Travel Inspiration, Relaxing Music and More!

Step into the enchanting embrace of Meghalaya in Rains with the soothing sounds of Relaxing Music. This immersive video unfolds a visual symphony, capturing the ethereal beauty of mist-covered landscapes, cascading waterfalls, and the vibrant greenery that flourishes during the monsoons. From the misty meadows of Shillong to the rhythmic rainfall in Cherrapunji, experience the serene charm of Meghalaya like never before.  As the raindrops weave their melody, the video invites you to unwind and immerse yourself in the tranquil ambiance of this northeastern paradise. Each frame is a canvas painted with the hues of nature, offering a virtual retreat for those seeking solace in the beauty of the rainy season.  This atmospheric journey is not just a visual feast but a sensory escape, where the visual poetry of Meghalaya harmonizes seamlessly with the calming notes of the accompanying music. It's a celebration of nature's artistry, a gentle reminder of the rejuvenating ...

Patna, also known as Pataliputra, is the capital and largest city of the state of Bihar in India. Patna is the second-largest city in Eastern India after Kolkata. Patna was founded in 490 BCE by the king of Magadha. Pataliputra was a seat of learning and fine arts. Patliputra was home to many astronomers and scholars including Aryabhata, Vatsyayana and Chanakya. Megasthenes, the Indo-Greek historian and ambassador to the court of Chandragupta Maurya, gave one of the earliest accounts of the city. He described the city as the greatest city on earth during its heyday. A number of Chinese travelers came to India in pursuit of knowledge and recorded their observations about Pataliputra in their travelogues. One such famous account was recorded by a Chinese Buddhist traveler Fa Hien, who visited India between 399 and 414 CE, and stayed here for many months translating Buddhist texts. The ancient city of Pataliputra was founded in the 5th century BCE by Ajatashatru, king of Magadha. His...

Situated 30 kms from Amritsar, Tarn Taran Sahib is a town in the Majha region of the state of Punjab, in northern India. Gurdwara Sri Tarn Taran Sahib, a prominent Sikh shrine is located in the central part of the city. The site has the distinction of having the largest water pond (sarovar) of all the Gurdwaras in the world. The water pond runs nearly 1000 feet by 750 feet. According to Sikh tradition, the water of the pond was found to possess medicinal properties, especially efficacious for curing leprosy. For this reason the sarovar is also known as Dukh Nivaran - meaning “the eradicator of affliction”. Tarn Taran Sahib was founded by the Fifth Sikh Guru, Shri Guru Arjan Dev Ji (1563–1606). He was so enchanted by its natural beauty that he established a town and named it Tarn Taran - meaning “the boat to cross the ocean of existence”. He laid the foundation of Sri Tarn Taran Sahib Temple. The Gurdwara is an elegant, three-storied structure at the south-eastern corner of the ...

Vadodara, a city in Gujarat in India, also known as Baroda, is named for the vad (banyan) trees that flourish in the area. Vadodara City is also known as cultural capital of Gujarat. The city has a cosmopolitan mixture of Indian nationals as well as that of Non Resident Indians with various tourists visiting this city. The major residents of this City happen to be from the native land of Gujarat and speak Gujarati. Being a multicultural mix, the city has people who are generally found to be able to speak Gujarati, Hindi, Marathi, Sindhi as well as English. For the people of Vadodara today, it's modern history begins with Sayajirao III. Maharaja Sayaji Rao III, who took the throne in 1875, did much to modernize Baroda, establishing compulsory primary education, a library system and the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. He also encouraged the setting up of textile factories, which helped create Baroda's textile industry. He is well known for offering B. R. Ambedkar a...

Attari, also spelled Atari, is a village of Amritsar District in the Punjab state of India, 3 kms from the Indo-Pakistani border at Wagah. It is situated 25 kms west of the Sikh holy city of Amritsar. It is the starting point of the National Highway 1, part of the historic Grand Trunk Road and is also part of AH1, the longest route of the Asian Highway Network. This small village has gained a prominent place in Indian tourism owing to the flag lowering ceremony that takes place here at the border everyday before sunset on both sides of the nations. The Wagah Border Ceremony, more popularly known as Beating Retreat Ceremony, was started in 1959. The occasion is to symbolically close the border for the night and lower the National Flags of both nations. The Flag Lowering Ceremony is done everyday before sunset. Free entry starts on the Indian side at around 4 PM into a large semi-circular open stadium built specially for the ceremony. There is a smaller stadium built on the Pa...

