The Musafir Stories - India Travel Podcast

42: Kochi with Johann Kuruvilla

43 min 19 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Johann Binny Kuruvilla, the face behind the blog Escapinglife.com. So sit back and enjoy as Johann takes us to his hometownTodays destination: Kochi, KeralaNearest Airport: Cochin International AirportNearest Railway Station: Ernakulam Town Station or Ernakulam Junction StationPacking Make sure to carry some rain gear if you are there during the monsoons/rainy seasonTime of the year September to February is a good time to goLength of the itinerary: 3 daysItinerary Highlights:Johann begins by sharing his story about the journey from the corporate world to being a blogger and how one movie Neelakasham Pachakadal Chuvanna bhoomi inspired him to travel to the North EastJohann begins the conversation by sharing some insights into the rich history of Kochi and how it was formed when the previously prominent port city of Muziris was wiped out by the flooding of Periyar river in 1341.The itinerary begins at Fort Kochi, formerly known as Fort Emmanuel established by the portugese explorere Vasco da gama in the 15th century. The fort was then ruled by the Dutch and later on by the British with the evolution of power.A walk through the lanes of the fort city gives one a view of the beautiful colonial era houses mingled with traditional Kerala style houses. Streets such as Princess street, Peter celli street, Burger street blend in finely with the colonial vibes of the cityPopular churches like St. Francis cathedral where Vasco da gama was initially buried and Santa Cruz basilica are a part of Fort Kochi.Other interesting things to do are attending a Kathakali performance at the Kerala Kathakali centerThe walk ends at the iconic Chinese fishing nets which have become synonymous with KochiFrom here, one can take a tuktuk or bicycle to Mattancherry, where the locals traditionally lived. This place used to be a hub of local markets and commerce as well as house boats.Make a stop at the Mattancherry palace where the Kerala royals used to live, this was gifted by the Portuguese to the royals The Dutch later on renovated the palace and hence it is sometimes referred to as the Dutch Palace The palace also has a number of murals depicting the Indian epics.Johann also speaks of the diversity of Kochi that includes Marathis, Gujaratis, Konkanis, Kutchi memons, Jews, Arab muslims, Jains and many more sects that live peacefully together.The next pitstop of our journey is Thrippunithura, a historical area where the erstwhile Kerala royals lived. There is the magnificent Thrippunithura palace overlooking more than 50 acres of the fort. Sloped roof, large Dutch windows, British arches and the traditional Thacchushaastram style of architecture gives a unique flavor to the palace, which is now a museum.There is also the Poornathrayesa temple in the vicinity, which is famous for the Vrishchikoltsawam festival. The procession of decorated/Caparisoned elephants carrying the deity is a prominent event of the temple in NovDec.The final pitstop of our tour is Ernakulam the newer region of Kochi This is the hub of all the commercial activity among other things. A lot of new projects like the Broadway a walkway with a lot of shops and markets, the Ernakulam market, the Marine drive etc. There is also the Subhash Park where one can catch the beautiful view of the lakes and sunset.One can also indulge in shopping at the Lulu supermarket, the biggest mall in India, to end the tripLinks:Link to Johanns blog: https://escapinglife.com/Link to th blogpost: https://escapinglife.com/athrowbacktofortkochi/Kochi heritage project on twitter: KochiHeritageKochi heritage project on facebook: KochiHeritageProjectTwitter: binnyjohnkInstagram: binnyjohnkFacebook: escapinglifeblogFollow the Musafir stories onTwitter: musafirstoriesFacebook: themusafirstoriesInstagram: musafirstoriespodcastwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comApple podcasts https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7ljor voice/text search Ok Google, play The Musafir stories podcastSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiweb/audioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVipocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

43: TMS Specials - Himalayan Mountaineering Institute with Shubhangi Jeswal

38 min 12 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Shubhangi Jeswal, a traveler and adventure seeker as she takes us with her to one of her most memorable journeys to the mountainsTodays destination: Completing the Basic Mountaineering course BMC at Himalayan Mountaineering Institute HMI, DarjeelingNearest Airport: Bagdogra, Airport, West BengalNearest Railway Station: Siliguri Junction railway station, West BengalPrerequisites One needs to apply online and via mail to be accepted to the HMI. The prerequisites also include a full body check up that an individual needs to pass in order to sign up for the BMC. Also, please note that there can be a waiting period of up to 1 year for admission, so please plan accordingly.Packing One can pack the necessary winter wear while travelling to the HMI institute in Darjeeling. However, equipment and other gear required for mountaineering will be provided by the HMI. The fee 78K INR covers all the equipment and training.Time of the year AprilLength of the itinerary: 28 days 10 days training at the HMI, Darjeeling 5 day trek to base camp 10 days of mountaineering at the glacier 2 days for the return trip and Graduation ceremony on the final dayItinerary Highlights: Shubhangi starts off her journey from Sikkim where she completed a preplanned itinerary and reaches Darjeeling by a shared cab from Bagdogra The initial 10 day training at HMI has a daily routine consisting of acclimatization, PT physical training, yoga and a strict diet. At the end of the 10 day training, there is a medical check up again after which the participants are cleared to go ahead. The traing is split up into 3 areas of importance Rock craft, snow craft and ice craft. Shubhangi advises one to prepare oneself better with yoga, breathing and some strength exercises to be able to carry upto 20kgs of equipment whie trekking. The Himalayan Mountaineering institute is one of the first mountaineering institute and it was inaugurated by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India. The daily routine at the institute is very rigorous with the wake up bell sounding at 4:30AM, breakfast at 6:00AM, dinner at 7PM and sleep by 8PM. Daily briefings were given by instructors to the class of 8090 which was further divided into groups called ropes. The rockcraft training was provided over the first 10 days at the institute. Once this was completed, the team set out to the basecamp which is a trek of about 5 days where the group learned snow craft while trekking. From the basecamp, the team trekked every day for 2.5 hours daily to the Rangthong glacier to practice ice craft. This was done for the next 10 days. Here, the team learns to use the different equipment like ice axe, crampons, harness, ropes, decenders, jumars etc. Shubhangi also gives us an insight into the grading system at the Institute, D for distinction, A for above average, B for average and C for below average. Challenges faced during the daily training routines from food, to hygeine to family as well as the motivation to keep going. Finally, Shubhangi talks about the joy of coming back, the graduation day and bitter sweet moment of leaving friends made over the duration of the courseLinks:Donate for Kerala relief rebuilding: https://donation.cmdrf.kerala.gov.in/https://donation.cmdrf.kerala.gov.in/Donate for Kodagu relief rebuilding: https://twitter.com/CMofKarnataka/status/1031458830087942144https://twitter.com/CMofKarnataka/status/1031458830087942144Shubhangis words: https://www.tripoto.com/profile/shubhangijeswalhttps://www.tripoto.com/profile/shubhangijeswalLink to the blog post: https://www.tripoto.com/trip/28unforgettabledaysatthebasicmountaineeringcourseathmidarjeeling591aa3f6b015chttps://www.tripoto.com/trip/28unforgettabledaysatthebasicmountaineeringcourseathmidarjeeling591aa3f6b015cLink to HMI website: https://hmidarjeeling.com/https://hmidarjeeling.com/Link to application form: http://hmidarjeeling.com/wpcontent/uploads/2017/10/NewApplicationForm.pdfhttp://hmidarjeeling.com/wpcontent/uploads/2017/10/NewApplicationForm.pdfFollow Shubhangi onInstagram: shubhangijeswalFacebook: shubhangi.jeswalFollow the Musafir stories onTwitter: musafirstoriesFacebook: themusafirstoriesInstagram: musafirstoriespodcastwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comitunes https://apple.co/2LPtTA3https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7ljhttp://bit.ly/2toY7lj or voice or google search Ok Google, play The Musafir stories podcastSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqihttps://bit.ly/2J5rIqiweb/audioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowShttps://bit.ly/2oZZowSSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVihttps://spoti.fi/2HLPSVipocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewghttps://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQihttps://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfhttps://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwhttps://bit.ly/2JiBbhwTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4ahttps://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8Rhttps://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOohttps://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

44: Riverside Goa with Kaushal Karkhanis

43 min 54 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Kaushal Karkhanis aka The Exotic Gringo. Sit back and listen to where this pro traveller and polyglot takes us to todayTodays destination: Riverside GoaNearest Airport: Dabolim Airport GOI, GoaNearest Railway Station: Multiple options depending on your destination.Prerequisites NA, but make sure to plan and book your stay ahead of time if traveling during the holiday seasonPacking Nothing specific, but make sure to carry appropriate clothes depending on the weatherTime of the year November to March is ideal, but is also going to be busyLength of the itinerary: Can be anything from 1 weekend to long term for slow travelItinerary Highlights: Kaushal starts off by taking us to the river side of North Goa starting at the Tirakhol river. Tirakhol river divides Maharashtra and Goa and is one of the lesser explored regions. Tirakhol Fort, which is now a hotel, is a beautiful place and the restaurant is open to public. Make sure to carry your camera along, specially right after the monsoons Nearby regioins of Keri and Arambol are very popular for their beautiful beaches as well. Mandrem, Patnem and Morjim are some of the other beaches in the vicinity. Next up is the Chapora river, which is Kaushals favorite for its tranquility and calm. It also has a number of rare bird species and other flora and fauna. The Siolim, Chapora and Vagator are some of the villages along the river. Historically, this was the river that demarcated Portuguese India from the rest of India. Goa only became a part of independent India only in 1961 Whaaat Other places of interest are the Chapora fort of Dil CHahta hai fame There is the fishing village of Chapora The village gets its name from Shahpura, its Mughal name from the past. There are a number of jettys which you can take a boat ride on. A very offbeat destination, ideal for someone who is looking to get away from the crazy crowds of tourists. As one heads further south, one can spend time at the village of Colvale, a quaint fishing village, also famous for the Colvale beach. Make sure to lodge at Kaza Colvale while here. Getting around Goa is a breeze one can take the local buses, the most budget way of traveling. Then there are the for hire bikes which is ideal for solo travelers and couples and Bike pilots for someone looking for a cheap alternative to cabs. The government has also tied up to HoHo Goa or hopon hopoff Goa, for full day tours around Goa for a steal. The newest mode of transport that is going to be commercialized soon will be the ferry service that can fetch you directly from the airport Woohooo As we continue our journey further south, one can experience the beautiful mainland from the banks of rivers like Baga, Arpora, and Mapusa which have some beautiful flea markets on the banks. The backwaters of the river Mapusa have some beautiful and quaint villages of carona, Olaulim, Corjuem and Aldona, nontouristy and super tranquil just the perfect place to do NOTHING, and relax Next up on the course, is the river Mandovi one of the bigger rivers of Goa along with the Zuari. Mandovi has a number of commercially active regions along its banks and is also close the the mainland that has the capital Panjim just the place to get you a sample of Old Goa, with ample heritage walks, fontainhas UNESCO declared world heritage walks. The other regions of note are Reis Magos, Ribandar, Old Goa as well as a handful of islands like Vanxim island, St. Estevam island the smallest ferry crossing, Divar island great bicycle trails and Chorao island famous for Dr. Salim Ali bird sanctuary Also, FOOOD The area around Panjim has some of the best places to eat. Check out Anand Ashram for the fish thali, check out Chonak and Motso fish, Konkani canteen and DTR for some great local food, Taj Aguada for unlimited buffet. And for dessert, make sure to check sweets like serradura at Mr. Baker, Bibbingk Confeitaria 31 De Janeiro, Dodol Cafe Morango, Vonn at Chef Peters restaurant. Further south are the rivers of Zuari and Sal areas in the vicinity like Lutolim famous for old portuguese mansions by Zuari, Varca, Cavelossim, Assolna and Navelim by Sal river. Further south are the Agonda and Palolem backwaters which are more popular for the beaches by the same names. In the vicinity of the Palolem backwaters are hidden beaches like Butteryfly and HOneymoon Talpona, Galgibag and Rajbag beaches and backwaters are further down south and have some marvellous 5 star properties for anyone interested. However, one should explore the riversides in this area for some great bicycle rides. The final reccommendation, that Kaushal is also planning to visit soon is the wonderful Cola beach lagoon north of Agonda beach, accessible by foot, bicycles and bikes only Before wrapping up, Kaushal also gives a big shout out to Jeevit Nadi www.jeevitnadi.org that makes organic products like shampoos, soaps and more as well as free recipes for a toxinfree lifestyle, that go a long way in preventing the pollution of rivers, which is a real problem that is staring at the ecology of the region. Make sure you support them and the environment. KudosLinks:Nagaland Chief Ministers relief fund:A/C No. 10530527879IFSC Code: SBIN0000214State Bank of India, Kohima BranchORhttps://cmrelieffund.nowpay.co.in/ORhttps://paytm.com/helpinghand/cmrelieffundnagalandKaushals blog: http://exoticgringo.com/http://www.goatrippers.com/Twitter: exoticgringo/ goatrippersFacebook:gowithgringo/ goatrippingInstagram: exoticgringo/ goatrippersFollow the Musafir stories onTwitter: musafirstoriesFacebook: themusafirstoriesInstagram: musafirstoriespodcastwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comitunes https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7lj or Ok Google, play The Musafir stories podcastSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiweb/audioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVipocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

48: Ayodhya with Anuradha Goyal

48 min 36 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Anuradha Goyal from www.Inditales.com. Anuradha is an accomplished travel blogger and a book reviewer with her blog AnuReviews as well as the author of the book The Mouse Charmers Pioneers of Digital IndiaTodays destination: Ayodhya, Uttar PradeshPS Happy Diwali wishes in advanceNearest Airport: Gorakhpur Airport GOP, Gorakhpur OR Amausi Airport LKO, LucknowNearest Railway Station: Ayodhya Junction, AYPrerequisites Better to carry your ID proof if you are planning to visit the Ram Janmabhoomi temple. It is not mandatory though.Packing Pack light and according to the season you are travelling in. Make sure to carry a good pair of walking shoesTime of the year OctoberLength of the itinerary: 6 daysItinerary Highlights:Anuradha starts off the conversation by giving a background about Ayodhya and its significance not only to Hinduism but to every religion that was born in India Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. She adds about the various Kings and dynasties that ruled Ayodhya before Shri Ram.Anuradha also touches upon the significance of Diwali and its connection to Ayodhya as well as the major festivals celebrated here Ram Navami MarApr, Diwali OctNov, Karthik Poornima 15 days after Diwali.Anuradha discusses the various temples across Ayodhya and the best way to explore them by doing one of the yatras Panchkosi 5kms, Chudhakosi 45kms, Chowraseekosi 300kmsSome of the points of interest that Anuradha covers in the podcast areTemples: Ram Janmabhoomi, Kanak Bhavan, Badi Hanumangarhi, Valmiki MandirGhats on the river Sarayu: Naya ghat, Guptar Ghat, Jhunki Ghat, Raj ghat and othersOthers: Ayodhya Research Institute, International Ram Katha museum, Ram Leela performance at Ayodhya research InstituteCulinary delights: Litti Chokha, Dahi Jalebi, Kachori, Samosas, Ram Daana, and ofcourse some delightful prasads from the templesLinks:Link to Anuradhas blog: https://www.inditales.com/Link to Blog Post : https://www.inditales.com/ayodhyatravelguideramramayan/Link to Anuradhas book review blog: www.anureviews.comLink to Anuradhas book: http://www.anuradhagoyal.com/themousecharmers/You can listen to the Writer and Geek Show at https://writerandgeek.com/Social media:Facebook: inditalesTwitter: anuradhagoyalInstagram: inditalesFollow the Musafir stories onTwitter: musafirstoriesFacebook: themusafirstoriesInstagram: musafirstoriespodcastwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comitunes https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7lj or voice or google search Ok Google, play The Musafir stories podcastSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiwebsite http://bit.ly/2xFZqOVSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVipocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

49: TMS Specials : Time Travel with The Autograph Seeker

40 min 52 sec

This week on The Musafir Stories we talk to novelist and media professional Tony V. Francis about his epic comingofage romantic novel The Autograph Seeker which brings to life the whispering landmarks of Calcutta in the 1980 and 1990s.During the course of the interview Tony talks to us about the bestselling novel and different landmarks of Calcutta now Kolkata which play a significant role in this story. From the famous Park Street to Eden gardens, to the theatre play to all the autographs this book has it allThe Autograph Seeker :During the colonial rule in India, fate throws together a diverse cast onto the San Souci Theatre stage – Esther Leech, the Kohinoor of Bengal theatre James Barry, the theatre manager facing bankruptcy Alice Anderson, the enchanting English woman estranged from her husband Thomas Anderson and Baboo Bustomchurn Addy, the dark Bengali actor infatuated with Alice and ready to kill for her.Yet, history has forgotten this cast who perished with the San Souci Theatre until it’s discovered by a school boy in Calcutta desperate to tell their story. To help him is an effervescent Anglo Indian beauty. She’s mute. It was the end of innocence and the dawn of a glorious institution.Unearth the story of the greatest theatre in colonial India hidden for the last 150 years inside the pages of this epic schoolage novel.You can get your hands on The Autograph Seeker on Amazonhttps://www.amazon.in/AutographSeekerTonyVFrancis/dp/938150699X https://www.amazon.in/AutographSeekerTonyVFrancis/dp/938150699X Flipkarthttps://www.flipkart.com/autographseekeroriginalcomplete/p/itmezgzzurmyj9uf https://www.flipkart.com/autographseekeroriginalcomplete/p/itmezgzzurmyj9uf or you can find it in any leading bookstore.Contest Alert Stand a chance to win a copy of the book The Autograph Seeker by Tony V Francis by writing to us on our social media handles or email us at themusafirstoriesgmail.comPhoto by Martin Jernberghttps://unsplash.com/martinjernberg on Unsplashhttps://unsplash.com/

51: Chadar Trek with Ajitha Yasmin

43 min 25 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to a very dear guest Ajitha Yasmin, a long time listener and winner of the Get Featured on the Musafir Stories contest we ran on International Podcast Day earlier this year. Todays destination: Chadar Trek on the frozen Zanskar river, Jammu KashmirNearest Airport: Leh Airport, IXLNearest Railway Station: NAPrerequisites Some experience in trekking is preferred, although not mandatoryPacking Make sure to either pack winter clothes or buy them in Leh. Decathalon is a good option in your city as well. Equipment is usually taken care of by the trek company.Time of the year JanuaryLength of the itinerary: 6 day trek, 2 day acclimatizationItinerary Highlights: The 12 people strong team, set off after a day of acclimatization in Leh with a stopover at Magnetic hill. The trek kicks off at Chiling from where the group heads off on a 70km trek over 6 days. The trek goes through some interesting terrain with different formations of ice over the Zanskar river. The early hours are tricky with the team having to negotiate some thin layers of ice. The first stop for the night is Shingra where the team camps. Periodic oxygen level checks are performed by the trek company to ensure that everyone is good health. The trek continues through some magnificent terrain, covering icy sheets to frozen streams. The stop of the day is at Tibb caves, a point of meeting of two mountain ranges. The team also enjoy some good vegetarian food along with Thukpa, the tibetan soupy noodles. The final day of the onward journey ends at Nerak waterfalls a frozen waterfall that is one of the iconic points of the trek at over 11,000 ft. The return journey is along the same path but on th other side of the frozen river bank. The team enjoys interacting with the local porters and share some hummable songs and the evergreen calls of JulleyLinks:Ajithas Travelhttps://ajithayasmin.wordpress.com/Listen to Saif Faiza on Castboxs Original: Podcast Unfiltered with Bijay Gautamhttps://www.google.com/podcastsfeedaHR0cHM6Ly9hdWRpb2Jvb20uY29tL2NoYW5uZWxzLzQ5NzY3NDIucnNzepisodedGFnOmF1ZGlvYm9vbS5jb20sMjAxOC0xMS0yMzovcG9zdHMvNzA5NTg2OAFollow the Musafir stories onTwitterhttps://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebookhttps://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/Websitehttps://themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comitunes https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7lj or voice or google search Ok Google, play The Musafir stories podcastwebsite http://bit.ly/2xFZqOVSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVipocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

55: Gandikota and Belum Caves with Srikanth

41 min 56 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Srikanth from the blog traveldiaries.vacations and the capter lead of RTC HyderabadTodays destination: Gandikota gorge and Belum caves, Andhra PradeshNearest Airport: Tirupati Airport at ReniguntaNearest Railway Station: KondapuramPrerequisites Camping equipment if youre planning to campPacking Gandikota can get hot during the day, plan to carry sufficient water and also extra layers for the night.Time of the year SeptemberLength of the itinerary: 2 daysItinerary Highlights:Srikanth and team set out from Hyderabad towards Gandikota a natural gorge formed by the Pennar river in Andhra Pradesh. A couple of stops enroute the destination and a navigation error on google maps led Srikanth to the foot of some magnificent wind mills in the vicinity of GandikotaAfter spending some time refreshing themselves at the APSTDC branded Haritha resorts, the group heads towards the Gandikota fort by about 3pm.Please note that camping areas are present in the vicinity of the fort, so do not fall prey to scamsters asking for money to pitch tents.Once the group had settled in on the camping area, they set out to explore the fort and its monuments. First up is the Mini Charminar that welcomes you as you drive through the fort city after passing through the gigantic darwaaza or fort gates. The mini charminar is modeled after the original monument in HyderabadThe other important monuments within the fort include the Jama Masjid, the Ranghanatha Swamy temple and the Madhavaraya Swamy temple from the Hoysala era.Along with the religious monuments, there are several other structures like the Granery, Mausoleum, Jail, Ponds and water bodies are abundant. Unfortunately we did not have enough time to discuss some of the smaller monuments due to time constraints.Once you have enjoyed the history and architecture of the monuments, move over to the view points for some great sunset views of the gorge and the river.Indulge in star gazing as night falls, enjoy a bonfire, a sumptous meal and spend the night chatting away with friends.Wake up early for wonderful views of the sunrise and the sun painting the gorge into different colors.The group head out towards Belum caves the second longest underground cave network in India formed by a river several centuries ago, over 3 kms long A beautiful Buddha statue welcomes you to the monument complex, it is believed that both Buddhist and Jain monks have lived here centuries ago.The cave network is about 150m below ground level and tends to get pretty hot during the day, even in SeptemberThe caves are well lit with a number of formations like Pilidwaram, saint bed, Dhyan mandir or meditation hall, Kotilingalu chamber thousand hoods, Banyan tree, Patalaganga and many more interesting formationsLinks:Link to Srikanths blogLink to blog postCheckout Srikanth on InstagramFollow him on Twitter.Link to Elitas Be you for you expressive writing workshops Follow the Musafir stories onTwitter: musafirstoriesFacebook: themusafirstoriesInstagram: musafirstoriespodcastwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comitunes https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7lj or voice or google search Ok Google, play The Musafir stories podcastwebsite http://bit.ly/2xFZqOVSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVipocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

57: Dalhousie with Meenakshi Param

41 min 32 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Meenakshi Param from the blog polkajunction.com. Sit back and enjoy as we speak to the multitalented Meenakshi as she speaks about her tryst with travel Todays destination: Dalhousie, Himachal Pradesh Nearest Airport: Dharamshala, HP Nearest Railway Station: Pathankot, Punjab Prerequisites N/A Packing Warm clothes depending on the season of travel Time of the year All year round Length of the itinerary: 34 days Itinerary Highlights: Meenakshi begins the conversation by setting up the orientation of Dalhousie, the necessity of acclimatization given Dalhousie is between 69K ft above sea level and the history of the colonial influence on Dalhousie Dalhousie is named after Lord Dalhousie, the Governor general of Bengal during the British Rule and was set up as a sanitorium to help ailing soldiers recover, given its wonderful setting. It was purchased from the Raja of Chammba for a princely sum of 12,000 Rupees over 150 years ago Meenakshi gives us some titbits about the Thandi cold and Garam hot sadak, why they are called so and some of the nearby churches St. Johns church and St. Francis church that one can visit while spending time acclimatizing with the city. One can also visit the nearby markets of Subhash chowk and Gandhi chowk as well as some Tibetan markets to get a flavor of the local stuff. Visitors to Dalhousie can also enjoy a great mix of architecture right from Himachali architecture which dominates most of the nearby hamlets to the colonial buildings in the city as well as the more recent contemporary architecture. The people in Dalhousie is a mix of HImachali, Tibetan, Buddhists, Punjabi and Bengali people. We also discuss about the Bengal connection of Dalhousie with prominent personalities like Subhash Chandra Bose and Rabindranath Tagore having lived here during their lives. We also discuss the points of interest in the vicinity including Khajjiar and some treks one can indulge in including Dayankund, CHamba, Bakrota hill and Aala Listen to the local folklore about the Dainkund legends and get spooky The local flavors of Dalhousie include everything from fastfood to Momos, chaats, golgappas, himachali food and Rasgollas. Make sure to grab exotic souvenirs from Dalhousie such as Himachali Chukk pickle, wines and chutneys. Finally, make sure to carry an umbrella while going about Dalhousie Links: Meenakshis BlogBlogposts: Dalhousies Snowfall White carpet Dalhousie : EnchantmentDalhousie : Folklore Conquering WitchesDalhousies Bengal connection Find Meenakshi on TwitterLike her work on FacebookFollow her on Instagram Winners of the 2nd Anniversary episode TMS Specials: The Shooting StarAbhinav Kaushik Megha Deora Rohan Shetty Thank you and Congratulations guys Follow the Musafir stories on Twitter: musafirstories Facebook: themusafirstories Instagram: musafirstoriespodcast Website email: themusafirstoriesgmail.com itunes https://apple.co/2LPtTA3 Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7lj or voice or google search Ok Google, play The Musafir stories podcast website http://bit.ly/2xFZqOV Saavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqi Spotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVi pocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewg castbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQi Overcast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnf Stitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhw audioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowS TuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4a RadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0 iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8R Deezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

63: TMS Specials : Purposeful Travel with Charles Worringham

49 min 24 sec

The Musafir Stories Podcast is a travel podcast discussing the length and breath of India This episode Charles Worringham takes a different approach on travel, he travels with a purpose

69: Walled City of Jaipur with Arv

52 min 34 sec

In this episode:Jaipur Rajasthan city walkingtour markets bazaars streets forts gates palace jewellery foods handicrafts shoes temples hawamahal joharibazaar citypalaceGetFeatured on the Musafir StoriesCapping off International Podcast Day by inviting all listeners to our annual contest GetFeatured on The Musafir Stories India Travel Podcast. The process is very simple, just reach us on our email themusafirstoriesgmail.com with a. An Indian destination or experience you would like to talk about preferably not already covered on the podcastb. A summary of your experience/highlightsc. Links to blogs/posts about your experience optionalThe winner will be announced at the end of October Please share with anyone who might be interestedInternationalPodcastDay India travel podcastIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIThis week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Arvind from the blog Jaipur thru my lens, an expert on Jaipur and its gemsTodays destination: A walking tour around the Walled city of JaipurNearest Airport: Jaipur International Airport, JAINearest Railway Station: Jaipur Junction railway station, JPPrerequisites Walking shoes, sun glasses, sun screen, energy bars and water to keep you hydratedPacking Pack light, perhaps a backpack while you head out on this walking tourTime of the year December to February is a good time to walk around the city as summers can be hotttLength of the itinerary: 2 2.5 hoursItinerary Highlights: Are talks about the benefits of selfguided walks vs group walking tours and what makes sense. We start off the self guided tour of walled city of Jaipur, starting from New gate or Naya gate, the newest of the 9 gates in Jaipur. Walking through the New gate, the first stop is at Bapu Bazaar, famous for fabric, womens shoes or mojaris/jootis, bed linen, clothes and handicrafts. The next gate we pass through is the Sanganeri Gate enroute to Johari Bazaar one of the oldest and most popular markets of Jaipur. Johari bazaar is popular for its jewellery gold, silver, stones and all kinds of handicrafts. The Johari bazaar also has some buildings that have retained the old architecture that is unique to Rajasthan and Jaipur. Are also talks about the other famous bylanes of Johari bazaar like Haldion ka raasta, Gheewalon ka raasta, Moti singh Bhamiyon ka raasta among others as well as a flavour of the local sweets Ghevar and Fini Close to Johari Bazaar is Badi Chauper, a large square that is also very close to Hawa Mahal another iconic monument of Jaipur. Other places of interest near Badi Chauper is the Flower market that can be quite interesting for foreign travellers. The next point of interest is the Hawa Mahal, one of the more popular palaces of Jaipur. The facade is brilliant but hidden behind is a whole complex, that is filled with stories and Rajas and Ranis. Other points one passes by after walking around Hawa Mahal includes an old administrative building, Sirehdyodi bazaar, which leads to the Sirehdyodi Gate. Another gate in the vicinity is the Nakkarkhana gate, an internal gate used for protection. Jaleb chowk is another square where armies used to gather, but this is mostly empty now. As one passes through Jaleb chowk, one can either head towards the City palace or Govind Devji temple, one of the very popular and older temples of Jaipur. The walk can either end at this point, or trailers can choose to visit some of the more popular monuments like City Palace or Jantar Mantar depending on time and interest.Links:Link to the blogpost: https://jaipurthrumylens.com/2019/06/20/selfguidedjaipurheritagewalkingtour/Ghevar: https://jaipurthrumylens.com/2018/09/03/ghevarinjaipurrajasthanisweet/Link to the blog: Jaipur Thru my lens https://jaipurthrumylens.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jaipurthrumylens/Twitter: https://twitter.com/arvjprInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/arvjpr/hlenPhoto credits Mitchell Ng Liang an from UnsplashFollow the Musafir stories onTwitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comitunes https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7lj website http://bit.ly/2xFZqOVSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVipocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

72: TMS Specials: Sakhalin Island with Ajay Kamalakaran

47 min 21 sec

In this episode:russia sakhlin island novella nature lifestyle fareast book korea japan history food leisure Contest AlertCelebrating the festive season and new year by giving away a copy of Globetrotting for Love and other stories from Sakhalin island by Ajay Kamalakaran. Just answer the question in the form and stand a chance to win Ajays bookThis week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Ajay Kamalakaran, an independent journalist and novelist as he takes us to the Far East corner of the world, Sakhalin islandTodays destination: Sakhalin island Nearest Airport: YuzhnoSakhalinsk AirportNearest Railway Station: YuzhnoSakhalinsk StationPrerequisites Please check travel documents requiredPacking Pack for the coldTime of the year Summer is ideal for Indian travellers although winter has its own charmLength of the itinerary: NAItinerary Highlights: Ajay talks about the hidden gem of Sakhalin island, that lies at the confluence of the north and the east, where Russia meets Japan Learn more about the history of the Sakhalin island, its native people, and the connection to the Japanese and Koreans. We talk about the geographical orientation, demography and the seasons of Sakhalin. Ajay explains the favourite passtimes of Sakhalin, how he got there and life in Sakhalin, the nonAmericanized version. The oil connection of Sakhalin and preferred status for Indian citizens in terms of visas is also discussed. Ajay talks more about his book Globetrotting for love and other stories from Sakhalin island and what inspired the book. Links: Link to the Globetrotting for love and other stories from Sakhalin island: https://www.amazon.in/GLOBETROTTINGOTHERSTORIESSAKHALINISLAND/dp/9386206269Link to the Ajays latest book, A Week in the Life of Svitlana:https://www.amazon.in/WeekLifeSvitlanaAjayKamalakaranebook/dp/B07ZXW2GKC/refsr12keywordsajaykamalakaranqid1573532215sr82 Twitter: https://twitter.com/AjayKamalakaran Photo by Alex Kotomanov on UnsplashThis episode is brought to you by Cambly Cambly is the only app in India that provides on demand native English speaking tutors over video to teach English one on one. For those who are interested in improving their fluency/communication skills, they can subscribe to Camblys monthly or quarterly plans and practice consistently every week. It is especially useful for those who want to better prepare for interviews, presentations and become a confident speaker. All sessions focus on what you want to improve on. It can be accessed on the website www.cambly.com or by downloading the Cambly app from the Playstore or AppStore. The Musafir Stories listeners can get a 32 discount on the quarterly plan by using the code tms32Follow the Musafir stories onTwitter: musafirstoriesFacebook: themusafirstories Instagram: musafirstoriespodcastwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comitunes https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7lj website http://bit.ly/2xFZqOV Saavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSViGaana http://bit.ly/2NClUYYpocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0 iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

73: A speed date with Bengaluru ft Travel.Earth

50 min 49 sec

In this episode:Bangalore Bengaluru city walking siliconvalley southindia museums restaurants parks fort palace citytour history cultureContest AlertCelebrating the festive season and new year by giving away a copy of Globetrotting for Love and other stories from Sakhalin island by Ajay Kamalakaran. Just answer the question in the form and stand a chance to win Ajays bookThis week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Malavika and Vitasta from Travel.Earth as we explore Namma BengaluruTodays destination: Bengaluru Nearest Airport: Kempe Gowda International AirportNearest Railway Station: Bangalore City Railway StationPrerequisites N/APacking Carry some water and a wear a good pair of walking shoesTime of the year November to January is a great time to visit Bengaluru Length of the itinerary: A Weekend itineraryItinerary Highlights: The duo set out on exploring Bangalore starting off with a delicious breakfast at Koshy’s one of Bangalore’s erstwhile restaurants, started as a bakery in 1940 and has since been managed by successive generations of the family. Make sure to try out the Koshy’s bread, Fish and Chips and some yummy desserts. The next stop is a quick walk to St. Mark’s Cathedral inspired by St Paul’s Cathedral in London, this magnificent church is dedicated to St Mark the Evangelist and was founded in 1808 and consecrated in 1816. At a stone’s throw away from the cathedral is Chinnaswamy stadium a very popular stadium which is also the home ground of RCB Royal challengers Bangalore. The next pitstop is Cubbon Park, named after Mark Cubbon, the Commissioner of Mysore State. It is a huge park with an area of over 300 acres and has a number of beautiful statues as well, including Chamarajendra Wodeyar, Seshadri Iyer, King Edward, Queen Victoria among others. After walking around for half a day, the girls have a quick bite at The only place, a great haunt for lovers of steaks and sizzlers The second half of the day is spent covering some beautiful museums within Cubbon park Government Museum, Visveswaraya technology museum and Venkatappa art gallery. Day 2 starts off with a bang, with a visit to the Bangalore palace inspired from the Windsor Castle. Built in 1878, the palace was home to Chamarajendra Wodeyar and has some beautiful rooms inside, including the famous Darbar Hall. The next destination on the agenda is the Bangalore fort, Bengaluru’s erstwhile fort built by the founding father Kempe Gowda and later renovated by Hyder Ali. Only a small part of the original for remains today. At a close distance from Bangalore Fort is Tipu Sultan’s summer palace a rustic wooden palace built of teak wood that houses some beautiful paintings and artefacts from Tipu Sultan. The upper level of the palace was used by the women of the royal family. Other places that find mention in the podcast are Lal Bagh, another beautiful part within the city premises, famous eateries like MTR or Mavalli Tiffin Rooms, CTR or Central Tiffin Rooms, Vidyarthi Bhavan. Links:Link to the blogpost: https://travel.earth/bangaloreansexplorebangaloreforthefirsttime/https://travel.earth/day2experienceinthegardencity/Link to episode on Old Bengaluru: https://audioboom.com/posts/7044774tmsspecialsoldbengalurudargahtodharmarayaLink to the website: https://travel.earthFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/traveldotearth/Twitter: https://twitter.com/traveldotearthIG: https://www.instagram.com/traveldotearth/This episode is brought to you by Cambly Cambly is the only app in India that provides on demand native English speaking tutors over video to teach English one on one. For those who are interested in improving their fluency/communication skills, they can subscribe to Camblys monthly or quarterly plans and practice consistently every week. It is especially useful for those who want to better prepare for interviews, presentations and become a confident speaker. All sessions focus on what you want to improve on. It can be accessed on the website www.cambly.com or by downloading the Cambly app from the Playstore or AppStore. The Musafir Stories listeners can get a 32 discount on the quarterly plan by using the code tms32Follow the Musafir stories onTwitter: musafirstoriesFacebook: themusafirstories Instagram: musafirstoriespodcastwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comitunes https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7lj website http://bit.ly/2xFZqOV Saavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSViGaana http://bit.ly/2NClUYYpocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0 iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

75: Khajuraho with Tarun & Pournima

50 min 30 sec

In this episode: Khajuraho MadhyaPradesh temples architecture erotic sculptures architecture history folklore religion UNESCO heritage cycling walking tour museum spirituality sex taboo archaeologyThis week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Tarun and Pournima, two of our dear listeners and two budding doctors about their trip to KhajurahoTodays destination: Khajuraho, MPNearest Airport: Khajuraho airportNearest Railway Station: Khajuraho or Mahoba stationPrerequisites n/aPacking Make sure to pack according to the weather as summers can be hot.Time of the year NovemberLength of the itinerary: 3 daysItinerary Highlights: Tarun and Pournima set off on a 3 day itinerary to explore the myths and truths around the UNESCO world heritage site Khajuraho The duo talk about the motivation and inspiration for their travel to Khajuraho and the background of the famed temples of Khajuraho that are home to some erotic sculptures. Day 1 is spent relaxing and visiting Matangeshwar temple, perhaps the only functional temple in the region. Day 2 was a busy day right from the morning starting off with a visit to the Western temple complex, the most well maintained and elaborate group of temples. The Western group of temples comprises of Kandariya Mahadev temple, Lakshmana temple, Jagadambi temple, Vishwanath temple, Chitragupt temple and smaller temples of Varaha and Nandi. Tarun and Pournima also talk extensively about the backstory of some of the sculptures. Must utilize the services of a guide to get the most out of this visit. There is also an Archaeological museum close to the Western group of temples that is a must visit. Eastern group of temples include a Jain group of temples along with Jowari temple, Vamana temple among others. Chaturbhuj temple the only temple facing west and Dulhadev temple are a part of the southern group of temples. The duo also visit the sound and light show in the evening to cap off a very fruitful day. Day 3 is more about revisiting some temples and photography before heading back to Nagpur.Links:Link to the blogpost: https://www.tripoto.com/trip/khajurahowheresexissacred5cbcdc86a6906Link to the blog: https://www.tripoto.com/profile/tarunasati1272653IG: pournima.kole tarunasati Image by Rinki Lohia from Pixabay Follow The Musafir Stories onTwitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comitunes https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7ljwebsite http://bit.ly/2xFZqOVSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVipocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiGaana http://bit.ly/2NClUYYOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

83: Varanasi with Arjun Narayanan

55 min 45 sec

In this episode:spirituality religion temples pilgrimage history ganges uttarpradesh aarti food alleys streets hinduism jainism sikhism art music literature streetfood hippie sadhuThis week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Arjun Narayanan, a journalist and host of Madraswallah PodcastTodays destination Varanasi, UPNearest Airport Lal Bahadur Shastri AirportNearest Railway Station Varanasi Junction railway stationPrerequisites preparation and researchPacking Dress appropriately as some of the temples might require modest attireTime of the year November to FebruaryLength of the itinerary 4 daysItinerary Highlights: Arjun plans and reads ahead of time before visiting historically significant places like Varanasi. We talk about the history and the religious significance of Varanasi, the deep relationship with Ganges and the beliefs. Visit Sarnath, the place where Gautama Buddha delivered his first sermon at the deer park. There is also a museum where you can explore ancient artifacts. Temples to visit while in Varanasi: Sankat Mochan temple, Kashi Vishwanath temple, Kaal bhairav temple, Vishalakshi temple, Annapurna temple. Ghats of Varanasi best explored by walking, but you can take up a boat ride to cover them in number. Important ghats include Manikarnika Ghat, Harishchandra ghat, Assi ghat, Raj ghat, Guleria ghat, Dashashwamedha ghat among many others. Watch the many aartis performed on these ghats, ranging from simple poojas to elaborate procedures, hymns and conches. Explore the streets and alleys of Varanasi that offers a variety of street food. Some places visited by Arjun include Ram bhandaar for Kachoris, Blue lassi shop, Pehlwan lassi, Kachori gali, Poori sabzi, Ras waale aloo. There are a number of book stores one can explore in Varanasi as well and check out some great books such as Bananas, the city of lights, Bana rahe Banaras etc. Varanasi also has a rich literary history like Munshi Premchand and Bhartendu Harishchandra who belong to Varanasi as well as a rich cultural history with artists like Bismillah Khan, Pandit Ravishankar, Pandit kishan maharaja, Sitara Devi etc. Try to check out a music festival if you happen to be here during such events. Sankat mocha music festival April, Dhrupad mela February, Ganga Mahotsav November, Kabir festival December are some music festivals of Varanasi. Dussehra, Diwali and Dev Deepavali are among the popular festivals of Varanasi. Also consider making a visit to BHU Banaras Hindu University if you have the time for it. It is one of the largest universities of Asia. Popular are the model of the Kashi Vishwanath temple on its campus as well as Bharat Kala Kendra which is a popular museum. Finally dont forget to check out some Benarasi sarees and try out the Benarasi Paan along with Bhaang from a government authorized outletsLinks:Link to the Madraswallah podcast:https://madraswallah.com/category/podcasts2/Shout out to CreativeAudios.in. Check out their podcast on:https://www.google.com/podcastsfeedaHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8yMmIwNzA5NC9wb2RjYXN0L3JzcwPhoto by Srivatsan on UnsplashFollow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comApple podcasts https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7ljwebsite http://bit.ly/2xFZqOVSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSViGaana http://bit.ly/2NClUYYpocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

