binsar in Uttarakhand, we also planned a day trip to Jageshwar Dham. I had heard a lot about the group of ~125 temples and Jageshwar weather. Jageshwar Mahadev temple is surrounded by high deodar trees and hence Jageshwar temperature is usually very pleasant. There is a beautiful water stream with cold water. There is lot more than these deodar trees, water streams & temples, which we will discuss in this blogpost along with details like how to reach Jageshwar Mahadev, where to stay/eat etc.

It was a good ride from Binsar to Jagwshwar and back to KMVN Binsar via Almora. Other places to explore around Jageshwar Dham : Almora Binsar Ranikhet Nainitaal Mukteshwar Dhanachuli If you liked this post and found it helpful, I would request you to follow these things when traveling - - Manage your waste well and don’t litter. - Use dustbins. Tell us if you went to a place and found it hard to locate a dustbin. - Avoid bottle waters in hills. Usually you get clean water in hills and water bottles create lot of mess in our ecosystem. - Say big no to plastic and avoid those unhealthy snacks packed in plastic bags. Rather buy fruits. - Don't play loud blaring music in forests or jungle camps. You are a guest in that ecosystem and disturbing the locals (humans and animals) is not polite.


Kolkata has lot of beautiful buildings from british era and Victoria memorial is one of the most beautiful & popular place in the city. During our trip to Kolkata, we visited Victorial memorial twice - once in the morning and once in the evening, when whole building was well lit. This post shares about Victoria Memorial, it's lush green gardens and some of the interesting facts about this beautiful building & other places around.The Victoria Memorial is a huge marble building in Kolkata (Calcutta) city of West Bengal, India. Victoria Memorialis dedicated to the memory of Queen Victoria and is now a museum and tourist destination and taken care of by Ministry of Culture. The Memorial is surrounded by grounds around Hooghly river near Jawaharlal Nehru road.There are multiple gates for Victoria Memorial and the Memorial building is surrounding some water bodies & lush green lawns. We entered into the Victoria Memorial campus through main which is just front of the memorial.We turned towards left just after entering into the Victoria Memorial campus. There is a beautiful water body on the left side of the memorial, which offers great views of Victoria Memorial in water reflection.Different types of birds can be seen around lush green gardens of Victoria Memorial in Kolkata, but Cormorants were in abundance. Most of them were sitting around the edge of water body and it seems that campus has good amount of fish as well.The day we visited Victoria Memorial was being celebrated as National Tourism Day and entry to all monuments was free. Otherwise entry ticket for Victoria Memorial costs 10 rs and ticket for museum is extra,which is priced at 20 rs.Lot of folks come to Victoria Memorial for morning walk or jogging. There are monthly/yearly passes available for folks which cost 100 rs for month and 1000 rs for an year.Victoria Memorial opens at 10am in morning and closes at 5pm. Ticket counter closes at 5pm. There are lot of maulshree trees around Victoria Memorial, which make the whole environment fragrant. Especially the other side of water body, which is full of trees and plants.These lions sitting on the entry makes the places grander.

Kolkata has lot of beautiful buildings from british era and Victoria memorial is one of the most beautiful & popular place in the city. During our trip to Kolkata, we visited Victorial memorial twice - once in the morning and once in the evening, when whole building was well lit. This post shares about Victoria Memorial, it's lush green gardens and some of the interesting facts about this beautiful building & other places around.The Victoria Memorial is a huge marble building in Kolkata (Calcutta) city of West Bengal, India. Victoria Memorialis dedicated to the memory of Queen Victoria and is now a museum and tourist destination and taken care of by Ministry of Culture. The Memorial is surrounded by grounds around Hooghly river near Jawaharlal Nehru road.There are multiple gates for Victoria Memorial and the Memorial building is surrounding some water bodies & lush green lawns. We entered into the Victoria Memorial campus through main which is just front of the memorial.We turned towards left just after entering into the Victoria Memorial campus. There is a beautiful water body on the left side of the memorial, which offers great views of Victoria Memorial in water reflection.Different types of birds can be seen around lush green gardens of Victoria Memorial in Kolkata, but Cormorants were in abundance. Most of them were sitting around the edge of water body and it seems that campus has good amount of fish as well.The day we visited Victoria Memorial was being celebrated as National Tourism Day and entry to all monuments was free. Otherwise entry ticket for Victoria Memorial costs 10 rs and ticket for museum is extra,which is priced at 20 rs.Lot of folks come to Victoria Memorial for morning walk or jogging. There are monthly/yearly passes available for folks which cost 100 rs for month and 1000 rs for an year.Victoria Memorial opens at 10am in morning and closes at 5pm. Ticket counter closes at 5pm. There are lot of maulshree trees around Victoria Memorial, which make the whole environment fragrant. Especially the other side of water body, which is full of trees and plants.These lions sitting on the entry makes the places grander.