The Statue of Unity is a colossal statue of Indian statesman and independence activist Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (1875–1950), who was the first Deputy Prime Minister and Home minister of independent India and the chief adherent of Mahatma Gandhi during the non-violent Indian Independence movement. It is the world's tallest statue with a height of 182 metres (597 ft). The number 182 represents the total democratic assembly constituencies in the state of Gujarat. Patel was highly respected for his leadership in uniting the 552 princely states of India to form the single Union of India, aptly conferring him the title of "The Iron Man of India". It is located in the state of Gujarat, India, on a river facing the Sardar Sarovar Dam on river Narmada in Kevadiya colony, 100 kms southeast of the city of Vadodara and 150 kms from Surat. The project was first announced in 2010 and the construction of the statue started in October 2013 by Larsen & Toubro. At the time,...

The Hoysala Kings ruled most part of Karnataka, the Southern state of India from 10th to 14th century. These Kings were great patrons of Art, Architecture and commissioned some of the best stone temples ever built. Belur-Halebidu, in Hassan district of Karnataka, go together like twin cities. Separated only by a short drive, both were home to the Hoysala dynasty for three centuries (mid-11th to mid-14th century). The Belur and Halebidu temples are cut from the soft stone called chloritic schist. It allowed for very fine detailing, evident in the intricately carved temple walls. As representations of South Indian styles they are comparable only to the temples at Khajuraho. Of special interest are the engineering techniques used in assembling the temple, particularly the locking systems that used grid locks, interlocks, and the pin & socket system. They were used for attaching separately carved panels onto the walls and ceilings, achieving a continuous and inseparable appearance ...

Melukote in Karnataka, southern India, is one of the sacred places of the Hindu religion. The place is also known as Thirunarayanapuram. It is built on rocky hills, known as Yadugiri, Yaadavagiri and Yadushailadeepa, overlooking the Cauvery valley. Melukote is about 51 kms from Mysore and 133 kms from Bangalore. Melukote is the location of the Cheluvanarayana Swamy Temple. On the top of the hill is the temple of Yoganarasimha. It is believed that the image of Yoga Narasimha temple was installed by Prahlada himself. Krishnaraja Wodeyar III presented a gold crown to Lord Yoga Narasimha. Many more shrines and ponds are located in the town. Melukote is home to the Academy of Sanskrit Research, which has collected thousands of Vedic and Sanskrit manuscripts. Early in the 12th century, the famous Srivaishnava saint Sri Ramanujacharya, who hailed from Tamil Nadu, stayed at Melukote for about 12 years. It has thus become a prominent centre of the Srivaishnava sect. The raja gopuram (e...

Shravanabelagola is a Jain pilgrim destination located in the Hassan district of Karnataka state, Southern India. It is at a distance of 157 kms from Bangalore and is a popular day outing spot. There are ancient monuments in and around Shravanabelagola. There are monuments of rare excellence and skill, executed by the illustrious Gangas and Hoysalas who had a profound sense of duty and ardent devotion to religion. The finest monuments are found in two sacred hills, Vindhyagiri and Chandragiri. The town is small and you can easily walk between the major attractions. Vindhyagiri hill is about 150 m (470 feet) above the ground and is one solid rock. It must be climbed barefoot. Most tourists use the main steps from the town consisting of triple flights of about 660 steps to the top, cutout in the rock. People of all ages climb these steps; however they are steep and it can be a hard climb. The 17 m (58 ft) high monolithic stone statue of the Lord Gommateshwara, also referred to as Ba...