86: Mangaluru with Sampath MK

54 min 13 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Sampath Menon as he takes us around the coastal town of MangaluruTodays destination: Mangaluru, KarnatakaNearest Airport: Mangalore International airport IXENearest Railway Station: Mangalore Junction MAJNPrerequisites : n/aPacking : pack according to the weather, summers can be hotTime of the year : Winter months from November to January is a good timeLength of the itinerary: 310 daysItinerary Highlights: Sampath starts off by speaking about the rich history of Mangaluru and the various names it has been known as over time Mangalore, Manjaran, Kudla, Kodial, Maikala Sampath calls out the various temples in the city, starting from Mangala Devi temple, after which Mangaluru is named, Kadri temple, Gokarnatheshwar, Venkatramana temple, Saravu temple among others. In the vicinity are temples of Udupi, Kollur Mookambika temple, Dharmasthala, Ananthpura lake temple, Shringeri mutt and Jain Temples of Moodbidri and Karkala Along with the temples, some iconic churches are a must visit Rosario church, Aloysious chapel, Milagres church Beaches in Mangalore are quite unique and a popular tourist spot. The important beaches include Someshwar beach, Tannirbhavi beach, Kaup beach, Suratkal beach, Panambur beach, Padubidri beach and St. Marys island. Dont forget to catch up on the international kite festival if you are in town during the event. Another new addition is a cycling trail along the coast Once you are done with the beaches, you can catch up on the Pilikula wildlife sanctuary a well maintained zoo. Mangalore is also famous for the tiles the famous Mangalore tiles with Albuquerque tile factory a possible visit. Coming to the food choices, Mangalore is a world in itself. From Bonda juice tender coconut juice, Mangalore bajji, Mangalore buns, patrode, Gole bajje, patoli, neer dosa, ghee roast, kundapur chicken, fish fry and the lest we forget the popular Gudbud ice cream Mangalore is also rich in culture right from the Yakshagana form or dance/performance to the hulivesha and Karadivesha dances. Dusshera celebration is also one of the popular festivals that draws in large crowds. Nearby places like Udupi, Bekal fort and Chikmagalur are great options for a short tripLinks:Links to the blogpost:Why visit Mangalore:https://sampathmk.com/greatdestinationsmangaloreindiahttps://sampathmk.com/myperfectdayinmycitymangalore Pilikula Heritage Village:https://sampathmk.com/nikonphotowalkpilikulaheritagevillageThe vegetarian crocodile:https://sampathmk.com/insearchofthevegetariancrocSultan Battery:https://sampathmk.com/sultanbateritipuswatchtowerMangalore Intl Kite festival:https://sampathmk.com/kitefestivalinmangaloreMoodbidre Jain temple:https://sampathmk.com/ajaintempleandagiantstatueNearby Murudeshwar:https://sampathmk.com/thattriptomurudeshwarNearby Chikmagalorehttps://sampathmk.com/afewdaysinchikmagalurhttps://sampathmk.com/chikmagalurintotherains ChikNearby North Kerala:https://sampathmk.com/northkeralaplacestovisitBakel Fort:https://sampathmk.com/amazingbakelOdhens sea food:Kannur: https://sampathmk.com/dogcafedosasmoreOyster Operahttps://sampathmk.com/oysteroperagreatsettingsgoodfood Nearby Dharmasthala:https://sampathmk.com/adayindharmasthalaLink to the blog:https://sampathmk.comIG: sampathmkFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/sampath.menon.7Twitter: sampathmenonFollow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comApple podcasts https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7ljwebsite http://bit.ly/2xFZqOVSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSViGaana http://bit.ly/2NClUYYpocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

95: Into the heart of the Himalayas with Jono Lineen

53 min 56 sec

GIVEAWAY ALERT:Were giving away a copy of Jonos book Into the heart of the Himalayas. Listen to the episode and answer 3 simple questions in the google form below to stand a chance to win a copy of the book.https://forms.gle/7hEuZEC1aK35NVBY6Winners of last episodes giveaway of Superhuman River Stories of the Ganga Jashim Jamaludheen Lushma RathoreThis week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Dr. Jono Lineen, author of the book Into the heart of the Himalayas as he traverses the western Himalayas from Pakistan to India, ON FOOTTodays destination: HimalayasNearest Airport: n/aNearest Railway Station: n/aPrerequisites : visa/permitsPacking : n/aTime of the year : n/aLength of the itinerary: 4 monthsItinerary Highlights: Jono discusses about the events leading up to the expedition, including the tragic and untimely death of his kid brother. We discuss about the motivation for the trek, the plan and Jonos previous experience exploring the Himalayas Jono talks about the rich culture and religion of the region, including the Muslim Himalayas, the Buddhist Himalayas and the Hindu Himalayas We start the journey in Pakistan in the Astor village and Jono discusses his interesting interaction with the locals of the village, including the gun shop owner. Jono talks about the transition from the Muslim Himalayas to the Buddhist Himalayas and the differences and similarities he found in the people of the two regions. We discuss about the magic of walking around the beautiful terrain of the Himalayas and how Jono charted our his path using paper maps. Jono also talks about his attempt at doing the Chardham Yatra and the challenges he faced, some memorable moments from the journey and the climax at Gomukh.Image Credit : Dr. Jono LineenLinks:Link to Jonos book Into the heart of the Himalayashttps://www.amazon.in/IntoHeartHimalayasJonoLineen/dp/8194446821Link to Jonos new book Perfect Motionhttps://www.amazon.in/PerfectMotionwalkingmakeswiserebook/dp/B07QX1XZ17Follow Dr. Jono Lineen on :Twitter: https://twitter.com/jonolineen1IG: https://www.instagram.com/jonolineen/Follow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comApple podcasts https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7ljwebsite http://bit.ly/2xFZqOVSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSViGaana http://bit.ly/2NClUYYpocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

99: Andaman Islands with Vaibhav Dewan

1 hr 2 min 4 sec

Limited time offer One month of free access to The Great Courses Plus:http://thegreatcoursesplus.com/musafirLecture: How to Speak Effectively in an setting: Start your free trial before hitting this linkhttps://www.thegreatcourses.com/courses/howtospeakeffectivelyinanysettingThis week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Vaibhav Dewan, host of the pregnant papa podcast, Baapbeeti Todays destination: Andaman IslandsNearest Airport: Veer Savarkar International Airport, Port Blair IXZNearest Railway Station: NAPrerequisites NAPacking Pack your beachwear Time of the year October through January.Length of the itinerary: 8 daysItinerary Highlights: Vaibhav kicks off his journey from Port Blair where he explores the important points of interest including the Cellular Jail. There is also a sound and light show in the evening at the cellular jail premises. Another POI that you should not miss out on is Chidiya Tapu, popular for its birds as well the beautiful sunsets. There is also a trek to suicide point that you can easily do from here. The next pitstop includes Wandoor beach as well as Mahatma Gandhi Marine park to learn more about corals and marine life. Another option is to take a jetty ride to Jollyboy island. Next on the agenda is a tour to the Ross Island the former administrative capital of Andaman Islands during the British rule. The island still has a lot of ruins of buildings from the colonial era. There is also a sound and light show here that has been newly started. The next point of interest is Neil island or Shaheed Dweep about 47kms from Port Blair. You have to book a ticket on the government ferry here that can be time consuming in case you dont want to opt for private options. Neil island is popular for beaches like Ramnagar beach, Sitapur beach, Laxmanpur beach and Bharatpur beach. The beaches here have some stunning sunsets that one should not miss. There is also a natural bridge formation called as Howrah bridge that has a lot of corals in the vicinity. The next and final island stop is to Havelock island or Swaraj Deep It is one of the bigger islands and is popular for cafes and eateries, as well as its laid back vibes. Radhanagar beach, which is rated as the most beautiful beach in India and 7th in the world is a popular attraction, with smooth white sands and blue waters. Other popular beaches here include Elephanta beach. The island has a lot of options for adventures sports, including Scuba diving certification courses and kayaking.Links:Link to Vaibhavs podcast: Baapbeeti a pregnant papa podcasthttps://open.spotify.com/show/5cELVD4HYXq0sAQ2lSKaccFollow Vaibhav on :Twitter: https://twitter.com/dewanekhaasIG: https://www.instagram.com/dewanz/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vaibhavdewanPhoto by Deepak Kumar on Unsplash Follow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comApple podcasts https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7ljwebsite http://bit.ly/2xFZqOVSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSViGaana http://bit.ly/2NClUYYpocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

100: Hoysala Temples with Pavan Srinath

1 hr 1 min 51 sec

Celebrating 100 episodes Thank youLimited time offerOne month of free access to The Great Courses Plus:http://thegreatcoursesplus.com/musafirThis week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Pavan Srinath, a policy researcher and host of Pragati podcast, Thale Harate podcast and BIC Talks podcast, as he takes us around our home state of Karnataka, exploring the temples of the Hoysala kingdomTodays destination: Hoysala temples of KarnatakaNearest Airport: Kempegowda Airport, Bengaluru BLRNearest Railway Station: Bangalore railway station SBCPrerequisites Dress according to the weather, some temples might need you to dress appropriately.Packing n/aTime of the year Round the year, except summersLength of the itinerary: Weekend itinerary or an ExBangalore itineraryItinerary Highlights: Pavan walks us through the origins of the Hoysala empire and the rise from being cheiftains in the Malenadu region to being rulers of a majority of the Karnataka region, spread over a period of 300 years The rise of the Hoysala empire also coincides with the Bhakti movement and vaishnavite form of Hinduism in the region primarily influenced by Jainism. The most popular ruler of Hoysalas was King Vishnuvardhana, who also started the work for one of the most popular temples of the era the Chennakeshava temple in Belur, devoted to Lord Vishnu and built over a period of over hundred years. Pavan discusses the intricacies of the Hoysala architecture as well as the key characteristics of the temple, including short Vimanas, raised platforms and intricate carvings on the panels. We also discuss the use of soapstone in the construction of the temples as well as the characteristic black sheen of the structures. Halebidu has the other set of popular temples that succeeded the Belur temple complex, with the Hoysaleshwara temple being the most significant of the lot. Halebidu was later the capital of the Hoysala kingdom before being ransacked by the raiding Sultanate armies. Besides the temples in Belur and Halebidu, other significant temples in the region include the temples in Belavadi primarily Veeranarayanaswamy temple built by the Hoysala king Veera Ballala IIOther important Hoysala temples include, but are not limited to Chennakeshava Temple Somanathapura near Mysore Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Temple Nuggehalli near Hassan Lakshmi Narasimha Temple Javagal near Hassan Lakshmi Devi Temple Doddagaddavalli near Hassan NageshwaraChennakeshava Temple Mosale near Hassan Lakshminarayana Temple Hosaholalu near Mysore Amrutesvara Temple Amruthapura near ShivamoggaLinks:Links to Pavans podcasts:Pragati podcast https://ivmpodcasts.com/thepragatipodcastepisodelistThale Harate podcast https://ivmpodcasts.com/haratekannadapodcastBIC Talks podcast https://bangaloreinternationalcentre.org/watchlistenread/audio/Links to Pavans social media:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeusisdeadlangenIG: https://www.instagram.com/zeusisdead/hlenLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pavansrinath/originalSubdomaininBattle music:Sota War https://freesound.org/people/YleArkisto/sounds/258207/ by YleArkisto https://freesound.org/people/YleArkisto/ is licensed under CC by 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Image Credits The Musafir Stories PodcastLeaf Circle Vectors by VecteezyFollow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comApple podcasts https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7ljwebsite http://bit.ly/2xFZqOVSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSViGaana http://bit.ly/2NClUYYpocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

103: Thrissur with Arjun Narayanan

57 min 3 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to journalist and host of Madraswallah podcast, Arjun NarayananTodays destination: Thrissur, KeralaNearest Airport: Cochin International Airport, COK Nearest Railway Station: Thrissur Railway station, TCRPrerequisites n/aPacking Pack according to the weather if you are traveling in the summer.Time of the year AprilMay Length of the itinerary: 35 daysItinerary Highlights: Arjun talks about the rich history of Thrissur and the important rulers over the years, calling out Raja Rama Varma or Sakthan Thanpuran the ruler of the Kingdom of Kochi. Thrissur is referred to as the cultural capital of Kerala for the rich heritage, religious places, art forms as well as festivals. The most important of the temples is the Vadakkumnathan temple, situated in central Thrissur. The temple is said to be over 1000 years old and is also home to the Koothambalam performing art. The temple has daily shows of the koothambalam performed at the temple premises. The main deity of the temple is Shiva. The temple is built in the traditional Kerala style of architecture and is also the location of the famous Thrissur Pooram. Apart from the Vadakkumnathan Temple, other popular temples in the town include Thiruvambadi Sri Krishna Temple, Paramekkavu Bagavathi Temple, Thrissur is also home to the oldest mosque in India and Asia, the Cheraman Juma Mosque in Kodungalloor that is said to have been built during the time of Prophet Mohammed. Popular churches in Thrissur include Our Lady of Dolours SyroMalabar Catholic Basilica Puthan Pally, believed to be one of the tallest churches in Asia. Another important point of interest in Thrissur is the Kerala Kalamandalam, home to many of Keralas performing arts, most prominent of them being Kathakali, Kudiyattam and Mohiniyattam. The Kalamandalam is believed to be key in preserving Kathakali when it was on the verge of extinction during the British rule. Other places of interest include the Thrissur Zoo, Sakthan Tampuran palace, Athirapally waterfalls, Vilangan hills among others. The most important festivity in Thrissur is the Thrissur Pooram and is one of the largest congregations in the world with 67 lakh people believed to come together for this festival. The Pooram takes place around the end of April or early May and is attended by devotees and visitors from all over India and abroad. Two groups of temples, one led by Paramekkavu Bagavathi Temple and the other by Thiruvambadi Sri Krishna Temple come together in an elaborate face off of elephants, artists and a variety of paraphernalia. The main events of the Pooram include Flag Hoisting, Poora Vilambharam Door opening by elephant, Display of fireworks, Display of caparisons, Main pooram Display of Fans, music by more than 200 artists, with instruments such as thimila, madhalam, trumpet, cymbal and edakka, Final fireworks.Links:Link to Madraswallah podcast https://madraswallah.com/category/podcasts2/Link to Simply Stories Chennai https://www.facebook.com/simplystorie/Thrissur Pooram video https://www.youtube.com/watchvJOoIF2XPMqsImage credits Arjun Narayanan Follow Arjun on :Twitter: https://twitter.com/madraswallahIG: https://www.instagram.com/madraswallah/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arjun.narayanan.73Follow the Musafir stories on :Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comApple podcasts https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7ljwebsite http://bit.ly/2xFZqOVSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSViGaana http://bit.ly/2NClUYYpocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

104: Rebroadcast: Land of Pashmina with Adventure Sindbad

39 min 21 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Vishwas Raj, founder of the adventure travel company Adventure Sindbad www.adventuresindbad.com. Adventure Sindbad specializes in a variety of adventure activities across the Himalayas, right from hiking, cycling, whitewater rafting to family adventure tours. Sit back and enjoy as Vishwas takes us to Changthang, the land of the PashminaTodays destination: Changthang, Jammu KashmirNearest Airport: Leh AirportNearest Railway Station: Udhampur Railway stationPrerequisites Inner line permits may be required for a few areas. This is taken care of by Adventure Sindbad if you travel with them.Packing Warm clothes, sunscreen, sunglasses, good walking bootsTime of the year AugustLength of the itinerary: 10 daysItinerary Highlights:This experience is a part of a photography trip led by Adventure Sindbad. The trip begins with acclimitization in Leh for 23 days in order to get used to the high altitude. The guests get to go around and explore the old Leh city during the acclimatization processThe group then heads off towards the Changthang area, a highland plateau in Kashmir that extends to Tibet and covers about 1600 kms into Tibet.The first stop is close to the picturesque Tso Moriri lake, albeit at some distance from the touristy points around the lake. One gets to experience the beautiful colors of nature while camping close to Tso Moriri.The group then heads off towards the camping site close to the nomads of Changthang the Changpas. The Changpas are a nomadic community that wanders across the Changthang area with their herd of sheep and goats.The famous pashmina wool is made from the wool of the sheep and goat of this region, which is then crafted by Kashmiri artisans and is very valuable.The adventure sindbad team does a recce of the area well in advance and establishes contact with the nomads in order to ensure the group isnt being intrusive. As a part of the photography trip, the patrons get to document the life of the Changpas and their nomadic lifestyle.The rebo or yak wool tents of the Changpas are the epitome of minimalism and simplicity. The tents contain a kitchen, a dining area, sleeping area and a prayer room.Once the group has made contact with the nomads and set up tent in the vicinity, the patrons get a chance to observe and document the lifestyle of the Changpas, considered a dying lifestyle with the younger generations prefering to move away.The Changpas usually own anywhere between 100800 sheep and start the day early by milking the goats and sheep. Some of the family then heads off to graze the sheep, while one or two family members stay back and take care of the household chores.The group gets to experience the various aspects of nomads life and also get some exotic shots of the arid plateau.Links:Adventure Sindbads WebsiteFollow Adventure Sindbad on FacebookTwitterInstagramTripAdvisorFollow the Musafir stories onTwitterFacebookInstagramCheckout our websiteOr you can email us: themusafirstoriesgmail.com

Rajgir and Nalanda with Anshul Akhoury

44 min 13 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Anshul Akhoury from the blog dailypassengerr.comWINNER OF THE GIVEAWAY ALERT: ANUJ Todays destination: Rajgir and Nalanda, Bihar Nearest Airport: Gaya Airport, Bodhgaya, GAYNearest Railway Station: Rajgir Railway Station, RGDPrerequisites NAPacking Pack according to the weather. Time of the year October to February Length of the itinerary: 2 daysItinerary Highlights: Anshul takes us to his home state of Bihar covering a part of the most popular tourist circuit of the state, Rajgir and NalandaPlaces covered on the itineraryWorld Peace PagodaJarasandh’s AkhadaSwarna bhandarKrishna’s chariot marksPandu PokharHot springsCyclopean wallsNalanda university remainsHiuen Tsang memorialKundalpur Pavapuri Jal MandirBihar Sharif if time permitsLinks:Anshul’s blog: https://dailypassengerr.comLink to blogpost: https://dailypassengerr.com/2019/04/09/rajgirnalandatravelogue/Link to podcast: https://linktr.ee/ansh997xTwitter: https://twitter.com/DailyPassengerInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/daily.passenger/ Follow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comYou can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/

21: Shekhawati with Vibha Ravi

39 min 11 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Vibha Ravi, a Mumbaibased independent writer, journalist and a travel professional. She has written travel articles for Lonely Planet Magazine India, Moneycontrol and Thomas Cook India. Vibha has an amazing travel blog called PixelVoyages that has very interesting posts about various Indian and International destinations. Join us as Vibha takes us with her to explore ShekhawatiTodays destination: Shekhawati, RajasthanNearest Airport: Jaipur, RajasthanNearest Railway Station : Jaipur, RajasthanPacking Pack light weighted cool clothes, sun screen and a camera Time of the year NovemberFeburaryLength of the itinerary: 4 DaysCheckout Vibhas interesting post about Shekhawati:https://pixelvoyages.com/2015/12/17/shekhawatishavelisanarchitecturalperspectiveandbrieftravelguide/Vibhas Blog : https://pixelvoyages.com/PixelVoyages TheMusafirStories Shekhawati Haveli Fresco Rajasthan Rajput Fatehpur Nawalgarh Jhunjhunu Mandawa paint wallPainting

23: TMS Specials - Cycling Across India

50 min 46 sec

This week The Musafir Stories talk to Mary Ann Thomas and Daniel Baylis, two bicyclists from North America who have been bicycle touring across India. Follow Mary Anns journey on Instagram on : https://instagram.com/postcardsfrommatFollow her blog at http://postcardsfrommat.com/Follow Daniels work on http://www.danielbaylis.ca/Follow the journey on www.strava.com/danielbaylis www.warmshowers.orgIndia Cycling Touring MaryAnnThomas America DanielBaylis Canada PostcardsFromMAT Culture People Explore Leh Kolkata Kanyakumari Road Trip warmshowers.org

24: Toy Train to Shimla with Swati Sinha

49 min 1 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Swati Sinha from the blog Recipe for Travel Swati is a working professional based in Bangalore, who blogs about her travel and experiences, with the aim of sharing and enjoying these experiences with more people. Todays destination: Shimla aboard the KalkaShimla toy train Nearest Airport: Chandigarh Nearest Railway Station: KalkaPrerequisities The booking of the Kalka Shimla trains opens only a month in advance, so it maybe useful to work with a travel agent to book tickets. Packing Warm clothes for the higher altitudes, pills for motion sickness may be useful.Time of the year AprilLength of the itinerary: 5 daysItinerary Highlights: The journey is kickstarted by flying in to Chandigarh, where Swati spends a day with her family exploring the famous Rock garden and Sukhna lake. Pals Dhaba is a must stop eatery Leave for Kalka early morning to board the UNESCO world hertiage site declared KalkaShimla heritage train. The train is a meter gauge that covers about 100kms passing through 102 tunnels and innumerable bridges. Interesting legends around the Barog tunnel Arrive at Shimla in the second half of the day and explore the Mall road and surrounding areas Start early for the heritage walk next morning, organized by Sumit Vashisht from Shimla walks Important stops at the Christ church by the ridge, State library, Bandstand, General post office, Scandal point, Vice regal lodge and President nivas. Spend the rest of the day exploring Anna dale and Jhaako temple which is home to the 108 foot Hanuman statue towering over Shimla Spend the final day exploring Chail and the Kaali ka tibba before returning to ShimlaLinks:Swatis blog http://www.recipe4travel.com/Instagram recipe4travelTwitter recipe4travelfacebook https://www.facebook.com/recipe4travel/

26: TMS Specials - Around India in 25 Days & 25 Trains

50 min 10 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Sachin Bhandary from Eccentrips. Sachin is building a startup that focuses on long term purposeful travel. Listen to Sachin talk more about his flip on the executive MBA The 12 project and how he traversed India in 25 days and 25 trains, touching the 4 farthest railway stations Kanyakumari S, Ledo E, Baramulla N and Okha WTodays destination: IndiaNearest Railway Station: Is not far awayPrerequisities confirmed railway ticketsPacking Pack light, make sure you carry locks for your bagsLength of the itinerary: 25 daysItinerary Highlights: Sachin starts off on the journey from CST railway terminal, Mumbai Sachin heads towards the first milestone of the trip to the southern most tip of India Kanyakumari, with stops at Sachins native town, Udupi. Dont miss out savoring some delicious food on the Mandovi Express. Next head towards the east of India, Ledo in Assam. The journey includes traveling on the Vivek Express, the longest train journey in India. This leg is not without drama, so make sure you stay tuned Head towards Baramulla in JK as Sachin shares his experience with one of the locals in Srinagar where he spent a night Final leg towards Okha in Gujarat as Sachin battles to stay sane and physically fit on this exhausing journeyLinks:Link to the blogpost: http://www.eccentrips.com/25days25trains/Twitter: eccentricsachin facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eccentrips/refbrrs contently: sachinbhandary.contently.com

33: A Ride to Meghalaya with Prasanjit Kumar

48 min 57 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Prasanjit Kumar from the blog Behhind the Handlebar So strap up and sit back as Prasanjit takes us on a ride to rememberTodays destination: MeghalayaNearest Airport: N/ANearest Railway Station: N/APrerequisities The innerline permit may be required if you are riding through some of the other NE states, however Meghalaya doesnt need one.Packing Essentials list in the links belowTime of the year FebruaryLength of the itinerary: 29 daysItinerary Highlights: Prasanjit did the trip as a part of his North East sojourn The starting point for the trip was Mumbai from where Prasanjit, with his partner in crime, Muthu, headed off to the the North east. The first phase of the journey includes Arunachal, Nagaland and Assam. Once the duo saw through the tough route through Silchar and made their way through to Meghalaya. The first stop was the scenic Jaintia hills and Jowai. This offers some pristine views that are very untouched. Head over to the offbeat Leshka dam to check out the lovely colors of water. Next stop at the stunning Krang suri falls, yes that iconic waterfalls youve seen in the pictures Experience the crystal clear waters of Dawki next, another one that is popular in the media. Prasanjit then heads on to his most favorite place from the trip Nongkrem village where one can trek to see the root bridges You can also visit Nongriat to see the famous double decker root bridges. Finally, plan to spend the last leg of the journey in Cherapunji visiting the popular spots like Nohkalikai falls, Rainbow falls, David Scott memorial as well as a number of scenic hills and forests. Experience the flavorful food of Meghalaya, sans the spicy masalas, but tasty nonetheless. Prasanjit ends the trip by riding to Guwahati and flying back to Mumbai to attend to some urgent business. Dont worry about the bike, Prasanjit comes back a few months later to do another 25 day trip covering sikkimLinks:Link to Prasanjits blog http://www.behindthehandlebar.com/Link to packing essentials http://www.behindthehandlebar.com/technicaltipsmaintenance/essentialsicarryonmymototrips/email: behindthehandlebargmail.comWhatsapp: 91 9987973057facebook: https://www.facebook.com/behindthehandlebar/Instagram: behindthehandlebarFollow the Musafir stories onTwitter: musafirstoriesFacebook: themusafirstoriesInstagram: musafirstoriespodcastwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comitunes https://goo.gl/peC2JvSaavn https://goo.gl/6qp2mFpocketcasts https://goo.gl/rGipJbcastbox https://goo.gl/spUCdYaudioBoom http://bit.ly/2oZZowSOvercast https://goo.gl/fM9SomStitcher Radio https://goo.gl/ihL4GrTuneIn http://tun.in/pilOIRadioPublic https://goo.gl/Dy2VPvA big shout on to Bijays podcast, The Inspiring talk. You can check it out on your favorite podcast app or on the website www.theinspiringtalk.com

36: A Day in Lucknow with Siddharth Keswani

39 min 55 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Siddharth Keswani, an up and coming Youtuber who makes lifestyle, travel and food vlogs. Sit back and enjoy as Siddharth takes us on a speed date with Lucknow the land of Nawabs and KababsTodays destination: Lucknow, Uttar PradeshNearest Airport: Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport, LKONearest Railway Station: Lucknow Charbagh railway stationPrerequisites An empty stomachPacking N/A, just warm clothes if you visit in winterLength of the itinerary: One dayItinerary Highlights: Kick start the day early with a visit to Sharmajis tea stall to savour some bun makkhan with Sharmajis Kullad vali Chai If you are up for it, grab a bite of the samosas as well If that didnt kick start your day, you can freshen things up by a visit to the Janeshwar Mishra park in Gomti Nagar a vast expanse of 376 acres of green spread in the heart of Lucknow One of Asias biggest parks that boasts of water bodies, cycle tracks, jogging tracks, childrens play areas and a wide variety of plant species After spending time in the vast expanse of green, its time to head over to the heart of Lucknow the old city Rumi Darwaza, a grand old gate built in 1784 during the time of Asafuddaula, is inspired by Roman architecture offers a great photo op Within walking distance from the Rumi Darwaza is the Bada Imambara and Chota Imambara two beautiful congregation halls built in the 18th century. The Bada Imambara boasts of the Bhul Bhulaiya, a huge maze or threedimensional labyrinth where one can get lost in The imambara also has other structures like a popular stepwell and some beautiful mosques nearby like the Asfi mosque. A quick ride away from the Imambaras is the Kudiya ghat situated on the banks of the Gomti River. The ghat, albeit not as popular as the ghats of Varanasi or Banaras, offers a great view of the early morning pilgrims, diyas and artis offering pooja and sadhus taking a holy dip in the river. The ghat is open from dawn to dusk. You dont have to break a sweat to get about Lucknow either there are plenty of options with public transport, buses, rickshaws or tuk tuks and ofcourse for the uber cool, the Ubers and Olas And oh, did I mention about the ever expanding Metro/subway trains and ericks Yep, its a thing Its finally time for a brunch And where better to be than Old Lucknow Try out Rahim ki Nihari in the old city where you can sample Buffalo foot stew and SHirmal piping hot broth also called as Paaya in parts of the country Finish off the meal by drinking some Sulaimani chai and some makkhan malai on the side a milk/cream based savory dish After this sumptous brunch, its time to walk around a bit in another of the citys green patches called ecogarden on VIP road. Its best to spend an evening in the cool confines of th ecogarden that boasts of a kids friendly artificial zoo, a lot of water shows and green houses. After cooling down in the ecogarden, its finally time to hit Hazrath Ganj, where the cool crowds hang out Get introduced to Ganjing Walking, shopping and eating around Hazrath Ganj. Siddharth also educates us and our listeners with some uber cool words like Bhowkal, Rangbazi and Rowla Try saying that one more time Now its time to binge again Try out the basket chaat or katori chaat at a chain called Royal Cafe A sovoury food served with friend potatoes, vada, curd, and a lot of masalas If you are up for some shopping, try out the chikan kari embroidered suits and kurtas that are synonymous with Lucknow once you are done shopping, its time to finish the day on a high by eating Galauti kebab at Tunday Kababi one of the most popular kabab joints of Lucknow. If you still have more room in your tummy, also sample the chicken Biryani. And if there is still room, then go for a lucknowi paanLinks:Link to Siddharths Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEFCi3n8SE6q3plsv2CQLinks to siddharths Social media:Facebook https://www.facebook.com/siddharthk121/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/siddharthk121/Snapchat Siddharthk121Follow the Musafir stories onTwitter: musafirstoriesFacebook: themusafirstoriesInstagram: musafirstoriespodcastwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comitunes https://goo.gl/peC2Jvandroid voice or google search The Musafir stories podcast, listen, subscribe and save a shortcut on your home screenweb/audioBoom http://bit.ly/2oZZowSSaavn https://goo.gl/6qp2mFpocketcasts https://goo.gl/rGipJbcastbox https://goo.gl/spUCdYOvercast https://goo.gl/fM9SomStitcher Radio https://goo.gl/ihL4GrTuneIn http://tun.in/pilOIRadioPublic https://goo.gl/Dy2VPv

40: Offbeat Ladakh with Chandroma Ray

42 min 29 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Chandroma Ray, who blogs at oneearthtooless.com and loves to travel and blog when shes not wearing her corporate hatTodays destination: Offbeat LadakhNearest Airport: Leh Airport IXLNearest Railway Station: Jammu Tawi 700 km from LadakhPrerequisites Permits might be needed for some of the locations Turtuk checkposts will be encountered at the border villages like Turtuk. Make sure you acclimatize atleast for a couple of days before you set out to explore the region. Make sure to prebook a vehicle if you plan on not using public transportPacking Warm clothes, shoes with good grip, first aid kit, Diamox for AMS when needed, make sure you pack lightTime of the year End of August Early SeptemberLength of the itinerary: 16 days for the full Ladakh itinerary, but only the offbeat destinations like the villages of Alchi, Lamayaru, Dha and Turtuk are covered in this episodeItinerary Highlights: Chandroma kicks off her journey on the episode by taking us to the quaint and lazy village of Alchi, situated on the banks of the river Indus Points of interest are the old monastery of Alchi, dating back to the 11th century, and has a distinctive Kashmiri influence and has some great wall murals and paintaings. Spend time exploring the pretty cafes in Alchi for some authentic Ladakhi cuisine Make sure to have the lamb Mok moks known as Momos in the plains, Khambir the homemade ladakhi breakfast bread. Just be aalsi while in Alchi, and slow travel your way to bliss Next pitstop at the moonland of Lamayuru that is famous for its moonscapes and is about 107 kms from Leh and is accessible by bus. The village has the appearance of being in ruins and resembles the surface of the moon, gives one a feeling of travelling back in time. Best views can be seen during the early hours of dawn. Lamayuru is also home to one of the oldest monasteries in the region that dates back to the 11th century as well. One can also plan a visit around the Yuru Kabgyat Festival that takes place in the month of June/July, where the monks of the monastery put on huge masks and perform a variety of dances A quick shout out to Sandeepa/Chetan and Neelima Vallangi for their brilliant posts about the region that helped Chandroma in planning the itinerary. After spending a day in Lamayuru, heads off to the unexplored village of Dha to do something truly offbeat About 180kms from Leh, is this village that is the home of Drokpas the descendants of Alexandar the Great aka the Aryans, and is cut off from the rest of the world The village is not easily located on Google maps either and the people of the village are not very welcoming to outsiders either. After having a tough time finding a place to lodge, Chandroma and her fellow travellers finally managed to find a small hotel. On exploring further, they finally met a couple of kids who took them to a local museum which was quite a find with some historic artifacts of the region. If one plans visiting the village, homestays are not hard to come by, so its better to prebook and have a local contact if possible. After spending a very different evening and night in the village of Dha, Chandroma heads out to village of Turtuk, on the banks of the river Shyok which is one of the last villages of India Recaptured by India after the 1971 war with Pakistan, Turtuk is a village still trying to find its identity. The people of Turtuk are predominantly muslim and has a very different culture in comparison to the rest of Ladakh. The village also offers some great scenic views of the river Shyok, the valley and a first hand experience of the Balti culture The region has just been opened up to tourists from 2009\. Chandroma signs off with a beautiful message about why one should check out these gems of Ladakh and not just the Pangongs and NubrasLinks:Chandromas blog: https://oneearthtooless.com/https://oneearthtooless.com/Twitter: pagli86Instagram: chandroma86Facebook: oneearthtoolessShout outs:A recap of Bangalore podcasters meetup: https://medium.com/amarvyas/podcastersmeetinbengalurucd3ee9000168https://medium.com/amarvyas/podcastersmeetinbengalurucd3ee9000168SandeepaChetans Blog: https://sandeepachetan.com/https://sandeepachetan.com/Neelima Vallangis Blog: http://www.travelwithneelima.com/http://www.travelwithneelima.com/Follow the Musafir stories onTwitter: musafirstoriesFacebook: themusafirstoriesInstagram: musafirstoriespodcastwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comitunes https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7lj or voice/ text search Ok Google, play The Musafir stories podcastSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiweb/audioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVipocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

2: Sikkim with Surya Raju

40 min 30 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Surya Raju from the blog Travelrope. Travelrope initially started out as a humble blog on Tumblr. Post a number of articles, Surya felt that she could perhaps ease the process of building trip itinerary by sharing her travel experiences as well as other travellers’ who contribute their stories to Travelrope. Travelrope has no longer remained a place just for travelogues as Surya also wanted to share what goes on in the lives of the many who have been inspiring to a whole lot of people out there. That is how Inspire Me Series was born.Sit back and enjoyTodays destination: Sikkim Lachen,Lachung,Chopta Valley, Yumesamdong etcNearest airport: Bagdogra airport Nearest Railway Station: Jalpaiguri railway stationPrerequisities Permit for Nathula passPacking winter apparel, medicines for AMS, sun glassesTime of the year November/December for the snow, April/May for warmer weather and rhododendronsLength of the itinerary: 7 daysItinerary Highlights:Travel to Gangtok after arriving at Bagdogra airport about 45hrsEnjoy the Teesta river enroute to Gangtok Spend time shopping and walking about MG road. Buy winter wear here if you havent already carried it along. Cafes, bakeries and some folk dance here Photo op with yaks at Tsomgo lake Visit Nathula pass. Permits required for Indian nationals. Foreigners not permitted.Travel to Lachen from Gangtok, enjoy views of the Kanchenjunga mountain enrouteExperience ecotourism first hand where plastic is bannedEnjoy Maggie noodles and chai at ThanguChopta valley beautiful rhododendron spreads in April/May and Gurudongmar Lake at 17,000 ft ASLDrive to Lachung from Lachen, spend the night at Lachung and head to Yumthang valley the next morning.Hot water springs and rhododendron spreads at Yumthang valleyMaggie noodles, spicy chana and chai or old monk if you wish at Zero point YumesamdongDrive back to Gangtok from Lachung. Visit Namchi Shiva temple and Pelling from GangtokMonasteries and Sandrupse and PemayangtseNature walk to reach the ruins at Rabdentse Singshore bridge if you have time at handEnjoying interactions with the locals and awesome cuisine.Links:Link to Suryas blog: www.travelrope.com/Link to blog posts:travelrope.com/juggernauthappin…ssikkimdiaries/travelrope.com/surrealnathulapass/travelrope.com/sikkimtravel/Link to Inspire Me: travelrope.com/category/inspireme/More about the Guest:travelrope.com/about/Email: travelropegmail.com Twitter : travelrope Facebook : www.facebook.com/TravelropeLets…1607829376107736Like our work Follow, Like Subscribe to us. We would also love to hear from you, so do write to us at:Email : themusafirstoriesgmail.comTwitter: www.twitter.com/MusafirStoriesFacebook: www.facebook.com/themusafirstoriesInstagram: www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcastWebsite : www.themusafirstories.com

4: Banaras (Varanasi) with Anusha

43 min 15 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Anusha Kay from the blog The Small town blogger. Anusha shares her stories from an enriching trip to Benaras that she made on new years eve. Sit back and enjoy listeningTodays destination: Benaras Varanasi in Uttar PradeshNearest airport: Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport or Varanasi Airport Nearest Railway Station: Varanasi City BCY, Varanasi Junction BSB, Kashi KEI, Manduadih MUV, Jalalganj JLL, Shiupur SOP, Bhulanpur BHLP, Chaukhandi CHHPacking Pack warm clothes if traveling in winter monthsTime of the year December/JanuaryLength of the itinerary: 3 days, 4 nightsItinerary Highlights:Lodging at Pooja Guest house on the Lalitha ghatSpend time on a boat at Dashashvamedh ghat, listening to stories from the Maanjhi boat riderVisit the Manikarnika Ghat where the Hindu cremations take place and Assi Ghat Yogis and sadhus mostly seen during the Kumbh mela. Beware of fake sadhusLegenf of the Manikarnika ghatEnjoy the street food at Kashi chat bhandaar Tomato chaat, Samosa chaat and Poori bhaaji deserves a special mention. Finish up your meals with the famous Benarasi Paan beetle leaf with a concoction of seasoning and sweetIf you are looking for a fancy meal, you might have to travel to Lanka roadShop for the beautiful Benarasi sarees to your hearts contentVisit the Hanuman temple and Vishwanath temple, avoid peak hours or be stuck in long queuesEnjoy the Benarasi Aarti at the ghats. Make sure to reach early to find a good spot Make a visit to the Benaras Hindu University, the oldest university in India, if time permits.Partying on the rooftop of the guest house on new years eve from ghazals to bollywood rock anthemsWalking about the ghats, enjoying the graphitti and some interaction with the localsMake sure to leave 3 hrs in advance to catch your flight back yes, traffic jams are terribleLinks:Link to Anushas blog: thesmalltownblogger.com/Link to the blog post: thesmalltownblogger.com/2017/01/06/benaras/More about the Guest: thesmalltownblogger.com/about/Email: the.small.town.bloggergmail.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/anusha.kayyFacebook : /thesmalltownbloggerTwitter : AnushaRambabu

5: Pushkar with Bidisha

31 min 12 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Bidisha Banik from the blog Resfeber18. Bidisha takes us through an enticing journey of the annual Pushkar camel fair and relives the time she spent in the world famous fair as well as her experience glamping and being on a hot air balloon ride, courtesy Tripoto and Sky Waltz. Sit back and enjoy listeningTodays destination: Pushkar, RajasthanNearest airport: Sanganeer Airport JAI, Jaipur, Rajasthan Jodhpur Airport JDH, Jodhpur, RajasthanNearest Railway Station: Ajmer Junction AII, Ajmer, Rajasthan Daurai DOZ, Ajmer, RajasthanPacking Sunscreen, sunglasses, hat, scraf water to stay hydratedTime of the year SeptemberLength of the itinerary: 3 daysItinerary Highlights: Expect to see a variety of livestock at the mela ground the venue of the Pushkar mela. It is a livestock trading event that happens annually, usually a week during OctNov, that has become a tourist attraction There are a plethora of cattle and livestock camels of all sizes and even different colors ever seen a black camel, horses, donkeys, cows, buffaloes etcVariety of contests best moustache, kite flying, cricket matches, sack races, best turbans, best mustache and everything under the sun bride groom contest yep, for real A total freak showTheres other stalls like handicrafts and turbans that showcase the local craftsmen. Apart from that are joy rides, giant wheels that are usually a part of any local fair. There are also concerts from well reknowned local and international artists.You can also expect to see a bunch of foreign tourists during the fair. Bidisha was a part of a Glamping trip Glamorous camping/ luxurious campling trip organized courtesy Tripoto and Sky waltz. The camp site was a luxurious set up with fully furnished camps along with an attached bath The trip also included a hot air balloon trip courtesy Sky Waltz.The balloon ride was scheduled for early in the day. Leave from the camp site at 4:30AM. Reach the site, undergo briefing about the protocols and landing procedures from the team. Watch the hot air balloon go from being a colorful piece of cloth to a magnificent full blown balloon, an amazing sightEnjoy a great view of the Pushkar lake and Pushkar city from up above on the balloon. Wave to the folks on the groundExperience a surreal moment while the sun rises from beyond the mountainsEnjoy time at the Pushkar market that has its share of hippie ornaments and stuff. There are some awesome cafes too along the Pushkar lake where you can enjoy your food with a viewLinks:Link to Bidishas blog: bidishabanik.com/Link to the blog post: bidishabanik.com/myfirsthotair…ushkarskywaltz/Link to Skywaltz: www.skywaltz.com/More about the Guest:bidishabanik.com/aboutresfeber18/ email: bidishabanik18gmail.com Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/resfeber18/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/resfeber18/ Twitter : twitter.com/BidB18Like our work Follow, Like Subscribe to us. We would also love to hear from you, so do write to us at:Email : themusafirstoriesgmail.comTwitter: www.twitter.com/MusafirStoriesFacebook: www.facebook.com/themusafirstoriesInstagram: www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcastWebsite : www.themusafirstories.com

