The Renegades of Jilling
(Originally published in The Indian Express Sunday Magazine, 21st May 2017) “What if you two drive off a cliff and die? All business is now…
(Originally published in The Indian Express Sunday Magazine, 21st May 2017) “What if you two drive off a cliff and die? All business is now…
Rarely do we repeat a trek, because we prefer to cover new places as much as possible. But when it is a place where seasons…
The friendly hotel owner suggested we take a rickshaw to Old Manali. We insisted on walking the 3-odd kilometres from new Manali (model town). Most…
As we got out of the bus in Manali, the October chill enveloped us. It was pleasant. But not for long. We travelled further up…
At Keylong Mall Street, a kid enjoying playing with the water jet that leaks out of pipe line. On our way from Sarchu to Rohtang,…
A popular camping site, Sarchu lies at the border of Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh and belongs to HP. It is also the preferred…
Ladakh and the Himalayas never cease to excite and surprise us. Bidding adieu to the Tso Moriri wetlands and its lovely cranes and bar-headed geese,…
Elated after the rafting on the Indus, sad to leave Leh, but with vibrant anticipation of what lies ahead, we set out for further journey…
We woke up on day five of our Himalayan safari brimming with excitement. Rafting on the Indus was the highlight of the day. Sadly, our…
The descent from Chang La reveals a stark landscape that brings awe and fear. Snow-clad mountains again turn dry and arid. The sandy river bed…
Though we were on the lap of the mighty Himalayas for four days, snow was beyond our reach. We had longingly watched the glaciers from…
Tucked away from the bustling Leh town, Kaal hotel played host to us for two days. Well-appointed rooms with a touch of traditional charm, very…
The narrow cemented path and the unremarkable mud houses did not impress us. We were at Alchi Monastery, our first monastery visit, and we expected…
After Nimu and Magnetic Hill, a few miles before reaching Leh is the famous Pathar Saheb Gurudwara. Maintained by Indian Army, this Gurudwara is a…
Two days into the arid cold desert with clear blue skies, dry mountains with snow-capped peaks, deep valleys and gorges, roaring rivers… Ladakh has got…
Kargil is normally the night halt for most travelers from Srinagar to Leh. We, however, had other plans. Our plan was to travel past Kargil…
Most often during our travel experiences, taxi drivers turn good travel companions. Giving the local flavour to the many stories behind the places or simply…
“A few centuries before the Christ, the Athenians developed ‘agora’ as a place of palaver, long parley or conversation, which doubled as a location for…
For a valley city whose name symbolizes wealth and abundance, peace certainly was in not in abundance. Decades of strife, uncertainty, and violence perhaps has…
Srinagar was waking up after intermittent curfew days. The roads were so crowded and jammed that it took more than an hour from the airport…