Bagalkot or Bagalakote is a city in Karnataka state of India. It is situated on the branch of River Ghataprabha about 530 kms northwest of state capital Bangalore. The legendary Chalukya Dynasty ruled Bagalkot District once upon a time, in northern Karnataka. Occupying a distance of 6593 sq. km, Bagalkot District is flanked by Bijapur district in the north and Gadag district in the south. Bagalkot presents itself as a gateway to a number of day trips – notably to Badami Caves (covered earlier in this blog). Others include Kudalasangama and Almatti Dam. Kudalasangama is an important center of pilgrimage for Lingayats. It is located about 15 kilometres from the Almatti Dam. The Krishna and Malaprabha rivers merge here and flow east towards Srisaila (another pilgrim center) in Andhra Pradesh. The holy resting place of Basavanna, the founder of the Lingayat sect of Hindu religion along with a Linga, which is believed to be self-formed, is here. A temple has been built here in Chaluk...

Bijapur, officially known as Vijayapura, is the district headquarters of Bijapur District of Karnataka state of India. It is also the headquarters for Bijapur Taluka. Bijapur city is well known for its historical monuments of architectural importance built during the rule of the Adil Shahi dynasty. Bijapur is located 530 km northwest of the State Capital Bengaluru and about 550 km from Mumbai, and 384 km west of the city of Hyderabad. A historic city epitomizing the Deccan’s Islamic era, dusty Vijapura tells a glorious tale dating back some 600 years. Blessed with a treasure house of mosques, mausoleums, palaces and fortifications, it was the capital of the Adil Shahi kings from 1489 to 1686, and one of the five splinter states formed after the Islamic Bahmani kingdom broke up in 1482. Despite its strong Islamic character, Vijapura is also a centre for the Lingayat brand of Shaivism, which emphasises a single personalised god. In an introduction to an album of Bijapur published ...

Nestled amid the Himalayan Ranges, Sri Hemkund Sahib is a sacred pilgrimage revered by thousands of Sikhs every year. Literally meaning ‘Lake of Snow’, this holy pilgrimage site is perched at an altitude of 4329 m above the sea level and lies in the backdrop of snow – clad mountains. This place of worship and pilgrimage site is in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, India. It is approached from Gobindghat on the Rishikesh-Badrinath highway. The main town near Gobindghat is Joshimath. The shrine is also known as Gurudwara Shri Hemkunt Sahib and can be reached by trekking through numerous waterfalls, thick forest and captivating views of the Himalayas. The gurudwara is open only for a few months and closes down during the extreme winter months. Visited by a myriad of devotees from all around the globe, it accounts for the highest Gurudwara of the Sikh community. A Hindu shrine dedicated to mythological hero Lakshmana is attractive for Hindu Pilgrims. This temple is built on the banks o...

Ahmedabad (also called Amdavad, Ahmadabad or Ahemdavad), Gujarat’s major city, grows on you. Yes, during peak hours with traffic, noise, and air so thick you can chew it, the place can be a little overwhelming, but it’s well worth taking the time to get to know this remarkable city. It wins you over with its wealth of architecture – from centuries-old mosques and mausoleums to cutting-edge contemporary design. Then there’s the fascinating maze of an old quarter, excellent museums, fine restaurants, a bustling street-food scene and the tranquility of the Sabarmati Ashram (Gandhi’s former headquarters). It was the capital of Gujarat until the establishment of Gandhinagar, though a lot of people still believe the former to be the capital. The city has seven bridges which connect the historic city to the modern or the commercial part of the city. It is known for its handicrafts, theme-based restaurants and traditional cuisine. Ahmedabad city has witnessed the rule of different dynastie...

Not many people know that Karnataka, India has two UNESCO world heritage sites – Hampi & Pattadakal – both located in North Karnataka. Pattadakal, together with Aihole and Badami Caves are major centers of historically important Chalukya monuments. The Chalukya empire ruled from Aihole, Badamai and Pattadakal and you can see architectural marvels in Red sandstone. The beginning of temple architecture in India may well have started from here. Aihole (pronounced “Eye-ho-lé”), also referred to as Aivalli, Ahivolal or Aryapura, is a historic site of ancient and medieval era Buddhist, Hindu and Jain monuments in north Karnataka dated from the fourth century through the twelfth century CE. Located around an eponymous small village surrounded by farmlands and sandstone hills, Aihole is a major archaeological site featuring over one hundred and twenty stone and cave temples from this period, spread along the Malaprabha river valley, in Bagalakote district. Aihole is 22 miles (35 km) f...

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...

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...