9: TMS Specials - Little Passports

36 min 36 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Prachi Kagzi, founder of Little passports, a travel company that curates travel for kids. Being an avid traveller herself, Prachi was bit by the travel bug at a very young age when she travelled extensively with her parents both within and outside of India. Prachi shares the concept and vision of the Little passports and how she aims to instill the love for travel early on with kids. Prachi also shares her experience traveling the length and breadth of the country and beyond visitng wildlife sanctuaries, her love for the wild, some memorable moments from her visits as well as some top tips to consider while preparing for a visit to a wildlife sanctuary. Sit back and enjoy listening Highlights: Prachi speaks about the concept of traveling early and how she picked it up from her parents. How Little passports was born while she was on trips with her son The concept that is Little passports, how she prepares for these trips, who goes on these trips Prachi also discusses at length the process of researching and first hand visits she makes to the locations along with her son before deciding on a trip The diverse activities that kids and moms enjoy during the trips ranging from theme parks to wildlife sanctuaries to adventure sports, hiking and cultural trips Prachi speaks at length about trips she has made to wildlife sancutaries in and around India How one should plan for these trips to the heart of nature, preparation Memorable moments during the visits to the wild Links: http://littlepassports.in/ More about Little passports: http://littlepassports.in/about Email: Prachilittlepassports.in Facebook: Https://www.facebook.com/littlepassportsindia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littlepassportsindia/hlen Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/lilpassportsIndia travel TheMusafirStories LittlePassports kid family wild sanctuaries

Pollachi with Varsha

53 min 8 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks with one of our dear listeners, Varsha, as she takes us to a lesser travelled gem in Tamil Nadu, PollachiTodays destination: Pollachi, Tamil NaduNearest Airport: Coimbatore International Airport, CJBNearest Railway Station: Pollachi Junction, POY Prerequisites NA, some places might need permitsPacking Pack lightTime of the year Oc to FebLength of the itinerary: 35 daysItinerary Highlights: Varsha and her mom start off the journey by exploring the town of Pollachi home to Asia’s largest jaggery market. Also make sure to visit the local cattle market and flower market. Pollachi is a farming town, so there are a lot of paddy and rice fields around. A couple of interesting villages to visit are Sulakkal, Kinathukadavl and Setumadai. The villages have some interesting temples, traditional folk and cuisines. The temple that stands out is the Masaani Amman temple, where the goddess Durga is depicted in the form of a corpse Setumadai is also a popular location for filming tamil movies with an estimated 1500 movies being shot here. Other interesting places in the vicinity include a visit to Aliyar dam, Vetarthi Maharishi ashram at the foothills of the Anamalai mountains. There are boating options available at the dam as well. Top Slip and Parambikulam wildlife sanctuary are other options one can consider, permits might be needed along with lodging, so make sure to book in advance. Wildlife safaris here are a must do experience to view some of the wildlife in the sanctuary.Parts of the Parambikulam wildlife reserve are in Kerala but Pollachi offers an easier access which is preferred by many visitors. Valparai and its vast expanse of tea estates is another setting in which one can spend time in, there are other activities like paragliding that one can partake in. Try out some of the local eateries like Paati bajji Kadai for fritters and other fried goodies. There are many popular biryani options in town like Daadi Sardar Biryani, Arcot Biryani hotel, Taj Biryani hotel that one should check out. Chola mess popular for the local fish is something not to be missed. Theni, Thirnalveli, Madurai and Satyamangalam Tiger reserve are other options one can explore if you have more time on hand as these are close to Pollachi. Negamam, is another tiny hamlet that is popular for the local looms and saris. Tirumurti Hills and dam is also something that offers some wonderful views and activities like kayaking. Links:Varsha’s linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/varshasathishkumar/originalSubdomainsgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/theadhdblog/Follow the Musafir stories on Twitter: https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangen Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comYou can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/

Tales of Hazaribagh with Mihir Vatsa

56 min 23 sec

GIVEAWAY ALERTLISTEN TO THE EPISODE, ANSWER 3 SIMPLE QUESTIONS TO STAND A CHANCE TO WIN A COPY OF MIHIR’S BOOK https://forms.gle/NUdNuS3HtwSiYmLNAThis week, The Musafir Stories speaks with author and poet, Mihir Vatsa, as we discover the plateau town of Hazaribagh through Mihir’s book Tales of Hazaribagh: An intimate exploration of the Chotanagpur plateauTodays destination: HazaribaghNearest Airport: Birsa Munda Airport, Ranchi, IXRNearest Railway Station: Hazaribagh Town Railway Station, HZBNPrerequisites NAPacking NATime of the year Pleasant weather all round the yearLength of the itinerary: 35 daysItinerary Highlights:Hazaribagh is a plateau town situated on the Chotanagpur plateau in the state of Jharkhand. Mihir takes us through his hometown, talking about his return back home and how he wrote the book, rediscovering his hometown.Mihir talks about the origins of the town, its distinction of being one of the earliest hill stations in India, the vicinity to the Grand trunk road and the solace it offered to the homesick soldiers of East India Company.We talk about the origins of the name, its connection to tigers and a thousand gardens.Mihir also talks about the innumerable nature’s bounty in and around Hazaribagh includingHills specifically the Canary hillThe iconic stepped lake formation or the Hazaribagh lakeRivers and some rock formationsForests and the Hazaribagh Wildlife SanctuaryWaterfalls including Tiger fallsHot springs at SurajkundThe ruins of the Padma palace, Hawa Mahal and Badam FortKaranpura valley and its rock art dating 10,000 BCWe wrap the conversation talking about healing, the real and present threat of coal mining, and the legacy of fear of the Naxals and how this has impacted the area.Links:Link to Mihir’s book: Tales of Hazaribagh: An intimate exploration of the Chotanagpur plateauInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tales.of.hazaribagh/Twitter: https://twitter.com/MihirVatsaWebsite: https://www.talesofhazaribagh.comFollow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comYou can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/

Islands of Goa with Stuti Bhadauria

1 hr 3 min 18 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks with traveler and content creator, Stuti Bhadauria who creates content at www.nomadographer.com Todays destination: Islands of Goa Nearest Airport: Goa International Airport, Panjim, GOINearest Railway Station: Karmali Railway Station, KRMIPrerequisites NA Packing Pack light, wear a good pair of walking shoesTime of the year Round the year, except summersLength of the itinerary: 35 daysItinerary Highlights: Stuti takes us on a whirlwind tour of Goa beyond the beaches We explore the prominent islands of Chorao, Divar and St. Estevam as we explore the quaint villages, streets, churches and more in these islands. We start off our journey from Chorao Island, the largest of the 17 islands around Goa. Chorao is situated at a distance of about 5kms from the capital Panji and is accessible via Ferry service. Places to explore in Chorao Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary, Mangroves leading up to the bird sanctuary, Devaki Krishna temple, one of the two temples dedicated to Krishna and his mother, Devaki, also known as Yashodha. Apart from the temple, popular churches in the island include Our Lady of the Grace, one of the earliest churches built in the region island is also known as the island of Noblemen as the first portuguese noblemen settled here. The other popular churches include St.Bartholomeus Church and Chapel of Our Lady of health, and Christ the King statue, situated a 360 view of Chorao islandsNext on the itinerary is Divar island one of the more commercial islands in recent times. Things of interest include churches like Our Lady of Piety church and Sao Mathia’s church and the step well of Porne tirth thalli, once home to the Saptakoteshwar temple the patron deity of the Kadambas. Another unique festival celebrated in Divar is the festival of flags Bonderam, Stuti explains the history and connections.The final island on the itinerary is St. Estevam island, named after St. Stephens. The island is also home to one of the shortest ferry crossings in Goa and perhaps the country. Popular churches include The Lady of BoaVentura, Christ the King Statue again, along with the 14 holy crosses, St. Estevam Church. Another noteworthy phenomenon in Goa is the use of sluice gates, and Khazan system of irrigation that is completely a community driven initiative. Other smaller islands include Vanxim, Sao Jacinto and Grand Island. Finish off the journey by walking along some narrow alleys, exploring the Goan architecture, a slowly dying breed of architecture.Links:Varsha’s blog: https://nomadographer.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK8Gab8W4t2YNiqx0QjUlg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nomadographer/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Nomadographer Photo by Jess Aston on UnsplashFollow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangen Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlen website: www.themusafirstories.com email: themusafirstoriesgmail.com You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios,or any other podcast app.You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/

Pragpur with Aakash Mehrotra

44 min 37 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Aakash Mehrotra from the blog www.handofcolors.meTodays destination: Pragpur and Garli, Himachal PradeshNearest Airport: Kangra Airport, DHMNearest Railway Station: Raimehtpur, MTPR or Ambh/PathankotPrerequisites NAPacking Pack according to the weather, warm clothes preferableTime of the year Round the year Length of the itinerary: 2 daysItinerary Highlights: Aakash takes us to the first heritage villages of India, Pragpur and Garli in Himachal Pradesh. We discuss the origin of the village in the 1600s, the origin of the name Pragpur and the connection to the Sood community from Sirhind, Punjab. The villages prospered during the time of the British as the merchants here were instrumental in providing the timber and raw materials for building the summer capital of Shimla. The Beas river in the vicinity, the ample availability of timber and the good weather in the foothills helped the traders set up the operation. The village has a unique identity with an amalgamation of different architectural styles that the traders and merchants were exposed to during their travels. The mansions are inspired by Rajputana architecture, Mughal as well as British architecture and are reminiscent of the mansions of Shekhawati region in Rajasthan. The unique mansions, some of which date back to the 16001700s have still been maintained, and the villages were given the heritage village tag in 1997. Some of the unique mansion and havelis in Pragpur and Garli one should check out include The Judge’s court, Lala Rerumal Haveli, Butel Niwas, Santri ki Kothi, Nalke vali kothi, Melaram ki Kothi, Chateau Garli.If you are in the mood to splurge, the Judge’s court and Chateau Garli are two heritage properties which will give you a wonderful experience living in these mansions. There are also other lodges or serais that are more economical options. In addition to the mansions, one can also enjoy the sights and sounds of Himachal from the Beas river to the majestic Dauladhar ranges. If one wants to extend the itinerary, other places of interest include a visit to the nearby religious places like the Jwalamukhi temple, Dada Sibba temple for the murals, and the unique Kangra style of art. Visiting the villages during the occasion of Lodi or Nakki ka mela the wrestling festival that happens in September might be a good option. Links:Aakash’s blog: https://handofcolors.meLink to blogpost: https://handofcolors.me/2019/06/16/totheheritagevillagesofhimachalpradesh/Twitter: https://twitter.com/aakashmehrotraInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/aakashmehrotra/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/handofcolors/Link to Aakashs’ episode on Nagaland: https://themusafirstories.com/podcasts/tms006explorenagalandwithaakashmehrotra/Link to Aakashs’ episode on Landour: https://podcasts.apple.com/ng/podcast/71explorelandourwithaakashmehrotra/id1209849464i1000456649557 Follow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comYou can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/

Darjeeling with Vaibhav Dewan

57 min 57 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks with a dear friend, traveler and host of the podcast Baap beeti, Vaibhav DewanTodays destination: Darjeeling and KalimpongNearest Airport: Bagdogra Airport, IXBNearest Railway Station: New Jalpaiguri, NJPPrerequisites NAPacking Make sure to carry warm clothes and accessoriesTime of the year April, SeptemberOctober is a good timeLength of the itinerary: 67 daysItinerary Highlights:Vaibhav shares his itinerary around Darjeeling and Kalimpong, traveling with a toddler The journey starts with a flight to Bagdogra or New Jalpaiguri, depending on your mode of transport.The team hails a cab ride from the station to reach Darjeeling. The first day is spent seeing around the area, including the Cable car/ropeway, which is one of the longest in Asia.The area near Chowrasta and the Mall road are full of tourists along with eateries as well as local shops to shop for souvenirs as well as restaurants and cafes.A visit to St.Joseph’s school, North Point is also well worth the time, and is the location of the popular bollywood flick, “Yaariyan”Tenzing Norgay Rock and Gombu Rock are other attractions in memory of the famous Sherpa mountaineers, Tenzing and Gombu Norgay.While in Darjeeling, make sure to try out the world famous Darjeeling tea. A visit to a tea estate also helps one understand the history of tea as well as the numerous types of tea grown in this area.The local markets around the mall road also have a variety of momos sold by locals, make sure to try that out.Other nature related places that should make it to your itinerary include Rock Garden, which has a variety of plants and trees and involves a small trek to a waterfall.Next up on the itinerary was a trip to the Dali monastery, along with the museum a great chance to interact with the monks and understand the buddhist religion and culture. There are other popular monasteries like Ghum, Aloo bari, Bhooti Basti among others.A visit to Darjeeling is incomplete without experiencing the Darjeeling Himalayan railway make sure to take a joy ride on the popular ‘toy train’. A short trip to Batasia loop is a must do the location of the popular hit “mere sapno ki rani’ starring Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore The railways are also a UNESCO world heritage siteNext stop is the Japanese peace pagoda built by the Nipponzhan Myohoji foundation to promote peace in the aftermath of the 1945 bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.Another important point of interest is Tiger Hill, one of the most visited spots to get a view of Mt. Kanchenjunga, the third highest peak in the world at 8586m, after Mt. Everest and Mt.K2.Some popular eateries in the area include Keventers, Glenarys, Kunga’s, Nathmull’s, HImalayan coffee, Margaret’s deck. Also don’t forget to try the local spicy chilli Daale, but try at your own riskKalimpong is not too far away from Darjeeling but provides an offbeat experience compared to it’s more popular sibling. Places to check out include Lamahatta park, Durpin monastery, Cacti park and pineview nursery, Graham’s homeschools, Morgan house and Crookety, Mangal Dham among others.Links:Vaibhav’s podcast Baap Beeti: https://open.spotify.com/show/5cELVD4HYXq0sAQ2lSKaccInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/pregnantpapa/Twitter: https://twitter.com/dewanekhaasLink to the Andaman Islands episode: https://shows.ivmpodcasts.com/show/themusafirstoriesindiatravelpodcastyg3rRgjYIgajKrExt2J2/episode/99andamanislandswithvaibhavdewanmznqIqY1WlDHPAvAzyb7startTime0Photo by Joy Amed on UnsplashFollow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comYou can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/

Kanpur & Lucknow - A Short History with Ayush Khanna

58 min 17 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks with traveler and history culture nerd Ayush Khanna, as he takes us back in time to explore an important milestone in India’s independence. Todays destination: Kanpur Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh Nearest Airport: Kanpur Airport, KNU or Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport, LKONearest Railway Station: Kanpur Central Railway Station CNB or Lucknow Railway Station LKO Prerequisites NAPacking Pack lightTime of the year NovFeb, avoid the cyclone seasonLength of the itinerary: 35 daysItinerary Highlights: Ayush talks about the leadup to the 1857 Sepoy mutiny also known as India’s first war of Independence and discusses the connected histories of Kanpur and Lucknow during this period.Kanpur used to be a garrison town of the British East India company’s troops. Kanpur turns out to be a key location where the 1857 mutiny played out. Ayush explains the role of Nana Saheb, the adopted son of the Peshwa in exile, the events that unfolded at the Massacre Ghat and Bibighar, the reaction of the East India company. In the meantime, Lucknow had been the home of Nawab aristocracy, starting with Asafuddaula who was the architect of Lucknow, moving from Faizabad and lasting till 1856 and ending with Wajid Ali Shah. Ayush also shares some interesting stories about the Cawnpore Memorial, Nana Rao park, the Baron of Cawnpore and All Souls church. Along with the history of the 1857 mutiny, Ayush also calls out some important structures in the two towns Kala Imambara, Kaiser Bagh, Kothi Roshan ud Daula, The Residency and La Martiniere in Lucknow. In Kanpur, Ayush touches upon the popular mills like Elgin Mill, Lal Imli along with All Souls church. Of course, how could we miss covering some creepy ghost stories while here learn about the Kanpur Cemetery and its Sa rkata Angrez or the headless Englishman as well as the horse riding Sufi Covering the cuisine of Lucknow alone should take a season or two, but notable mentions starting with Idris ki Biryani and Lalla ki Biryani in the Chowk area, Aabodana home kitchen by Sheeba Iqbal for Sheer mal, Kheema matar, kali gajar ka halwa. Also try out Neymat Khana in Kaiserbagh for a collection of home food at one place. Bajpai’s chai, Shukla chaat, as well as Thaggoo’s badnaam kulfi and samosas are not to be missed while in Kanpur.Links:Ayush’s Blog : https://www.whitelotustile.com/ Article Blog post: https://livewire.thewire.in/politics/thebaronofcawnpore/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LotusTile Photo by Aradhya Kansal on UnsplashPhoto by Laurentiu Morariu on UnsplashBattle music: Sota War https://freesound.org/people/YleArkisto/sounds/258207/ by YleArkisto https://freesound.org/people/YleArkisto/ is licensed under CC by 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Follow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comYou can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/

Coromandel Coast with Lakshmi Sharath

56 min

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks with Lakshmi Sharath, one of the top travel writers and bloggers in India, who blogs under Travel with Lakshmi or lakshmisharath.com Todays destination: Coromandel Coast Nearest Airport: Chennai International Airport, MAANearest Railway Station: Chennai Central, MASPrerequisites NAPacking Pack light, carry sunscreen and shades. Time of the year JuneFeb, avoid the cyclone seasonLength of the itinerary: 47 daysItinerary Highlights: Lakshmi takes us on a fascinating journey covering the east coast of India, exploring the colonial connections of the region, being at the forefront of trade and commerce, and how some towns and villages blossomed while others have stood still in time. The coromandel coast covers the states of Tamil Nadu and parts of Andhra Pradesh and runs along the Bay of Bengal. It is popular not just for its scenic beauty but also attracted travelers and traders from far and wide. The first stop on the itinerary is Madras or Madrasapattinam as it was formerly known. Madras’ rise to prominence dates back to the time of the Portuguese and Britishers, both having ruled here. The area around Santhome was a Portuguese settlement whereas the Britishers made it their first base as Fort St. George. The city still has a lot of remnants of its British connection with the secretariat building, the High court as well as some popular churches. Lakshmi carries on her journey passing Mahabalipuram,famous for its Shore Temple and moving on to Sadras or Sadrangapattinam which boasts of a 17th century Dutch fort, and is also the scene of the Battle of Sadras fought in 1782.The next pit stop is at Alamparai which has the ruins of a fort, believed to be built by the Nawab of Arcot, but was gifted to the French for their help and collaboration. The village was known to have a mint where coins were minted as well as a hostel for travelers. The region was also popular for trading of ghee, textiles and zari. Lakshmi moves on to Pondicherry from here for the night halt. Enroute Pondi, Lakshmi makes a stop at Marapakkam, popular for its huge salt fields. Pondicherry exploration includes a walk with INTACH Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage, around the city that was the headquarters of the French in India. Also on the itinerary is a visit to the popular cafes, architecture, streets and Auroville. After Pondicherry, Lakshmi travels to Cuddalore, one of the early settlements of the British at Fort St. David. Fort David is a shadow of itself and has completely been reduced to ruins. Lakshmi continues to drive from here and the next stop on the itinerary is Porto Novo, the other Portuguese settlement besides Santhome in Madras. It was formerly known as Parangi pete or land of the parangis/foriegners. It was also known to be a trade center for the Arabs and Yemenis. Porto Novo pagoda was known to be minted from the Porto Novo mint in this village. The next stop along the journey is Tranquebar or Tharangambadi land of the singing waves, the most prominent Danish settlement in India. The town’s popular attraction includes Fort Dansborg, built in its unique Danish style, rustic streets like King’s street, Queen’s street, churches and temples. Karaikal, a part of the Puducherry/Pondicherry UT is the next stop on the road trip and includes a fascinating legend of Kraikal. The last stop on the road tip is Nagapattinam believed to be a popular Dutch settlement and also has a strong Buddhist connection. The town is also very close to other popular religious sites like Nagoor Dargah and Vellankani Cathedral. The final call out is for Poompuhar, the point where the final estuary of the river Cauvery meets the Bay of BengalLinks:Blog: https://lakshmisharath.comLinks to the blog post: Part 1 : https://lakshmisharath.com/drivingdownthecoromandelcoastpart1/Part 2 : https://lakshmisharath.com/drivingdownthecoromandelcoast2/Part 3 : https://lakshmisharath.com/drivingdownthecoromandelcoastpart3/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC57mn7ypVKFBb3UrMU7TiXQFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/TravelwithLakshmi Twitter: https://twitter.com/lakshmisharath Marine Life of Mumbai: https://www.instagram.com/marinelifeofmumbai/ Photo by Namrata Poddar on Unsplash Follow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comYou can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/

(Not) Far From Mumbai

50 min 33 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks with Husein and Keshav, hosts of the podcast “Far From Fact” now you get the title of the episodeTodays destination: Day trips and lesser explored places in and around Mumbai Nearest Airport: Chattrapati Shivaraj Maharaj International Airport, BOMNearest Railway Station: Mumbai Central, MMCTPrerequisites NAPacking NATime of the year Round the year Length of the itinerary: Day trips/weekend getaway Itinerary Highlights: Husein and Keshav talk about some of the lesser known and visited places by tourists in Mumbai and shine light on the variety of options Mumbai has to offer to both visitors as well as locals. Day Trips/weekend getaways discussed on the episode include Sanjay Gandhi National Park including Nagla block entranceBhandup Bird SanctuaryCoastal biodiversity center, AiroliDay trips to AlibaugBPT Park, ColabaShore walks, JuhuDharavi walking tourLinks:Podcast website: https://www.farfromfact.inInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/farfromfact/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/farfromfact/Email: hellofarfromfact.inPhoto by Angel Santos on UnsplashFollow the Musafir stories on:Twitter: https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comYou can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/

A for Prayagraj with Udbhav Agarwal

38 min 26 sec

GIVEAWAY ALERT LISTEN TO THE EPISODE AND ANSWER 3 SIMPLE QUESTIONS LINKED BELOW TO STAND A CHANCE TO WIN UDBHAV’S TRAVEL MEMOIR “A FOR PRAYAGRAJ A SHORT BIOGRAPHY OF ALLAHABAD” https://forms.gle/nrqEkP9iQuzWtkpA8This week, The Musafir Stories speaks with Udbhav Agarwal, a PHD candidate and author of the travel memoir “A for Prayagraj: A short biography of Allahabad”Todays destination: Prayagraj, Uttar PradeshNearest Airport: Allahabad Airport, IXDNearest Railway Station: Prayagraj Junction, PRYJPrerequisites NA Packing As neededTime of the year October FebruaryLength of the itinerary: 25 daysItinerary Highlights: Udbhav takes us on a journey back in time as we talk about the city of Allahabad, now known as Prayagraj that has been the cradle of livelihood and is believed to be one of the longest inhabited cities along with Varanasi. Udbhav talks about his connection to Allahabad and how he rediscovers his city over many journeys back to the place where he grew up.We talk about the history of the city, erstwhile Prayag, that was set up on the bed of the river confluence of Ganga and Yamuna and inhabited by rishis and munis how the big empires of the Mauryas and Guptas overlooked the city while setting up capitals in nearby regions and finally how the city comes back to prominence during the time of the Mughals, when it gets renamed to Ilahabas or Ilahabad. Udbhav gives the listener a sense of the gangajamuni tehzeeb , a unique confluence of religion and people, and how festivals and events are shared by the community. We also discuss the importance of the Kumbh Mela, its origins and some of the changes that Udbhav has experienced over time. We touch upon the important personalities of Allahabad, right from the freedom movement to the erstwhile Prime Ministers, to the wide range of authors, diving into the literary landscape of the region and how it has changed over time. Finally, we chatted about some of the popular food joints of Allahabad, right from the Chowk, to Khaogali to the Allahabadi paan. Enjoy Links:Link to Udbhav’s book: https://www.amazon.in/PRAYAGRAJSHORTBIOGRAPHYALLAHABAD/dp/9390652723Link to Aleph’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlephBookCoLink to Aleph’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alephbookco/Photo by at infinity on UnsplashFollow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comYou can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/

Glaw Lake with Akanksha Siwach

57 min 15 sec

WINNER OF GIVEAWAY FROM NASHIK EPISODERIKIN MERCHANTThis week, The Musafir Stories speaks with Akanksha Siwach, solo traveller, amateur gardener and a terrific storyteller who blogs at https://talesofthehiddentrails.wordpress.comTodays destination: Glaw Lake, Arunachal PradeshNearest Airport: Dibrugarh Airport, DIBNearest Railway Station: New Tinsukia Railway Station, NTSKPrerequisites Inner Line permit, Permit for the trek/camping Packing Pack light, good shoes/gumboots, rucksack, tent, sleeping bag and SALT watch out for those leechesTime of the year October MarchLength of the itinerary: 2 daysItinerary Highlights:Akansha takes us on a trek to the mystical Glaw lake in Arunachal Pradesh. Glaw lake is situated in the Wakro town of eastern Arunachal Pradesh, in the Lohit district a sparsely populated region, still pristine with flora and fauna.The lake is situated in the middle of Kamlang Tiger reserve, close to the Burmese and Tibetan border. The reserve is filled with thick forests full of exotic plants and animals plantains, dry fruits like Chahal, oranges, elephant apple, butterflies, gibbons, the Great Indian hornbill, Himalayan monals among others. Akanksha’s guide was a local student from Arunachal Bethem, who helped navigate through this 78 hour trek one way. Important pit stops include the forest hut, the suspension bridge over the Lohit River, trekker’s hut in Kalai among others. Legend goes that Glaw lake welcomes anyone visiting the lake for the first time and is welcomed by showers, which was true in Akanksha’s case as well. Another legend goes that no one ever drowns at the Glaw also no one swims at the Glaw and the lake never gets dirtyThe team arrives at the site of the lake just after noon, and spends time exploring around the lake. The team also meets up with a couple of local Miju Mishmi fishermen who help with breakfast the following day. Akanksha and team also get a chance to share a meal with the fishermen and try out some of the local food. The views of the Glaw lake the following morning at sunrise are something to treasure the mystical lake covered with mist and crystalclear water as the first rays of the sun shine on the camping area. Akanksha also has a chance to go on a short boat ride on a raft made by the fishermen.Miju Mishmi are one of the prominent tribes of the north east and are a very hardy people surviving on the resources from the mountains and forests. Akanksha shares some background about the tribe and their ways of life. Akanksha also shares further details about places in the vicinity that one could visit, including Parashuram Kund, Walong, Namti plains, Golden pagoda and a few more places in the vicinity Links:Link to Akanksha’s blog: https://talesofthehiddentrails.wordpress.comLink to the blogpost: https://talesofthehiddentrails.wordpress.com/2021/03/11/glawlakethesecretofkamlangthatyouvegottoknow/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/akankshasiwach/Twitter: https://twitter.com/AkankshaSiwachFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/akanksha.siwach.7Follow the Musafir stories on:Twitter: https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comYou can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/

Kolhapur with Amruta Dhalkar

1 hr 5 min 14 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks with a very dear listener Amruta Dhalkar, a museologist, who takes us to a beautiful yet underrated city in Maharashtra Todays destination: Kolhapur, MaharashtraNearest Airport: Kolhapur Airport, KLHNearest Railway Station: Kolhapur Railway Stn, KOPPrerequisites N/APacking Pack light, carry extra liquids as it can get hot during the dayTime of the year September to February is the best time to visitLength of the itinerary: 35 daysItinerary Highlights: We start off our conversation by a quick peek into the history of Kolhapur, the origin of its name originating from the Kolhasur demon, as well as the other popularly known names of Kolhapur in the past Brahmagiri and Karvir. The city was ruled by various dynasties including Satvahanas, Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Shilharas and marathas. We also talk about the erstwhile links of Kolhapur to european countries as early as 12nd century CEWe start off our exploration with the most iconic temple the Mahalaxmi temple or the Ambabai temple that is important to both Shaivites as well as Vaishnavites. Other important places include the Old Palace, which was the seat of Tara Rani Devi, wife of Chattrapati Raja ram, the second son of Chattrapati Shivaji. We briefly discuss the two lineages or gaddis of the Maratha empire Satara and Kolhapur and the important personalities The next pitstop is the New Palace, designed by Major Mant and built during the time of Maharaj Rajarshi Shahu, it is built in a stunning Indo Saracenic architecture.. A part of the palace also serves as the royal family’s residence. Apart from this the palace also houses a museum, a lake, formerly a zoo, and Khasbaag a wrestling stadium. We also discuss the contribution of Maharaj Rajarshi Shahu, who was as much a social reformer as a king. He was involved in encouraging Dr. BR Ambedkar in his movement as well as starting his newspaper Mookanayak. He was also the first to introduce reservation for backward classes, as early as the 1900s. He was also a patron of artists and sportspersons, especially wrestling. The next point of interest are some museums starting off with Townhall, which has a variety of artefacts including some found from the 1st century CE on the banks of the Panchaganga river. Kolhapur has a significant contribution to the Maharashtra film industry and there are a number of museums dedicated to this and personalities from the field. This includes Chandrakant Mandare museum and Bhalji Pendharkar museum. Finally a unique lifestyle museum is the Kanheri Mutt museum that depicts life in a village 200 years ago. We then come to the most important part of the journey food and shopping Food of the region include Kolhapuri Misal, Mutton and chicken tamda rasa mutton and chicken curry, kolhapuri bhel. Another unique offering of Kolhapur is the Doodh katta a place where milk from the buffalo is provided as a nutritional drink. From a shopping perspective there are several options beyond the very popular kolhapuri chappal or jutis which have their own unique style and a sound when you walk along with the kolhapuri petha or headgear, kolhapuri saaj or jewellery. FInally, a couple of other options close to Kolhapur include the iconic Panhala fort, the beautiful temples of Adinath Jain temple and Kopeshwar temple and the beautiful water bodies of Kolhapur including Panchaganga river and its ghats, and of course the popular Rankala lake to cap off the journey Links:Link to Amruta’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amrutadhalkar/Link to Amruta’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/amrutadhalkarPhoto by Bhupendra Singh on UnsplashFollow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comYou can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/

Mayurbhanj and The Belgadia Palace with Akshita Bhanj Deo

54 min 6 sec

Winner of Giveaway Lords of the Deccan by Anirudh KanisettiSarbani MohapatraThis week, The Musafir Stories speaks with Akshita Bhanj Deo, Director of the Belgadia Palace an 18th century Victorian era styled palace that is now a boutique hotel in Mayurbhanj, OdishaTodays destination: Mayurbhanj, OdishaNearest Airport: Dum Dum Airport, CCU Biju Patnaik International airport, BBINearest Railway Station: Baripada Railway Stn, BPOPrerequisites N/APacking Pack light, carry extra liquids as it can get hot during the dayTime of the year Year round, except summersLength of the itinerary: 35 daysItinerary Highlights: Akshita talks about the orientation of Mayurbhanj and Baripada and its close vicinity to both Kolkata and Bhubaneshwar and how one can get to Mayurbhanj. We discuss the history of the Bhanja dynasty, written history of which dates back to 598 AD. The erstwhile capital of the Bhanja dynasty Kiching, as well as Haripur and later Baripada. Akshita talks about the prominent rulers of the dynasty including His Highness Sriram Chandra Deo, the philosopher King and Maharani Sumitra Devi. Mayurbhanj is known as the land of arts and culture due to its abundance of diversity in craft inspired by its local community. We hope you can come experience this beautiful land with the same sense of wonder and amazement as we do everyday.The Belgadia palace was initially built as a place for foreign visitors, dignitaries and investors. It currently serves as the royal residence as well as a boutique heritage property. We discuss the idea of Belgadia palace to be a platform for the community and to do so in a sustainable and effective way, supporting local artists and art forms. The architecture of the Belgadia palace is also very unique with Greek and Roman influence. The interiors have been curated from previous palaces and include high ceilings, antique furniture, colourful rooms and suites, with wooden staircase, fulllength arch windows, dark teak wood furniture, and chandeliers dangling from wooden ceilings.A few visiting dignitaries have included Irish theosophist Dr. Annie Besant, the first Chief Minister of Odisha Harekrushna Mahatab, award winning Indian artist Hemendranath Mazumdar and the Royal family of Nepal among others.Things to do in Mayurbhanj include The Simlipal National Park, Barehipani Falls, Sami Brukhya, Sitakund waterfall, Baldiha Dam, a visit to Sabai and Dokra handicraft villages Jagannath and Khiching Temple, events such as Rath Yatra July, Chhau Festival April a semi classical dance combining martials arts and folk danceThe Mayurbhanj cuisine in the palaces featured a motley underdog sturdy Indian vegetables such as pumpkin, brinjal, potato and a wide variety of local gourds and their flowers, roots, stems and tubers.One iconic dish that has trickled down to present day Orissa is a dish that originated in the royals kingdom—mudhi mansa. This dish provided a filling combination of carbs and protein and was used by kings to feed battleweary soldiers in order to provide them with strength. Links:Link to the Belgadia Palace :https://thebelgadiapalace.comLink to Akshita’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abhanjdeo/Link to Akshita’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheGreatAshBBattle music: Sota War https://freesound.org/people/YleArkisto/sounds/258207/ by YleArkisto https://freesound.org/people/YleArkisto/ is licensed under CC by 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Follow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comYou can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/

Ellora and Lords of the Deccan with Anirudh Kanisetti

1 hr 4 min 10 sec

GIVEAWAY Alert: Answer 3 questions linked below and stand a chance to win https://forms.gle/J2h6mmtLQV3vsMrE9This week, The Musafir Stories speaks with a returning guest, Anirudh Kanisetti, as we discuss Ellora and his debut book, Lords of the DeccanTodays destination: Ellora, MaharashtraNearest Airport: Aurangabad Airport, IXUNearest Railway Station: Aurangabad Railway station, AWBPrerequisites N/APacking Pack light, carry extra liquids as it can get hot during the dayTime of the year Year round, except summersLength of the itinerary: 35 daysItinerary Highlights: Anirudh starts by explaining the orientation of the Deccan region, surrounded by the Vindhyas to the north, Western and eastern ghats to the west and east respectively and the Tamil country to the south. Anirudh also talks about the historical significance of the palace, a brief history of the rulers over time as well as the natural history of the DeccanWe narrow down on the Ellora cave temples, a set of over a hundred cave temples that date back to the 7th century built by Buddhists, Hindus and Jain patrons. 34 of those temples are now open to the public and offer a view into the architectural and engineering brilliance of that time. We discuss about the dominant Rashtrakuta empire who ruled the subcontinent during this time, were believed to be vassals/feudatories of the Chalukyan dynasty and had humble beginnings. Anirudh speaks about the magnificent Cave 16 or Kailashnath temple, believed to be inspired by the Kailash mountain, the abode of Lord Shiva. We speak about the backstory of how the temple is believed to have been constructed from a monolith and is the largest such structure during its time. The temple was constructed by excavating 2 million cubic feet of basalt rock, probably formed during the cretaceous era which led to the extinction of the dinosaurs. Anirudh gives wonderful descriptions of the architecture of the temple, some prominent sculptures as well as the sheer engineering and architectural brilliance of the builders. We cap off the episode by discussing other important temples of the complex, including Buddist and Jain caves/temples. Links:Link to Anirudh’s book, Lords of the Deccan :https://www.amazon.in/LORDSDECCANSouthernChalukyasCholas/dp/9391165052Link to Anirudh’s podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3gyenNhpv2JIvu5nTccaFrLink to Anirudh’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anirbuddha/Link to Anirudh’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/AKanisettiPhoto by Setu Chhaya on UnsplashBattle music: Sota War https://freesound.org/people/YleArkisto/sounds/258207/ by YleArkisto https://freesound.org/people/YleArkisto/ is licensed under CC by 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Follow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comYou can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/

45: Thanjavur with Passing Ports

45 min 26 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Preethika and Narayanan, the couple behind the wonderful blog Passing Ports. Listen in to the conversation as we talk Cholas, temples, history, architecture and moreTodays destination: Thanjavur or Tanjore, Tamil NaduNearest Airport: Tiruchirapalli International AirportNearest Railway Station: Thanjavur JunctionPrerequisites n/aPacking Stay hydrated, comfortable clothing, some of the temples might require modest clothing tooTime of the year NovemberLength of the itinerary: 4 daysItinerary Highlights:Preethika and Narayanan start off their journey with the Tanjore Royal Palace or Thanjavur Palace, a fort/palace complex with other monuments like the Bell tower, Art Gallery, Maratha Darbar, Arsenal tower, Library and more.Learn about the art of Veena making Veena or Veenai is an ancient chordphone instrument that originated in India and Bronze sculpting with the local craftsmenA visit to th living Chola temples, UNESCO world heritage sites reknown for their architechture and history1. Brihadeeshwara temple or the Big temple2. Airawateshwara temple in Darasuram3. GangaiKonda Cholapuram in AriyalurLinks:Link to the blog: http://passingports.com/Links to the blogpost:http://passingports.com/thanjavurtouristplaces/ http://passingports.com/ancienttemplesintamilnadu/http://passingports.com/svatmaheritagehotelthanjavurreview/Links to social meadia:Twitter: passingportsFacebook: passingportsInstagram: passingportsFollow the Musafir stories onTwitter: musafirstoriesFacebook: themusafirstoriesInstagram: musafirstoriespodcastwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comitunes https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7lj or voice or google search Ok Google, play The Musafir stories podcastSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiweb/audioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVipocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

50: Land of Pashmina with Adventure Sindbad

38 min 50 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Vishwas Raj, founder of the adventure travel company Adventure Sindbad www.adventuresindbad.com. Adventure Sindbad specializes in a variety of adventure activities across the Himalayas, right from hiking, cycling, whitewater rafting to family adventure tours. Sit back and enjoy as Vishwas takes us to Changthang, the land of the PashminaTodays destination: Changthang, Jammu KashmirNearest Airport: Leh AirportNearest Railway Station: Udhampur Railway stationPrerequisites Inner line permits may be required for a few areas. This is taken care of by Adventure Sindbad if you travel with them.Packing Warm clothes, sunscreen, sunglasses, good walking bootsTime of the year AugustLength of the itinerary: 10 daysItinerary Highlights:This experience is a part of a photography trip led by Adventure Sindbad. The trip begins with acclimitization in Leh for 23 days in order to get used to the high altitude. The guests get to go around and explore the old Leh city during the acclimatization processThe group then heads off towards the Changthang area, a highland plateau in Kashmir that extends to Tibet and covers about 1600 kms into Tibet.The first stop is close to the picturesque Tso Moriri lake, albeit at some distance from the touristy points around the lake. One gets to experience the beautiful colors of nature while camping close to Tso Moriri.The group then heads off towards the camping site close to the nomads of Changthang the Changpas. The Changpas are a nomadic community that wanders across the Changthang area with their herd of sheep and goats.The famous pashmina wool is made from the wool of the sheep and goat of this region, which is then crafted by Kashmiri artisans and is very valuable.The adventure sindbad team does a recce of the area well in advance and establishes contact with the nomads in order to ensure the group isnt being intrusive. As a part of the photography trip, the patrons get to document the life of the Changpas and their nomadic lifestyle.The rebo or yak wool tents of the Changpas are the epitome of minimalism and simplicity. The tents contain a kitchen, a dining area, sleeping area and a prayer room.Once the group has made contact with the nomads and set up tent in the vicinity, the patrons get a chance to observe and document the lifestyle of the Changpas, considered a dying lifestyle with the younger generations prefering to move away.The Changpas usually own anywhere between 100800 sheep and start the day early by milking the goats and sheep. Some of the family then heads off to graze the sheep, while one or two family members stay back and take care of the household chores.The group gets to experience the various aspects of nomads life and also get some exotic shots of the arid plateau.Links:Adventure Sindbads WebsiteFollow Adventure Sindbad on FacebookTwitterInstagramTripAdvisorA big congratulation to the winner of our book give away Somdeep KunduFollow the Musafir stories onTwitterFacebookInstagramCheckout our websiteOr you can email us: themusafirstoriesgmail.com

52: TMS Specials - A Drive from Coimbatore to London with Meenakshi Arvind

47 min 27 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Meenakshi Arvind, an avid traveler, business woman and mom Buckle up as Meenakshi takes us on this mother of all road trips, from Coimbatore, India to London, EnglandTodays destination: LondonNearest Airport: NANearest Railway Station: NAPrerequisites permits, visas, carnet and loads of patienceTime of the year March 2017Length of the itinerary: 70 days, 24K kmsItinerary Highlights: Meenakshi starts off the preparation by mapping out the route and preparing the permits and visas well in advance. The plan is to drive through 24 countries, across continents, over 70 days and 24K kms to end in London as a mark of celebrating 70 years of Indian independence. Meenakshi shares her approach, preparation, planning and the run up to the big day. Stories of some mishaps, some surprises and loads of memorable moments. Driving into London with a range of emotions and memories for a lifetimeLinks:Find Meenakshi on Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/meenakshi.saiFollow her on Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/goldfis/Coimbatore to London Road Trip Pictureshttps://www.facebook.com/meenakshi.sai/mediasetseta.10210460961255071type3 Follow the Musafir stories onTwitter: musafirstoriesFacebook: themusafirstoriesInstagram: musafirstoriespodcastwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.com

58: Bodh Gaya with MSN Karthik

37 min 44 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to MSN Karthik a traveller, a film maker and a youtuber Todays destination: Bodhgaya, Bihar Nearest Airport: Gaya Airport or Patna Airport Nearest Railway Station: Gaya Junction Prerequisites Just leave your worries home Packing Nothing unusual Time of the year Best to travel when the festive season is upon us, important festivals being Buddha Poornima May or Kalchakra puja OctNov or other world healing pujas watch for them in the calendar Length of the itinerary: 34 days Itinerary Highlights: Karthik begins the journey by explaining the significance of Bodhgaya, the home of Buddhism. Here is where Prince Siddhartha found enlightenment after traveling all the way from Lumbini, present day Nepal. Karthik enlightens us about the Bodhi vriksha or Bodhi tree, its history and importance. We talk more about the timeline of the Mahabodhi temple one of the most important structures in Bodhgaya which is over 2000 years old, how it was patronized by Ashoka, plundered by foreign invaders, left in ruins and finally discovered again in the 19th century. The temple is a beautiful structure, that lies in a sprawling complex with over a thousand stupas, a number of other temples and statues of the Buddha. There is a 80 ft statue that was contributed by the Japanese government that signifies 80 years of Buddhas life. Karthik also speaks about the teachings of Buddhism, the interactions with monks who have travelled from all around the world and how their views converge. Karthik talks about the other temples and monasteries built by representatives of different countries and the kaalachakra maidan, a huge field that is the venue of all congregations including while his holiness Dalai Lama is visiting. Karthik further talks about his experience with Vipasana, its importance and what the retreat involves. Links: Link to the youtube documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watchv3xA42Eu6Fdst0 Link to the channel Adwhyta: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU7XVC0jMY1tGEUf6m3lC0w Linik to Vipasana meditation centers:www.dhamma.org twitter: MSNKarthik instagram: MSNKarthik facebook: adwhyta Photo by Mattia Faloretti on Unsplash Follow the Musafir stories on TwitterFacebookInstagramWebsiteemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comitunes https://apple.co/2LPtTA3 Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7lj or voice or google search Ok Google, play The Musafir stories podcast website http://bit.ly/2xFZqOV Saavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqi Spotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVi pocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewg castbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQi Overcast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnf Stitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhw audioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowS TuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4a RadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0 iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8R Deezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

61: TMS Specials: Around India on Trucks and Highways with Rajat Ubhaykar

51 min 20 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Rajat Ubhaykar, a journalist from Mumbai who talks about his journey around India on trucks and highwaysTodays destination: IndiaNearest Airport: n/aNearest Railway Station: n/aPrerequisites n/aPacking n/aTime of the year AprilLength of the itinerary: n/aItinerary Highlights: Rajat talks about his roller coaster of a journey traversing India on trucks as he set out to document the lives of truckers and the highway economy of India. Rajats journey was covered in 2 legs, first leg was MumbaiSrinagarNE, the second leg covered the eastern and western coastlines of India. Rajat talks at length about the lives of the truckers, the kind of stereotyping they are subject to, the reality of life on a highway, and how things evolved over the 2 years of his journey. Rajats travelogue about his journey is set to hit the book stands later this year, make sure to check it outLinks:Links to blog post https://roadsandkingdoms.com/2017/truckinoninindia/On building of truck bodies in Sirhind, Punjab https://www.outlookbusiness.com/enterprise/trend/lifeintheslowlane1826On hitchhiking with nomads from Jammu to Srinagar https://www.outlookbusiness.com/enterprise/trend/aseasonofexodus1889Two pieces on trucking on NH39, Indias most unsafe highway that passes through Nagaland Manipur https://www.outlookbusiness.com/enterprise/trend/whennotjustgoodsbutfeartoopiles1976https://www.outlookbusiness.com/enterprise/trend/aconvenientarrangement2084On overloading and corruption on the highways https://www.outlookbusiness.com/enterprise/trend/deathonwheels2197More about the Guest:Twitter: rajatubPhoto by Harsh Fuloria on UnsplashFollow the Musafir stories onTwitterhttps://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebookhttps://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/ website: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comitunes https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7lj or voice or google search Ok Google, play The Musafir stories podcastwebsite http://bit.ly/2xFZqOVSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVipocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

62: Savanadurga Trek with Divyam Goenka

30 min 15 sec

The Musafir Stories Podcast is a travel podcast discussing the length and breath of India This episode we discuss Savanadurga Trek with Divyam Goenka.

