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Rishikesh is a small town in the northern state of Uttarakhand in India. Scenically located where the Ganges River comes down from the Himalayas, Rishikesh catapulted to Western fame when the Beatles dropped by for a visit to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s ashram (now closed), and the town is still known as the World Capital of Yoga. Since the late ’60s, it has been a magnet for spiritual seekers. Most of the action is north of the main town, where the exquisite setting on the fast-flowing Ganges, surrounded by forested hills, is conducive to meditation and mind expansion. It is also the Gateway to the Himalayas. The Char Dham Yatra (Four Shrines Sacred Journey) ideally begins from Rishikesh. Rishikesh is not all about spirituality only; it’s now a popular white-water rafting centre and backpacker hang-out. The center of town where the train and bus stations can be found is of little interest to most travelers. Further north-east are 2 bridges spanning the Ganges, Ram Jhula and Lakshman ...

Bharuch, formerly known as Broach, is a city at the mouth of the river Narmada in Gujarat in western India. It is the oldest city of Gujarat. It is also the second-oldest city of India having continuous inhabitation, first being Kashi (Varanasi). It has a known history for about 8000 years. Being one of the biggest industrial areas including Ankleshwar, it is also referred to as the chemical capital of India. The city and its surroundings have been settled since times of antiquity. It was a ship building centre and sea port in the pre-compass coastal trading routes to West, perhaps as far back as the days of the Pharaohs. The route made use of the regular and predictable monsoon winds or galleys. Many goods from the Far East were shipped there during the annual monsoon winds, making it a terminus for several key land-sea trade routes. Bharuch was known to the Greeks, the various Persian Empires, in the Roman Republic and Empire, and in other Western centres of civilisation throu...

A church that drowns every monsoon and emerges back during the summers… the Shettihalli Rosary Church located around 22km from Hassan in Karnataka, India is a structure that is in ruins, yet a wonderful piece of art that has stood the test of time. This Gothic church was built in 1860 by the French missionaries. Later, in 1960s Gorur reservoir was constructed so that the water of Hemavathi river can be used in a better way. Subsequently, the collateral damage during the process led to submersion of around 28 villages around the river in flood. Though all the inhabitants were relocated to nearby villages, the church was abandoned forever. This roofless structure is located at a barren field, and is an unexplored location. Though not many travel here, it is visited by research scholars, architecture students and explorers. Today, the church is home to some birds and is a silent place where you can spend a lazy evening after a hectic week at work. Every year, the monsoons fill up the...

Backdrop of countless classic movies and TV shows, New York’s imagery is imprinted on most visitors before they even get here; but its soul is much harder to define. Concrete jungle where dreams are made, the city that never sleeps, the Big Apple. Traversing New York City is like finding over 100 different countries fit into one small island, 13 miles long and two miles wide. Including all five boroughs, this city of 8.2 million people has such a wealth of diversity and opportunity that whatever you’re in the mood for you can find it 24 hours a day, seven days a week. New York is probably the most visited city in the United States. Famous for fashion, nightlife, art, food, and theater, New York is the heart of the world. Every culture is represented here, and there’s always something to do. You can spend a lifetime exploring and never really see it all. NYC is one of the most amazing places in the world. New York City has seen her share of hard times such as the 1863 draft riots...

Here's the new Fresh Cuts - Episode 77! The latest in EDM - Big Room / Dutch / Future / Funky House music hits. Enjoy! Tracklist - 1. Why Don't We & Macklemore - I Don't Belong In This Club (Breathe Carolina Remix) 2. Joel Fletcher & Krunk - Same Year 3. Alok, Seu Jorge & BiD - E Depois 4. Meduza - Piece Of Your Heart (CYA Remix) 5. Arksun - Arisen (Sean Tyas Remix) 6. KURA - Beast Mode 7. Daddy's Groove - Amame 8. Feenixpawl & Sheco - Dreams 9. Evol Waves - Your Mind 10. Carta - Bring It Down 11. Alok & Quintino - Party Never Ends 12. JLV - Stupid 13. Steve Aoki & Monsta X - Play it Cool (DVBBS Remix) 14. Jay Hardway - Lost 15. Afrojack - It Goes Like 16. SICK INDIVIDUALS - Humans 17. Syzz & REGGIO - Afterlife 18. FLEXX & VAHN - Trompeta 19. VARGENTA & Somero - Could Have Grown 20. Mike Williams - Wait For You [VIP Mix] 21. Jaytech - Batumi 22. JETFIRE x REGGIO x Wasback - Cathedral (TUNE OF THE WEEK) 2...

Valley of Flowers is a vibrant and splendid national park reposing in West Himalayas, India. Nestled in Uttarakhand, this alluring place is famous for its charming meadows of alpine flowers. Endowed with a diverse range of endemic flora, it is picturesque in its beauty. This lush region is also home to some rare and endangered animal species. You may spot animals like Asiatic black deer, snow leopard, musk deer, red fox, brown bear and blue sheep. High in the lofty Himalayas of the Garhwal region sprawls this enchanting valley. Legends believe it to be the place from where Hanuman had collected the Sanjeevani herb for curing Lakshmana. This place has floral pastures, running streams and beautiful backdrop of the mountains. With the verdant beauty of the snowcapped mountains in the backdrop, the green meadows and the white clouds blend to make the dreamlike Valley of Flowers trek. Perched at an altitude of 14,400 ft, this trek was a sudden discovery by British traveller Frank Smith...