Kolkata has lot of beautiful buildings from british era and Victoria memorial is one of the most beautiful & popular place in the city. During our trip to Kolkata, we visited Victorial memorial twice - once in the morning and once in the evening, when whole building was well lit. This post shares about Victoria Memorial, it's lush green gardens and some of the interesting facts about this beautiful building & other places around.The Victoria Memorial is a huge marble building in Kolkata (Calcutta) city of West Bengal, India. Victoria Memorialis dedicated to the memory of Queen Victoria and is now a museum and tourist destination and taken care of by Ministry of Culture. The Memorial is surrounded by grounds around Hooghly river near Jawaharlal Nehru road.There are multiple gates for Victoria Memorial and the Memorial building is surrounding some water bodies & lush green lawns. We entered into the Victoria Memorial campus through main which is just front of the memorial.We turned towards left just after entering into the Victoria Memorial campus. There is a beautiful water body on the left side of the memorial, which offers great views of Victoria Memorial in water reflection.Different types of birds can be seen around lush green gardens of Victoria Memorial in Kolkata, but Cormorants were in abundance. Most of them were sitting around the edge of water body and it seems that campus has good amount of fish as well.The day we visited Victoria Memorial was being celebrated as National Tourism Day and entry to all monuments was free. Otherwise entry ticket for Victoria Memorial costs 10 rs and ticket for museum is extra,which is priced at 20 rs.Lot of folks come to Victoria Memorial for morning walk or jogging. There are monthly/yearly passes available for folks which cost 100 rs for month and 1000 rs for an year.Victoria Memorial opens at 10am in morning and closes at 5pm. Ticket counter closes at 5pm. There are lot of maulshree trees around Victoria Memorial, which make the whole environment fragrant. Especially the other side of water body, which is full of trees and plants.These lions sitting on the entry makes the places grander.


While travelling, I decide my own itinerary or follow the experts in the field or blogging or sensible media. The Beacon team was very helpful in exploring Kolkata in best way. Sohail suggested to go for early morning walk around Princep Ghat and this was one of the best experiences of Kolkata.I left from my hotel in Elgin and planned to take local bus to reach Babu Ghat. Buses were relatively empty in the morning and it was an interesting experience. This was going to Howrah from Elgin and was always on the move. It was hardly stopping to pick passengers. Driver used to press break for few seconds and then start when passenger is on board. This bus journey costed me 8 rs.I got down at Babu ghat. When you are facing Ganges at Babu Ghat, you see Howrah Bridge on the right and Vidyasagar Setu on the left. I headed towards Left and Princep ghat is on the same side.Above is the photograph of Princep ghat, which was relatively quiet as compared to other ghats I crossed. Babu Ghat and Pani Ghat had lot of pilgrims taking holy bath. Vidyasagar Setu is very close to the Princep Ghat.There is a nice walking area from Babu Ghat to Princep Ghat, through green landscapes and well paved path around the ghats. The whole stretch is well maintained and clean, although some of the views to Ganga were disappointing. I will be sharing more about that in a separate post soon, but overall this walk is very enjoyable and full of experiences.There is a railway track passing by this pathway and few local trains cross through this track. There is a railway station at Princep Ghat and I saw lot of folks waiting for the train there. I spent around 2 hours around these ghats and 2 trains crossed through this railway track.At almost every 150-200 meters you can see these beautiful boats parked around the ghats. They were gearing up for the day and few of the folks had already arrived who wanted to take a ride on ganges.Above is a photograph from Pani Ghat which comes on the way from Babu Ghat to Princep Ghat. This was most crowded ghat when I was walking through these ghats.During the walk I observed lot of old ships standing around the ghats and some of them seemed non-functional, although they looked beautiful :)Some of the folks were cooking food on these boats. Nt sure if these folks stay in these boats or something else, but noticed many of the such boats where folks were busy cooking something.If you are visiting Kolkata and love exploring the city in true sense, you would not want to miss this walk which exposes you to different experiences which are difficult to find in other parts of the country.