65: TMS Specials : Women in Travel with F5 Escapes

37 min 2 sec

The Musafir Stories Podcast is a travel podcast discussing the length and breath of India This episode the girls from F5 Escapes takes a different approach on women travelling. Listen on to know more

71: Landour with Aakash Mehrotra

44 min 5 sec

In this episode:Landour Uttarakhand hillstation mountains cafes nature walks viewpoints sunset woods heritage british colonial architecture ruskinbond books quaint northindia This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Aakash Mehrotra from Delhi who talks to us about his childhood connection to the land of Landour, UttarakhandTodays destination: Landour, UttarakhandNearest Airport: Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun DEDNearest Railway Station: DehradunPrerequisites NAPacking Lots of books Carry warm clothes as the hill stations are quite chill.Time of the year AprilLength of the itinerary: 3 daysItinerary Highlights: Aakash talks about his childhood connection to Landour and the charm of this Raj era cantonment sharing some quick tips as to when one can travel. He also shares titbits about his lodging, Rokeby Manor, a heritage property built in 1840 and one of the early constructions in Landour. Some more trivia about the history of Landour, its founders, its legends and myths. Aakash also shares stories about Pahadi Wilson, one of the famous residents of Landour and how his story inspired Rudyard Kipling to write the book, The man who became king. Aakash talks about the famous points in Landour the Char Dukaan, Sisters bazaar, Emilys kitchen, Landour Bakehouse among others. There are also heritage buildings like Kellog Church and St. Pauls church as well as a private sanctuary The Jaberkhet wildlife sanctuary. Finally we discuss about the legend and most famous celebrity of Landour Ruskin Bond, his early life in Landour, his cottage and the influence of Landour on his works. We wrap up the episode calling out other famous celebrity connections to LandourCorrection: The author of The Man who would be King is Rudyard Kipling and not Ruskin Bond as mentioned in this episode.Links:Link to Aakashs blogpost:https://handofcolors.me/2018/04/01/thesecretmiraclesoflandour/more2093https://handofcolors.me/2018/04/17/rokebymanoracolonialcharm/Link to the blog: https://handofcolors.meFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/handofcolors/Twitter: https://twitter.com/aakashmehrotralangenFollow The Musafir Stories onTwitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comitunes https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7ljwebsite http://bit.ly/2xFZqOVSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVipocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiGaana http://bit.ly/2NClUYYOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

77: Munnar with Sangeetha

53 min 11 sec

In this episode:Munnar Kerala tea plantations mountains nature treks kathakali art dance martialarts roadtrip family waterfalls ponds sunrise spices nilgiri tahr neelakuruji boating elephantsThis week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Sangeetha as we explore the Kashmir of the South, MunnarTodays destination: Munnar, Kerala Nearest Airport: Kochi International airport 110kmsNearest Railway Station: Aluva, Kerala 110kmsPrerequisites n/aPacking pack some light layers of wool as mornings and evenings can be chillyTime of the year September to Feb is a good time to visit Length of the itinerary: 5 daysItinerary Highlights: Sangeetha travels with her family by flying from Bangalore to Kochi and driving down to Munnar, this way one can enjoy the beautiful drive leading up to Munnar. The first day is spent seeing around the resort and visiting the Blossom Hydel Park, a park formed by a Hydel power station and has some fun activities for kids. One could spend between 23 hours at the park enjoying the beautiful views. Close the park is the Pothamedu view point where one can drive to and enjoy some stunning views of the tea plantations along with picture perfect view of the valley. To experience the rich cultural heritage of the Kerala, Sangeetha visits the Punarjeevi Cultural village to enjoy a Katahakali show next. Kathakali is the popular dance form of Kerala that is based on a song/dance performance to the stories of Mahabharatha and other epics. The beautiful costumes, face paint and expression of the artists is something one should not miss out. The next day begins with a short trek organized by the resort where Sangeetha gets to learn more about the local flora and fauna of the place. The trek is not very strenuous and can be done with ease. Following the morning trek, the family drives down to Eravikulam National park, the first national park of Kerala and home to the endangered Nilgiri Tahr. The park also sees the blooming of the Neelakurunji flowers once every 12 years. Make sure to plan your visit to the park well as waiting times can be a hinderance, specially on weekends. Following the visit to the park, the family drives towards the Anamudi peak the highest peak in Kerala. The peak is a monolith and offers some stunning views on a clear day. There are also options to trek a part of the peak if one is up for it. Next on the itinerary is a visit to Mattupettey Dam where one can indulge in boating and a few other fun rides. There is also an Echo point, not far away from the dam where you can go shout your lungs out. If you are lucky, you can also run into a herd of elephants grazing the meadows close to the dam After having fun with the speed boat ride, the family heads back to the Punarjeevi cultural village for an evening of Kalaripayattu the very popular martial arts form of Kerala that is believed to have originated in the 3rd century BCE. One can watch the performers battle it out with swords, dagger and fire The other must do trip while in Munnar is a drive up to the Kolukumalai peak one of the higher peaks in Kerala that is also home to the worlds highest organic tea estate, the Kolukumalai tea estate. An early morning drive makes a great spot for watching the sunrise from the peak. PS: Dont miss the bread omelette sold by a little tea stall on the peak It is better to sign up with a tour company to drive you up the peak as the drive can be quite bumpy. The estate has a very old wooden tea factory that still produces tea in the orthodox style, there are tours of the tea factory available that are worth the time. There are treks around the area that one can take part in as well. Other places of interest in Kerala include a variety of waterfalls, beautiful lakes, tea museums and some great food One can easily spend a week in Munnar and enjoy the lush green tea gardens and the vistas and still end up wanting moreLinks:Link to Sangeethas blogpost: https://msangeetha.wordpress.com/2019/10/22/munnarthelandofthemightymountains/Link to Sangeethas blog: https://msangeetha.wordpress.com/You can check out the Passion People podcast on your favourite podcast app and follow on social mediaPassion People Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/7A1tBp7leAD8egg2SknxMXTwitter: Passion People podcast: https://twitter.com/thepassionpeop1 Naga Subramanya: https://twitter.com/n1n3stuffPhoto by Vivek Kumar on UnsplashFollow the Musafir stories onTwitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comitunes https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7lj website http://bit.ly/2xFZqOV Saavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSViGaana http://bit.ly/2NClUYYpocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0 iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

78: Offbeat Manali with Priyanka Gupta

46 min 36 sec

In this episode:Manali HimachalPradesh Himachal offbeat oldmanali oldcity walking trail trekking hiking temples hotsprings architecture himachali naggar vashisht kathkuni zorbing river rafting beas yoga nature mountains himalayasThis week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Priyanka Gupta from the blog onmycanvas.com as she takes us offbeat in ManaliTodays destination: Manali, Himachal Pradesh Nearest Airport: Bhuntar airport 50kmsNearest Railway Station: Joginder Nagar, Himachal Pradesh 50kmsNearest Bus Station: Kullu 40kmsPrerequisites: n/aPacking: pack some light layers of wool as mornings and evenings can be chilly. Warmer clothes are required for the wintersTime of the year: October to Feb is a good time to enjoy the snow, March to July is best for summers Length of the itinerary: 56 daysItinerary Highlights: Priyanka sets her sight on Old Manali to explore having already visited New Manali in the past. Just crossover the bridge from New Manali to wander off in the less explored older Manali Old Manali is more laid back with a lot of homestays and old rickety wooden cottages, apple orchards and friendly locals. The best thing to do in Old Manali is to wander off with google maps handy to ensure you dont get lost. One can also explore close by villages like Bari which are rich with the nature and in the vicinity of river Beas. While in Manali, make sure to try out the rainbow trout, juicy apples and the local dishes like Siddu. Naggar is another village that is not far away 20kms and has a lot of points to cover. There are a lot of beautiful temples like Gauri Shankar temple, Vishnu temple with stunning Himachal architecture nagara style with stone shikharas and a wooden level on top. Naggar castle is the seat of Kullu kings for a long time before it was moved to Kullu. The castle is built in a beautiful kathakuni architecture is made mostly of stone and an upper wooden level. The castle is now a heritage hotel and also houses a small temple and a museum. Other points of interest include the Nicholas Roerich museum, the home of the famous Russian painter and traveler which has now been converted to a museum. After spending a day or two in Naggar, another option is the Vashisht village about 56 Kms from Old Manali which is where the Rishi Vashisht is believed to have meditated. Must see places include the Vashisht temple, the hot springs and the Jogini falls. Other famous temples include the Manu temple and Hidimba Devi temple which are situated within Manali. Spiti valley is another spot that is pretty close to Manali and deserves an itinerary of itself. You can check out our podcast on Spiti for more places. If you want to indulge in some adventure activity, one can sign up for river rafting in the Beas river, Zorbing, paragliding viral paragliding video are some options. Links:Link to Priyankas blogpost: https://www.onmycanvas.com/bestplacesvisitmanaliitinerary/https://www.onmycanvas.com/placesvisitnaggarmanalihimachal/Spiti blogpost:https://www.onmycanvas.com/spitivalleytravelblog/Link to Priyankas blog: https://www.onmycanvas.comSocial media:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/priyankaonmycanvas/Twitter: https://twitter.com/guptaprankyFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/onmycanvasblog/Thank you for doing the episode introduction, Girish Shivakumar You can check out the Mission Shunya podcast on your favourite podcast app and follow on social mediaWebsite: https://missionshunya.comTwitter: Mission Shunya Podcast: hhttps://twitter.com/missionshunyaGirish Shivakumar: https://twitter.com/SivakumarGirish Other episodes mentioned in the podcast:Naggar/Nicholas Roerich https://themusafirstories.com/podcasts/paintingsofthehimalayaswithmedhavigandhi/Spiti https://themusafirstories.com/podcasts/tms005explorespitiwiththedesitraveler/Follow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comitunes https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7lj website http://bit.ly/2xFZqOV Saavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSViGaana http://bit.ly/2NClUYYpocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0 iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

79: Lost in the Caves of Meghalaya with Khaliq Parkar

49 min 12 sec

In this episode:Meghalaya NorthEast adventure caves lost stalactite stalagmite nature KremLymput underground caving suspense ecology geologyThis week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Khaliq Parkar, a researcher and social scientist as he shares his adventures in the caves of MeghalayaTodays destination: Krem Lymput caves, Meghalaya Nearest Airport: Shillong airport, SHLNearest Railway Station: Guwahati Railway station, GHYPrerequisites Inner line permit for some states in the North East https://services.india.gov.in/service/detail/eilpinnerlinepermitPacking Make sure to carry a pair of hiking shoes for good grip, powerful torch and backup, energy food for the trip.Time of the year Avoid the monsoons July to SeptemberLength of the itinerary: Per your convenienceItinerary Highlights: Khaliq and his friend, Xavier, set out to explore the north east and one of the most memorable experiences during the trip was their trip to the underground caves of Meghalaya. The caves date back to millions of years ago and have been formed by the water percolation and gradual dripping of water, primarily from rains and monsoons and dripping through the rocks resulting in beautiful formations. The duo decide to set out on a cave adventure when waiting for the ILP and other permits required for travel. Meghalaya has a bunch of caves including Mawlong caves, Mawsmai caves and a bunch of other caves the most famous being Krem Lyat Prah which is 30kms long and is the longest underground cave formation in India. Khaliq and Xavier decide on Krem Lymput, a medium sized cave about 6 kms long and head out to explore. Enroute the mouth of the cave, they run into a group of boys from the local village who offer their powerful torch which the duo gladly accept. The expedition begins around 9:30AM and the plan was to trek till a prominent landmark within the cave complex called the Mughal Room which is a huge enclosure with a height of about 20 ft and at a distance of about 2kms with stunning stalactite and stalagmite formations. The complex is almost like a mesh of caves, passages and walkways that connect and form a network. The cave is filled with water puddles at points and stalactites projections from the ceilings and stalagmites projections from the ground. These can range from a few inches to a few feet high The duo pass through a number of interesting formations, rocks, knee high puddles, dripping water and pin drop silence. Some of the pools were crystal clear and felt like a completely different world with its own ecosystem. The trip to the Mughal Room was quite exciting and both Khaliq and Xavier were enthralled by what they saw, capturing photographs on the way and marvelling at the nothingness and deprivation of sound and light within the caves. The trip to the Mughal Room takes about 2 hours and there is a feel of elation on reaching the summit. After taking pictures and resting for a few minutes, the duo starts their journey back, only to run into unfamiliar passages. When this happens on two or three occasions, Khaliq and Xavier decide to take a step back and retrace their footsteps which leads to more panic as all exits lead to a dead ends. Almost 2 hours of deliberation and trying and the duo discovers some footsteps trailing from a passage way that was above them. The realization strikes that they have been descending all along and thus have missed out on taking the right passage way back. On discovering this, they start their journey back and repeat the marking exercise and narrowing down on the return options. After more deliberations, they finally retrace their way back to the mouth, where they are greeted by the sounds of crickets Success at last, almost 6 hours later Khaliq also discusses about options one should consider which primary includes trekking with the Meghalaya adventure association which does a number of expeditions for beginners as well as pros. He also calls out some threats that the caves face from mining for limestone for cement factories that is endangering the cave ecosystem and how the Meghalaya Adventure association are spreading awareness and activism.Links:Link to the Caravan article:https://caravanmagazine.in/vantage/cavesmeghalayaandthreatposedlimestoneandcoalminingposesPictures by Khaliq:https://imgur.com/a/OBB7egDLink to Meghalaya adventurers association:https://www.facebook.com/MeghalayaAdventurersAssociation488002144653544/Follow Khaliq on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/khaliq.parkarand Follow him on IG: https://www.instagram.com/outofstockq/Nikhil Shankars podcast Get Outhttp://getoutpodcast.comFollow Nikhil on IG: https://www.instagram.com/pichidodo/Photo by Adam Bixby on UnsplashFollow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comitunes https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7lj website http://bit.ly/2xFZqOV Saavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSViGaana http://bit.ly/2NClUYYpocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0 iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

81: Bhubaneswar with Ayush

48 min 42 sec

In this episode: Bhubaneswar Odisha East culture temples art architecture dance odissi tribal history art Ashoka Kalinga Jagannath rathyatra rasgulla buddhism hertiage walkingtour This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Ayush Kumar as he takes us to another hidden gem in IndiaTodays destination: Bhubaneswar, OdishaNearest Airport: Biju Patnaik Airport, BBINearest Railway Station: Bhubaneswar Railway Station, BBSPrerequisites NAPacking Pack according to the weatherTime of the year Winter months from November to Jan is the best time to visitLength of the itinerary: 34 days to a weekItinerary Highlights: Ayush starts off by sharing important historical anecdotes about the city, the city that has been witness to some significant historical events like the Kalinga war Bhubaneswar is also known as the temple city and rightly so, has been home to over 2000 temples in the past. The important temples to visit include Lingaraj temple, Mukteshwar temple, Raja Rani temple, Parashurameshwara temple, Anantha vasudev temple famous for its serving of the temple food or Prasad Ayush also references the variety of food options that are indigenous to Odisha and their backstory, touching up the GI tagged foods like the Rasgulla Other culturally important experiences are the Odissi dance, the local music, Pottachitra palm drawings, Bomkhai sarees, chenna poda sweet Other places of interest include Dhaulagiri that has some buddhist edicts from the time of King Ashoka. The region also has a number of rock cut caves that served as residences for the monks. Not far away, there is also the Khandagiri and Udayagiri known to be Jain rock cut caves that have a number of inscriptions and served as residences for the monks. The ancient city of Shishupalgarh, is another place that one can plan to visit while in Bhubaneswar. The excavations of this lost city from 12nd century BC was recently discovered and the findings continue to grow. One can also indulge spending some time in the Odisha state museum, Tribal museum and Kalabhoomi museum. There are also miniature models of the Ratha used during the Rathyatra at the Puri temple is installed at the KalaBhoomi museum. Nandankanan Zoo and Ekamravana are other places for ones who want to indulge in the outdoors and nature. Finally, those who are short on time can partake in some heritage walks conducted by Ekamra Walks that covers the old city and temples.Links:Link to the Ayushs social media:IG: https://www.instagram.com/soul.traveller.kumar/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ayush.kumar.737448Cover art picture credits: Dhirendra Singh RajpurohitIG: https://www.instagram.com/dsrimagination/Battle music:Sota War https://freesound.org/people/YleArkisto/sounds/258207/ by YleArkisto https://freesound.org/people/YleArkisto/ is licensed under CC by 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Follow the Write Geek Show for your weekly dose of Geekhttps://www.writerandgeek.comFollow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comApple podcasts https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7ljwebsite http://bit.ly/2xFZqOVSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSViGaana http://bit.ly/2NClUYYpocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

18: Sikkim with Sandy & Vyjay

43 min 8 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Sandy Vyjay from the blog Voyager. VOYAGER was born out of a burning desire to share our travel experiences and stories with others. The more they traveled, the more they felt the need to record and share our experiences and this finally led to the crystallization of VOYAGER, a onestop place for information and stories about travel destinations, food and culture as well as travel tips. Todays destination: Sikkim Nearest airport: Bagdogra Airport Nearest Railway Station: New Jalpaiguri, SiliguriPrerequisities permit required for Nathula passPacking warm clothes, pills for AMSTime of the year NovemberLength of the itinerary: 7 daysItinerary Highlights: Pristine views of Pelling, the great Kanchenjunga mountainsthe sacred khecheopalri lakeKanchenjunga waterfalls Singshore hanging bridgeSpending time visiting monastriesThe golden Buddha statue at Buddha park Ravangla bird watching and hiking sunrise point and view of the greater himalayasSpending time in Gangtok MG road, cafes, Hanuman Tok, Ranka monasteryNamgyal institute of tibetologyLighting earthern lamps at Dodrul chorten buddhist stupa for world peaceSpending the evening at Banjhakri falls and parkChangu lake, highest ATM, Sherathang, Baba mandir and Nathula passLink to Sandy Vyjays blog http://imvoyager.com/Link to related blogposts http://imvoyager.com/aroadtriptodieforgangtoktonathulaatanaltitudeof14400feetnathulagangtokroadtripindiamountainssikkimmilitarychinablog/phttp://imvoyager.com/ravanglapellinggangtoksikkimbuddhatempletravelblog/http://imvoyager.com/pellingsikkim/More about the Guest: http://imvoyager.com/

19: Volunteering in McLeod Ganj with Shikhar Lohia

45 min 27 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to up and coming instagrammer, Shikhar Lohia, who posts under the handle upandmeandering. Shikhar is a recent graduate of Delhi university who works for an international property consultant and is based out of Delhi.Todays destination: McLeod Gunj Nearest Airport: Gaggal airportNearest Railway Station: Pathankot railway station is located at a distance of 90 km from Mcleodganj and is the nearest broad gauge rail head to the city. The nearest meter gauge railway stations to the city are Kangra and Nagrota Prerequisities n/aPacking Some warm clothes and a camera Time of the year Summer is the best time to visit the hillsLength of the itinerary: 1 weekItinerary Highlights: Shikhar sets out on this week long trip from Delhi by boarding a bus at the Kashmere gate Shikhar explores the city center and local cuisine on the first couple of days A chance encounter with an American couple led to one of the highlights of this trip getting to attend the teaching of Dalai Lama Shikhar spent more time reading about the Dalai Lama and exploring local cuisine and culture, photographing the city. Also on the agenda was a visit to the Bhagsu Nag temple, Bhagsu Nag falls and the famous Shiva cafe, spending time sipping on tea and talking about random things under the stars Do not miss a visit to the Dal lake, the namesake of the one in Kashmir. It has a unique feel to it nestled in the Deodhar trees in th backdrop of mountains Finally, Shikhar spent his final part of the journey volunteering with the Lha charitable trust, teaching conversational english to Tibetan refugees. Must visit Jimmys Cafe for some amazing waffles, Shivas cafe for some hot coffee by the calming waterfalls, Tibetan kitchen for some mouthwatering momos More about the Guest: Instagram upandmeanderingTripoto profile https://www.tripoto.com/profile/shikharlohia6049496

22: Mandu with Neelendra Nath

47 min 20 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Neelendra Nath, a London based Management Consultant, Startup Evangelist and a blogger who writes at http://travelwithneel.com/Neel has some very interesting post about travel, work and the world aroundJoin us as Neel takes us with him to explore the ruins of ManduTodays destination: Mandu / Mandavgad, Madhya PradeshNearest Airport: Indore, Madhya PradeshNearest Railway Station : Indore, Madhya PradeshPacking Pack light weighted cool clothes, sun screen and a camera Time of the year November to February Time of the year Neal travelled: MarchLength of the itinerary: Checkout Neels photos of Mandu:https://www.facebook.com/neelendra.nath/mediasetseta.10153927164244852.1073741878.803299851type1l0e55c71b6dhttps://www.facebook.com/neelendra.nath/mediasetseta.10153922792369852.1073741877.803299851type1lb9431f1900https://www.facebook.com/neelendra.nath/mediasetseta.10153935438764852.1073741879.803299851type1ld9deea0e51Neels Blog : http://travelwithneel.com/Instagram: TravelwithNeelTwitter: ithrahimMadhyaPradesh Madhya Pradesh Mandu Mandav Dhar Malwa Neelendra Nath NeelNath TheMusafirStories Travel History Vacation Story Old Ruins Love War Mughal Forts Pillars LordOfTheRings Roopmati BaazBahadur Narmada River

25: Dhar with Saumy Nagayach

40 min 30 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Saumy Nagayach, a Pune based blogger, photographer and full time software engineer who loves writing poetry as much as he loves writing code. So sit back and enjoy as Saumy takes us to explore some of the hidden gems of Madhya Pradesh Todays destination: Dhar, Madhya Pradesh Nearest Airport: Indore, MPNearest Railway Station: Mhow, MPPrerequisities N/APacking Pack light, weather can be hot in summers.Time of the year DecemberLength of the itinerary: One can do a day trip to Dhar, or spread it over two days to cover the place at a slow pace. Overall 5 day itinerary covering Dhar, Mandu, Omkareshwar, Maheshwar and UjjainItinerary Highlights: Start off with the majestic Dhar fort, built by Mohammed bin Tughluq, in the 14th century. The fort is built of red stone and is located on a small hill. The walls of the fort can easily be seen from a good distance.Places of interest are the Kharbuja mahal, in the shape of a musk melon, which was built inside the fort and is best known as the place where last Peshwa i.e. Bajirao II of Maratha Empire was born. From Kharbuja palace, one can see the whole city and Munj Sagar lake. The Munj Sagar lake was excavated by Raja Bhojas uncle Vakpati Munja in 10th centuryCheck out the district archaelogical museum within the fort campus it is one of the oldest museums in MP, built in the year 1902. Next stop is the Bhoj Shala, built by the great Raja Bhoj, is a center for learning. The pillars and walls have stone carvings and people say that Raja Bhoj had written some literature/grammar/poetics there.Some of the Sanskrit inscriptions of those times were found in 1903 by an expert and then he researched more about it and gave this place the name Bhoj Shala.Lat Masjid is another point of interest which is unique in the sense that the mosque was built in 1405 by Dilawar Khan from the ruins of Hindu and Jain temples. An iron pillar used to be there which is now broken and is displayed outside the Mosque the mosque is named after this iron lat pillar.Make a quick stop at the Phadke studio. Raghunath Krishna Phadke was an Indian artist and many of his artifacts are installed at several places in India. Phadke taught the clay art to many of his students and a lot of his works can be seen at Phadke Studio, DharDont forget to grab some poha and poha jalebi for the roadLinks:Link to Saumys blog www.saumynagayach.blogspot.inLink to the blog post http://saumynagayach.blogspot.ae/2017/04/hiddengemsofmadhyapradeshdhar.htmlTwitter saumynagayachfacebook https://www.facebook.com/saumynagayach21/pnreflhcemail saumynagayachgmail.comMore about the guest A novice photographer, an enthusiastic blogger and an IT Engineer by profession. Saumy also loves to write poems and tell stories around pictures. Photos featured in:National Geographic Traveller IndiaWell known Instagram accounts like Maharashtraig, SplendidIndia, DiscoverIndia.Some of the best Travel/Photography Blogs of India.

27: Bandhavghar National Park with Chittra M

27 min 28 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Chittra from the Masala Box, a blog where she shares her travels and adventures along with other musings of lifeTodays destination: Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya PradeshNearest Airport: JabalpurNearest Railway Station: UmariaPrerequisities make sure to book your tickets for the safari as well as lodging well before time as it tends to fill up fast.Packing Dont forget to carry your camera Bug repellants are also a good idea along with sunscreen and shades.Length of the itinerary: 2 daysLodging at: Tigers den resortItinerary Highlights:Chittra gives us a run down of her experience about getting to Bandhavgarh national park and her tryst with the big cat.Chittra did two safaris during her visit to Bandhavgarh, an evening safari and a morning safari. They booked a jeep for both safaris.Blessed with a great guide and driver, Chittra set off on her expedition into Bandhavgarh.The evening Safari was not very eventful but Chittra still manages to catch a bunch of Langoors, wild dogs, deer and some birds.The morning safari starts early in the morning, so be sure to be out by 5 am in order to get ahead of the pack.After listening to some calls by langoors and deer, Chittra and her group decide to wait it out close to a place where they spot some pug marks as the group heard to interesting stories of Sita and Charger from the guideAfter an hour long wait, Chittra was lucky to capture one of her best shots to date, a tiger with a kill that walks past her jeep. It was Spotty, the mother tigress who was taking the kill to her cubs. A sight most of us arent lucky enough to catchChittra shares other tips while travelling to national parks and things to avoid.Links:Link to the blog post: http://masalabox.co.in/spottingtigerbandhavgarhnationalpark/Link to Chittras blog: www.masalabox.co.inLink to the MP forest dept: www.forest.mponline.gov.inLink to the lodging: www.tigerdenbandhavgarh.comMore about the Guest:Chittra is an avid traveler who has been crisscrossing the map exploring new places, tasting different cuisines and constantly trying to understand different cultures of the place. Masalabox is not just a manifestation of her travel diaries and journals but also features quite a few funny anecdotes that encountered during her travels, some memorable moments from life, some moments of angst on the society, and some opinions on everything in the world She also does a section on movie/play reviews called Musings of Life. So sit back and enjoy as we unravel the stories in the masala box.

29: Karimnagar with Neeharika Satyavada

30 min 34 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Neeharika Satyavada who is a digital strategist turned blogger from Hyderabad Sit back and enjoy as Neeharika takes us on a roadtrip through KarimnagarTodays destination: Karimnagar, TSNearest Airport: Rajiv Gandhi Intl airport, HyderabadNearest Railway Station: Karimnagar railway stationPrerequisities n/aPacking comfortable clothes and shoes as there might be some climbing to do at the fortsTime of the year Monsoons is the best season to go see the forts and ruins surrounded by shades of green.Length of the itinerary: 2 daysItinerary Highlights:Day 1Molangur FortBuilt during the reign of Kakatiya dynasty/ Prathapa Rudra: 1163 1195 12th centryThis is also a transit point between Warangal and ElgandalThe fort is located on a granite hill and has unfortunately been a victim of incessant quarrying. Still no concrete efforts to stop the degradationThe fort also houses the Molang Shah dargah, named after a famous saint who visited the regionAdditionally, two temples dedicated to lord Shiva are also present so is a well famously called as Doodh bawliElgandal FortThis is a magnificent fort on the banks of Manair riverIt is famous for 3 minars that gives us some insight into the architecture of the kakatiya dynasty. The minars are a part of a mosque situated right on top of the fort.There is also a small Hanuman temple while scaling up the fort steps which is functional.The fort was eventually occupied by Qutub Shahi dynasty, the Moghuls and Nizams after a period of rule under the Kakatiyas and Bahamanis.The fort was rebuilt in 1754 AD by Zafaruddhaula during the reign of Sikendar Jha. Karimuddin was a khilledar and Karimnagar was named after him, gives us an idea of the significance of the fort and the rulers.After spending the second half of the day at Elgandal, you can head back to Karimnagar town for lodging. The town also boasts of some silver filigry work and miniatures of charminar and other monuments. After spending the night at Karimnagar, you can head off to visit more temples on Day 2Day 2Manthani ruinsThis historical place is also known as Mantrapuri or village of hymns, center for vedic learningIt is famous for the Gautameshwar temple with Shiva as the residing deity.The ruins have an eerie look about them, specially during the monsoons when the area is covered by lush green grass and moss. Situated on the banks of river godavari adds to the great views at the templeThis place has been famous as the home to 1000 brahmin families, often refered to as house of mantras hymnsThe ruins are reminiscent of the scens from the Rudyard Kiplings Jungle Book Indian version where Mowgli ends up a the ruins of the ancient temple.Nagnur ruinsThese ruins are of Kakatiya and Kalyana temples, some built by the ChalukyasThe mainstay of the area is the Trikuta temple 3 idols of ShivaLord Shiva is the residing god of the Trikuta temple. The temple is currently being restored and conserved.Other places of interest:Dhulikatta buddhist shrine which has relics and stupas attributed to Buddhism.Links:Link to the blog post: https://mapinmypocket.com/2016/08/15/roadtrippingthroughkarimnagar/https://mapinmypocket.com/2017/04/26/townofhymnsmanthani/https://mapinmypocket.com/2017/04/12/lostintimenagunurruins/More about the Guest: You can also reach out to Neeharika on her social media handlesTwitter: mapinmypocketFacebook: mapinmypocketInstagram: mapinmypocketwebsite: www.mapinmypodcket.comemail: neeharika.satyawadagmail.comFollow the Musafir stories onTwitter: musafirstoriesFacebook: themusafirstoriesInstagram: musafirstoriespodcastwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.com

32: TMS Specials - Conquering Mt. Everest with Satyarup Siddhanta

45 min 11 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Satyarup Siddhanta a Bengalurubased Bengali mountaineer.1 On December 15, 2017 he became the first Bengali civilian from India to complete the seven highest summits in the 7 continents. He is the President and founder of ABETO – A better tomorrow foundation, and works as a consultant at Brady Corporation, India.5Todays destination: Mt. Everest, NepalNearest Airport: Lukla airportNearest Railway Station: n/aPrerequisities Required visas, training and certification, practice and acclimatizationPacking n/aTime of the year MayLength of the itinerary: 55 days from the base camp to the Everest summit and backItinerary Highlights: Satya shares the story of his early struggles from asthma as a kid and how he overcame this to start climbing. Satyas speaks of his expedition to Mt. Killimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa and how he discovered the feat to the 7 Summits i.e. a challenge to scale the 7 highest peaks in each of th 7 continents Mt. Everest in Asia, Mt. Killimanjaro in Africa, Mt. Elbrus in Europe, Mt. Aconcagua in S.America, Mt. Mckinley in N.America, Mt. Kosciuszko in Australia, Mt. Vinson Masiff in Antarctica Satya discusses his trek to the Mt. Everest base camp and how this turned into a dream to scale the summit of the tallest mountain in the world. He then also discusses how the massive expenses related to the expedition played as a deterrent to his dreams and how he overcame the challenge. Next Satya discusses the preparation and acclimitazation he underwent to scale Mt. Everest, he had to quit his existing job, take up two jobs, hire a personal trainer and overcome his sweet tooth in order to get ready for the Everest challenge Satya explains the duration of the Everest expedition and the iterations and acclimatization involved during the push to the summit. The adversities that Satya had to face during the push to the summit are also discussed, this includes a fall in a bottomless crevasse, watcing a sherpa fall to his death while climbing, and members of other teams losing fingers due to frost bite as well as death. Satya himself suffered from temporary blindness in the left eye while close to the summit, a failed oxygen mask and 3 failed cameras Satya finally describes the feeling of being on top of the world as well as the sights Final thoughts and tips. Listeners can follow Satyarup on his social media handles below and contribute to his expeditions when fundraising takes place.Links to Satyarups social media handles:website http://satyarupsiddhanta.com/facebook https://www.facebook.com/satyarup.siddhantatwitter https://twitter.com/SatyarupSinstagram https://www.instagram.com/satyarup.siddhanta/Follow the Musafir stories onTwitter: musafirstoriesFacebook: themusafirstoriesInstagram: musafirstoriespodcastwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.com Photo by Theodor Lundqvist on Unsplash

35: Slow Travel in Bir with Reshma Narasing

35 min 24 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Reshma Narasing from the blog thesologlobetrotter.com. Reshma is an avid traveler and backpacker who has traversed the country solo and enjoys traveling to offbeat destinations. So sit back as Reshma takes us backbacking to Bir, Himachal PradeshTodays destination: Bir, Himachal PradeshNearest Airport: Kangra AirportNearest Railway Station: Pathankot Railway station and rest of the journey by busPrerequisities N/APacking Warm clothes, hiking gear, hiking shoes, camping gearTime of the year MarchLength of the itinerary: 67 weeksItinerary Highlights: Reshma starts the trip to Bir after completing her Nepal leg of the journey where she was on a press trip. In Bir, she was volunteering for about 67 weeks with Zostel, a pan India hostel chain Reshma volunteered at Zostel in terms of helping with social media marketing, customized tours, managing the reception among other things. As this was a long term volunteering opportunity Reshma had a chance to slow travel in Bir in her free time. One of the first activities she indulges in is a trek to Rajgundha. This is an overnight trek organized by Zostel where one gets to trek from Zostel, Bir and goes through a 360 degree scenic trail passing through the banks of Uhl river and virgin views of snow capped peaks culminating in take off from one of the world’s best paragliding sites. The trek also takes one through the Barot valley, home to Indias first hydroelectric dam. Reshma and her friends make a stop at the quaint little village of Rajgundha where they cook together and spend the night star gazing around the bonfire. One can either spend the night at Zostel, Rajgundha or camp in the village. The trek continues and culminates at the Billing paragliding take off site. One can choose to fly down to Bir on a glider Ride back to Zostel on a jeep. Another trek that Reshma did during the volunteering was to Gunehar river pool. Gunehar is a quaint village tucked away in the hills of the Kangra Valley. A short day hike will lead you to a waterfall, which is at a height of 100ft. Walking amidst the lush terraced fields and getting a glimpse of the village life are the best parts of this hike, apart from the gorgeous waterfalls itself. Monastery hopping is something that one can indulge in while at Bir.Palpung Monastery in Bhattu, Dzongsar Khyentse Monastery in Chauntra and Chokling Monastery in Chaugan are some of the popular ones. Reshma also enjoys playing holi with the locals of Bir and gets to try out the local Kangdi Chai as well as the traditional Himachali attire For those interested in adventure sport, Bir is ofcourse the capital of Paragliding and was home to the 2015 Paragliding world cup. One can not just paraglide but also get certified to glide tandem and solo Bir is also popular for cycling marathons. One can participate in a half or full marathon during the peak season. For the ones who are looking for more volunteering places like the Dharmalaya and the Deer Park institute offer some great opportunities. The Deer Park institute has played an instrumental role in teaching ancient Indian wisdom traditions. They conduct workshops and activities throughout the year ranging from Yoga to wellbeing, and there are also a few volunteering opportunities open for everyone. The Dharmalaya Institute has been promoting a productive and a positive living, where they conduct workshops on sustainable living. Here you learn to make use of natural resources to adopt minimalism. For the romantic ones, there are innumerable places to catch beautiful sunsets by just walking a few minutesLinks:Link to Reshmas blog : http://thesologlobetrotter.com/Links to the blog post:http://thesologlobetrotter.com/10thingstodoinbirhimachal/http://thesologlobetrotter.com/escapetrailsrajgundha/http://thesologlobetrotter.com/volunteeringzostelhimachal/http://thesologlobetrotter.com/zostelbirhimachal/http://thesologlobetrotter.com/birbillinghimachal/Other links:http://dharmalaya.in/https://www.tripadvisor.in/AttractionReviewg1986662d2733114ReviewsDeerParkInstituteBirKangraDistrictHimachalPradesh.htmlFollow Reshma on:facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesologlobetrotter/twitter: reshmanarasinginstagram: thesologlobetrotterFollow the Musafir stories onTwitter: musafirstoriesFacebook: themusafirstoriesInstagram: musafirstoriespodcastwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comitunes https://goo.gl/peC2JvSaavn https://goo.gl/6qp2mFpocketcasts https://goo.gl/rGipJbcastbox https://goo.gl/spUCdYaudioBoom http://bit.ly/2oZZowSOvercast https://goo.gl/fM9SomStitcher Radio https://goo.gl/ihL4GrTuneIn http://tun.in/pilOIRadioPublic https://goo.gl/Dy2VPv