Kodaikanal is one of the very popular and most sought after Honeymoon and holiday destination hill resort in South India. This hill station stands 7200 feet above sea level and is situated in upper Palani hills of the western ghats near Madurai in Tamil Nadu. It is also popularly known as the Princes of Hill Stations. The cool and misty weather, the scenic beauty of the rolling hills and the wooded forests and its surroundings will mesmerize any visitor throughout the year. Walk through the wooded forests, row in the lake, bath in one of the splashing waterfalls, go for horse riding and cycling around the lake or simply admire the views. During 1821, Lieutenant B. S. Ward, a British surveyor, was the first European to visit Kodaikanal who was on the lookout for a healthy place to live, for the foreign missionaries working in Madurai and the surrounding areas to escape from the summer heat and epidemics. The early visitors had to travel by horse, bullock cart or palanquin. The ...

Lepakshi Temple, near Bangalore, India, is built on a low, rocky hill called Kurmasailam — which translates to tortoise hill in Telugu, after the shape of the hill. The temple dates back to 1583 and was built by the brothers, Virupanna and Veeranna, who were initially in the service of the Vijayangar kings. However, Puranic lore has it that the Veerabhadra temple was built by the sage Agastya. It has idols of Ganesha, Nandi, Veerabhadra, Shiva, Bhadrakali, Vishnu and Lakshmi. Another legend gives the town a significant place in the Ramayana — this was where the bird Jatayu fell, wounded after a futile battle against Ravana who was carrying away Sita. When Sri Rama reached the spot, he saw the bird and said compassionately, “Le Pakshi” — ‘rise, bird’ in Telugu. Besides a Hanging Pillar, another draw is the spectacular Nandi (Bull), located almost a mile before the main temple — the first structure you will encounter. At 27ft in length and 15ft in height, it is a colossal structur...

Here's the new Fresh Cuts - Episode 76! The best new Big Room / Dutch / Future / Funky House music. Enjoy! Tracklist - 1. Basto - Play It Again 2. Chris Lake - Stay With Me 3. Landis - Nobody Like You 4. Julian Jordan - Oldskool 5. Dastic - Tequila 6. Disciples - No Ties 7. Nicky Romero & Florian Picasso - Midnight Sun 8. Disco Fries - Moonlight (TUNE OF THE WEEK) 9. Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano - Yeke Yeke 10. Maurice West - In The Zone 11. Luca Debonaire - Keep This Party Rockin (Block & Crown Remix) 12. Tim Baresko - Lose Control 13. Ibranovski - Viral 14. Sophie Francis - On My Way 15. Gregor Salto - Time 16. Croatia Squad - Ven Pa Ca 17. Madison Mars - Back To You 18. JOYRYDE - Speed Trap 19. KSHMR x KAAZE - Devil Inside Me 20. Kevin McKay & David Penn - Hallelujah 21. SKIY x Bram Fidder - Eyes For You

At a distance of 110 Kms from Bangalore (via Kanakapura), 107 Kms from Mysore, Sangama and Mekedatu are two lovely places situated nearby. This is one of the famous weekend getaways from Bangalore. Mekedatu is a location along Kaveri in Kanakapura Taluk. Sangama is the place where Arkavati merges with Kaveri. From this point, about 3.5 kilometers downstream, the river Kaveri flows through a deep and narrow gorge. Mekedatu means ‘goat’s leap’ in Kannada. The name comes from an incident which is believed to have been witnessed by herdsmen in that area a long time ago. It is said that a goat being chased by a tiger made a desperate attempt to save its life by leaping from one side of the gorge and managed to cross over the raging river below, whereas the tiger did not attempt to replicate this feat, and abandoned the chase. The point where the goat leapt has widened since then from erosion caused by the river Cauvery. There is also some mythological significance to this place (both San...

The crucible of Buddhism, Bodhgaya was where Prince Siddhartha attained enlightenment beneath a bodhi tree 2600 years ago and became Buddha (the ‘Awakened One’). In terms of blessedness, this tiny temple town is to Buddhists what Mecca is to Muslims. Unsurprisingly, it attracts thousands of pilgrims from around the world every year, who come for prayer, study and meditation. Bodh Gaya, or Bodhgaya, is a village in the northeast Indian state of Bihar. Considered one of the most important Buddhist pilgrimage sites, it is dominated by the ancient brick Mahabodhi Temple Complex, built to mark the site where the Buddha attained enlightenment beneath a sacred Bodhi Tree. A direct descendant of the tree sits within the complex today, along with six other sacred sites, including a lotus pond. In the town, other Buddhist worship sites include the ornate Thai Temple and the Royal Bhutan Temple, with their colorful interior murals. Nearby, a path leads to the Great Buddha Statue, a colossa...

An ancient metropolis, Hampi is one of the most frequently visited places in India by history buffs. If one has to short-list the best heritage sites in India, then Hampi would definitely be in the top 3. Imagine an entire city dating back to the 16th century, preserved in a pretty decent condition. The time required to explore these ruins can vary anywhere from a single day to even a week. It all depends on one’s interest and patience to keep on exploring. From palaces to market streets, it is a fascinating place to visit and has the right mix of history, nature and culture to suit even the most discerning traveller. If one is looking for a weekend getaway from Bengaluru, this is the place to be! Hampi is a village and temple town recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, listed as the Group of Monuments at Hampi in northern Karnataka, India. It is located within the ruins of the city of Vijayanagara, the former capital of the Vijayanagara Empire. Predating the city of Vijayan...