On last day of our Kolkata, we planned to visit Jorasanko Thakur bari, the place where Rabindra Nath Tagore lived and now a brilliant museum having collection of his art-work, literature, photographs, paintings of cultural exchanges. I was not sure if it's worth visiting the place but it has lot more to offer apart from the beautiful haveli and the museum. Jorasanko Thakur Bari is the house in which the poet and first non-European Nobel laureate, Rabindranath Tagore was born. It is also the place where he spent most of his childhood and did some important meetings. We took Metro from Elgin to Girish Park and walked to Jorasanko Thakur bari. Metro is most convenient way to reach this place if you are around Metro station. Otherwise, this area is prone to traffic jams, which we experienced when we planned to take taxi to return back. As we get down at Girish Park, cross the road and walk towards the main gate which takes you to Jorasanko Thakur bari. Anyone around this area would guide you easily, but you need to clearly remember the whole name of the place - 'Jorasanko Thakur bari'. If you only say Thakurbari, you may lead to wrong place. Tourists enjoying their reads while listening to Rabindra music. You would really enjoy the place if you have time, 2-3 hours. This place has lot to explore and know about Rabindra Nath Tagore, his work, family and influence in different countries and culture. But even if you have just 1 hr, that enough to get inspired and appreciate the kind of work he has done many decades ago. Jorasanko Thakur bari is located at a peacful place, although you have to cross through some of the busiest lanes of Kolkata. But you enter the campus of Jorasanko Thakur bari, you feel the peace and there is a sudden change. Green landscapes around vibrant haveli makes it more special. There is an entry ticket for the museum and it costs 10 rs per person, which is very reasonable. The way this place is maintained is awesome. Every hall and exhibition gallery is air conditioned and clean. They have appointed folks at different parts of the museum to ensure that visitors follow the right path and there are no unwanted elements inside. This place shows the grandness of Tagore's family but more than that it shows the great work he has done. He was into different types of art-forms and his work at Jorasanko Thakur bari is very inspiring for someone who has creative inclinations.The museum is huge and needs time to explore it well. We had to catch the train on same day, so didn't have option to stay back for long. Here is the main road near Jorasanko Thakur bari. It's empty because I waited for that and vehicles are behind me because of red-light :). After we took taxi, we spent 35 minutes on same road. Then we were regretting that we should have taken the Metro to go back.Vibha and I loved visiting this place and while coming out to the main road, we used hand-pulled Rickshaw. This is one thing we wanted to do in Kolkata.

On last day of our Kolkata, we planned to visit Jorasanko Thakur bari, the place where Rabindra Nath Tagore lived and now a brilliant museum having collection of his art-work, literature, photographs, paintings of cultural exchanges. I was not sure if it's worth visiting the place but it has lot more to offer apart from the beautiful haveli and the museum. Jorasanko Thakur Bari is the house in which the poet and first non-European Nobel laureate, Rabindranath Tagore was born. It is also the place where he spent most of his childhood and did some important meetings. We took Metro from Elgin to Girish Park and walked to Jorasanko Thakur bari. Metro is most convenient way to reach this place if you are around Metro station. Otherwise, this area is prone to traffic jams, which we experienced when we planned to take taxi to return back. As we get down at Girish Park, cross the road and walk towards the main gate which takes you to Jorasanko Thakur bari. Anyone around this area would guide you easily, but you need to clearly remember the whole name of the place - 'Jorasanko Thakur bari'. If you only say Thakurbari, you may lead to wrong place. Tourists enjoying their reads while listening to Rabindra music. You would really enjoy the place if you have time, 2-3 hours. This place has lot to explore and know about Rabindra Nath Tagore, his work, family and influence in different countries and culture. But even if you have just 1 hr, that enough to get inspired and appreciate the kind of work he has done many decades ago. Jorasanko Thakur bari is located at a peacful place, although you have to cross through some of the busiest lanes of Kolkata. But you enter the campus of Jorasanko Thakur bari, you feel the peace and there is a sudden change. Green landscapes around vibrant haveli makes it more special. There is an entry ticket for the museum and it costs 10 rs per person, which is very reasonable. The way this place is maintained is awesome. Every hall and exhibition gallery is air conditioned and clean. They have appointed folks at different parts of the museum to ensure that visitors follow the right path and there are no unwanted elements inside. This place shows the grandness of Tagore's family but more than that it shows the great work he has done. He was into different types of art-forms and his work at Jorasanko Thakur bari is very inspiring for someone who has creative inclinations.The museum is huge and needs time to explore it well. We had to catch the train on same day, so didn't have option to stay back for long. Here is the main road near Jorasanko Thakur bari. It's empty because I waited for that and vehicles are behind me because of red-light :). After we took taxi, we spent 35 minutes on same road. Then we were regretting that we should have taken the Metro to go back.Vibha and I loved visiting this place and while coming out to the main road, we used hand-pulled Rickshaw. This is one thing we wanted to do in Kolkata.