41: Mechuka with Sharanya Iyer

44 min 7 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to a pro traveler and blogger, Sharanya Iyer who blogs under the handle TrulyNomadly. So sit back and enjoy as Sharanya takes us placesTodays destination: Mechuka, Arunachal Pradesh 29km from the IndoChina borderNearest Airport: Lilabari North Lakhimpur and Guwahati Gopinath Bordoloi International Airportand Mohanbari Dibrugarh both in AssamNearest Railway Station: Silapathar Assam and Naharlagun Arunachal PradeshPrerequisites Inner line permit or ILP, can be obtained online http://arunachalilp.com/onlineApp.do or at the Guwahati airport.Packing Warm clothes and rain jackets/rain coats are advisable.Time of the year AprilLength of the itinerary: 4 daysItinerary Highlights:Sharanya starts off her journey from Guwahati, from where she takes the Lachit express to the border town of Murkongselek, Assam. She then hailed a shared taxi to Pasighat at Ruksin gate where one has to produce the ILP.A 4 hour cab ride to Along or Aalo is the first overnight pitstop, also the last major hub before the border town of Mechuka.She starts off for Mechuka the following morning in a shared sumo at 530AMits best to book the seats before hand, ideally the previous dayThe last major village before hitting Mechuka is Tatu. The Siko Dido waterfall is a notable point of interest about half hour before reaching. She finally reaches Mechuka by about 230PM after a long sumo ride.For accommodation, Sharanya uses the services of Gebu Sona, one of the most popular home stays in the region Gayboos guest house.After relaxing for sometime and freshening up, Sharanya set out to explore the town, the market area and the new monastery. It is preferable to hire a car to see around the village and nearby points of interest.Make sure to pick up some lovely boots and woolens for a bargain, while checking out the marketWhile at the homestay, get a first hand experience of an open kitchen, where everyone participates in chores and sits around the fire.Delicacies include a number of beef and pork dishes. Chhang beer is a local millet based beerRain plans to play spoilsport on Day 2 of the itinerary but turns out Sharanya has a bunch of activities to keep her entertained at the homestay. This included hanging out with the BruceLee look alike and the locals.The rain gods show some mercy the following day and Sharanya heads off to a small trek up the Samten Yongcha monastery, the 400 year old monastery that is older than the Tawang monastery. The monastery has a big Tibetan influence and has a number of traditional masks and Buddha statues.The view from the monastery is a stunning mix of browns and greens of the rolling hills, blues of the river and whites of the snow capped mountains and cloudsAfter spending some time at the Monastery, Sharanya and Gebu descend downwards, passing through beautiful rickety hanging bridges over the Yargyap Chu river Also known as the Siyom river in some placesThe next pitstop is the Sikh Gurudwara built on the Yargyap Chu river, built by the army. Sharanya shares some stories and a meal with the armymen while sharing the Langar.She moves on to the place where there is a Hanuman mandir and naturally formed sculpture of Hanuman Sharanya also gives a try to making homemade jewellery at Gebus house to end the dayOn the final day of the trip, Sharanya makes a trip to Dorjeeling village to a small monastery that houses a huge Buddha statue and then made a quick hike to a small cave which has a head impression that Buddhishts believe is of the spiritual teacher Rinpoche while the sikhs believe is that of Gurunanak while he was meditating at this cave.Sharanya is introduced to a number of legends right from the crevasse in the cave to the little pools with the white, black and grey stonesMechuka also manages to turn Sharanya into a poet, no kiddingIn a valley far far away,There flows a river with a voice.Through lush forests and meadows and snowy mountains it goes,Under rickety hanging bridges and over rocky beds it roars.It talks and hums and merrily sings,Tales of lamas and tribes and other ancient things.Those were peaceful times before the world was hungry for power, it croons,No borders or wars or territorial violent loons.Om Mani Padme Hum, it chants as the valley echoes it back,The vibrant prayer flags flutter in the wind, flap flap flap.No one honks here to chase a deadline or come first in a race, it says aloudThere‘s patience and goodness here,look there it is, floating with that misty cloud.You’re blessed to be here, cut away from the trappings of time and a todo list,Paradise has been found in hiding, it does exist.Links:Shout out: https://hubhopper.com/Link to Sharanyas blog: https://www.trulynomadly.com/Link to the blogpost: https://www.trulynomadly.com/mechukaguidetoindiasshangrila/Follow Sharanya Iyer onInstagram: trulynomadlyTwitter: trulynomadlyFacebook: trulynomadlyFollow The Musafir stories onTwitter: musafirstoriesFacebook: themusafirstoriesInstagram: musafirstoriespodcastwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comApple podcasts https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7lj or voice or google search Ok Google, play The Musafir stories podcastSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiweb/audioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVipocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

82: Valley of Flowers with Susan Jagannath

48 min 18 sec

In this episode: mountains valleys trekking flowers nature hiking roadtrip author Uttarakhand book botany mountaineer Hemkund pilgrimage sikhThis week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Susan Jagannath, a best selling author and traveler as she takes us to the Valley of Flowers, with her new book titled The Valley of Flowers The Ultimate guide to an adventure trek in the upper HimalayaTodays destination: Valley of Flowers, Uttarakhand Nearest Airport: Jolly Grant, Dehradun Nearest Railway Station: RishikeshPrerequisites: Physical fitness, carry a form of ID passport for foreignersPacking: Pack layers of clothes warm, rain along with hiking gearTime of the year: June to SeptemberLength of the itinerary: 10 daysItinerary Highlights: The Valley of Flowers VoF is a beautiful monsoon trek to the valley hidden in the heights of Uttarakhand in the Himalayan mountains, filled with carpets flowers, over 500 species that bloom during June September Susan heads to the Valley of Flowers with her band of friends in the month of August. The trip inspired Susan to write the book the only previous book written about this was in the early 1900s by British mountaineer Frank Smythe who discovered this place The Valley is very close to Badrinath and the religious circuit of Chota Chardhaam. Given that the valley is situated at a high altitude 14400 ft, it is imperative that one acclimatizes sufficiently. Hence traveling slowly and stopping over at other interesting places like Auli is a great option. Gobind Ghat is the road head for the trek. One needs to trek from here to the base village Gangharia. The Valley of Flowers national park is open only between 75PM, so it is advised to head to Gangharia the previous day and rest before heading to the VoF. It is roughly a 10km trek from Gangharia to the VoF, so you will need to make the trip to the VoF and back the same day as staying there is not allowed. One can either trek or avail the services of porters or a mule. The porters can carry you in bags called pittoos. Options for food and lodging are plentiful in Ghangharia and around although the nicer places will need you to book accommodation in advance. The Ecocenter in Gangharia has a documentary screening every few hours that gives you information about the flora of the place. There are options to hire local guides from the centre who are very competent and knowledgeable. Some of the flowers one can find are orchids, poppies, primulas, marigold, daisies, rhododendrons, Himalayan rose, Blue poppy, cobra lily amongst others. Best time is to visit after the monsoons since the flowers are in full bloom. The Pushpavati river and some smaller streams criss cross as you walk from Gangharia to the VoF where you have to register yourself and pay the fee which is good for 3 days. Milestones within the park include a big rock baman pair, a glacier point and the grave of a botanist, Joanne Leigh. One can also trek to Badrinath all the way from the VoF with the help of a guide. Hemkund Sahib is a separate trek which also starts from Gangharia and leads tot he very sacred Gurudwara Hemkund Sahib. Hemkund Sahib is at a height of over 15,000 ft. So precautions for AMS are necessary. There is a langar service as well as accommodation for traveler in the Gurudwara. Other options around the area are Auli, Badrinath and the Chota CHardham locations. Links:Link to the book: The Valley of Flowers: The Ultimate Guide to an Adventure Trek in the Upper Himalayahttps://www.amazon.in/ValleyFlowersUltimateAdventureHimalayaebook/dp/B087V3YGTFLink to the blog:https://susanjagannath.com/basicguidevalleyflowers2/ Shoutouts: Shabby and Man podcasthttps://shabbyandman.podbean.comFollow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comApple podcasts https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7lj website http://bit.ly/2xFZqOV Saavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSViGaana http://bit.ly/2NClUYYpocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0 iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

84: Pondicherry - A Short History with Aditi Sriram

47 min 31 sec

In this episode:beaches cafes French colonial folklore aurobindo ashram photography auroville art streetphotography villas quaint finedining unionterritory UTGIVEAWAY ALERTListen to the episode, answer 3 simple questions in the form below and stand a chance to win a copy of Aditis book Open for two weekshttps://forms.gle/Mmb5jgx5mzsTXT7K7Alternately, you can buy the book herehttps://www.amazon.in/dp/B07PS1SLXP/refdpkindleredirectencodingUTF8btkr1The Musafir Stories mentioned in an article on the Wall Street Journal Thank you dear guests and listenersThis week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Aditi Sriram, a traveler, a teacher and author of Beyond the Boulevards a short biography of PondicherryTodays destination Pondicherry a.k.a PuducherryNearest Airport Puducherry airport, PNYNearest Railway Station Puducherry railway station, PDYPrerequisites Read the bookPacking pack light for humid weatherTime of the year Round the year, summers are HOTLength of the itinerary DependsItinerary Highlights: Aditi talks about the backstory of the book and how she came about meeting the editors. After covering how she got the lucky break, Aditi begins be drawing out the orientation of Pondicherry, some of its historic milestones, the Arikamedu connection and the conquest by colonial powers, and the journey up until independence and beyond. We talk more about the French connection, its history and how it has played out in the modern day Puducherry. Aditi speaks about the layout of the city, how the city was segregated into the various quarters and the distinguishing factors. We discuss about unique identity of the town, some important citizens like Aurobindo Ghose and his journey, Auroville and the mother. We also delve upon some of the popular folklore of the city, the Aayi Mandapam and its connection to Napolean. Aditi wraps up the conversation by calling out how even though POndichery is seen as a narrow strip of land comprising of the French and Tamil quarters, it has deep rooted connections to the history of the city.Links:Link to Aditis book:https://www.amazon.in/dp/B07PS1SLXP/refdpkindleredirectencodingUTF8btkr1Aditis Twitter: https://twitter.com/sriramaditiAditis IG: https://www.instagram.com/sriramaditi/Photo by Vivek Sharma on UnsplashFollow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comApple podcasts https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7ljwebsite http://bit.ly/2xFZqOVSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSViGaana http://bit.ly/2NClUYYpocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

91: North Kolkata with Madhurima Chakraborty

1 hr 1 min 22 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Madhurima Chakraborty from the blog www.orangewayfarer.comTodays destination: North KolkataNearest Airport: Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport CCUNearest Railway Station: KOLKATA KOAA Railway StationPrerequisites :n/aPacking : Packing according to the weather, summers can be hot and humidTime of the year: October/During Durga PujaLength of the itinerary: A weekend to a weekItinerary Highlights: Madhurima talks about the history and significance of Kolkata, right from its origins to the time Job Charnok set up the first trading post of the East India Company. We start off the itinerary of North Kolkata from the Shyam Bazaar area and 5 point crossing with the iconic Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose statue Madhurima takes us on a walk across the buzzing neighbourhood, sampling some interesting local cuisine like Golbari Kosha Mangsho, Kachori and interesting eateries that are over a 100 years old. From here, we walk to the iconic potters quarters: Kumartoli. This region is popular for the iconic Durga Puja idols with over 200 families that carry on the tradition for this festival. Madhurima shares some interesting tidbits about the region, the traditions as well as the people. Moving on from Kumartoli, we discuss the rich traditions associated to Durga Puja, the pandals, and the connection to the Bonedi baris of the Zamindars. After talking about the grand festival of Kolkata, we move to College Street, one of the popular streets not just for the educational institutions, but also for the largest second hand book market of Asia. Dont forget to stop and get a bite at the iconic Indian Coffee house From here, we move towards Central Kolkata, stopping at MG Road and Badabazaar, talking about the local markets and its popularity. The next pitstop is at Zakaria street one of the most popular food streets of Kolkata. The street has some iconic eateries as well as the popular Nakhoda mosque. Madhurima talks about the various eateries on Zakaria street and the local foods to try out make sure to go on an empty stomach We move on from here to Esplanade to stop over at New Market and Park Street, giving a flavour of the contrasting regions of Kolkata We also discuss the Christmas festivities of Park Street and the charm of Nahoums cake for Christmas Continuing with the lavish food choices of Kolkata, we discuss the famous Kolkata Biryani, the potato in the Biryani and the Lucknow connection do not miss We talk about the unique Pice hotels of Kolkata, its speciality and history. We close off the episode talking about the popular sweet dishes of Kolkata beyond Rasgulla and Sandesh gotta go eat some sweet nowLinks:Link to Madhurimas blog: https://www.orangewayfarer.comLinks to Kolkata blog posts: https://www.orangewayfarer.com/snorthkolkataFollow Madhurima on Twitter: https://twitter.com/orangewayfarerIG: https://www.instagram.com/orangewayfarer/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/orangewayfarerImage Credit Orange Wayfarer, MadhurimaFollow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comApple podcasts https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7ljwebsite http://bit.ly/2xFZqOVSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSViGaana http://bit.ly/2NClUYYpocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

92: Varkala with Nishu Barolia

44 min 32 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to the Tanned Travel Girl, Nishu BaroliaTodays destination: Varkala, KeralaNearest Airport: Trivandrum International Airport TRVNearest Railway Station: Trivandrum Central TVCPrerequisites NAPacking Pack appropriately for some warm weather and sunTime of the year Winters are the best, NovFebLength of the itinerary: 35 daysItinerary Highlights: Nishu sets off by exploring the beaches of Varkala, the most important being the Varkala cliff beaches. Apart from the North cliff and the South cliff, other important beaches include black beach, Odayam beach, Edava beach, Kapil beach. The Kapil beach is unique in the sense that there is Kapil lake across the road where one can take a boat ride or kayak. The entire stretch of beaches can be covered in a span of 45 hours by WALK Some beaches offer fun adventure activities like paragliding and jet ski. Other activities include beach yoga. The North cliff beach is popular among international tourists and offers a variety of stay and food options. The north cliff is usually crowded as a result of this. Apart from the beaches, one can also indulge in temple hopping as there are several significant temples in Varkala. The important temples include Janardhana swamy temple, Shiva Parvati temple and the Guru Ashram amongst others. Finally, one can visit the Anjengo fort and light house and find out about the history. There is also an old tunnel constructed by the British for trade/transportation which is being revived now.Links:Link to blog post: https://www.tannedtravelgirl.com/india/varkalablogkeralaLink to blog: https://www.tannedtravelgirl.comIG: https://www.instagram.com/tannedtravelgirl/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tannedtravelgirl/Twitter: https://twitter.com/tannedtravlgirl Image Credit: Tanned Travel Girl Nishu Barolia, https://www.tannedtravelgirl.comThank you Anuj Agarwal and Feedspot for including The Musafir Stories in the list of Top 15 travel podcasts in India https://blog.feedspot.com/indiantravelpodcasts/Follow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comApple podcasts https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7ljwebsite http://bit.ly/2xFZqOVSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSViGaana http://bit.ly/2NClUYYpocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

98: Auli with Raksha Rao

38 min 12 sec

Checkout the Great Courses PlusStart your free trial http://thegreatcoursesplus.com/musafirThis week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Raksha Rao from the blog The Roving HeartTodays destination: Auli, UttarakhandNearest Airport: Jolly Grant Airport DEDNearest Railway Station: Rishikesh Railway Station RKSHPrerequisites Make sure to have reservations where necessary, specially if you are planning on taking skiing lessonsPacking Pack warm clothes and winter wear. Time of the year Round the yearLength of the itinerary: 68 daysItinerary Highlights: Raksha starts off from Rishikesh, please save enough time as the journey from Rishikesh to Auli can take the full day and roads are usually closed after sun down. Raksha shares her experience learning skiing in Auli, one of the premier skiing destinations in India. The course can be 12 weeks long depending on the option, available by both government and private players. Options for skiing include both tandem as well as solo courses. Auli and Dehradun have also been hosts for the first South Asian Winter games in the past. While you are taking skiing classes, make sure to take a ride on the second longest cable car in India that is almost 4kms long and lasts for about half an hour. There is also the man made lake that is one of the attractions of the region. While skiing is the main attraction of Auli, there are several other options for some wonderful treks and hikes. Raksha shares her experience doing the Kuari Pass trek that can be done in summer or winters. The trek gives you stunning views of the surrounding giants like Mana Parbat, Nanda Devi, Dronagriri, Nilkanth, Beethartoli, Ghori Parbat and Hathi Parbat. Other popular treks around the region include The Valley of Flowers, Gorson bugyal trek, Hemkund Sahib trek, Tali top, Tapovan among others. Apart from treks, Auli is also in close proximity to a number of holy sites and pilgrimage centres like the Char Dham, Hemkund Sahib, Prayags among others. There is also a popular Hanuman temple that has links to the Hindu epic of Ramayan. Finally Auli is also home to one of Adi Shankaracharyas first Math as well as the 2500 year old Mulberry tree below which he meditated. All in all, a great destination for a week long itineraryLinks:Link to Rakshas blog: https://therovingheart.comLink to the blog post:https://therovingheart.com/skiinginauliuttarakhandindiaduringwinter/https://therovingheart.com/auliuttarakhand/KuariPasstrek8211ThingstodofromAuliTwitter: https://twitter.com/TheRovingHeart IG: https://www.instagram.com/therovingheart/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheRovingHeart/Photo by Diwaker Singh on UnsplashFollow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comApple podcasts https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7ljwebsite http://bit.ly/2xFZqOVSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSViGaana http://bit.ly/2NClUYYpocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

105: Panchgani with Atul Maharaj

49 min 12 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Atul Maharaj as he takes us down the memory lane to the dreamy town of PanchganiTodays destination: Panchgani, MaharashtraNearest Airport: Pune International Airport, PNQNearest Railway Station: Pune Junction, PUNEPrerequisites n/aPacking pack according to the weatherTime of the year June to January can be a good time to travelLength of the itinerary Weekend itinerary is optimalItinerary Highlights: Atul shares his experience of growing up in Panchgani and his experience of life in a boarding school. He also touches up on the different residential schools in Panchgani and the history behind some of them. Atul also talks at the different experiences at New Era High School including being a part of Bournvita Quiz contest and the Aamir Khan starrer, Taare Zameen Par We discuss important points of interest in Panchgani including popular hang outs like Table top, view points like Parsi point, Sydney Point and Harrisons folly. There are also caves believed to have been used by the Pandavas during their final ascent to the heavens. Apart from places to interest, there are also several farms that grow berries primarily Strawberries and gooseberries. The popular factory Mapro, provides a great getaway to spend some time at the factory and park. The factory is also popular for being a completely organic operation as well as being run by solar energy. Apart from Mapro, there are options to make a quick trip to Mahabaleshwar which has several points of interest, including a temple that is the source of river Krishna, the Kamalgadh fort a popular hiking destination, view points like Dolphins nose, Elephants trunk, adventure activities like paragliding, Devrai art village, that is an artisans village, Kaas plateau which is popular as the valley of flowers of Maharashtra. Finally, Atul calls out some must try eating joints in Panchgani including some iconic tea stalls near the city centre, Luckys bakery for chai and bun maska, Vada pav by Shivaji Statue, Lakshmi Vilas hotel for Maharashtrian meals, Akbar Alis for aloo parathas and street food, MV Roachs bakery for some fulsome fresh breads and cakes, Hilltop ice cream for gulkhan and green chilli ice cream, to name a fewLinks:Atuls blog: https://socialmaharaj.comPanchgani blog posts:https://socialmaharaj.com/2020/04/01/memoriesofnewerahighschoolpanchgani/https://socialmaharaj.com/2018/07/18/shortgetawayvacationvisittomaprogardenpanchganimust/https://socialmaharaj.com/2016/10/14/breathtakingpanchgani/https://socialmaharaj.com/2016/01/29/panchganiinnatureslap/Follow Atul on:Twitter: https://twitter.com/atulmaharajIG: https://www.instagram.com/atulmaharaj/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Atulmaharaj/ Photo by Shubham waghulde on UnsplashFollow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comApple podcasts https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7ljwebsite http://bit.ly/2xFZqOVSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSViGaana http://bit.ly/2NClUYYpocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

Ep. 106: Tranquebar with Ranjani and Raghavan

47 min 5 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Ranjani and Raghavan from the blog RararaastaTodays destination: Tranquebar or Tharangambadi, Tamil NaduNearest Airport: Chennai International Airport, MAA Nearest Railway Station: Chidambaram Railway Station, CDMPrerequisites N/APacking Pack according to the weather as summers can be hot and humidTime of the year November to February is a good time. Length of the itinerary: Weekend itinerary is ideal. Itinerary Highlights: Ranjani and Raghavan cover the Tranquebar itinerary as a part of their 14 day road trip across Tamil Nadu. The couple kick off their tour from Chennai make sure to enjoy a scenic drive on the ECR or Easter Coast Road. En route Tranquebar, make sure to have pitstops at the numerous surfing cafes as well as the mangroves of Pichavaram, the second largest mangroves in the world. Enjoy a boat road in the mangrove forests, also the shooting location of numerous South Indian films, including Dasavathaaram. Listen to the stories of how the mangroves protected the nearby villages from the wrath of the 2004 Tsunami that devastated coastal Tamil Nadu. Tranquebar is only a short distance from Pichavaram and the couple reach in time to enjoy a sunset by the beach as well as pay a quick visit to the museum. Tharangambadi, the original name of Tranquebar, translates to Land of singing waves, in Tamil and also happens to be one of the most ozonerich beaches in the world The main attraction of Tranquebar or Tharangambadi is the Dansborg Fort built by the Danish East India company in 1620. Tranquebar was one of the two settlements of the Danish and was leased to them by the Thanjavur Nayaks in 1620 for a sum of 3111 rupees annually. The fort is in a decent condition and houses a garrison and a small museum inside, the Fort is closed to the public on Fridays, so plan your visit accordingly Also worth a mention is the property in which Ranjani and Raghavan stay during their visit Bungalow at the beach, a Neemrana property that was previously the British Collectors office. The property offers great views of the beach and is a mere 5060m from the shore. In the vicinity of the beach is the Masilamani Nathar temple, some of which was impacted by the 2004 Tsunami. This is one of the oldest surviving structures of Tharangambadi and is believed to have been built in 1306. Other points of interest in the town include a post office, New Jerusalem church, Zion church, some old structures and houses on King Street. Enjoy your walk around the town and appreciate some of the remaining colonial structures Famous personalities of Tranquebar include German Missionary Barthalomous Zeigenbalg, who was responsible for setting up of the first printing press in the area and also set up the regions first girls school. He is still fondly remembered by the locals for all the work he did for uplifting the community and a statue of Zeigenbalg stands at the intersection of King and Queen street. Another famous personality of Tranquebar is M.A. Sulthan, a resident who has been instrumental in documenting the history of the region and also writing several books to preserve the past of Tranquebar. He has worked closely with organizations like Intach to preserve the remaining heritage of the town. Raghavan and Ranjani also share their experience learning about the Danish community and their unwavering support to the town, specially during the rebuilding phase after the Tsunami. The Danish Tranquebar Association or DTA has been a key player in ensuring families get all the support during the rebuilding process. The couple cap off the trip by sharing their experience interacting with a Danish couple who were visiting Tranquebar or Tharangambadi, as they refer to the town, and how it is deeply rooted in their history and still finds a place in their academic curriculum. If you are thinking about extending your itinerary, other nearby options include a trip to Pondicherry for the beautiful beaches and French vistas, Chidambaram and Thanjavur for some iconic temples, the famous Nagoor Dargah or muslim shrine as well as the Basilica of our Lady of Good health in Velankanni. Enjoy your trip Links:Link to the blog: https://rararaasta.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/rararaastaIG: https://www.instagram.com/rararaasta/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rararaasta/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUSJl64SvdbHlfdLPvLy1QFollow the Musafir stories on:All podcast platforms: http://link.chtbl.com/MusafirStoriesTwitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.com

1: Intro to The Musafir Stories Travel Podcast

11 min 26 sec

Hello and welcome to the very first episode of the Musafir Stories Indias very own travel podcast, where each week, we share journeys of travelers in their own words and relive their experiences with you, our listeners.Our sole aim with this podcast is to share with you, the rich experiences of travelling in India and inspire you to take the leap of faith, grab those backpacks, and set out to explore our beautiful and exotic country, India.We are Saif and Faiza, your travel companions helping you explore the length and breadth of India.Please listen to our future episodes and let us know if you like our work You could mail, review or comment on our Podcasts, we would absolutely love to hear from you.You can contact us at:Email : themusafirstoriesgmail.comTwitter: www.twitter.com/MusafirStoriesFacebook: www.facebook.com/themusafirstoriesInstagram: www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcastWebsite : www.themusafirstories.com

3: Road trip to Goa with Venkat Ganesh

32 min 30 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Venkat Ganesh from the blog Indiabackpackmotorbike. Venkat talks to us at length about how everyone can travel if they really want to. About things he learnt after quitting his cushy job and travelling in India and beyond. Venkat takes us on a roadtrip from Mumbai to Goa along the Konkan coast and shares his experiences on the wayTodays destination: Mumbai Goa roadtrip along the Konkan coastPacking Pack light, first aid kit, medicines, sleeping bagTime of the year OctoberLength of the itinerary: 9 daysItinerary Highlights: Raigarh fort capital of King Shivajis empire. You could spend the night here Parshuram temple, beaches at Guhagar, Chiplun for the night. Enjoy some fresh sea food Ferry across to Jaigad fort ruins facing the sea. Enjoy the ride from Jaigad fort to Ganpathipule, visit the Ganpathi temple Drive to Ratnagiri, the hometown of Balgangadhar Tilak. Visit the childhood home of Tilak and the palace of the King of Myanmar while in exile. Drive to Vijaydurg fort, a massive naval fort, enjoy the beautiful sunset from the fort. Drive to Malvan, ferry to the Sindhudurg fort, you could spend the night at Vengurla, plan a fishing trip with the local fishermen Start early, Ride into Goa Visit Kolhapur on your return journey, enjoy the palaces, and the local foodLinks:Link to Venkats blog: www.indiabackpackmotorbike.com/More about the Guest: www.indiabackpackmotorbike.com/aboutContact info: email: venkatganeshindiabackpackmotorbike.com twitter Indiabckpckmoto Instagram IndiabackpackmotorbikeLike our work Follow, Like Subscribe to us. We would also love to hear from you, so do write to us at:You can contact us at:Email : themusafirstoriesgmail.comTwitter: www.twitter.com/MusafirStoriesFacebook: www.facebook.com/themusafirstoriesInstagram: www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcastWebsite : www.themusafirstories.com

8: Kasol & Malana with Chasing Sunsets

35 min 52 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to the team behind the blog Chasing sunsets Shilpa, Roomi and Nandhini. They started off like any friends in a movie, promising to meet each other every year in a foreign land. Since 2013, they have kept that promise and somewhere along the way, an urge to preserve these memories led to the blog Chasing sunsets. Sit back and enjoy listening to their exploits in Kasol, Malana and beyondTodays destination: Kasol and Malana, Himachal Pradesh Nearest airport: Bhuntar Airport located near Kullu Nearest Railway Station: PathankotPrerequisities N/APacking Light sweaters, warm clothesTime of the year SeptemberLength of the itinerary: 7 daysItinerary Highlights: Start of the journey in Manali where you could spend a couple of days with nature, some delectable Himachali food and shopping for himachali stoles, pashmina, harem pants and souveniers. Next stop Kasol, also known as the miniIsrael of India given the number of Israeli tourists and cafes. Enjoy nature walks in the valley, streams, fresh mountain air and ofcourse some delicious Israeli food.Tosh is a beautiful village close to Kasol that offers a lot of hiking/trekking spots, beautiful views and cafes Malana is a little village about 2 hours from Kasol, and a 2.5 hour trek further. Also famous infamous rather for the Malana cream a hash made from heirloom cannabis grown in this remote area of the Parvati Valley.Malana is also known as an aryan village, where the locals believe themselves to be the descendants of Alexander the great.Locals prefer not to mingle with the outside world and do not touch outsidersListen to the interesting story of the goat justiceLastly, listen up to some fun stories and useful advice from Shilpa and NandhiniLinks to the blog: http://www.chasingsunsets.com/Links to the blog posts: http://www.chasingsunsets.com/2014/05/05/aguidetokasolindia/http://www.chasingsunsets.com/2016/12/27/malanavillagehighparvativalley/More about the Guest: http://www.chasingsunsets.com/about/Email: Chasingsunsetsthebloggmail.com Instagram : chasingsunsetstheblog Twitter: chasingsunsets1 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChasingSunsetstheblogIf you like our work you could follow us on :Twitter http://www.twitter.com/musafirstoriesWebsite www.themusafirstories.comEmail themusafirstoriesgmail.comTheMusafirStories travel Vacation India Podcast Kasol Malana Tosh Manali Himachal ParvathiValley Valley Nature TreeHouse MalanaCream Cannabis HillStation Café holiday MiniIsreal Hebrew ChasingSunsets

10: Rann of Kutch with Sangeeta Das

44 min 2 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Sangeeta Das from the blog lifeisavacation.in. Sangeeta blogs about the complete experience of a destination, the sites, the people, art and the food, the experience of just being there and the soul search that follows. She believes that sites are seen by tourists but travelers seek much more wanting to immerse into the sights and sounds of the place with all their senses Todays destination: Kutch, Gujarat Nearest Airport: Kutch airport BhujNearest Railway Station: Bhuj railway stationPrerequisities permit required for Great Rann of Kutch, can be obtained with ID proofPacking Sunscreen, sunglasses, hydrants for the day Cap, warm/light jackets, sweaters for nightsTime of the year December Best time to travel is between October and MarchLength of the itinerary: 10 daysItinerary Highlights: Day trip in Ahmedabad free walk from Temple to Mosque Swaminarayan temple in kalupur to Jama Masjid, local street food, Adalat stepwellSun temple at ModheraStepwell at Patan Rani ki vaav patan, built by Rani Udaymati for her husband King BhimdevPatola sarees and how they are made at PatanLittle Rann of Kutch Rann riders Wild Ass sanctuary, watching migratory birds, exploring Kutchi cuisine, living in the traditional bhungaasIndus civilization excavations at Dholaveera Stay in Devpar homestay by Jadeja royal familyVijayvilas palace at Mandvi summer home of the Jadeja royal family Also the location of Hum Dil de chuke sanamVisiting the beach, Tasting Dabelis and camel rides Devouring the Osho thali at MandviKoteshwar temple, Narayan Sarovar lake, Lakpat fort at the Lands endFossil park run by Mr. SodhiRann utsav at the Great Rann of Kutch stay at the ecoresort ShamesarhadWatching the moon at the Great Rann of Kutch enjoyingHandicrafts at Nirona village, Dhordo, Rogan art Kutchi bells, India Bridge near LOCBirding and photography at chadidandwatching the 2 jackals at the temple at kalodungarh hillInteracting with the Rabadi nomadic tribeLinks:Link to Sangeetas blog: http://lifeisavacation.in/Link to related blog posts: http://lifeisavacation.in/2016/08/12/bhujsightseeingkutch/http://lifeisavacation.in/2013/05/30/rannofkutch/http://lifeisavacation.in/2013/09/16/5tourismspotsmandvigujarat/http://lifeisavacation.in/2016/08/11/koteshwarnarayansarovarroadtrip/http://lifeisavacation.in/2013/12/27/dholaviraindusvalleycivilizationindia/http://lifeisavacation.in/2013/11/06/bhujchhatris/http://lifeisavacation.in/2013/09/20/mustseekutchindia/ More about the Guest: http://lifeisavacation.in/2013/06/03/ceobodylife/travel India Gujarat GujaratTourism RannOfKutch Kutch Mandvi Patan Modhera SteppedWell RaniKiVav Ahmedabad Patola RannRiders WildAss Camel Bhungaa DholaVira VijayVillas Palace Dabeli Osho thali landsend KaloDungar Rogan Rabari holiday TheMusafirStories

13: TMS Specials - Travel & Teach in Vietnam

31 min 48 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Venkat Ganesh from the blog Indiabackpackmotorbike. Venkat talks to us at length about how everyone can travel if they really want to. About things he learnt after quitting his cushy job and travelling in India and about moving to Vietnam and teaching English. Venkat speaks about his stint as a teacher in Vietnam where he spent close to 3 years teaching. His pupils varied from a group of trained Vietnamese teachers to a group of rebellious teenagers to a group of cute 410 year old kids. So sit back and enjoy his stories from Hanoi. Todays destination: Vietnam Itinerary Highlights: Short stint in Thailand False start at Ho Chi minh city. In love with Hanoi, teaching and more Dealing with the language problems and the funny side to it Living in Vietnam and tryst with the Viatnamese cuisine Teachings gigs in Hanoi teaching everyone from teachers to teens to kids Links:Link to Venkats blog: http://www.indiabackpackmotorbike.com/ More about the Guest: http://www.indiabackpackmotorbike.com/aboutContact info: email: venkatganeshindiabackpackmotorbike.com twitter Indiabckpckmoto Instagram Indiabackpackmotorbiketravel motorbike Vietnam Hanoi holiday dream Teaching

15: TMS Specials - The Beach Trail

47 min 54 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Kartik Kannan from the blog Katchu Travels. Kartik is a product manager by profession advising early phase start ups. He also loves shooting weddings in his free time while also pursuing his love for travel through travel documentaries, like the BeachTrail2017Todays destination: The Beach Trail based on the movie The Beach, this is set in Thailand and tries to recreate the magic from the DiCaprio starrer, The Beach, based on the novel by Alex Garland. Nearest Airport: Koh Samui/Don Mueang air portPrerequisities check the Visa fee waiver for Indians, it will save you about INR 2000 as well as an hour at the immigrationPacking make sure you pack a few extra pair of clothes, specially if you are going there during Songkaran the equivalent of Holi, minus the colorsTime of the year AprilLength of the itinerary: 9 daysItinerary Highlights: Fly in to bangkok at the Don Mueang air port Its best to get a sim card for your phone once you land in the airport, coverage is great and plans offer ample 4G data Take the bus to Khaosan road from where you take the bus to Chumphon Enjoy a ferry ride from Chumphon National park to Koh Phangan. Once in Koh PHangan, its best to make the Haadrin area as your base as it has a number of economic hostels as well as supermarkets to get your essentials. Besides, this is the venue of the famous full moon parties You could spend time at the numerous beaches coco hut beach is a fun place to hang out and play volley ball as well Bikes and scooters are available to rent and explore the island. Day 3 was spent at a couple of pristine waterfalls Paradise waterfalls and Phaeng waterfalls Ride a songtha or shared auto And for those looking for Indian food, yes there is an indian restaurant Om Ganesh Day 4 was spent at Chaloklum which is a fishing village. Spend some time at the desolate beaches off Chaloklum. And spend time watching the beautiful sunsets at the beach Get hyped for the FUll moon party face painting, colorful clothes, psychadelic lights, EDM to pop to Bob Marley, Beer pong and what not. The next day was spent exploring the Ang Thong marine islands and enjoy some water sports, mountain treks and beautiful views of the surrounding islands and the emarald blue lake Make sure to partake in the Songkaran festival if you are in thailand during April 1215, Thailands popular water festival Travel to the island of Koh Tao and enjoy Holi, thai style Make sure you invest in a good water gun Also a popular spot for getting a scuba diving certification Take the ferry to Chumphon and a train ride onward to Bangkok to end the BeachTrail2017Links:Part 0http://www.katchutravels.com/thebeachtrail2017chennaikohphangan24hoursfirstday/Part 1http://www.katchutravels.com/thebeachtrailpart1settlingkohphangan/Part 2http://www.katchutravels.com/thebeachtrail2017partiidiscoveringcocobeachparadisewaterfall/Part 3http://www.katchutravels.com/thebeachtrail2017partiiidiscoveringchaloklummaehaadfullmoonparty/Part 4http://www.katchutravels.com/thebeachtrail2017partivdiscoveringangthongsongkarankohtao/More about the Guest: Twitter KatchuTravelsInstagram KatchutravelsFacebook Katchutravelstravel TheMusafirStories KatchuTravels TheBeachTrail2017 TheBeach Movie AlexGarland Thailand Kohphangan Haadrin FullMoon Party Angthong Marine NationalPark Chaloklum Bangkok Songkaran Festival KohTao ScubaDiving

17: TMS Specials - The Great Indian Road Trip : Part-2

51 min 2 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Sai Kumar as we continue disucssing his ascent towards LehLadakh after having successfully covered the terrains of the Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Punjab. So sit back and enjoy part 2 of the Great Indian Road tripTime of the year JulyLength of the itinerary: 77 days, 11,124kmsItinerary Highlights: Sai continues his journey from Amritsar towards Ladakh, albeit with a slight change of plan due to the unrest in Srinagar. He finds a travel companion in Peter, a British explorer who has been riding his bike across the world, and the two set off towards Kashmir via the challenging Sach Pass, the mother of all passes This was one of the most challenging stretches of the road trip, yet completely pristine and serene. There were a couple of landslides to deal with as well as streams to cross Finally a stop at Killar for the night, after almost 16 hours on the road Continue riding towards Key long, the last base before riding towards Leh with a stopover at UdaipurHP and Saarchu Start early, pass Pang before you hit the LehManali highway and enjoy riding on good roads after a long time. Finally reach Leh on day 36 Sai spends about two weeks here where he meets up with family traveling from Bangalore Some things to do are Pangong Lake, slightly overrated according to Sai. Visit monasteries like Thiksey monastery, Shanti Stupa, the market place of Leh. Homestays is a good way to interact with the locals and be closer to the local culture. Treks to Nubra valley, seeing camels, Kargil war museum and tons of things to do in this beautiful town of Leh Finally start the descend downwards although the original plan was to travel south east towards Assam, the flood situation in Bihar, UP and Assam forced Sai to change directions again Leh Jaspa Manali Chandigarh. Finally get to enjoy the good roads after close to a month and enjoy some good food Ride towards Delhi for a short trip and enjoy the sights around NCR before heading out towards Agra Hit the Yamuna express way to reach Agra in a whiff Watch the mighty Taj Mahal in all its glory and Sai also got to celebrate his birthday in Agra, albeit he was a bit sick From here heads off towards MP where Khajuraho is his next stop exploring the iconic temples and learning about the history of the place. Hiring a local tourist guide would be beneficial. Start riding towards AP and Telangana and reach HyderabadFeeling closer to home Enjoy the sights of Hyderabad Get some rest and head off towards Bangalore Sai had to suffer another scare as there were Cauvery water related riots in Bangalore and parts of Tamil Nadu. Sai manages to get away to Hosur before things get out of hand. Sai continues towards Madurai and visits the Meenakshi Amman temple, an architectural marvel Sai next heads off to Kanyakumari, enjoys Onam festivites on the way, enjoying some Sadya the traditional meal of Onam Visit the Swami Vivekananda rock memorial and museum to know more about his journey across India Before finishing off the journey, Sai decides to join his family for the Sabarimala pilgrimage after which he returns back to Coimbatore where it all started. A bittersweet feeling, on one hand you are back to the comforts of home, but deep down, you know your freedom you enjoyed during the trip is going to die a gradual deathLinks:Link to Sais blog www.planetsai.comLink to the photo story http://imgur.com/a/aE9nRtravel trip road bike India IncredibleIndia TheMusafirStories SaiKumar Ladakh British explorer Kashmir Sach Pass Killar Pangong Lake 3Idiots Thiksey monastery Yamuna TajMahal Hyderabad Swami Vivekananda Memorial Coimbatore

