My penchant to visit offbeat destinations took me to the picturesque and virgin territory of Dharamshala. It is snuggled in the lofty Dauladhar Mountain on the Himalayan ranges on three sides only to give way to a lush valley on one side. It is divided into Lower and Upper...
Holi – that wonderful festival that conjures up images of rang, bhaang, gulal, abeer, and water pichkaris. It also reminds one of the childhood days, the complete abandonment with which kids play Holi and their oblivion to any notions of health or environment, as may be the case.
In India,...
Andhra Pradesh is known for its coastal splendour and its pilgrim spots. Some places have managed to remain rather hidden and unexplored. Gandikota is one such spot whose fame is no match to its beauty. Nestled away in a village in Kadapa district is a gorge or ‘Gandi’ formed...
World-renowned tea, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and wildlife await in Assam, a land that’s filled with many more wonders you’ll be eager to explore. Located near the foothills of the eastern Himalayas, it’s the most accessible North Eastern state with well-developed tourism infrastructure. It’s your window into this part...
Sikkim, perched in the northeast of India, is the land of the highest peak in the country. Mount Kanchenjunga, well-known for its mesmerizing scenic magnificence, snow, and Sikkim’s mountain views with rare varieties of flora and fauna are truly incredible. Stand almost anywhere in the erstwhile Kingdom of Sikkim...
Another action-packed IPL evening peppered with some pampering at an elegantly-designed art deco style hotel in the Heritage Precinct of Mumbai made for a great mid-week outing.
IPL was fun and thrilling, in turns! Much to the relief of Mumbai Indians supporters this time, the MI gave a decent target to...
Picture the serene backwaters of Kerala with its rain-washed monsoon splendor. Add to that, a number of boats flashing through the waters, racing each other with over a hundred paddlers thrusting their oars in union. That’s the Nehru Trophy Boat Race for you.
Something that began as a Vallam...
The chariot festival, more popularly known as the Rath Yatra, is the journey of Puri’s Lord Jagannath and his siblings in chariots, which is celebrated every year. This Rath Yatra takes place not only in Puri, Odisha, but also in many parts of the country. This festival is celebrated...
Step wells of India have always mesmerised tourists from far and wide for their unique architecture and carvings. Not only does Rani-ki-Vav in Gujarat belong to this class of picturesque landmarks of India, but it also has a special historical beginning to it. There are various monuments which were...
Equidistant from Mysore and the coastal town of Mangalore sits a cut of emerald called Coorg. It was since long on my wish-list to visit this terrestrial of undulating hills, populated by an honored race of martial men, good-looking womenfolk, and coffee plantations. It finally got crystalized with an...
Jaisalmer, the golden city of Rajasthan, exudes an air of regality that is unrivalled. Yet, to truly unravel its opulence, one must approach the exploration of this majestic city with thoughtful planning. Here, where the dunes whisper tales of bygone eras, and the forts stand as stoic guardians of...
Every city is a dynamic space, living and growing with all its inhabitants. Almost every city in India is a melting pot of different cultures but what makes each city stand out is the identity that every city builds over time. Some of the Indian cities are...
Alibaug (Arunima Takiar, 2019)
Cracked seashells,
your pointed edges
lucidly reveal
intact sand grains
wrapping fervently
around your body parts,
twisted in
unfamiliar time zones
fast-forwarded
from a past
of splinters
that defied
permanence,
trodden by
unknowing feet
on happy sojourns,
(broken)
not lost,
vestiges
in shining specks
of beach shimmer
that defy
impermanence.
When yours truly wanted to escape for the weekend and was looking for inspiration to write a poem, a...