On last day of our Kolkata, we planned to visit Jorasanko Thakur bari, the place where Rabindra Nath Tagore lived and now a brilliant museum having collection of his art-work, literature, photographs, paintings of cultural exchanges. I was not sure if it's worth visiting the place but it has lot more to offer apart from the beautiful haveli and the museum. Jorasanko Thakur Bari is the house in which the poet and first non-European Nobel laureate, Rabindranath Tagore was born. It is also the place where he spent most of his childhood and did some important meetings. We took Metro from Elgin to Girish Park and walked to Jorasanko Thakur bari. Metro is most convenient way to reach this place if you are around Metro station. Otherwise, this area is prone to traffic jams, which we experienced when we planned to take taxi to return back. As we get down at Girish Park, cross the road and walk towards the main gate which takes you to Jorasanko Thakur bari. Anyone around this area would guide you easily, but you need to clearly remember the whole name of the place - 'Jorasanko Thakur bari'. If you only say Thakurbari, you may lead to wrong place. Tourists enjoying their reads while listening to Rabindra music. You would really enjoy the place if you have time, 2-3 hours. This place has lot to explore and know about Rabindra Nath Tagore, his work, family and influence in different countries and culture. But even if you have just 1 hr, that enough to get inspired and appreciate the kind of work he has done many decades ago. Jorasanko Thakur bari is located at a peacful place, although you have to cross through some of the busiest lanes of Kolkata. But you enter the campus of Jorasanko Thakur bari, you feel the peace and there is a sudden change. Green landscapes around vibrant haveli makes it more special. There is an entry ticket for the museum and it costs 10 rs per person, which is very reasonable. The way this place is maintained is awesome. Every hall and exhibition gallery is air conditioned and clean. They have appointed folks at different parts of the museum to ensure that visitors follow the right path and there are no unwanted elements inside. This place shows the grandness of Tagore's family but more than that it shows the great work he has done. He was into different types of art-forms and his work at Jorasanko Thakur bari is very inspiring for someone who has creative inclinations.The museum is huge and needs time to explore it well. We had to catch the train on same day, so didn't have option to stay back for long. Here is the main road near Jorasanko Thakur bari. It's empty because I waited for that and vehicles are behind me because of red-light :). After we took taxi, we spent 35 minutes on same road. Then we were regretting that we should have taken the Metro to go back.Vibha and I loved visiting this place and while coming out to the main road, we used hand-pulled Rickshaw. This is one thing we wanted to do in Kolkata.

It was time to head towards Iskon Temple. Before starting the journey, everyone goes to Iskon temple and Iskon Bengaluru is one of the important temples by Iskon organisation. It started raining as we reached outside the temple, but it was manageable. As we reached closed to the entry gate, it started raining heavily and one has to go through open areas to reach main temple. All of us the group were brave to take the call that we want to see the temple. It was ok if we got exposed to showers but it was worth. As we headed back, some of us found that our shoes are wet. They were placed in common area just outside the temple. That was little disappointing for some of us. This event spoiled the mood of some co-travellers. This is was of my learnings from this trip, but why it was learning? I would be writing a separate post about learnings from the trip and how someone can get prepared when planning such trips. Also there was few things for Golden Chariot team. So stay tuned.

This morning, we had to pack some clothes and essentials as the night stay was planned in KSTDC Kabini River Lodges (Jungle Lodges).

The Mysore Palace is a historical place in the city of Mysore in Karnataka state in south India. It is the official residence and seat of the Wodeyars — the royal family of Mysore, who ruled the princely state from 1399 to 1950. It’s considered as one of the most beautiful palaces in India and it’s amazing to see the kind of palace it was at that time. Brilliant art-works, teek wood work, chandeliers from Belgium, glass paintings from Glasgow etc. Mysore Palace has 2 durbar halls (ceremonial meeting halls of the royal court) and has various courtyards, gardens & buildings. The palace is in the central region of inner Mysore, facing the Chamundi Hills.