Ep. 107: Jodhpur with Preethi Parthasarathy

54 min 16 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Preeti Parthasarathy, the Peppy Travel GirlTodays destination: Jodhpur, Rajasthan Nearest Airport: Jodhpur Airport, JDHNearest Railway Station: Jodhpur Junction, JUPrerequisites Dress according to the weatherPacking Pack your sunglasses and sunscreenTime of the year OctDecLength of the itinerary: 45 daysItinerary Highlights: Preethi starts off the episode with some geographic context around Jodhpur, best time to visit and ways one can get there. We touch briefly upon the history of the city as well as the founder Rao Jodha, a Rathore Rajput ruler from Marwar. Preethi kicks off the itinerary talking about the most iconic monument of Jodhpur the Mehrangarh fort. Built in the 15th century, the fort is very well maintained and has an imposing structure given its strategic location. We discuss some rather difficult backstories and legends about the fort and its origins. The fort consists of 7 gates and numerous galleries and palaces inside. The important ones include the Sheesh Mahal, Phool Mahal. Moti Mahal, Takht Vilas. In addition to this, the galleries range from Pagadis to armoury to textile and palanquins. After spending time at the fort, one should definitely make a stop at Jaswant Thada the royal cenotaph and often referred to as the Taj of Jodhpur. The architecture reflects Rajputana as well as Mughal influence. In the vicinity of the fort is the Rao Jodha Rock garden that offers some wonderful insights into the ecology of the state as well as some interesting trails. Moving towards the old city, make sure to visit Toorji ka Jhalra, a step well as well as the Sardar Market and the bazaars by Ghanta Ghar Shopping for handicrafts and textiles in these markets is a very popular activity among visitors and localsAnother popular item to check off is to get lost in the narrow lanes and alleyways of the old city, in its full glory with the blue walls and buildings. The final stop before turning our attention to the culinary delights of Jodhpur is the Umaid Bhavan palace, the current Rajas palatial residence. The palace is believed to have over 300 rooms as well as a vintage car museum Once youve had your fix of shopping, make sure to check out the various eateries in Jodhpur, both the local outlets in the Ghanta Ghar area as well as the experiential ones. The noteworthy ones include The Omelette Shop, Surya Namkeen for kachoris, Rajasthani Thali at Gypsy, Shandaar, Sparrows, Le Monk, Khaas Bagh among others Preethi’s social media handles:Twitter: peppytravelgirl https://twitter.com/peppytravelgirlIG: peppytravelgirl https://www.instagram.com/peppytravelgirl/hlen Follow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: https://themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comYou can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/

85: Kartarpur Sahib with Abhishek Vaid

46 min 20 sec

In this episodeKartarpur Sikh Gurunanak pakistan sikhism pilgrimage border holy gurudwara love peace brotherhoodWinners of the book giveaway contest on the Pondicherry episode: Mohan and Shruti We will reach out to you shortlyThis week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Abhishek Vaid, founder of the Untravel Show as he takes us across the IndoPak border to the holy gurudwara of Kartarpur Sahib, the place where Guru Nanak spent the last years of his lifeTodays destination: Kartarpur, Pakistan Nearest Airport: Raja Sansi Airport, AmritsarNearest Railway Station: Dera Baba NanakPrerequisites : You need an ETA electronic transfer authorization to travel and passport is mandatory, even though there is no visa stamped on the passport. Look up the process and requirements on https://prakashpurb550.mha.gov.in/kpr/Packing : Avoid carrying anything that you would not carry on a plane carryon Time of the year : Round the year but watch out for the political situation and COVID19Length of the itinerary: 1 dayItinerary Highlights: Start from Amritsar and drive/take local transportation to Dera Baba Nanak. Complete your immigration formalities at this post, the experience is very hospitable. One can apply no earlier than 15 days before the planned date of travel. A bus ferries you from Dera Baba Nanak to Kartarpur, it is a short journey of 4kms. Make sure to carry 20USD/1800INR as the fee has to be paid at Kartarpur. Start early so that you get to Kartarpur around 9am. The latest you can get in is about 2pm since you have to return by 4pm IST. Each visitor is allowed to carry items up to 7kgs. Cameras and photography is allowed. Kartarpur is significant as the first guru and founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak spent the final 18 years of his life here. The corridor was opened after years of lobbying by both the governments and important members of the Sikh community. The corridor now leads to the Kartarpur Sahib gurudwara which is one of the largest gurdwaras of the world. Built in white marble, the gurudwara complex has an elegant and simple look, very different from the Golden temple in Amritsar, one of the other important places of Sikh pilgrimage. The gurudwara is an epitome of calmness and tranquility, despite of its size and the crowds of people. The main shrine has day long prayers and darshan and the community kitchen/langar severs food to the pilgrims for the full day. The complex also has a well that is from the time of Guru Nanak devji, a monument of the Kirpaan or dagger as well as a small market to buy souvenirs. There is also a muslim shrine in the vicinity. One of the highpoint of the visit, besides the opportunity to pay homage to Guru Nanak is the chance to interact with Pakistani locals who travel here to interact with folks from across the border. The ambience is that of peace, calmness and friendship and very different from the Wagah border where patriotism and aggression is more evident. A great opportunity for not just followers of sikhism but others as well to visit a historical and religiously significant place across the border when the option is available Links:Link to the video log: How an Indian can go to Pakistan The Kartarpur Corridor Experience: https://www.youtube.com/watchvBcoorOvh5G810 THINGS YOU MUST KNOW BEFORE VISITING KARTARPUR SAHIB Documents, passport stamping, fees etc: https://www.youtube.com/watchvAfGvTQlIasFacebook: The Untravel Show https://www.facebook.com/TheUntravelShow/IG: the.untravel.show https://www.instagram.com/the.untravel.show/Photo by Ali Rizvi on UnsplashFollow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comApple podcasts https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7lj website http://bit.ly/2xFZqOV Saavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSViGaana http://bit.ly/2NClUYYpocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0 iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

87: Bastar with Edwina D'Souza

59 min 48 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Edwina DSouza from the blog wannabemaven.comTodays destination: Bastar, ChattisgarhNearest Airport: Swami Vivekananda Airport, Raipur RPRNearest Railway Station: Jagdalpur Railway Station JDBPrerequisites: Local tour guide/agency, reservations for all stays. Unexplored Bastar does a great job with travel in the state.Packing: Pack according to the weatherTime of the year: AprilLength of the itinerary: 5 daysItinerary Highlights: We start off the conversation with the geography and history of the Bastar region as well as the connection with epics such as Ramayana and Mahabharata We also discuss the misconceptions and realities about safety of a solo traveler, as well as the naxalite movement. Edwina begins her journey from Raipur, making a stop at Dhamtari. Dhamteri is famous for the Gangrel dam as well as its likeness to Goa One should definitely enjoy the two places relaxing. The next pitstop is at Jabarra, spending time with some locals, this place is famous for its rich sal trees and timber. Gond, Baiga, Korba, Abhuj Maria, Bison Horn Maria are some of the prominent tribes of the region. The next point of interest is the Kailash caves, believed to be over a thousand years old and is popular for the underground caves and their stalactite and stalagmite formations. The caves, along with Kutumsar caves, form the backbone of the nature biosphere of Bastar. The next stop was Teerathgarh falls, the milky white cascading water falls that add to the natural beauty of Bastar. Additionally, the Chitrakoot falls are one of the biggest widest waterfall of Bastar measuring over 300m wide. Another core component of the Bastar region is the haat or weekly market. Picking up a small memento or souvenir from the weekly haats tokapal haat in our case does wonders for the local economy. The banned sport of cockfighting is also a common occurrence on on the haats of Bastar and gives a view of the practices of the Edwina also attends some of the processions of the tribals. The next event Edwina goes to is the Ghotpal Madai or the village fair. The madais are a popular attraction of the locals and everything from singing to dances and commerce takes place at these fairs. The important art forms like Dhokra art can also be found at such fairs. Another popular festival of Bastar is the Dussehra festival, which is different from they Mysore Dussehra and goes on for 75 days the longest festival in the world Edwina also talks about the quirky food preferences including the red ant chutney or chapra, the local beverage salfi and the kadaknath chicken or the black chicken Finally Edwina covers off some interesting things like the paintings of the tribals as well as their graves.Links:Link to the Edwinas blog: https://wannabemaven.comLink to the tour agency: https://www.unexploredbastar.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/wannabemavenTwitter: https://twitter.com/wannabemavenIG: https://www.instagram.com/wannabemaven/Follow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comApple podcasts https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7ljwebsite http://bit.ly/2xFZqOVSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSViGaana http://bit.ly/2NClUYYSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqipocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

88: Hampi - A Short History with Anirudh Kanisetti

1 hr 0 min 1 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to host of the hit podcast Echoes of India Anirudh KanisettiTodays destination: HampiNearest Airport: Hubli Airport HBXNearest Railway Station: Hospet Junction HPTPrerequisites NAPacking Pack according to the weather summers can be HOTTime of the year Nov to Jan is a good time to visitLength of the itinerary 5 daysItinerary Highlights: Anirudh speaks about the origins of history, rise of the Vijayanagara empire and the dramatic fall. Hampi is located in the state of Karanataka, close to the Andhra Pradesh border Vijayanagara empire rose to fame after the fall of the Kalyana Chalukyas, and the capital was established in the city of Pampa who was married to Virupaksha, a form of Shiva and is also believed to be the land of Kishkinda or Ramayana. Anirudh talks about the layout of Hampi, which was described by many travellers as one of the biggest and wealthiest cities in the world. The city is divided into the sacred centre and the royal enclosure. The sacred centre mushroomed around the Virupaksha temple. The royal enclosure was a bit further away and consisted of the royal residences. Close to the sacred centre is the Hampi Bazaar, a crowded bazaar that was frequented by travellers and traders from different parts of the subcontinent and even abroad. We also discuss about the Vittala Temple complex built by one of the famous Vijayanagara rulers Krishna Deva Raya, and the layers of history within the temple complex: From musical pillars to the story behind the chariot. Anirudh also calls out other important places in the ruins, from the hills of Hemakuta and Mathanga, to the Tungabhadra river and the hippie town and its stories The royal enclosure has several important structures like the elephant stables, Lotus Mahal, Navami Tibba, Hazara Rama temple, Queens bath, pushkarni and many other important structures. Finally, Anirudh talks about the fall of the great empire in the war of Talikota to a coalition of the Deccan Sultanate.Links:Link to Anirudhs podcast:Echoes of India https://ivmpodcasts.com/echoesofindiaahistorypodcastYuddha https://ivmpodcasts.com/yuddhaFollow Anirudh on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AKanisettiFollow Anirudh on IG: https://www.instagram.com/aniryuddha/Picture credits:Ayush Kumar soul.traveller.kumar on IGThank you Ayushhttps://www.instagram.com/soul.traveller.kumar/Attribution:Battle music:Sota War https://freesound.org/people/YleArkisto/sounds/258207/ by YleArkisto https://freesound.org/people/YleArkisto/ is licensed under CC by 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Follow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comApple podcasts https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7ljwebsite http://bit.ly/2xFZqOVSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSViGaana http://bit.ly/2NClUYYpocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

89: Rebroadcast: Conquering Mt. Everest with Satyarup Siddhanta

45 min 55 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Satyarup Siddhanta a Bengalurubased Bengali mountaineer.1 On December 15, 2017 he became the first Bengali civilian from India to complete the seven highest summits in the 7 continents. He is the President and founder of ABETO – A better tomorrow foundation, and works as a consultant at Brady Corporation, India.5Todays destination: Mt. Everest, NepalNearest Airport: Lukla airportNearest Railway Station: n/aPrerequisities Required visas, training and certification, practice and acclimatizationPacking n/aTime of the year MayLength of the itinerary: 55 days from the base camp to the Everest summit and backItinerary Highlights:Satya shares the story of his early struggles from asthma as a kid and how he overcame this to start climbing.Satyas speaks of his expedition to Mt. Killimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa and how he discovered the feat to the 7 Summits i.e. a challenge to scale the 7 highest peaks in each of th 7 continents Mt. Everest in Asia, Mt. Killimanjaro in Africa, Mt. Elbrus in Europe, Mt. Aconcagua in S.America, Mt. Mckinley in N.America, Mt. Kosciuszko in Australia, Mt. Vinson Masiff in AntarcticaSatya discusses his trek to the Mt. Everest base camp and how this turned into a dream to scale the summit of the tallest mountain in the world.He then also discusses how the massive expenses related to the expedition played as a deterrent to his dreams and how he overcame the challenge.Next Satya discusses the preparation and acclimitazation he underwent to scale Mt. Everest, he had to quit his existing job, take up two jobs, hire a personal trainer and overcome his sweet tooth in order to get ready for the Everest challengeSatya explains the duration of the Everest expedition and the iterations and acclimatization involved during the push to the summit.The adversities that Satya had to face during the push to the summit are also discussed, this includes a fall in a bottomless crevasse, watcing a sherpa fall to his death while climbing, and members of other teams losing fingers due to frost bite as well as death.Satya himself suffered from temporary blindness in the left eye while close to the summit, a failed oxygen mask and 3 failed camerasSatya finally describes the feeling of being on top of the world as well as the sightsFinal thoughts and tips.Listeners can follow Satyarup on his social media handles below and contribute to his expeditions when fundraising takes place.Links to Satyarups social media handles:Website http://satyarupsiddhanta.com/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/satyarup.siddhantaTwitter https://twitter.com/SatyarupSInstagram https://www.instagram.com/satyarup.siddhanta/Photo by Theodor Lundqvist on UnsplashFollow The Musafir Stories onTwitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comitunes https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7ljwebsite http://bit.ly/2xFZqOVSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVipocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiGaana http://bit.ly/2NClUYYOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

90: North Sikkim with Utsav Mamoria

48 min 32 sec

Thank you New Indian Express EdexLive for 40 Under 40 Award for Socially Responsible Social Media Superstars to The Musafir Storieshttps://www.edexlive.com/40under40/2020/sep/23/saifomarfaizakhan14711.htmlThis week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Utsav Mamoria, host of the travel podcast Postcards from nowhereTodays destination: North SikkimNearest Airport: Bagdogra airport, IXB or Pakyong AirportNearest Railway Station: Jalpaiguri or Siliguri railway stationPrerequisites: permits might be required for some regions, make sure to check.Packing: Pack warm clothes and multiple layers based on the time of the yearTime of the year: Late FebMarch shoulder seasonLength of the itinerary: 8 daysItinerary Highlights: Utsav arrives in Gangtok, where he is based briefly before he starts moving north. If this is your first time to Sikkim, make sure to explore some of the touristy places in and around Gangtok. You can also check out our other episodes on Sikkim by Surya Raju and by Sandy and Vyjay Utsav and his partner head off from Gangtok towards their itinerary of Lachen, Chopta valley and Gurdongmar lake. It is highly advised that you hire a driver to drive you around as driving in the state is quite challenging given the weather conditions and the roads. Utsav spends his time in Lachen, enjoying the shoulder season with no tourists, interacting with locals as well as exploring the local monasteries. Make a quick trip to Chopta valley from Lachen the valley gives a beautiful view of the snowcapped mountains and the river depending on the time of the year. Utsavs trip to Gurdongmar was cut short due to the weather, since the army recommended to avoid travelling during severe weather conditions. On the way back, Utsav makes a stop at a Gurudwara to enjoy some good conversations and a hearty langar meal in the community kitchen. Utsav also learns about the legend of Gurudongmar, about how Guru Nanak is believed to have traveled here and how a portion of the river never freezes at the point where the Guru hit his staff Dong in Punjabi, Maar is hit. There is also a legend about the Buddhist saint Padmasambhava with a similar story, hence the lake is considered sacred by both Sikhs and Buddhists. Erroneously mentioned as Sikhs and Hindus on the podcast After spending a day at Lachen, Utsav decides to move base to a small village called Dzongu and spend some time absorbing the slow life of the village. Slow travelling gives one the opportunity to live like a local and enjoy some authentic experiences, without having to rush from point to point. This includes enjoying some wholesome organic food Sikkim is the first officially organic state in India, local beers and Sikkimese hospitality in general. Utsav also shares some interesting tidbits about the colourful prayer flags in Sikkim and their significance. Try to hire a local tour guide driver, as they have the best network in the area which is often useful and also helps boost the local economy. Links:Link to Utsavs podcast:Postcards from nowhere: https://ivmpodcasts.com/postcardsfromnowhere Also available wherever you listen to podcastsLink to the Utsavs budget traveling specials on Simblified:https://ivmpodcasts.com/simblifiedepisodelist/2019/6/10/ep137howtotravelonadesibudgetwithutsavmamoriapart11https://ivmpodcasts.com/simblifiedepisodelist/2019/6/24/ep139howtotravelonadesibudgetwithutsavmamoriapart2Twitter: https://twitter.com/utsavmamoriaIG: https://www.instagram.com/whywetravel42Photo by Abhishek Singh on UnsplashFollow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comApple podcasts https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7ljwebsite http://bit.ly/2xFZqOVSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSViGaana http://bit.ly/2NClUYYpocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

93: Pune with Shraddha Maheshwari

1 hr 3 min 10 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Pune, with Shraddha Maheshwari the Shepherd TravellerTodays destination: Pune, MaharashtraNearest Airport: Pune International Airport, PNQNearest Railway Station: Pune Junction PUNEPrerequisites : NAPacking : Make sure to carry your hiking shoesTime of the year : Monsoons are the best time to visit, JuneAugLength of the itinerary: 35 daysItinerary Highlights: Shraddha starts off the itinerary by taking us to the iconic Shaniwar Wada, the seat of power of the Peshwas Built during the reign of Peshwa Baji Rao I, the Wada or Estate, served as the palace of the Peshwas, the Prime Ministers of the Chattrapatis or Kings of Pune. The Palace has some beautiful fountains and gardens in the premises and has been witness to some important events, good and bad. Guide services are available if you are interested, the light and sound show is another option if you are visiting in the evening. From here, we move to the Aga Khan Palace, another iconic monument of Pune built in 1892. This is the place where Mahatma Gandhi and Kasturba Gandhi were placed under house arrest. Kasturba Gandhi breathed her last here in 1944. From here we visit some popular hills in Pune, starting with Parvati hill. The hill also has a museum with a number of artifacts from the Peshwas as well as a Shiva temple that was frequented by the Peshwas. Dont forget to catch a beautiful sunset on Parvati hill, the second highest hill in Pune From here, we move to the Kelkar museum in Kothrud this is built on the remains of the Mastani Palace, the second wife of Peshwa Baji Rao. Check out the Bollywood flick Bajirao Mastani to learn more about this love story that raised more than a few eyebrows Pune is home to a lot of other quirky museums like cycle museum, rail museum, blades of glory cricket museum, lokamanya tilak museum, Shivaji Maharaj museum, national war museum among others We also make a trip to two popular temples of Pune Dagdushet Halwaii temple and Pataleshwar temple. The Dagdushet temple is always crowded and specially during Ganesh Chaturti, which is the most popular festival in Pune. The Pataleshwar temple is a beautiful Rashtrakuta cave temple built in the 8th century AD and is dedicated to Lord Shiva Our next pitstop is the Pune University or Savitribai Phule University named after one of the foremost feminist of India, Savitribai Phule, who started the first girls school of India. The university has some beautiful lawns and stunning architecture. We next visit ARAI Hilltop or Vetal Tekdi, one of the highest points in Pune to catch a wonderful sunset. It has a small Vetal temple on the hill as well. Another option is to spend time at the beautiful gardens in Pune, Osho Garden and Phule deshpande Garden or Pune Okayama friendship garden are a couple of great places. There is also a 7 wonders garden. We can cap off the itinerary by calling out a couple of great trekking options in Pune. The most liked trekking spots are the Sinhagad Fort or Kondana fort and Rajgad fort. We also discuss some great food options in Pune from Puneri Misal to Vada pav, Bakarwadi, bahubali thali and Molgapudi idli Also make sure are to visit Lakshmi Rd, MG rd, FC Rd and Tulsi baug for shoppingSmart Dhyana Meditation Tracker Apphttps://www.smartdhyana.com/Promo Code: MUSAFIRLinks:Shraddhas blog: https://shepherdtraveller.com/Pune blog: https://shepherdtraveller.com/punetravelguide/IG: https://www.instagram.com/shepherdtraveller/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shepherdtraveler/Twitter: https://twitter.com/shepherdtravels Photo by Kunal Bhate on UnsplashFollow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comApple podcasts https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7ljwebsite http://bit.ly/2xFZqOVSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSViGaana http://bit.ly/2NClUYYpocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

94: Superhuman River - Stories of the Ganga with Bidisha Banerjee

55 min 27 sec

Book GiveawayAnswer three simple question to win Bidishas Bookhttps://forms.gle/PzciznCMfQZGcTUZ9This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Bidisha Banerjee, author of Superhuman River Stories of the GangaTodays destination The path of the river GangaNearest Airport n/aNearest Railway Station n/aPrerequisites might require permits if you plan to visit Gaumukh.Packing Pack according to the season and region you are visitingTime of the year n/aLength of the itinerary: n/aItinerary Highlights: We follow the 2525 km long path of the river Ganga or Ganges with author Bidisha Banerjee as she traces the river from origin to the point where it meets the sea. The first region of interest is Gangotri, the holy source of the river where it originates from the foothills of the Himalayas. Bidisha talks about her experience taking a dip in the holy river and drinking water from the melting piece of ice. She also references the legends and lores associated to this region Next we discuss the transformation of the Ganga from the pristine setting of the Himalayas to the plains and how humans have abused the rivers with some examples of the pollution caused in cities like Kanpur. We also discuss about the little known Ganga river model in one of Indias premier universities and the state it stands in today. We move on to Bihar where we discuss the challenges faced not just by the river but by some precious wildlife like the endangered Ganga river dolphins that are at the brink of extinction. Moving on from Bihar, we discuss about Gangas breakaway journey into Bangladesh and how the river is perceived in the neighbouring country. Finally, we discuss the Bawliays and Bonbibi of Sunderbans and the unique ecosystem of the region that has been shaped by the river.Links:Link to Bidishas book: Superhuman River Stories of the Gangahttps://www.amazon.in/SUPERHUMANRIVERStoriesBidishaBanerjee/dp/8194365767Link to Bidishas Website:https://www.bidishabanerjee.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/bidishabanerjeelangenFollow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comApple podcasts https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7ljwebsite http://bit.ly/2xFZqOVSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSViGaana http://bit.ly/2NClUYYpocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

96: Rebroadcast: Riverside Goa with Kaushal Karkhanis

42 min 23 sec

Winners of last episodes giveaway of Into the heart of the Himalayas by Jono Lineen: Praneet Anushika Litoria Shiv KhilwaniThis week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Kaushal Karkhanis aka The Exotic Gringo. Sit back and listen to where this pro traveller and polyglot takes us to todayTodays destination: Riverside GoaNearest Airport: Dabolim Airport GOI, GoaNearest Railway Station: Multiple options depending on your destination.Prerequisites NA, but make sure to plan and book your stay ahead of time if traveling during the holiday seasonPacking Nothing specific, but make sure to carry appropriate clothes depending on the weatherTime of the year November to March is ideal, but is also going to be busyLength of the itinerary: Can be anything from 1 weekend to long term for slow travelItinerary Highlights:Kaushal starts off by taking us to the river side of North Goa starting at the Tirakhol river. Tirakhol river divides Maharashtra and Goa and is one of the lesser explored regions. Tirakhol Fort, which is now a hotel, is a beautiful place and the restaurant is open to public. Make sure to carry your camera along, specially right after the monsoons Nearby regioins of Keri and Arambol are very popular for their beautiful beaches as well. Mandrem, Patnem and Morjim are some of the other beaches in the vicinity.Next up is the Chapora river, which is Kaushals favorite for its tranquility and calm. It also has a number of rare bird species and other flora and fauna. The Siolim, Chapora and Vagator are some of the villages along the river. Historically, this was the river that demarcated Portuguese India from the rest of India. Goa only became a part of independent India only in 1961 WhaaatOther places of interest are the Chapora fort of Dil CHahta hai fame There is the fishing village of Chapora The village gets its name from Shahpura, its Mughal name from the past. There are a number of jettys which you can take a boat ride on. A very offbeat destination, ideal for someone who is looking to get away from the crazy crowds of tourists.As one heads further south, one can spend time at the village of Colvale, a quaint fishing village, also famous for the Colvale beach. Make sure to lodge at Kaza Colvale while here.Getting around Goa is a breeze one can take the local buses, the most budget way of traveling. Then there are the for hire bikes which is ideal for solo travelers and couples and Bike pilots for someone looking for a cheap alternative to cabs. The government has also tied up to HoHo Goa or hopon hopoff Goa, for full day tours around Goa for a steal. The newest mode of transport that is going to be commercialized soon will be the ferry service that can fetch you directly from the airport WoohoooAs we continue our journey further south, one can experience the beautiful mainland from the banks of rivers like Baga, Arpora, and Mapusa which have some beautiful flea markets on the banks.The backwaters of the river Mapusa have some beautiful and quaint villages of carona, Olaulim, Corjuem and Aldona, nontouristy and super tranquil just the perfect place to do NOTHING, and relaxNext up on the course, is the river Mandovi one of the bigger rivers of Goa along with the Zuari. Mandovi has a number of commercially active regions along its banks and is also close the the mainland that has the capital Panjim just the place to get you a sample of Old Goa, with ample heritage walks, fontainhas UNESCO declared world heritage walks.The other regions of note are Reis Magos, Ribandar, Old Goa as well as a handful of islands like Vanxim island, St. Estevam island the smallest ferry crossing, Divar island great bicycle trails and Chorao island famous for Dr. Salim Ali bird sanctuaryAlso, FOOOD The area around Panjim has some of the best places to eat. Check out Anand Ashram for the fish thali, check out Chonak and Motso fish, Konkani canteen and DTR for some great local food, Taj Aguada for unlimited buffet.And for dessert, make sure to check sweets like serradura at Mr. Baker, Bibbingk Confeitaria 31 De Janeiro, Dodol Cafe Morango, Vonn at Chef Peters restaurant.Further south are the rivers of Zuari and Sal areas in the vicinity like Lutolim famous for old portuguese mansions by Zuari, Varca, Cavelossim, Assolna and Navelim by Sal river.Further south are the Agonda and Palolem backwaters which are more popular for the beaches by the same names. In the vicinity of the Palolem backwaters are hidden beaches like Butteryfly and HOneymoonTalpona, Galgibag and Rajbag beaches and backwaters are further down south and have some marvellous 5 star properties for anyone interested. However, one should explore the riversides in this area for some great bicycle rides.The final reccommendation, that Kaushal is also planning to visit soon is the wonderful Cola beach lagoon north of Agonda beach, accessible by foot, bicycles and bikes onlyBefore wrapping up, Kaushal also gives a big shout out to Jeevit Nadi www.jeevitnadi.org that makes organic products like shampoos, soaps and more as well as free recipes for a toxinfree lifestyle, that go a long way in preventing the pollution of rivers, which is a real problem that is staring at the ecology of the region. Make sure you support them and the environment. KudosLinks:Kaushals blog: http://exoticgringo.com/http://www.goatrippers.com/Twitter: exoticgringo/ goatrippersFacebook:gowithgringo/ goatrippingInstagram: exoticgringo/ goatrippersFollow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comApple podcasts https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7ljwebsite http://bit.ly/2xFZqOVSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSViGaana http://bit.ly/2NClUYYpocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

97: Chitrakoot with Shruti Pandey

1 hr 10 min 19 sec

Access a world of knowledge free for a month Great Courses Plus : https://www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/musafirThis week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Shruti Pandey, as she takes us to the land with connections to the Ramayan, ChitrakootTodays destination: Chitrakoot, MPNearest Airport: Allahabad/Prayagraj Airport, IXDNearest Railway Station: Karwi railway stationPrerequisites:Packing Pack according to the weatherTime of the year NovDec, FebAprLength of the itinerary: 24 daysItinerary Highlights: Shruti speaks of the connection of Chitrakoot to the hindu epic of Ramayan the place where Ram, Sita and Laxman spent close to 12 years while on exile. Chitrakoot has been a religiously significant place given its connection to the Ramayan, there are plenty of pilgrims that visit Chitrakoot through out the year First on our itinerary is the Kamtanath Parikrama, named after the principal deity of Chitrakoot. Pilgrims perform a circumambulation/parikrama around the Kamtanath mountain which is about 5 kms long. It is believed to be equivalent to performing a pilgrimage to the holy Chardham After the parikrama, one can visit the Ram Ghat the banks of the river Mandakini. It is said to be the place where Lord Ram used to bathe and the place where Tulsidas wrote the Ramayana. The ghat is also popular for the Aarti and the boat rides. Day 2 starts off with a visit to Hanuman Dhara, a natural spring from the Hanumagiri mountain. This is a bit of a hike and one has to climb 500 steps to reach the spring. Hanuman is supposed to have cooled off here after ransacking Lanka. The climb also makes for a beautiful sunrise here. Next on the agenda is the Chardham yatra not the same as the one is Uttarakhand that covers Sita Kund/Janaki Sitas pond, Sphatik Shila crystal like rock formation, Gupt Godavari two caves which believe to the source of Godavari, Sati Anusuya Ashram an ashram dedicated to the wife of Sage Athreya One of the stop overs is Ram Darshan, that has a beautiful gallery depicting the epic in the form of paintings and sculpture. There are other places of importance like Bharat coop, Bharat Milan and Kalinjar fort of Paatal Lok fame.Links:Link to Shrutis blog: https://minireads.inIG: https://www.instagram.com/theminireads/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Minireads1Photo by Jyoti Singh on UnsplashFollow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comApple podcasts https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7ljwebsite http://bit.ly/2xFZqOVSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSViGaana http://bit.ly/2NClUYYpocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

101: Gomukh and Tapovan Trek with Chandan Prakash

1 hr 0 min 53 sec

Limited time offerOne month of free access to The Great Courses Plus:http://thegreatcoursesplus.com/musafirThis week, The Musafir Stories speaks to slow traveler, mountain lover and YouTuber, Chandan PrakashTodays destination: Gomukh and Tapovan Trek, UttarakhandNearest Airport: Jolly Grant Airport, DEDNearest Railway Station: Dehradoon Railway Station, DDNPrerequisites Permit will be required for the trekhttps://uttarkashi.nic.in/service/onlinesinglewindowsystem/Packing Warm clothes, medication, good shoes and trekking gearTime of the year October November for the Autumn trekLength of the itinerary: 35 daysItinerary Highlights: The trip starts off from Gangotri, a small pilgrimage town and one of the Chardhams in HIndu religion. Make sure you spend 12 days in Gangotri, acclimatizing and making sure your body is getting used to the higher altitude. Gangotri is also religiously very significant place as it is believed that the Ganges was brought down to the earth from the heavens at this point. There is Ganga temple as well as Suryakund which you can visit during your stay here. The Ganga Aarti also happens on the ghats. Once you have acclimatized in Gangotri, the trek begins with the first stop being at Chirbasa this is small stopover and has beautiful views surrounded by pine trees. The permits are checked before you reach Chirbasa From here, continue trekking towards the camp site of Bhojbasa as this is the only place to halt overnight before your ascent towards Gomukh glacier. There are 23 options for staying GMVN property being one of them, along with a couple of ashrams. AMS can be a factor as you make the ascent, make sure to take breaks and stay an extra day if you have any symptoms. After the overnight stay at Bhojbasa, start your ascent towards the Gomukh glacier. Gomukh glacier is the source of the river Ganga River Bhageerathi at this point. The glaciers snout is in the form of a cows head and is considered holy for Hindus. One has to cross the glacier in order to continue the trek towards Tapovan but crossing the glacier is a tricky situation as the glacier has crevasses in several places and has been receding at a fast pace due to climate change. It is preferred to have a guide/porter for the journey. The trek from Gomukh to Tapovan is the hardest stretch, even though it is a short distance. One gains significant height and has to deal with some technical sections and crossing a river stream Akashganga during the ascent. Once you have crossed the river and made the ascent, you reach Tapovan our destination and campsite for the next 12days. Tapovan is a flat land that is surrounded by some majestic peaks, including the Shivaling peak, Bhagirathi peaks 1,2,3. There are other peaks in the vicinity that one can view as well from the camp site. There Tapovan meads are full of wildflowers and sometime mountain goats, along with the stunning views of the peaks. The place also has a lot of lore and legends attached to it One can indulge in some stunning photography of the surroundings as well as the night skies, weather permitting. There are a couple of babas who have small huts where one can lodge for the stay. One can also camp here if you are traveling with a travel company. Start your journey back after enjoying the stay here for 12 daysLinks:Chandans Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ9C6G3Cv4fcIVb6iAKuuQGomukh and Tapovan trek video https://www.youtube.com/watchvYNXr76uEZ28Image credits: Chandan PrakashFollow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comApple podcasts https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7ljwebsite http://bit.ly/2xFZqOVSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSViGaana http://bit.ly/2NClUYYpocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

102: Pench with The Moonchasers

1 hr 0 min 6 sec

Last Call Limited time offerOne month of free access to The Great Courses Plus: http://thegreatcoursesplus.com/musafirThis week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Chandreyi and Joy from the blog www.themoonchasers.comTodays destination: Pench National Park, Madhya PradeshNearest Airport: Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport, Nagpur, MP NAGNearest Railway Station: Nagpur Railway Station, NGPPrerequisites Make sure to get permits and lodging sorted ahead of time https://forest.mponline.gov.inPacking Pack light, do not pack bring colored clothes, carry hats, insect repellants and binoculars as needed.Time of the year Round the year except monsoons, summer months can be very hot.Length of the itinerary: 3 daysItinerary Highlights: Joy and Chandreyi start off by sharing the background of the Pench National Park and the folklore it shares of the very popular character, Mowgli and the Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling. The couple also speak of the inspiration drawn from Sir David Attenboroughs 3 part documentary that was shot in this national park, Spy in the Jungle The National Park is located in the heartland of India, in Madhya Pradesh which is also home to other national parks and tiger reserves like Kanha, Panna, Satpura and Bandhavgarh. One can enter the path through any of the 3 gates, depending on where you are lodging Turia gate, Karmajheri gate, or Jamtara gate. Pench is home to several species of wildlife including but not limited to the Royal Bengal tiger, jackal, peafowl, wild dog, wild boar, sloth bear, Indian leopard, fox, striped hyena, monkey, gaur, barking deer, fourhorned antelope, Indian wolf among others. Both canter and Jeep Safari options are available, be sure to make reservations ahead of time as it can get crowded during the peak season. Safaris are available during the mornings and evenings. Joy and Chandreyi share their experience of going on the wildlife safaris and the encounter with the main protagonist and queen of Pench Collarwali and her cubs. The couple also share their experience of sighting the other popular tigress Langari. The next days safari is all about Collarwalis cubs and the nerve wracking encounter with an unknown male tiger in the region, and how the cubs navigate their way out of a tricky situation. The duo also share some of the concerns and effects that uncontrolled tourism could have on the ecosystem as well as the long ongoing mananimal conflict.Links:Link to the blog The Moonchasers: https://themoonchasers.comLink to YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCw8R6jB6xzZ3Xjrp26yGuGwLink to the BBC Documentary, Spy in the Jungle: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b009smrgFollow the The Moonchasers on:Twitter: https://twitter.com/dmoonchazers IG: https://www.instagram.com/themoonchasersofficial/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dmoonchazersJoin their workshop: https://www.tripoto.com/collections/tourpackages/careerstoconsiderifyoulovetravellingjoyandchandreyi161718179430 Photo by Jay Patel on UnsplashFollow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comApple podcasts https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7ljwebsite http://bit.ly/2xFZqOVSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSViGaana http://bit.ly/2NClUYYpocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

46: TMS Specials - Our Journey So Far

21 min 39 sec

Happy International Podcast DayInternational Podcast Day is September 30th and its an international celebration of the power of podcasts InternationalPodcastDayWe are so glad to all the support and love that we have got from all our listeners so far, we have a very special episode for you guys where we discuss the journey of The Musafir Stories with our buddy Podcasters Naga from the Passion People Podcasthttps://audioboom.com/channel/thepassionpeoplepodcast and Shankar Vishnu from the Writer Geek Podcasthttps://writerandgeek.com/.You can lay your hands on The Autograph Seeker herehttps://www.amazon.in/AutographSeekerTonyVFrancis/dp/938150699X.Also the winner of the Get Featured on The Musafir Stories contest is Ajitha YasminLastly but most importantly you can listen to some deep conversations with brilliant passionate people on Nagas show The Passion People Podcasthttps://audioboom.com/channel/thepassionpeoplepodcast and give a boost to your knowledge by listening to some enlightening episodes of Shankar Vishnu on everything under the sun at the Writer Geek Podcasthttps://writerandgeek.com/.

47: TMS Specials : Old Bengaluru - Dargah to Dharmaraya

38 min 35 sec

This week at The Musafir Stories we have historian, teacher and artist Sujatha Balakrishnan walking us through Bengaluru Pete area.The founder of Bengaluru, Kempe GowdaI established the city in 1537, he started this city at the Pete Area.We explore and talk about different historical points from Hazrath Tawakkal Mastan Dargah to Dharmaraya Swamy Temple in the Pete.Sujatha tells us about how the Tawakkal Mastan Dargah was built and the festivals celebrated there.We then walk ahead to find the bygone Vijayalakshmi Theater and Mohan Building where once a Maratha King had his palace.Then we come across the Doddapete area where Kempe Gowda once established different temples, markets and towers and fortified Bengaluru considering the Doddapete as the center point of Bengaluru.Sujatha also discusses the different localities in the Pete area and how they got their names based on the commodity that was sold there and also based on the residents that lived there all the way from Balepet to Nagarathpet.We then come across Taramandalpet, a place where Tippu Sultan had his rocket RD. Taramandalpet which means a Galaxy of StarsThen our final stop is the Dharmaraya Swamy Temple which is dedicated to the Pandavas Draupathi.We finally hear about a strong and secular bond between our first stop, i.e. the Dargah and the last stop, i.e. the Dharmaraya temple.Follow Sujatha Balakrishnans Theater for Change here.https://m.facebook.com/TheatreForChange760824554065025/Sujathas IMDB pagehttps://www.imdb.com/name/nm9631613/.Know more about Sujatha in The Passion People Podcasthttps://audioboom.com/posts/6302383ep20thechangeactor.Big thanks to Suhotra Roychoudhurywww.unseendestinations.com for his pictures of Bengaluru Pete area and for our cover image. Checkout Suhotras website Unseen Destinationswww.unseendestinations.com and his Instagram pagehttp://www.instagram.com/unseendestinationstravel.A special giveaway for listeners of the Musafir Stories, courtesy the wonderful folks at Castbox.fmhttps://castbox.fm/homecountryin. Now listeners can enjoy a free trial of Premium version of Castbox which comes with features like No ads, Personalized homepage, ability to turn off Similar episodes and more by using the special code MUSAFIR. Just log in to your CastBox account and select Go Premium. EnjoyFollow the Musafir stories onTwitter: musafirstoriesFacebook: themusafirstoriesInstagram: musafirstoriespodcastwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comitunes https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7lj or voice or google search Ok Google, play The Musafir stories podcastSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiwebsite http://bit.ly/2xFZqOVSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVipocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfaudioboom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

53: Kumbh Mela with Priyanka

42 min 28 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks with Priyanka Dalal from the blog MapRoute Travel Blog. Priyanka is a digital entrepreneur and traveler and on this episode she shares her experience of falling in love with the Kumbh MelaTodays destination: The Kumbh MelaNearest Airport: Allahabad Airport, IXDNearest Railway Station: Allahabad JunctionPrerequisites Be prepared to be a part of large crowds and lose your personal space It is better to book accommodation beforehand, specially if you are going to be here on the days of the Shahi SnanPacking Pack light, and be ready to rough it outTime of the year Jan 15 Mar 4, 2019Length of the itinerary: NAItinerary Highlights:Priyanka talks at length about her experiences from the previous Kumbh Mela at Trimabakeshwar, Nashik and Ujjain.History and legends of the Kumbh Melawhat to expect at your maiden Kumbh MelaImportant days of the Kumbh mela the Shahi Snan daysActivities during the Kumbh Mela discourses, holy dips, temple visits, processionsInteracting with people at the Kumbh Mela From Naga babas to foreigners and devotees from around IndiaUseful advise for solo travelersLinks:Links to blog posts:Priyankas Travelogue : My Kumbh Mela Story Trimbakeshwar, NashikPriyankas Travelogue : Ujjain SimhasthSolo at the Kumbh MelaPriyankas podcastPhoto by Jose Aragones on UnsplashFollow the Musafir stories onTwitterFacebookInstagramWebsiteemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comitunes https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7lj or voice or google search Ok Google, play The Musafir stories podcastwebsite http://bit.ly/2xFZqOVSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVipocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

54: TMS Specials : Travel Without Quitting Your Job with Pradnya Kulkarni

34 min 33 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Pradnya Kulkarni, a smart traveler who believes in traveling without quitting your job Lets find out morePrerequisites A job Just kiddingHighlights: Pradnya talks about the importance of travel in life and how one should approach travel. Her own trials and errors with travel Hacks to make use of to plan your travel How to save for sustainable travel How her job has helped her travel the world Parting advicePradnyas social media:Twitterhttps://twitter.com/musttravelmorelangenInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/musttravelmore/hlenFollow the Musafir stories onTwitter: musafirstoriesFacebook: themusafirstoriesInstagram: musafirstoriespodcastwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comitunes https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7lj or voice or google search Ok Google, play The Musafir stories podcastwebsite http://bit.ly/2xFZqOVSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVipocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

56: TMS Specials : The Shooting Star with Shivya Nath

47 min 20 sec

CONTEST ALERT Listen to the episode and answer these 3 simple questions and stand a chance to win a copy of Shivyas best seller The Shooting Star 1\. Which Indian town did Shivya spend her childhood in 2\. In which country did Shivya go to university 3\. What is the title of Shivyas best selling book Email your responses to themusafirstoriesgmail.com before March 7th 2019 The winners will be announced on the next episode of the podcast This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to none other than the Shooting Star Shivya Nath, top travel blogger and now author with her national best seller, The Shooting Star Interview Highlights: Shivya talks about her time growing up in India, where she spent her childhood in and what were her erstwhile ambitions We talk to Shivya about her journey away from home for university, how that shaped her choices as a person and how eventually she succumbed to her calling Shivya also talks about tryst with a 95 job, how she constantly craved for freedom and how eventually she quit her job to move back to India We talk about Shivyas tryst with entrepreneurship, the highs and the lows and some difficult decisions We also discuss about Shivyas travel philosophy, her roots and the place she calls home, being a digital nomad and giving up her home We finish the interview by talking about her choices, how she chose veganism, the percpetions and the reality of being a vegan traveler and some final thoughts to finish off the interview. Links: Instagram: shivya Twitter: shivya Facebook: theshootingstarblog Blog: https://theshootingstar.com/ Buy your copy of the Shooting Star on Amazon Indiahttps://www.amazon.in/gp/product/0143443194/refaslitlieUTF8camp3638creative24630creativeASIN0143443194linkCodeas2tagtheshosta0521linkId98f8bf3951596f911341466dcff71220Kindlehttps://www.amazon.in/gp/product/0143443194/refaslitlieUTF8camp3638creative24630creativeASIN0143443194linkCodeas2tagtheshosta0521linkId98f8bf3951596f911341466dcff71220Follow the Musafir stories on Twitter: musafirstories Facebook: themusafirstories Instagram: musafirstoriespodcast website: www.themusafirstories.com email: themusafirstoriesgmail.com itunes https://apple.co/2LPtTA3 Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7lj or voice or google search Ok Google, play The Musafir stories podcast website http://bit.ly/2xFZqOV Saavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqi Spotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVi pocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewg castbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQi Overcast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnf Stitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhw audioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowS TuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4a RadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0 iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8R Deezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

59: TMS Specials: Paintings of the Himalayas with Medhavi Gandhi

35 min 52 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Medhavi Gandhi, the founder of Heritage Lab heritagelab.in, a unique media platform for citizens to interact with museums Todays destination: The Indian Himalayas in paintings by Nicholas Roerich Nearest Airport: NA Nearest Railway Station: NA Length of the itinerary: 58 years, 25,000 kms Itinerary Highlights: Medhavi takes us on the Himalayan expedition covered by Nicholas Roerich and his family in the early 20th century 1923 in search of the mythical kingdom of Shambala, that is believed to be home to the King who will bring peace and harmony to humanity. Roerichs expedition started from Sikkim through Punjab, Kashmir, Ladakh, the Karakoram Mountains, Khotan, Kashgar, Qara Shar, Urumchi, Irtysh, the Altai Mountains, the Oyrot region of Mongolia, the Central Gobi, Kansu, Tsaidam, and Tibet with a detour through Siberia to Moscow in 1926\. The journey was done on horses and mules, with minimal resources and it is during this expedition that Roerich painted more than 500 marvellous paintings of the himalayan landscapes, architecture and people. Roerich also uses very novel ways to paint, using crushed rocks minerals in his paintings to give them a unique finish. The expedition wasnt witout controversy Roerich was often accused of being on a spy mission and was also detained in Tibet for over 5 months in very harsh climatic conditions. After the expedition, Roerich settles down in Naggar, Kullu in Himachal Pradesh it is now converted into a house museum and run by the Naggar trust and still houses a lot of his important paintings. Other important paintings of Roerich can be found in the Nicholas Roerich Museum, New York. A huge collection of his paintings is also available in National Gallery of Modern Art, Allahabad Museum, International Roerich Trust, Naggar Himachal Pradesh, Government Museum and Art gallery, Chandigarh, Shri Jaganmohan palace, Mysore, Chitrakala parishad, Bangalore. Some of his paintings that were passed on to his son, have been the subject of a legal tussle for his estate that has gone of for the longest time, with paintings worth several lakhs reportedly stolen and sold abroad. Over his lifetime Roerich made over 7000 paintings, but his Himalayan paintings and the mystery of the expedition live one Some notable paintings from Roerichs Himalayan expedition detailed in Medhavis blog A view of Kanchenjunga from Sikkim Tashi view point A view of Kanchenjunga from Darjeeling Tiger hill Tashiding Monastery, Sikkim Bhumchu festival/Banners of the east Mt Kailash tibet Kinner Kailash HP, 28 colors of the ranges Lahual Himachal, Rohtang Pass Buddhist MOnks, Sissu waterfalls Ladakh shooting star in Changthang plateau Buddhist sculptures on boulders Zanskar range Maitreyi Buddha, near Mulbek monastery lamayaru Monastery, Leh Yuru Kabgyata festival, masked dance Lake sheshnag, Kashmir enroute amarnath yatra, Shivas serpent Naggar, Kullu Links: Link to Medhavis website: http://www.theheritagelab.in/http://www.theheritagelab.in/Link to the blog post: http://www.theheritagelab.in/himalayaspaintingsroerich/http://www.theheritagelab.in/himalayaspaintingsroerich/Twitter: medhavigandhi theheritagelabInstagram: theheritagelabFacebook: heritagelabImage Credit : The Heritage Lab, Painting at Nicholas Roerich Museum, New Yorkhttp://www.roerich.org/ Follow the Musafir stories on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/MusafirStoriesFacebookhttps://www.facebook.com/themusafirstoriesInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/website: www.themusafirstories.comhttps://themusafirstories.com email: themusafirstoriesgmail.com itunes https://apple.co/2LPtTA3 Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7lj or voice or google search Ok Google, play The Musafir stories podcast website http://bit.ly/2xFZqOV Saavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqi Spotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVi pocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewg castbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQi Overcast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnf Stitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhw audioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowS TuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4a RadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0 iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8R Deezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

60: A weekend in Mysuru with Subhadip Mukherjee

36 min 32 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Subhadip Mukherjee from the blog Indian Vagabondhttps://indianvagabond.comTodays destination: Mysore or MysuruNearest Airport: Mysore Airport MYQ Nearest Railway Station: Mysore Junction MYSPrerequisites Book early if you plan on traveling during the festive season of Dussehra usually around OctPacking Pack light, make sure to carry appropriate clothing as it tends to get hot during summersTime of the year NALength of the itinerary: 2 daysItinerary Highlights: Subhadip takes us on a speed date with the royal city of Mysore or Mysuru, the home of the Wodeyars We start the day by making an early sprint to the Mysore Zoo, one of the older zoos of India and is home to a variety of animals. Plastic bags are not allowed inside the premises, so plan accordingly. The Mysore Zoo used to be home to penguins in the 1980s Yep, its true After the zoo, we head towards the St. Philominas church, built in 1936\. Dont miss out the relics of St. Philomina inside the church premises. Next stop to the railway museum to get first hand expereince of the cabs and wagons of the Mysore railway network that dates back to the British era. Jaganmohan palace and art gallery is a treasure trove for the art lovers. Noteworthy are the paintings of the famous painter Ravi Varma in this art gallery. You can spend some time at the Karanji lake, enjoying the nature and a serene boat ride After savouring some art and nature, it is time to head to the Chamundi Hills that houses the famous Chamundeshwari temple and the statue of Mahishasura, from whom the city of Mysore gets its name. Do stop for some fine viewpoints of Lalith Mahal palace enroute the Chamundi hills. Our first evening is a great time to head to the Mysore Palace Amba Vilas palace, the iconic palace that symbolizes Mysore. Get a view of beautiful Indosarcenic architecture and interiors including arches, Darbareaam, Darbarekhaas and ofcourse the beautiful lighting during weekends and Dussehra. One can also shop for sandalwood artifacts and momentos as well as mysore silk sarees in the vicinity of the Palace. If you want to explore the palace further, you can also visit the 12 temples within the Palace complex. Lalith Mahal is another one of the popular palaces in Mysore which is now a heritage hotel, but be prepared to pay for luxury Another popular destination that one can spend an evening at is the Brindavan Gardens and KRS dam. The musical fountains and the variety of flowers and gardens are the mainstay of the garden. Make sure to catch a good spot to view the musical fountain show during the evenings. One can also enjoy a boat ride by the KRS dam, but this can be quite crowded during weekends. Other places of interest include Srirangapatna which deserves an itinerary of its own, Ranganthittu bird sanctuary, Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav sanghralaya, National museum of Natural history, Folklore museum, Kukkarahalli lake among others And last but not the least, do not forget to binge on some mouth watering Mysore Masala Dosa and Mysore Pak, the iconic dishes of MysoreLinks:Link to the blogposthttps://indianvagabond.com/2016/09/29/placestovisitinmysore/Link to the blog:https://indianvagabond.com/https://indianvagabond.com/Thanks to Ashim D’Silvahttps://unsplash.com/randomlies from Unsplashhttps://unsplash.com/ for this beautiful pictureFacebookhttps://www.facebook.com/subhadip.mukherjee.indiaTwitterhttps://twitter.com/subhadipindiaInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/subhadipindia/Follow the Musafir stories onTwitterhttps://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebookhttps://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/website: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comitunes https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7lj or voice or google search Ok Google, play The Musafir stories podcastwebsite http://bit.ly/2xFZqOVSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVipocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

64: Orchha with Dhiraj

39 min 7 sec

The Musafir Stories Podcast is a travel podcast discussing the length and breath of India This episode Dhiraj from TeamGSquare takes us with him to the mesmerizing Orchha in Madhya Pradesh.

66: Great Lakes of Kashmir with Karan & Parul

52 min 37 sec

In this episode:Kashmir lakes greatlakes trek mountains nature valleys friends northindia camping bonfire freshwater glacier snow nundkul gangbal krishnasar vishansar sonmarg srinagar satsar gadsar zajbalThis week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Karan and Parul, the couple on a break from work traveling around India and the worldTodays destination: Kashmir Great Lakes trekPS: Please be sure to check on the travel advisory before traveling to the region. Nearest Airport: Srinagar airport Nearest Railway Station: Udhampur railway station Prerequisites Some level of fitnessPacking Pack trekking shoes, sticks, ponchos, warm clothes and a day pack with necessary first aid, medication and snack Please note that the there is a support team to take care of transportation of luggage while trekking. Time of the year July to September is a good time to visit. Length of the itinerary: 89 daysItinerary Highlights: The group start of the trek from Srinagar to Naranag village, where they explore old temple ruins before starting of the trek. Day 1: First stop at Butshree pass, for refuelling The first day of trekking is quite steep and one of the more difficult days of the trek. The campsite is by the Nundkul lake below the glacier mountain Harmukh. You will encounter a couple of army camps/check posts during the trek, government IDs are required to be produced. A beautiful evening spent under the stars, playing Maafia and enjoying the views and making new bondsDay 2: Break day already The group spends time exploring nearby lakes like Gangbal, a daring dip in ice cold water of Gangbal and more MaafiaDay 3: Rain Gods show up The group sets off from Nundkul to Satsar Valley, passing the Zajbal pass enrolee Some majestic views of the lakes Nundkul and Gangabal from Zajbal pass. The group finally reaches Satsar Valley the valley of 7 lakes and enjoy a very special local cuisineDay 4: The destination for Day 4 is Gadsar valley lots of green meadows and a relatively easy day of trekking. The group decides to spend some time exploring lakes, watching the night sky and relaxing before heading off to Krishansar lake the next day. Day 5: Gadsar valley to the Krishansar and Vishansar camp with a brilliant views of the twin lakes from Gadsar Pass. Day 6: The group descends to the twin lakes of Krishansar and Vishansar, enjoy another dip in the lakes and more beautiful views of the night skyDay 7: The final day of the trek as the group descends to Sonamarg with a bittersweet feeling A week cut off from civilization, making bonds forging friendships and enjoying natures bounty, but at the same time, happy to be heading back to civilization Links:Link to the blogpost: http://grasskode.xyz/post/travel/kashmirgreatlakes/Link to the blog: http://grasskode.xyzIG: grasskode capturedbypaulinaFollow the Musafir stories onTwitter: musafirstoriesFacebook: themusafirstories Instagram: musafirstoriespodcastwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comitunes https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7lj or voice or google search Ok Google, play The Musafir stories podcastwebsite http://bit.ly/2xFZqOV Saavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVipocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0 iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

70: Manipur with Elita

57 min 24 sec

In this episode:manipur northeast offbeat solotravel markets food history war bordertowns nature lakes nationalparks warmemorial ina moreh loktak imakeithel Contest AlertWere giving away a copy of Rajat Ubhaykars book Truck De India, a hitchhikers guide to Hindustan, to one lucky listenerAll you have to do is listen to Rajats episode Around India on trucks https://audioboom.com/posts/7258364tmsspecialsaroundindiaontrucksandhighwayswithrajatubhaykar and answer two simple questions and send them to our email themusafirstoriesgmail.com before Nov 10, 2019.1. From which city did Rajat start his first leg of travel on trucks2. Name any one driver with whom Rajat hitches a ride, who finds mention in the episode.IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIWinners of GetFeatured on The Musafir Stories Tarun SangeethaCongrats We will reach out to you on very soon to schedule a recording sessionIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIThis week, The Musafir Stories speaks to the Nomadic Thunker, Elita, as she takes us to a lesser explore gem of North East India, ManipurTodays destination: ManipurNearest Airport: Bir Tikendrajit International Airport IMFNearest Railway Station: Dimapur Railway StationPrerequisites Government issued Photo ID will be required at checkposts. Please be sure to check the ground situation before planning your travel as there might be closures.Packing Pack some warm clothes if youre traveling during the winter months.Time of the year JanuaryLength of the itinerary: 4 daysItinerary Highlights: Elita covers Manipur as a part of her 49 day North east itinerary. Please be sure to check the ground situation before planning your travel. Elita starts off her journey from Imphal where she flies into. It can be quite economical to hail a shared taxi from the airport to the city. The first point of interest after settling down in Imphal is the Ima Keithel Womens Market, one of the biggest womenrun market in the world The market is a must see while in Imphal and is a great opportunity to pick up some local souvenirs. Having spent some time interacting with women traders and getting a first hand experience of their warmth and hospitality, Elita heads back to the rest for the day. The plan for Day 2 is to travel to the border town of Moreh, which borders Myanmars Tamu. The town is the eastern most frontier of India, opening up to the South East Asian market. The journey involved taking a shared taxi to Moreh, and some interesting experiences passing through army checkposts. The market is a minor trading hub for nearby villages and a lot of traders sell their produce here. One can walk about to the sister town of Tamu in Myanmar with the necessary ID documents. Elita spends some time interacting with the local traders and buying some edibles. Once spending some time here, Elita heads back to Imphal in the same shared cab. The Day 3 itinerary is planned for a visit to the Loktak lake, the largest freshwater lake in Northeast India and is famous for the phumdis/vegetation floating over it. The lake is located at Moirang in Manipur state, India. The lake is also the location of the Keibul Lamjao National Park, famous for the Sangai deer or the brown antlered deer, found here in large numbers. After spending some time watching the natural marvel of the Loktak lake, Elita heads to the INA martyr memorial. The INA Martyrs Memorial complex is a war memorial at Moirang, India, dedicated to the soldiers of the Indian National Army and some haunting stories of the freedom struggle and World War 2. Day 4 was a reserve day which Elita uses to check out the war memorial in Imphal. Travleres can also check out the Kangla fort/palace, Thalon Caves, Govindajee temple, RKCS art gallery if they have time on handLinks:Link to the blogposthttps://nomadicthunker.com/2017/04/microstoriesofhopemanipurloktakkhwairambandbazar.htmlhttps://nomadicthunker.com/2017/04/indomyanmarborderphotosfriendshipgate.htmlhttps://nomadicthunker.com/2017/04/khwairambandbazarimphalwomenmarketmanipur.htmlLink to the blog: Nomadic Thunker https://nomadicthunker.comLink to BeYouForYou expressive writing workshopshttps://nomadicthunker.com/beyouforyouSocial media: Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nomadicthunker/hlenContact: https://nomadicthunker.com/contactImage Credit: Thank you Grasskode http://grasskode.xyz/Follow the Musafir stories onTwitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comitunes https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7ljwebsite http://bit.ly/2xFZqOVSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVipocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

74: TMS Specials : Safari with Suyash

42 min 31 sec

In this episode:Bandhavgarh safari nationalpark jungle forest tiger documentary filmmaker conservation stories solo rajbheraThis week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Suyash Keshari a young wildlife filmmaker and presenter as he takes us on a safari to Bandhavgarh, the tiger capital of IndiaTodays destination: Bandhavgarh, Madhya PradeshNearest Airport: Jabalpur airport, JLRNearest Railway Station: UmariaPrerequisites Make reservations ahead of timePacking Pack clothes according to weather, sunglasses, sunscreen, bug repellant, poncho, cameraTime of the year October to MarchLength of the itinerary: 23 daysItinerary Highlights: Suyash talks about his interest in wildlife and how he took the bold decision to take the plunge and follow his passion He also discusses how the series Safari with Suyash came about after a partnership with WWF World Wildlife Fund Suyash talks about Bandhavgarh and the protagonist of his series Solo, the daughter of the famous tigress Rajbhera, who was featured in the BBC documentary, Dynasties. The youtube series Safari with Suyash focuses on Solo and her cubs and how they represent the future of this magnificent species. Make sure to watch the season 1 which is out on youtube now. Season 2 airs later in 2020.Links:Safari with Suyash Season 1https://www.youtube.com/playlistlistPLe2nGhEGXFVslobIwOGgQjqPbzgaMAVTnEp1: https://youtu.be/ia4SRQcM7cgEp2: https://youtu.be/z6qgAzCyWc4Ep3: https://youtu.be/FwyK52Fih0kEp4: https://youtu.be/DGFefW9rST8Ep5: coming soonLink to the Suyashs blog: https://suyashkeshari.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/suyash.keshariTwitter: https://twitter.com/suyashkeshari96IG: https://www.instagram.com/suyashkeshari/Follow The Musafir Stories onTwitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comitunes https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7ljwebsite http://bit.ly/2xFZqOVSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSViGaana http://bit.ly/2NClUYYpocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

76: Rebroadcast: Explore Spiti with the desi Traveler

50 min 47 sec

In this episode:Spiti Himachal HimachalPradesh valley offbeat desert kaza market buddhist monastery prayerflags lakes chandrataal himalayas roadtrip clouds dhankar ki meditation ecotourismThis week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Prasad NP, also known as the desi Traveler. Prasad shares his story about the time he spent traveling the Spiti Valley, Dhankar lake, Chandratal Lake and the beautiful Monasteries around. So sit back and enjoy listeningTodays destination: Spiti Kaza, Chandratal Lake, Ki Monastery, Dhankar Lake in Himachal PradeshNearest airport: Manali or via Shimla Nearest Railway Station: Shimla railway station Joginder Nagar railway station Direct buses are available from Chandigarh, Shimla, Kullu, Manali etcPacking Sunglasses, sunscreen, hats/umbrella, warm clothes, a good pair of shoes, medicines for AMSTime of the year June to SeptemberLength of the itinerary: 710 daysItinerary Highlights:Spend a day in Manali to acclimatize yourself to the higher altitudes Start from Manali to Kaza its about 1214 hours by road. It is advisable to hire a cab/guide from Manali for your entire trip.Kaza can serve as the base lodging in the Himachal tourism hotel visit the Kaza monastery and kaza market. Enjoy the beautiful star trails at night from the rooftop of the hotel. Savour on some flavorful spitian food that is also influenced by tibetan cuisineMake a short stop to Ki Monastery, Enjoy the blue skies and cotton candy clouds, meet with the monks and get a beautiful view of the kaza city from the rooftop. Enjoy the awesome Himalayan tea offered from the Ki monasterys kitchen. If you are lucky, you could get a chance to interact with the monks help them with plucking sweet peas from the farm. Make a visit to the Dhankar monastery which is about 2 hours from Kaza, getting some beautiful shots along the way. Trek to the Dhankar lake, which is about an hours hike from the monastery. Be sure to have a good pair of walking shoes on, some sunscreen to ward off the sun, and keep hydrated Drive to the Langza Village, stay with the locals, enjoy interactions with the locals, partake in their daily chores like farming and weaving. Camp close to the Chandratal lake the crescent shaped perennial lake that is also one of the source of the Chandra/Chenab River. Trek to the Chandratal lake early in the morning to enjoy the fabulous view of the lake with golden peaks in the backdrop as the sun ascends.Make a stop at the amazing Kunzum pass. Capture the pictures of the snow clad peaks, gompas and fluttering colourful prayer flags. Head back to Manali. Last but not the least, listen to some funny stories and useful advise on how to travel responsiblyLinks: desitraveler.com/Links to the blog posts: desitraveler.com/dhankarlaketrekspiti/ desitraveler.com/travelkunzumpasskunzumla/More about the Guest: desitraveler.com/traveltipsblog…diaphotography/twitter: desiTraveler facebook: facebook.com/thedesitravelerOfficial instagram: www.instagram.com/desitraveler/Follow The Musafir Stories onTwitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comitunes https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7ljwebsite http://bit.ly/2xFZqOVSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVipocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiGaana http://bit.ly/2NClUYYOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

80: The Power Plant Trail with Girish

49 min 35 sec

In this episode:energy clean renewable wind solar India sustainable technology cleantech kanyakumari Kochi Shivanasamudra tumkur bangalore mumbai mahabaleshwar delhi kutch cuttack This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Girish Shivakumar, a cleantech evangelist who takes us on a trail of power plants in IndiaTodays destination: Around the power plants of India Nearest Airport: n/aNearest Railway Station: n/aPrerequisites Some plants might require permission before visiting, please reach out to the authorities as applicable. Packing Pack according to the weather and time of the year. Time of the year n/aLength of the itinerary: n/aItinerary Highlights: Girish sets out right from the windmill farms of Kanyakumari that he visited as a youngster and reminisces how this arouse his curiosity. Other important plants in Tamil Nadu include the Neyveli thermal plant. Kerala has been a pioneer in the move towards renewable sources of energy, with the Kochi airport being the first in the world to be run fully by solar energy. Additional plants like floating solar plants and a move towards electric vehicles is also high on the priority for the government. Karnataka has important power plants like Shivanasamudra Hydel, Pavgada solar as well as initiatives like the solar panels for Chinnaswamy stadium. Moving on to Maharashtra, it is important to note that smaller factories like Mapro of Mahabaleshwar are run by solar energy. Additionally, Mumbai metro has solar panels in almost 30 of its stations. Gujarat, being one of the first states with power surplus, has the famous Charanka solar power plant. Kutch is also a place where there are a lot of wind mills, but is also gearing up for offshore wind projects in the sea. Baruch has a gas power plant which is also prominent. Rajasthan is next on the radar, where Girish enjoyed visiting some local points of interest like Mehrangarh fort and other places in Jodhpur. The eastern part of India are also slowly catching up with Cuttack and Bhubaneshwar in Odisha having some important captive power plants. Finally the capital has made some important strides with a lot of the Delhi metro stations being run by solar power. Parts of UP have had good success with micro grids. Plants to look out for in the future include solar projects in Ladakh and Lakshadweep, Andaman Nicobar islands. Links:Link to the website: https://girishshivakumar.comGirishs Podcast Mission Shunya : https://audioboom.com/channel/missionshunyaMission Shunya on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/missionshunya/id1460138702Or search for Mission Shunya on any of your favorite Podcast App.Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MissionShunya/Twitter: https://twitter.com/missionshunyaIG: https://www.instagram.com/missionshunya/Follow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comApple podcasts https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7lj website http://bit.ly/2xFZqOV Saavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSViGaana http://bit.ly/2NClUYYpocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0 iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

Ep. 108: Puri with Ayush Kumar

55 min 31 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Ayush Kumar as he takes us to the holy town of PuriTodays destination: Puri, OdishaNearest Airport: Biju Patnaik International Airport BBINearest Railway Station: Puri Railway station PURIPrerequisites NA Packing Pack according to the weather, dress code might apply at certain places Time of the year November January Length of the itinerary: 35 days Itinerary Highlights: Ayush shares his experience visiting the holy town of Puri, situated in the state of OdishaWe discuss the origins and history of the most prominent place in Puri, the Jagannath Temple, and its connection to King Indradyumna. The temple is believed to have been rebuilt in the 10th century AD by the Ganga Dynasty. The deities of the temple include Lord Jagannath, and his siblings Subhadra and Balabhadra.The unique feature of the deities is that they are all made of neem wood, unlike other deities found in prominent temples. Ayush explains the key features of the Jagannath Temple, the connection to the Odissi art forms, and the temple kitchen which is believed to be the biggest in the world. The temple kitchen is believed to have over 500 chefs and serves Chappan Bhog or 56 types of meals every day. We also discuss in detail about the iconic Rath Yatra of the temple. The Yatra happens over a period of 1012 days and is attended by lakhs of devotees The Rath Yatra starts from the Puri temple and chariots of the 3 deities, Jagannath, Subhadra and Balabhadra travel to the Gundicha Temple situated 3 kms away. There are several other rituals and ceremonies carried out prior to the yatra, including creating new chariots, bathing of the deities, quarantine for 14 days and many other interesting titbits. We also discuss some very interesting mysteries around the temple as well as the important ceremony of Nabakalebara, or replacing the deities with new idols. We cap off the conversation by including other places of interest, including the Puri beach, sand art by Sudarshan Patnaik, important Matthas in the vicinity, Chilika Lake, the artisan village of Raghurajpur among others. Links:Episode 81 exploring on Bhubaneshwar: https://themusafirstories.com/podcasts/explorebhubaneswarwithayush/Link to Ayushs social media:Instagram: soul.traveller.kumar https://www.instagram.com/soul.traveller.kumar/Follow the Musafir stories on:Twitter: https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comYou can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/

Ep. 109: Chikhaldara with Jasod Motwani

40 min 48 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Jasod Motwani as he takes us to the hill station of Chikhaldara in Maharashtra Todays destination: Chikhaldara, MaharashtraNearest Airport: Shioni airport, AKDNearest Railway Station: Badnera Jn, BDPrerequisites NAPacking Pack according to the weather, dont forget your rain gear during the monsoonsTime of the year June to SeptemberLength of the itinerary: 2 7 daysItinerary Highlights: Jasod starts off by discussing the geographical location of Chikhaldara and its USP as the only hill station in Vidarbha region in Maharashtra as well as the only place in Maharashtra with coffee plantations. The name Chikhaldara is a corruption of Keechaka Daara, which translates to the valley of Keechaka an evil chieftain who was killed by the strongest of the Pandavas, Bhima, for harassing DraupadiThe region was discovered by Captain Robinson of the Hyderabad regiment in 1823, who was mesmerized by the beauty of the region. The first point of interest is the Melghat Tiger reserve, one of the first tiger reserves of Maharashtra, and is home to over 80 tigers and covers about 1600 square kilometers. The tiger reserve offers a variety of safaris and other sighting and adventure activities along with some good stay optionsAfter wildlife, the next important point of interest on the itinerary are the forts of Gwalighar and Narnala forts. Gwalighar fort is named after the gawlis or shepherds of the region, it was first constructed by Ahmed Shah Wali in the 15th century. It has since been ruled by the Marathas and the British and has also been the scene of several key battles between the Marathas and the British. Shahnoor or Narnala fort was built by the Gond dynasty in the 10th century AD, but was later on ruled by Mughals and Rao Rana Narnal Singh after whom it is named. Look out for the wonderful fort gate as well as the huge cannon in the fort premisesOther attractions in the region include Saakhar lake and Devi point which is of religious significance. Other lakes include Bir lake as well as Kaala pani lake. Also an important feature of the region are the view points, the famous among them being the Hurricane point, Mojiri point and Panchbol an echo point. Important waterfalls in the region include Bhimkund, where Bhima is believed to have killed Keechaka, which we referred to earlier in the episode. Other important waterfalls include Bakadari and kalalkund waterfalls, which also offer some great trekking opportunities. Finally, Muktagiri is a complex of about 52 jain temples that is also a religiously significant place that has a lot of devotees visiting around the year and is situated about 50kms from Chikhaldara. Links:IG: https://www.instagram.com/jasodm/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jasod.motwani Follow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comYou can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/

Ep. 110: Headhunters of Nagaland with Ila Reddy

49 min 18 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Ila Reddy, as she takes us on a trip to the land of the Headhunters, NagalandGIVEAWAY ALERT: https://forms.gle/QTLBNgZEy26CEzFQ9Answer 3 simple questions and stand a chance to win a copy of the book “The Konyaks: Last of the tattooed Headhunters”Todays destination: NagalandNearest Airport: Dimapur Airport, DMUNearest Railway Station: Dimapur Railway Station, DMVPrerequisites Inner line permit is required. Can be applied at https://ilp.nagaland.gov.in/Packing Pack according to the weather. Time of the year First week of AprilLength of the itinerary: 6 daysItinerary Highlights: Ila talks about the planning for this trip and more about her larger itinerary that included Kaziranga National Park, Majuli island and finishing off at Mon district in Nagaland to celebrate the Aoleng festival of the konyaks. We discuss more about the Konyaks and their unique tradition and culture including the tradition of body tattoos, large ear piercings and headhunting. The headhunting tradition, where warring factions would kill and carry the heads of opponents as it was believed to bring good luck, prosperity and fertility to the village. The practice started to decline after Christianity was brought to the area by the British, and stopped in the 1970’s. The Konyaks are one of the biggest of the tribes of Nagaland and are mostly situated in the Mon district of Nagaland. The last surviving headhunters of Nagaland are in their 80s and 90s. The group planned to spend time interacting with the Konyaks during their Aoling festival that is celebrated before the harvest season to welcome spring and the new year. The festival is celebrated in the first week of April. The weeklong festival includes music, dancing, feasting, sacrifices and traditional rituals. The preparation includes new clothes, food, rice beer, dressing up with the traditional clothes and headgear. Ila and the group spend time across three different villages participating in the celebrations. The trip starts off at the Shiyong, spending time at the tea estate of Phejin Konyak, a great granddaughter of a popular headhunter and author of “The Konyaks: Last of the tattooed headhunters”, among the views and the welcoming locals. After Shiong, the group spent time at Hongphoi Wanchin two smaller villages. Most of the octogenarian headhunters were in Hongphoi. The celebrations were more intimate and on a smaller scale. Ila also has the opportunity to engage in playing the traditional log drums during the festival. The next stop was at Longwa, which is at the IndoBurmese borders. The celebration appears to be a bit more aggressive with gun totting Nagas who set off celebratory fire shots. The village was also unique given it was bordering Myanmar, giving access to some local delicacies. The Anghs or the chieftain’s house is half in India and half in Myanmar, and the locals are free to move about to the neighbouring village to visit relatives. Ila also spends some time visiting the local gunsmiths and craftsmen, who are popular for wooden products. We also discuss the effect of opium addiction as a part of the Naga lifestyle. We wrap up by discussing the Naga kitchen and its importance as being the centre of the Naga household where the family members spend most time in. The delicacies include nonvegetarian and vegetarian dishes along with the local rice beer. Links:Ila’s blog: https://ilareddy.comLink to blogpost: https://ilareddy.com/2018/05/05/celebratingaoleangwiththetattooedheadhuntersofnagaland/IG: https://www.instagram.com/ilareddy/Twitter: https://twitter.com/ilareddyLink to the book The Konyaks: Last of the tattooed Headhunters: https://www.amazon.in/KonyaksLastTattooedHeadhunters/dp/9351941124/refsr11dchild1qid1627938608refinementsp273APhejinKonyaksbookssr11Follow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comYou can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/

20: Trek to Shrikhand Mahadev with Vijay Sharma

48 min 10 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to the founder of Travelling Camera Vijay Sharma, a technology professional based in Noida who also has a keen interest in photography. With more than 9 million page views till date, TravellingCamera and VJ Sharma are well known in the Indian Blogging space.Join us as Vijay takes us with him to one of his most epic treks till date The Shrikhand Mahadev trek.Todays destination: Shrikhand Mahadev Trek, Kullu, Himachal Pradesh Nearest Airport: Bhuntar Airport, KulluNearest Railway Station : ShimlaNearest Town : Nirmand VillagePrerequisities trekking stick, water bottle, trekking gear, rain suit and not to forget a cap/hat and sunscreen to save you from sun burnsPacking Light weighted warm clothes, energy bars, Energy drinks, Oral Rehydration Salts, dry fruits and a camera Time of the year July to AugustLength of the itinerary: 7 DaysTrek Level Difficult, it is a necessity to be in good physical and mental shape. Itinerary Highlights: Shrikhand Mahadev is situated at an height of 18,700 ft. above sea level in the Great Himalayan National Park of Himachal Pradesh, India Make sure to carry a light weighted water bottle and a lot of energy bars, Energy drinks, Oral Rehydration Salts, dry fruits. The trek starts from Jaon village in Nirmand region of Kullu district in Himachal Pradesh, porters can be arranged from this location. Make sure to purchase trekking gear, shoes/boots, caps before hand or at Shimla nearest Beautiful Apple Orchards can be found in Jaon Village and Singh Ghat Beautiful view of mountains and clouds can be seen from Valley of Flowers After crossing Thachru Village, most of the hills are at an angle of 75 degree steep First view of the Shrikhand Mahadev can be seen from Kaali Ghati during morning hours Bheem Dwari has a number of beautiful waterfalls from hills covered in snow After crossing Parvati Bag, a number of Rock hills start with clouds at ground level, giving you a view that can be seen from an aeroplane This Cloud Store can be seen from Bheem Paudi At the end of the trek you can see a mammoth Rockmade Shivalingam on the mountain. The Shivalingam is 72 Feet hight and stands still on a mountain top above 18000 feet altitude. Checkout Vijay Sharmas interesting post about this trek at https://phototravelings.blogspot.in/2008/07/shrikhandmahadev25th30thjuly2008.htmlVijays Blog : www.travellingcamera.comMore can be read about Vijay Sharma and his team at https://phototravelings.blogspot.in/p/team.htmltrek adventure HimachalPradesh camping snow pilgrimage pilgrims religion Shiva Shivling Shimla Shivalingam Hills mountain cloud Shrikhand Mahadev ShrikhandMahadev VJSharma TravellingCamera TheMusafirStories

28: Roadtrip to Ratnagiri with Sarmistha Ghosh

43 min 3 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Sarmistha Ghosh, from the blog Footloosein.me. Sarmistha is based in Pune and has extensively covered the state of Maharashtra as well as other Indian destiantions. In Sarmisthas own words “You can always make money, but you can’t always make memories”. She wants to make the world her home and does not want to be confined to one place. Todays destination: Ratnagiri district, Maharashtra Nearest Airport: Ratnagiri airport Nearest Railway Station: Ratnagiri Prerequisities n/a Packing Pack light for a roadtrip. Make sure to carry enough sunscreen and shades. And save plenty of rooom in your car for MANGOES Time of the year Summer time for the mangoes, winters for the views Length of the itinerary: One week Itinerary Highlights: Sarmistha starts off on her roadtrip from Pune, the first stop being Harihareshwar for the beach views Below are the trip highlights: Harihareshwar part of Raigad district Beautiful views of the casuarina lined beach Two temples Kalabhairav and Lord Shiva Shriwardhan beach nearby is also popular for a variety of activities MTDC resorts and hotels are conveniently located Anjarle Another popular place for beaches with great views of the shoreline The beach leads to the estuary of the river Jog, that is complimented by each side with mangrove forests. The Alphonso mangoes, also revered as the King of all fruits are found in abundance Cashew nut and mango trees line either side of the river Jog Kadyawarcha ganapati temple is another popular attraction Harnai This harbor town is famous for the fish market Kanakadurga fort is a prominent attraction here. It was built to connect to the Suvarnadurga fort, another sea fort. There is a beautiful lighthouse here that you can visit. Suvarnadurga fort is on a hilly island and youll have to take a ferry ride to get there Visit the fish market to get a see fresh catch being auctioned by fishermen Karde More beach views, this time a rocky beach which offers water sports. Great views of the moonlit beach from Sarmisthas accommodation. Dolphin rides available from the beach. Sample the tasty local cuisine like Kombdi vade vada/puri with chicken is another speciality ‘Solkadhi’ a digestive drink made of coconut milk and kokum. Modhak or a special kind of sweet that resembles dumplings, only much more savory Guhagar The Anjanvel fort or the Gopalgad Fort along with the lighthouse are places not to be missed Experience home made konkani food with the likes of ‘gharghuti jewan’ homemade meal, Gavran komdi country chicken and sea food like prawns, crabs, pomphret and other varieties of fish. Tolekeshwar temple, Dashabhuja Ganesh Temple and Velneshwar Temple are prominent temples of this region. Take the Tavsal ferry to get you across to the Jaigad creek and the Jaigad fort. Ganpatipule Famous for the temple of Ganapati that is located on the beach Adevade beach.There is a Mushakraj idol at the entrance of the temple mouse gaurding the temple A number of leisure activities are on offer at the beach. Lodging close to the Arevare beach with some beautiful views Ratnagiri Make sure to have a pitstop at Ratnagiri city a port city within the Ratnagiri district. Famous for the Ratnadurg/Bhagwati fort and the lighthouse There are a number of mangrove forests and coconut trees all along the route to the fort. Thibaw palace, King Thibaw deported from Burma in 1885 is also located here.Links:Link to Sarmisthas blog: https://footloosein.me/about/destinations/ratnagiri/ Twitter: footlooseinme facebook: footlooseinme Follow the Musafir stories on Twitter: musafirstories Facebook: themusafirstories Instagram: musafirstoriespodcast website: www.themusafirstories.com email: themusafirstoriesgmail.com

30: Kinnaur with Divyakshi Gupta

49 min 48 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Divyakshi Gupta, the Quirky wanderer Todays destination: Roadtrip to Kinnaur district, Himachal Pradesh.Kinnaur is one of twelve administrative districts in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, India. The district is divided into three administrative areas – Pooh, Kalpa, and NicharBhabanagar– and has five tehsils counties. The administrative headquarters of Kinnaur district is at Reckong Peo. Nearest Airport: Jubbar Hatti, 244km Nearest Railway Station: Shimla railway stationPrerequisities N/A Packing Pack warm clothes as the winters tend to be colder in the mountainsAlso recommended to carry medicines for altitude related illness. Time of the year September The apple picking seasonLength of the itinerary: 2 weeksItinerary Highlights: This trip was headed by Doreen, who is a seasoned traveler and expert tour leader.You can reach out to Divyakshi for more details about Doreens tour groups. The trip is kicked off at Chandigarh from where Divyakshi and her group head out in 3 vehicles.First stop is at Fagu, which is a quaint village ahead of Shimla. Fagu serves as a pitstop for the overnight stay. Lodging at the HP tourism hotel Appleblossom. http://hptdc.in/index.php/theappleblossomfagu/ Head off from Fagu the next morning with short stops at Rampur, one of the bigger towns and centers of commerce in the area. Carry on towards Sarahan to retire for the day.Sarahan is a small village on the way to Kinnaur and offers beautiful views of the Shrikhand Mahadev mountains. Lodging at The Shrikhand http://hptdc.in/index.php/thesrikhandsarahan/ which has amazing views of the mountainsMake a visit to the much revered Bhima Kali temple and be wowed by the architecture This also offers great view of a valley of flowers not the Uttarakhand one on the way to the templeDivyakshi also gets a chance to visit bird pheasentry, that preserves some rare species of birds. Finally enter Kinnaur on NH22, yep the infamous National Highway 22 Welcome to Kinnaur Make sure to take the blessings of Taaranda devi while entering the stretch Enjoy the lovely views of the valleys, mountains and the Baspa and Sutlej riversFirst stop at Sangla, stay at the lovely luxury experience at Kinner camps http://www.kinnercamps.com/, surrounded by Deodhar trees and a minute away from the river banks The place is run by the lovely host, Mr. Dalip Negi Must NOT miss Make a visit to the Badrinarayan temple in Batseri, and enjoy the lovely architecture. If you are there in early September, do not miss the celebrations of the Phulaich festival, an annual celebration of the Kinnauris.Batseri village is a small walk from Kinner camps where you can go visit apple orchardsA day trip to Chitkul village th last village on the IndoTibetan highway after which the China border starts Enjoy time out on the banks of river Baspa, buckwheat fields, berries and moreAlso visit the Kamru fort, an old fort that was used by the erstwhile rulers of Himahchal and has a beautiful Kamkya devi temple as wellLeave Sangla to go to Kalpa, the next pitstop of the journey. Lodging at the Grand shambala http://thegrandshambala.com/, enjoy the hospitality by the host Mr. Prithvi NegiLocal trips include a visit to the makers of kinnauri shawls, juice factory, authentic kinnauri jewellery, the Suicide pointEnjoy apple picking sessions, yoga facing the mountains, the library where the only sound is of nature, and a hip cafe at the Grand Shambala Links:Link to Divyakshis blog: http://www.quirkywanderer.com/Links to the blog post: http://www.quirkywanderer.com/2017/09/01/themagicofkinnaur/http://www.quirkywanderer.com/2017/06/27/kinnercampsandthebeautyofsangla/http://www.quirkywanderer.com/2017/02/18/exploringkalpagrandshambala/http://www.quirkywanderer.com/2016/10/31/nh22oneofthedeadliestroadsintheworld/http://www.quirkywanderer.com/2016/10/22/awalkinbatserivillagesangla/http://www.quirkywanderer.com/2016/10/14/spottingomoverthekinnerkailashmountainrange/Follow the Quirky wanderer on Twitter: DivsiguptaFacebook: thequirkywanderer Instagram: divsigupta website: www.quirkywanderer.comFollow the Musafir stories on Twitter: musafirstoriesFacebook: themusafirstories Instagram: musafirstoriespodcast website: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.com