Mysore is commonly described as the City of Palaces. There are about seven palaces inclusive of this. However, Mysore Palace refers specifically to the one within the Old Fort. Built by the Maharaja Rajarshi His Highness Krishnarajendra Wadiyar IV , Mysore Palace is now one of the most famous tourist attractions in India , after the Taj Mahal. The only sad part is that you can’t click photographs inside the Mysore Palace. Our guide Nazir took us through the whole campus and told various stories associated. There are some brilliant paintings inside Mysore palace depicting various forms of processions. There are paintings which are called as 3D paintings by guides because subject moves as you move in different directions. One of the painting depicts ambulances that were used during that period. Elephants used to be an integral part of the palace.

After the movie, the dinner was set. The dining area of Jungle lodges is close to the Kabini river. One could see the river through the trees in the lodge area.

At 3:45pm we started for Srirangapatna. Srirangapatna is one of the important historical town in Karnataka state of India and located near the city of Mysore.

After that we planned to visit Tipu’s tomb. That’s the place where Tipu, his father & mother’s tombs are.

Lalitha palace is painted in pure white and looks grand. The same was converted into a heritage hotel in 1974, which is now run by the Ashok Group of the India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) under the Government of India .

Here is the grand ballroom of Lalitha Palace, which is now restaurant on the ground floor. This was the place where we had our dinner and then headed back to the Golden Chariot.

I love clicking beautiful roofs and this one is clicked at Lalitha Palace in Mysore. This was the roof of restaurant at Lalitha Palace.

We went to Bellur temple first, which was 30 minutes drive from Hassan Railway station. Bellur temples is a campus with various temples inside it. Belooru is a taluka in Hassan district of Karnataka state of south India. Belur town is renowned for its Chennakeshava Temple one of the finest examples of Hoysala workmanship. There are two more shrines in this temple compound that are still in use by devotees and there is a Pushkarni or stepped well to the right side of the main entrance. The Dravida style rayagopura at the entrance which was a later addition by the Vijayanagar kings, who considered this deity as one of their Kuladevata or family god.

After quick snacks, we headed towards Halebidu Temples. It took 30 minutes from Bellur to Halebidu. These temples are surrounded by beautiful lawns and trees. Shiva temple of Halebidu has brilliant carving work on outer walls. The Halebidu temple complex comprises two Hindu temples, the Hoysaleshwara and Kedareshwara temples and two Jain basadi.

In front of these temples there is a large lake. The two Nandi images on the sides of the Hoysaleshwara temple are monoliths and you can see one of them in above photograph. Soapstone (chloritic schist) was used for the construction of these temples.

We shall share a separate post about Halebid Temple. Beware of the hawkers when you move out of the temple.

Here is another view of the statue of Bahubali at Shravanabelagola. This was clicked from outside the main temple but from same hill.

The original statue of Narasimha had the image of goddess Lakshmi, sitting on his lap. But this statue has been damaged seriously during the raid leading to the fall of Vijayanagara. Above photograph shows the huge shivalimgam which is situated close to Lakshmi Narsimha Temple.

After spending some time around Lakshmi Narsimha Temple, we walked around the beautiful hill with huge rocks and ancient temples. Above is one of the views from this hill and Virupaksha temple is exactly opposite to this place.

On the road near Virupaksha Temple, there is road surrounded by ancient market where pearls, gold, diamond trading used to happen in Vijayanagara kingdom. This is huge one and I really wanted to spend some time around this space.

Here is another view of Virupaksha Temple from one of the surrounding hills. This is one of the most interesting places in Hampi to closely experience gigantic rocks, monolithic structures and beautiful views. I am sure sunset would look much better from this place as it gives great views in all directions.

We boarded the bus and then stopped around Lotus Mahal, Elephant’s Stable, Ranga Temple and Zanana enclosure.

Above photograph shows Elephant’s Stable at Hampi.

Next halt was Hazararama temple and near that were the ruins of Hampi palace.

Most of the structures of Vajayanagara were made up of sandal wood, which don’t exist now and so only stone structures can be seen, which were usually the base of any palace or watchtower.

There was a huge swimming pool and we guessed it’s depth as 30 feet.

Here is a photograph of water source near the main mahal of Vijayanagara kingdom. Is surrounded by huge land full of ruins.
On our way, we had a quick halt near Zananaghar - the place where important ladies of the kingdom used to come for bath. The central place used to be water pond, which is empty now.






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