31: Srinagar with Renuka Walter

37 min 22 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Renuka Walter from the blog Voyager for Life Renuka is one of the top solo women travelers from India and has worked with a number of brands and campaigns. Sit back and enjoy as Renuka takes us on her solo trip to Srinagar, KashmirTodays destination: Srinagar, JKNearest Airport: Srinagar International airportNearest Railway Station: Srinagar Railway stationPrerequisities n/a for Indian citizens, but make sure to carry ID proof to show at checkpostsPacking Carry warm layers as the weather tends to be unpredictable.Time of the year June, summers are quite enjoyable but winters offers different highlights.Length of the itinerary: 13 days of slow travelItinerary Highlights:Renuka kicks off her journey with a visit to the iconic Dal lake and enjoying shikara rides. Dal lake is a vast lake spread over 15kms in the vicinity of mountains and gardens Relive the memorable songs shot here right from Kashmir ki kali and Mission Kashmir to Jab tak hai Jaan and FitoorDid you know, you could shop for all kinds of things while on a shikaraEnjoy a night in the houseboat, enjoy the serene views and unique experience spending a night in the middle of Dal lakeVisit the nearby gardens Pari mahal, a seven storeyed terrace garden that gives great view of the city.Visit the mughal gardens Nishat Bagh, Shalimar Gardens ChashmeShahi that add in making Kashmir valley a heaven on earth.You can also plan a visit to Asias largest Tulip gardens, spread over 15 hectares the tulips are in full bloom in March April.Enjoy other offbeat experiences like visiting cherry farms, apple farms and indulge in fruit picking activities.Plan a city walk in the old city to view some brilliant architecture and the traditional marketplace with a variety of shops and bakerys.Enjoy the traditional Kashmiri cuisine like Kashmiri wazwan as well as the more cafe oriented plum cakes and varieties of tea and kahwahDont miss taking a walk down the boulevard road and enjoy the beautifully designed houses and villas.Links:Link to Renukas blog: https://www.renukavoyagerforlife.com/Links to related blog posts:https://www.renukavoyagerforlife.com/2017/11/themajesticmountainsofhimalayasawaityouinsrinagar.htmlhttps://www.renukavoyagerforlife.com/2015/07/myoldcityphotowalkinsrinagar.htmlhttps://www.renukavoyagerforlife.com/2015/07/itseasytofallinlovewithsrinagar.htmlhttps://www.renukavoyagerforlife.com/2015/07/wheretostayinsrinagar.htmlLink to social media handles:FB: renukatravelbuffTwitter: renukawalterInstagram: voyagerforlifeFollow the Musafir stories onTwitter: musafirstoriesFacebook: themusafirstoriesInstagram: musafirstoriespodcastwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.com

34: Majuli River Island with Saakshi

37 min 37 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Saakshi, from the blog My Travel Recitals. Sit back and enjoy as Saakshi takes us to an offbeat island that is a unique marvel of nature Todays destination: Majuli River island, Assam the biggest river island in the world, it is a tranquil piece of land located in the Brahmaputra river in the south and the Kherkutia Xuti is joined by the Subansiri River in the northNearest Airport: JorhatNearest Railway Station: JorhatPrerequisities n/aPacking Nothing specialTime of the year JanuaryLength of the itinerary: 2 daysItinerary Highlights:Saakshi headed off to Majuli as a part of a blogger group that toured the island with Koyeli travels.One needs to head to Jorhat, the biggest city from where one can head off to Majuli on a boat or ferryEnjoy the expansive views of the Brahmaputra river as you head off from the Nemati ghat towards Majuli in just over an hour. Make sure you catch a spot on the top floor of the ferry to enjoy the awesome photo ops along the wayThe views of the Brahmaputra slowly give way to tranquil islands, pure with lush green farms and thatched roof houses that takes you back in time.The first stop on the itinerary is the Dakhin Pat Satra. A Satra is essentially a Hindu monastery whose origin dates to around 500 years when a Hindu saint Sri Sankardev settled in Majuli and preached a form of Neo Vaishnavism.Although the satra has a lot of similarities with its Buddhist counterpart in terms of the monks and the hierarchy, they are nothing close in terms of the architecture which is influenced primarily by Assamese culture.The next pit stop is the Samaguri Satra or the mask making Satra an art form that is unique and popular in this region. Saakshi also has a chance to interact with Mr. Goswami, one of the drivers of the mask making culture who also happens to be a descendant of SankardevLater in the day, Saakshi has a chance to experience the bhaona performances to enact Ramayana and other epics making use of the lovely masks prepared in the Satra.Saakshis satra trail is completed with a visit to the Kamalabari Satra which is popular for the Krishna bhakti bhaona performance by young monks of the Satra. All the dance moves and postures are connected to the maati ground and are performed in front of the Bhagvad Gita, the holy book.Saakshi and the group retired for the day at the Dekasang Resort, a model resort based on the traditional Mishing tribe house.The resort is on the banks of the Luit river and one has the opportunity for birding as well as a canoe rideSaakshi then visits a traditional Mishing family, the prominent tribe in Majuli and has a chance to interact with the locals and experience first hand culture and architecture of their homesCap off this wonderful trip by sampling the traditional rice or Porag aapin and the aromatic Mishing rice beer called ApongLinks:Links to Saakshis blog: https://saakshirajat.com/Link to the blog post: https://saakshirajat.com/2018/04/04/majuliislandoffbeatexperience/Link to the accomodation in Majuli: https://www.facebook.com/DekaSangMajuli464374083739543/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mytravelrecitals/twitter: mytravelrecitalinstagram: mytravelrecitalsFollow The Musafir stories onTwitter: musafirstoriesFacebook: themusafirstoriesInstagram: musafirstoriespodcastwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comitunes https://goo.gl/peC2JvSaavn https://goo.gl/6qp2mFpocketcasts https://goo.gl/rGipJbcastbox https://goo.gl/spUCdYaudioBoom http://bit.ly/2oZZowSOvercast https://goo.gl/fM9SomStitcher Radio https://goo.gl/ihL4GrTuneIn http://tun.in/pilOIRadioPublic https://goo.gl/Dy2VPv

37: TMS Specials - Road Trippers Club with Vineet & Deepak

38 min 37 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Vineet and Deepak, the duo behind the sparkling new initiative called Road Trippers Club A road travel club for road trip enthusiasts, beginners and those who love hitting the roads on four wheels Camaraderie on four wheels KeepTheRhythmAlivePrerequisites 4 wheels Just sign up on www.roadtrippersclub.comhttp://www.roadtrippersclub.com/ and you are good to goPacking Specifics vary depending upon the trip. Once you have signed up and join a microgroup, the Team captain will breif everyone about the preparation and packing list.Time of the year N/ALength of the itinerary: Depending on the drive, the trips vary from one day trips, to weekend drives to longer drives The Mumbai chapter of RTC has done brunch runs, city drives, drives to Dapoli, Indore, Anjarle beach for the olive ridley turtle festival and many more shapes and sizesEpisode Highlights: Vineet and Deepak share some nuggets about their history biking together, their first venture scoutmytrip.comhttps://scoutmytrip.com/ and set the context about how The Roadtrippers club came into being. Procedure to sign up with RTC Just log on to their website, www.roadtrippersclub.comhttp://www.roadtrippersclub.com/, set up an account and sign up for a ride No, theres nothing more to it Next steps after signing up for the drive involve following instructions of the team captain in terms of preparation, packing, costing, activities and more. The end to end planning, as well as booking of lodging, activities, treks and other fun stuff is done well before the ride. All you need to be a part of the drive is a four wheeler size, power, seating and everything else doesnt matter. You dont even have to own one, rent one or better, carpool Bring your family, bring your friends, bring your partners, bring your pets RTC does no discrimination about who you want to bring, only objective is to have a fun drive on four wheels The costs of the drive are equally shared amongst participants, there are no service fees, no management fees, no hidden costs only additional cost is the GST You also get to enjoy great deals, discounts and the perks of traveling as a group So the odds are you are getting a better deal with RTC than if you travel by yourself Not only do you enjoy driving with a group, you also have a safety net to fall back on in case of mishaps The RTC community rides with you through rain and shine You also get to learn how to be a responsible driver while driving with RTC. Learn simple techniques like engine braking, changing a flat, dealing with switchbacks and hairpin bends, how to navigate in a ghat section and more, all while you enjoy a raodtrip Also stand a chance to be a part of special courses like the Womens day offroading event Shifting gears, where a group of women had the chance to be a part of a certificate course on offroading RTC believes in making a change on the ground, on the road and off it Interested in starting an RTC chapter in your city All you have to do is reach out to the founders on the RTC website. New chapters coming up soon, follow the Roadtrippers club on their social media for more updatesLinks:www.roadtrippersclub.comhttp://www.roadtrippersclub.com/www.scoutmytrip.comhttps://scoutmytrip.com/Subscribe to the Writer Geek show here:https://writerandgeek.com/https://writerandgeek.com/Link to the latest episode:https://writerandgeek.com/045pioneer10/https://writerandgeek.com/045pioneer10/Social media:Twitter: roadtripperclubfacebook: roadtrippersclubinstagram: roadtrippersclubFollow the Musafir stories onTwitter: musafirstoriesFacebook: themusafirstoriesInstagram: musafirstoriespodcastwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comhttp://themusafirstories.com/email: themusafirstoriesgmail.comitunes https://goo.gl/peC2Jvandroid voice or google search Ok Google, play The Musafir stories podcast, listen, subscribe and save a shortcut on your home screenSaavn https://goo.gl/6qp2mFweb/audioBoom http://bit.ly/2oZZowSpocketcasts https://goo.gl/rGipJbcastbox https://goo.gl/spUCdYOvercast https://goo.gl/fM9SomStitcher Radio https://goo.gl/ihL4GrTuneIn http://tun.in/pilOIRadioPublic https://goo.gl/Dy2VPv

38: Harihar Fort with Saurabh

45 min 3 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Saurabh from Mumbai, who authors the blog A season of Mountains under the handle www.nomadosauras.wordpress.com. Sit back and enjoy as we find out where Saurabh is taking us to todayTodays destination: Harihar FortNearest Airport: Ozar airport, Nashik or Mumbai AirportNearest Railway Station: Kasara railway station or Nashik railway stationPrerequisites Medium level of fitness, make sure youre not acrophobicPacking Trekking shoes and gear, water for hydration, caps and energy bars. Its advisable to carry ones own food, but food is available at shacks outside the fort.Time of the year DecemberLength of the itinerary: 1 dayItinerary Highlights:You can start early from a nearby station Mumbai/Pune/Nasik to reach the Kasara railway station. Once at Kasara, you can take a shared cab to Nirgudpada/Nirgudwadi the base village for the trek.Saurabh sheds some light on the history of this 8001000 yr old fort and its strategic location overlooking the ancient trade route between Gujarat and Maharashtra. The fort has changed hands between the Yadavas, Moghuls, Marathas and finally acceeded to the British.The journey starts off with a few nailbiting moments as the connecting trains were running late but Saurabh and group are reunited at Thane from where they head off the Kasara and reach the station at 7:30AM.The group manage to find a cab to the base village roundtrip but the journey is not without some adventure. After the suspense and some bollywoodesque moments in the Maruti Omni the official kidnapping vehicle of bollywoodAfter some comic relief, the group finally reaches Nirgudpada at 10AM and the cabbie agrees to return back for a pickup at 5PM.The group is now looking at the majestic Harihar mountain and fort. In the vicinity, one can also see other peaks such as PhaniDhongar, Uttwad, Bhaskargad, Bhrahma hill, Brahmagiri Bhandardurg etc which are a part of the Trimbakeshwar mountain range.A 12km walk from Nirgudpada passing through Kotewadi leads you to the Harihar fort, staring at the iconic rockcut vertical stairway.The 80 degree incline of the staircase and height of about 60m or 200ft, and steps that are almost 2ft hight, can take one about 220 mins depending on the fitness and skill level of the individual.First stop at the MahaDarwaza or Main Gate, a semicircular door to the fort, and a view of PhaniDhongar, Uttwad and Bhasgad mountains and the valley beneath. The group enjoy lunch with a view at the Mahadarwaza, in the passage way with a beautiful breeze, overlooking the mountain rangeThe group then proceeds to a helical staircase, with a sheer rock on the right makes for an adrenaline rush while ascending There are also a number of trap doors, capable of holding off an entire army with just 5 soldiers There are also escape doors, in case the fort is compromised by the enemy.The passageway leads you to the plateau of the fort that has a Hanuman Mandir, a pond, a few water cisterns and a Shiv Ling Shiva statue. One can get a view of the Brahma hill as well and a clear view of the peak of the Harihar hill with the Bhagwa Jhenda Saffron flag which is symbolic of the Maratha King Shivaji Maharaj.A five minute trail leads you to the peak of the fort and one can enjoy a panoramic view from top of the fort, as well as a view of the base villages After spending some time at the top, the group decides to start their descent back to the base village in order to make it in time for the 5PM pick up.THe group runs into a jam on the staircase, a nightmare given that they were up against a 5PM deadlineAfter all the adventure, the group makes it back to the base village in time for the pickup and end a memorable trek to an endLinks:Link to Saurabhs blog: A Season of Mountains https://nomadosauras.wordpress.com/Read about Saurabhs trek to Harihar Fort https://nomadosauras.wordpress.com/2017/01/03/hariharforttrekblog/Follow the Musafir stories onTwitter:musafirstoriesFacebook: themusafirstoriesInstagram: musafirstoriespodcastwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comitunes https://apple.co/2LPtTA3android voice or google search Ok Google, play The Musafir stories podcast, listen, subscribe and save a shortcut on your home screenSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiweb/audioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowSSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVipocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

39: TMS Specials - Kingdom of Dixit with Suyash Dixit

35 min 52 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Suyash Dixit, the Indian businessman who traveled to an unclaimed piece of land between Egypt and Sudan, called Bir Tawil and lay claim to the territory And no, were not kiddingTodays destination: Kingdom of Dixit aka Bir TawilNearest Airport: Abu SimbalNearest Railway Station: N/ATime of the year November, 2017Length of the itinerary: 1 dayItinerary Highlights: I, Suyash Dixit, first of my name and the protector of the realm, declare myself as the king of “Kingdom of Dixit”. I call myself, King Suyash First from today. I declare this unclaimed land of Bir Tawil as my country from now to the eternity of time. I pledge to continue to work for the prosperity of my people of the country and this motherland. This is no joke, an Indian guy from Indore, Suyash Dixit, put a lot at stake to travel to this unclaimed piece of land between Egypt and Sudan, hoisted his flag, sowed some sunflower seeds and declared himself as the ruler of the land the land he calls, the Kingdom of Dixit Suyash gives a brief background about his personal and professional life and how this idea of traveling to and claiming this unclaimed land came into being. We further discuss about the things at stake, the planning that went into this, the local support he recieved and the dangers he put up with Suyash gives a detailed description of the journey and the adventures he went through to achieve this feat. This includes, traveling to Abu Simbal as the only passenger on a commercial plane We also discuss the topography of the Kingdom of Dixit aka Bir Tawil, the size in terms of area, how Suyash hoisted his flag there, and sowed sunflower seeds to lay claim to the land Suyash also discusses the controversies that came with this adventure and how he dealt with them. Finally, Suyash discusses his plans for this piece of land, the progress made since his journey back and how he hopes to develop this territory into a countryLinks:Facebook page: KingSuyashDixitLink to related article: Telegraph articlehttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/11/14/explorerdeclareskingunclaimednomansland/WT.mcidtmgsharefbLink to episode with Road trippers club: The Musafir Stories with Road Trippers Clubhttps://audioboom.com/posts/6879048tmsspecialsroadtrippersclubwithvineetdeepakContact RTC:website: www.roadtrippersclub.comhttp://www.roadtrippersclub.com/Twitter: roadtripperclubfacebook: roadtrippersclubinstagram: roadtrippersclubFollow the Musafir stories onTwitter: musafirstoriesFacebook: themusafirstoriesInstagram: musafirstoriespodcastwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comitunes https://apple.co/2LPtTA3https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts http://bit.ly/2toY7ljhttp://bit.ly/2toY7lj or voice or google search Ok Google, play The Musafir stories podcastSaavn https://bit.ly/2J5rIqihttps://bit.ly/2J5rIqiweb/audioBoom https://bit.ly/2oZZowShttps://bit.ly/2oZZowSSpotify https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVihttps://spoti.fi/2HLPSVipocketcasts https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewghttps://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox https://bit.ly/2sqBDQihttps://bit.ly/2sqBDQiOvercast https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfhttps://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwhttps://bit.ly/2JiBbhwTuneIn https://bit.ly/2xyQH4ahttps://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic https://bit.ly/2snY9u0https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8Rhttps://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer https://bit.ly/2L7GmOohttps://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

6: Spiti with the desi Traveler

50 min 47 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Prasad NP, also known as the desi Traveler. Prasad shares his story about the time he spent traveling the Spiti Valley, Dhankar lake, Chandratal Lake and the beautiful Monasteries around. So sit back and enjoy listeningTodays destination: Spiti Kaza, Chandratal Lake, Ki Monastery, Dhankar Lake in Himachal PradeshNearest airport: Manali or via Shimla Nearest Railway Station: Shimla railway station Joginder Nagar railway station Direct buses are available from Chandigarh, Shimla, Kullu, Manali etcPacking Sunglasses, sunscreen, hats/umbrella, warm clothes, a good pair of shoes, medicines for AMSTime of the year June to SeptemberLength of the itinerary: 710 daysItinerary Highlights:Spend a day in Manali to acclimatize yourself to the higher altitudes Start from Manali to Kaza its about 1214 hours by road. It is advisable to hire a cab/guide from Manali for your entire trip.Kaza can serve as the base lodging in the Himachal tourism hotel visit the Kaza monastery and kaza market. Enjoy the beautiful star trails at night from the rooftop of the hotel. Savour on some flavorful spitian food that is also influenced by tibetan cuisineMake a short stop to Ki Monastery, Enjoy the blue skies and cotton candy clouds, meet with the monks and get a beautiful view of the kaza city from the rooftop. Enjoy the awesome Himalayan tea offered from the Ki monasterys kitchen. If you are lucky, you could get a chance to interact with the monks help them with plucking sweet peas from the farm. Make a visit to the Dhankar monastery which is about 2 hours from Kaza, getting some beautiful shots along the way. Trek to the Dhankar lake, which is about an hours hike from the monastery. Be sure to have a good pair of walking shoes on, some sunscreen to ward off the sun, and keep hydrated Drive to the Langza Village, stay with the locals, enjoy interactions with the locals, partake in their daily chores like farming and weaving. Camp close to the Chandratal lake the crescent shaped perennial lake that is also one of the source of the Chandra/Chenab River. Trek to the Chandratal lake early in the morning to enjoy the fabulous view of the lake with golden peaks in the backdrop as the sun ascends.Make a stop at the amazing Kunzum pass. Capture the pictures of the snow clad peaks, gompas and fluttering colourful prayer flags. Head back to Manali. Last but not the least, listen to some funny stories and useful advise on how to travel responsiblyLinks:desitraveler.com/Links to the blog posts:desitraveler.com/dhankarlaketrekspiti/desitraveler.com/travelkunzumpasskunzumla/More about the Guest: desitraveler.com/traveltipsblog…diaphotography/twitter: desiTraveler facebook: facebook.com/thedesitravelerinstagram: www.instagram.com/desitraveler/

7: Nagaland with Aakash Mehrotra

47 min 47 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Aakash Mehrotra from the blog Hand of Colors.Todays destination: NagalandNearest domestic airport: Dimapur Airport DMUNearest Railway Station is Dimapur DMVPrerequisities Inner line permit, see links section belowPacking warm clothes, glovesTime of the year December as you get to see the Hornbill festival. Preferable to do a festival calendar check before you plan.Length of the itinerary: 10 daysItinerary Highlights:Aakash speaks about his experience covering the Hornbill festival which takes place in Kisama, which is about 15kms from the capital Kohima. Bus services are availableThe Hornbill festival is a celebration held every year from 1st 10th December, in Nagaland. It is also refered to as the festival of festivals as different Naga tribes come together and showcase their cultural heritage through this festival. One can see the display of different Naga cultures, their food, their traditional attire, dance forms, fight forms and much more. Along with these there is a variety of competitions right from food, to music to literary events. If you are brave enough you can also participate in the chilli eating competition and get a flavor of the bhut jolokia or ghost pepper, one of the hottest chillis in India. In terms of lodging Kisama has some decent homestays where you can lodge during the festival, but they are very limited in number. Another option is to stay in Kohima, the capital of Nagaland, which is just 12kms from Kisama while you are at the festival. For other smaller villages, it is better to work with a local travel agent to arrange accommodation. By choosing to stay in Kohima, you can also experience the beautiful night markets during the festival as well as a flavor of local food, music and shopping. For transportation, public transport like buses and shared taxis are available but frequency is limited. Cabs are your best bet to get about the city/towns. Aakash also speaks about his next pit stop, Khanoma, which is one of few green villages in Nagaland ie a village which is completely self sustainable and has given up hunting in order to avoid any imbalances in the natural topographyAakash then travels to Mon the final frontier of India. He shares his experiences in the village of Longwa, which is one of the final villages in Mon before the Myanmar border. Longwa is a village of of the headhunters, warriors and tribes infamous for cutting off the head of their opponents in war. An amazing story with the cheiftain of the Longwa village ensues spoiler alert There is opium and Assam rifles in the story tooFrom Longwa, Aakash makes a pit stop at Chuchuyimlang a village in Mokokchung District which has been converted to a heritage village by the Nagaland Tourism board.As far as food is concerned, most of the Naga cuisine is water based, low or no oil base. Food is mostly boiled and not fried and organic. Sweet potatoes and rice beer are the popular choices among tourists as well. Listen to some amazing stories of experiences with the locals From drinking rice beer to how the Nagas fooled the British into believing they had guns during the Naga warsLinks:Link to Aakashs blog Hand of colors: handofcolors.me/Inner line permit: www.mdoner.gov.in/content/innerlinepermitMore about the Guest: Aakash Mehrotra is a business consultant and social researcher in the Digital Finance domain focusing on Digital Finance, Livelihoods, Financial Inclusion. Along with this Aakash is a travel writer who blogs under the name Hand of Colors. Aakashs work has been featured in several leading publications such as The Hindu and The Tribune.email: trulyakashgmail.com facebook:www.facebook.com/handofcolors/ Twitter: aakashmehrotraIntro Outro Stock media provided by Joey Stebanuk/Pond5

11: Yoga in Netala with Namita Kulkarni

41 min

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Namita Kulkarni from the blog Radically Ever After. Not only is Namita a traveller, but shes also a full time Yoga teacher, writer, artist. Namita has completed 610 hours of Yoga Alliance certified teacher training, and learnt from various teachers – and students – around the world.Apart from yoga, She loves creating adventures/misadventures, reading, learning new languages, generally seizing the day and living to share the tale. TMostly a solo traveller, Namita has chased her fears across 14 countries and gotten to know them better with every journey. From ziplining in Thailand, jumping off a waterfall in Mauritius to rafting in Rishikesh, paragliding in Bir to bouldering in flipflops in Hampi,to trekking Mt. Le Pouce on an empty stomach to getting lost with a dead cellphone on a small Thai island. Todays destination: Netala, Uttarakhand Nearest Airport: Dehradun Airport Jolly GrantNearest Railway Station: Haridwar JunctionPrerequisities Enrollment at the yoga center Sivananda Kutir Packing Warm clothes are preferedTime of the year OctoberLength of the itinerary: Itinerary Highlights: Namita was a part of group completed their yoga teacher training course TTC at the Sivananda kutir in Netala/Uttar Kashi The institute is located at the foothills of the Himalayas, very close to where the river Ganges/Ganga takes birth Gangotri Namita shares the multitude of experiences she had while she was a part of this learning trip turned adventure in the remote himalayan village Namita spent a good part of a week at Netala learning yoga and exploring life cut off from the rest of the world Having palm sized spiders as roommates She explains the course curriculum as well as her experience with satvik food Her tryst with the locals of Netala and the peculiar similarities and the hobby they share with the other elders Walking meditation and yoga at the beach by the Ganga river for real Hear to what Namita is up to and how you can follow her workLinks: Link to the Yoga ashrams website: http://sivananda.org.in/uttarkashi/Link to Namitas blog: www.radicallyeverafter.com More about the Guest: Social handles:Email: namitayogagmail.com Twitter: namitakulkarni Instagram: namitanefarious Facebook: Radically Ever After Yoga Netala SivanandaYogaAshram Himalayas Ganga Ganges Gangotri Haridwar Rishikesh SatvikFood Siror Bridge Sivananda Kutir Uttarkashi

12: Tawang with Ankita Kumar

46 min 23 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Ankita Kumar from the blog MonkeyInc. Ankita Kumar is a travel monkey from India in love with bright colours, colourful tights, strange foods and spazzing out. She is a scriptwriter and filmmaker by profession. She loves travelling to rarely visited places, making local friends and being an absolute klutz.Todays destination: Tawang Ankita shares her stories about the road trip she made from Guwahati to Tawang with her family.Nearest domestic airport: Salonibari Airport, TezpurNearest International Airport: Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, GuwahatiNearest Railway Station is Tezpur Railway StationPrerequisities Inner line permit, advisable to book cabs before hand you might need to book separately for going around in Arunachal PradeshPacking warm clothes, show shoes/boots, gloves, sunscreen yup, for realTime of the year May, summer months advisableLength of the itinerary: 1 weekItinerary Highlights: Fly in to Guwahati, hire a cab till Arunachal PradeshWinding roads, Blankets of mist, momo tea shops, fields of flowers while passing through Shillong, special mention to the Ladies purse flowerLodging in Dirang for the nightTshachu Hotsprings and Jung/Nurarang waterfalls enroute to TawangBumla Pass at the IndoChina border, over 15000ft above sea levelPrayer flags, prayer wheels, pagodas and markets of TawangVisiting the Madhuri lake Yup, named after Madhuri Dixit, the Indian movie starTawang Monastery, Urgelling monastery Interacting with the monks, drinking butter tea and carrying the prayer wheel back homeLinks:Link to Ankitas blog MonkeyInc: http://www.monkeyinc.in/Inner line permit: http://www.mdoner.gov.in/content/innerlinepermitMore about the Guest: Ankita Kumar is a travel monkey from India in love with bright colours, colourful tights, strange foods and spazzing out. She is a scriptwriter and filmmaker by profession. She loves travelling to rarely visited places, making local friends and being an absolute klutz.She has ridden an ostrich, swum in the ocean with bioluminous planktons, giant manta rays and sharks, tasted porcupine meat, chilled with Komodo dragons, dived in a shipwreck and has narrowly escaped getting stung by a jellyfish. Follow this monkey for crazy adventure stories, tips and well… mostly to get amused.travel India IncredibleIndia themusafirstories Tawang NorthEast Arunachal Nurarang BumlaPass Prayer flag wheel PrayerWheel Sangetsar Madhuri Lake monastery Pagoda Urgelling Monks Butter Tea

14: TMS Specials - Fly Smart, Fly Cheap

33 min 12 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Rajat Chakraborty from Trawellblogging.com. We speak at length about Rajats latest ebook How to earn airline loyalty points for your next holiday. Book Highlights: This one of a kind ebook explores into the unchartered territory atleast in India of airline loyalty points and miles programs. Rajat demystifies the concept of miles and breaks down the myths, facts and some common misconceptions. Highlights belowIntroduction to the Airline Loyalty ProgramsHow to Join Up with the Various Airline Loyalty ProgramsHow to Earn MilesHow to Use MilesHow to Make the Most out of Your MilesFor practical examples and more details download Rajats ebook How to earn airline loyalty points for your next holiday from Scribd for free Links:Rajats blog: https://trawellblogging.com/Rajats ebook: https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B0859WXBLG/More about the Guest: https://trawellblogging.com/packurbags/ India Travel TrawelBlogging Book Flight Tickets Cheap Airline Loyalty Points holiday theMusafirStories

16: TMS Specials - The Great Indian Road Trip : Part-1

49 min 46 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Sai Kumar, the man behind the handlebar of our most epic road trip so far. Sai grew up in the UAE before moving to India for his graduation. Sai later went on to do his masters in the UK before moving back to the UAE. Find out how Sai quit his job to follow his passion to travel India Todays destination: INDIA Sais Ride Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500ccPrerequisities preparation for the trip in terms of funding, crowdfunded, roughly cost about 1.3lakhs for the entire tripPacking Medicines, spares, travel accessories, tent, sleeping bag, rucksack clothes, documents, camera, laptop, dry fruits, tripod, tent, saddle bags bike spares, winter clothes, camera accessories, personal toiletteries, jerry can for spare fuelTime of the year JulyOctober 2016Length of the itinerary: 77 days and 11,124kmsItinerary Highlights: The journey was planned to cover the points of Saint Adishankaracharyas four vedic centers in the four corners of India. Coimbatore was the starting point of the journey, the place where Sai was based. First pitstop at Kannur, Kerala stop for the night, enjoy the Theyyam form of dance/worship if you find time Ride along the konkan coast with stops at Mangalore/Udupi for lunch and reach Murudeshwar before sunset. Enjoy the beautiful view of the enormous Shiva statue overlooking the beach. Rise early and ride towards Goa Pitstop at a friends house in Mapusa, visit the beaches like Anjuna that are close by. Spend the night in Goa and start riding towards Mumbai the next morning. ENjoy the beautiful coastal roads of the Konkan region, make stops at beautiful forts on the way. Break for a few days in Mumbai, hanging out with friends and recharging yourself for the journey ahead. Move towards Gujarat once you start from Mumbai Pitstop at Bhuj enroute to the Rann of Kutch Enjoy the views around the Rann in offseason and literally no people aroundspoiler alert the Rann is flooded in offseason Relive the legend of the Kala Dungar temple and the jackals. Ride towards Jaisalmer the next day. Enjoy the Thar desert safari with Sharukh Khan and Salman Khan No kidding Next stop at at Jugaad the hostel, in Amritsar One of the best experiences during the trip, Sai spends close to a week exploring Amritsar and Punjab. Enjoy the various trips organized by the hostel Food trips food walks, eat all you can contest, visit the amazing Golden temple, offer prayers and serve food Wagah border trip Hey Pakistan Village trip milking cows, farming, live the village life After spending some great time in Punjab, it was time to head towards Kashmir. Unfortunately, the situation was tense in Kashmir and needed a change of plans Sai had to ride through Manali, rather than Srinagar which was the original plan Find out what happens next in Part 2 of the Great Indian Road Trip only on The Musafir Stories next week. Links:Link to Sais blog www.planetsai.comLink to the photo story http://imgur.com/a/aE9nRtravel great india IncredibleIndia RoadTrip holiday adventure royalEnfield ThunderBird Kerala Karnataka Maharastra Goa Gujrat Punjab Rajasthan Wagah RannOfKutch Murdeshwar Western Ghats Konkan Malabar Bullet MotorBike Bike TheMusafirStories PlanetSai IndiaTravelPodcast

Old Nashik and Panchavati with Amrita Gangatirkar

59 min 4 sec

GIVEAWAY ALERT LISTEN TO THE EPISODE, ANSWER 3 SIMPLE QUESTIONS TO STAND A CHANCE TO WIN A TICKET TO AMRITA’S HERITAGE WALK IN NASHIK https://forms.gle/xea2P2KFthjgbUPM7WINNERS OF TALES OF HAZARIBAGH GIVEAWAYPoonam PragyaYashaskar ShubhamThis week, The Musafir Stories speaks with Amrita Gangatirkar, researcher, filmmaker and the founder of travel experience company Nashik Heritage Trails formerly Urban SeraiTodays destination: Old Nashik and Panchvati Nearest Airport: Gandhinagar Airport, Nashiki, ISKNearest Railway Station: Nasik Road Railway Station, NKPrerequisites NA Packing NATime of the year All year round, except monsoonsLength of the itinerary: 3 hoursItinerary Highlights: Amrita takes us on a virtual walk around the heritage part of Nashik city Panchavati and Old NashikPanchavati is the heritage part of Nashik that is home to some of the most sacred temples and old neighborhoods. We start our walk with a visit to the Kalaram temple, a temple dedicated to Lord Ram. The temple and the deity are sculpted in black basalt stone, hence the name Kalaram. The temple also houses idols of Sita and Lakshman and is estimated to be built between the 7th11th century originally and reconstructed during the 1780s. Nashik has a lot of influence from the Hindu epic of Ramayan, as is seen from the temples and the names of the neighborhoods. The next stop is the Goraram temple, built in white marble and hence the name Goraram or fair Ram, also believed to be built in the 1780s. The temple architecture resembles that of a wada residence and is very unique. Another popular festival of Nashik is the Rangapanchami, celebrated a few days after holi, the festival of colors. The festival is very popular for the Rahad or the colored water pitsAnother popular temple in the locality is Kapaleshwar temple, close to the banks of the Godavari. It is unique for the mixed architecture and use of domes in the construction of the temple. From here, we make a stop at the Godavari ghats and the popular kunds Ramkund, Lakshman kund and Sitakund. The kunds are very significant as people perform final rites of their loved ones in these kunds. Another popular structure in this area is the Ahilya Devi Holkar bridge learn more about the wonderful stories around this bridge. Our final stop in Panchavati is the Naroshankar temple and it’s iconic Naroshankar bell, acquired during the battle at Vasai fort. On the other side of the river is the Old city of Nashik that is popular for its markets and the wadas in the alleys. The popular markets include textile market kaapadpet, Vessel market bhaandi bazar, Jewellery market Saraf bazar, steel market. One can spend hours in these markets and narrow alleys watching the beautiful wada architecture. We make some stops at local homes and discover the architecture of these old homes. Our final stop of the walk is the Sarkar wada, now a government museum but that has been used as an administrative office, prison, a public library and a police station At the end of the walk, make sure to binge on some good old Nashik Misal, jalebis, fafdas, dhoklas thanks to the gujarati influence, sabudana vada. One of the popular eateries in the locality is Sayantara Other options include the numerous forts in and around Nashik and the iconic wineries of Nashik A great way to end your visit to Nashik with a visit to the wineries and vineyards Links:Link to Nashik Heritage Trails’ facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/nashikheritagetrails/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nashikheritagetrailsWomen who speak Heritage Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/7L3EXJBKfOskTSTOgP8RVOsi5105790862f448dcFollow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comYou can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/

Mirik with Tanisha Guin

46 min 18 sec

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks with Tanisha Guin a traveller who enjoys slow travelling to offbeat destinations and blogs at www.stepsandstreets.comTodays destination: Mirik, West BengalNearest Airport: Bagdogra Airport, IXBNearest Railway Station: Jalpaiguri Railway station, NJPPrerequisites N/APacking Pack light, carry some warm clothesTime of the year March NovemberLength of the itinerary: 37 daysItinerary Highlights: Mirk is a hill station located in West Bengal, located close to the Nepal border and is popular for the local markets, monasteries, tea estates, orange orchards, monasteries and some warm local folkTanisha and her family set out on a slow and laidback trip to Mirik with the aim of absorbing the vibe and warmth of the border town, spending time with the locals, understanding history, flora, fauna, tea estates and much more. The family decided to stay with a local family at their homestay to get the most out of the trip. The group starts its itinerary with a visit to the popular Sumendu lake or Mirik lake a manmade lake built out of a marsh land and is one of the popular tourist spots of the town. There are also several viewpoints as one approaches the town, given its strategic location and being situated at a height. The more popular viewpoints are Tingling view point, Simana viewpoint.In addition to viewpoints there are several tea estates one can visit, the popular ones being Gopaldhara, Goldricks, Thurbo, Okayti, Signbulli among others. Apart from the tea estates, the area is also popular for orange orchards, the most popular one being Pahilo gaon and Soureni. There are several hikes one can take, most of them unnamed and leading to neighbouring villages. Once the group has had their fill of nature, many of the experiences being recommended by the homestay host, other options include visiting the nearby Bokar Monastery. The colourful monastery, painted in bright red and filled with several paintings, referred to as the Thangka paintings is a blissful sight to behold. The monks are very friendly in nature and a visit during the early hours of the day or evenings, one can catch the daily prayers. Another very popular activity among the tourists is a visit to the Mirik Bazar or Mirik market. The market is the commercial hub of Mirik and one can pick up a variety of things ranging from souvenirs, stoles, woollen clothes, bags, stoles, sweaters, tea, potteries and handicrafts. Another popular market is right across the Nepalese market, Pashupatinagar market. The border crossing can be done on foot and Indian nationals only need a photo ID to cross over. The homestay not only gives an authentic experience of the local sights and sounds but also provides a taste of local flavour and food. Make sure to try out the hot and spicy chillies while in Mirik Links:Link to Tanisha’s blog post on Mirikt: https://traveltear.com/whyyoushouldvisitoffbeattownofmirikinwestbengal/3163/Link to Tanisha’s blog: https://stepsandstreets.comLink to Tanisha’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stepsandstreets/Link to Tanisha’s facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stepsandstreets19/Linktree: https://linktr.ee/stepsandstreetsFollow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comYou can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/

Old City of Hyderabad with Yunus Lasania

56 min 9 sec

GIVEAWAY ALERT LISTEN TO THE EPISODE AND ANSWER 3 SIMPLE QUESTIONS LINKED BELOW TO STAND A CHANCE TO WIN A HERITAGE WALK IN HYDERABAD WITH YUNUSWINNERS OF THE BOOK ‘A FOR PRAYAGRAJ’ BY UDBHAV AGARWAL, CONGRATULATIONSWe will reach out to you shortlyTASNEEM AMINTANAY JOSHIThis week, The Musafir Stories speaks with Yunus Lasania a journalist, heritage expert, curator of Hyderabad History Project on Instagram and Beyond Charminar Podcast Todays destination: Heritage walk in the Old City of Hyderabad, TelanganaNearest Airport: Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, HYDNearest Railway Station: Hyderabad Deccan Railway Station, HYBPrerequisites Walking shoesPacking As neededTime of the year YearroundLength of the itinerary: 23 hoursItinerary Highlights: Yunus starts the conversation by explaining the foundations of Hyderabad, the Qutub Shahi dynasty’s origins, how the city was built as an extension to the Golconda fort’s walled city by Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah, and how it was eventually destroyed by Aurangazeb in 1687. After the defeat of the Qutub Shahis, the Golconda kingdom was ruled by the Asaf Jahis or Nizams, who were generals in Aurangazeb’s army, however they didn’t become independent till 1765 after which the city was developed further. Charminar was the first structure to be built as a part of Hyderabad, named after the wife of the founder, Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah. We also discuss other legends and stories about the wife of the ruler Bagmati, and the other names associated with Hyderabad.The walk begins at the Badshahi Ashurkhana a place of mourning for the Shia muslims who mourn the death of the Prophet’s grandson, Imam Husain in the battle of Karbala where he was killed with his followers. The Ashurkhana was built in 1593, 2 years after the construction of Charminar and is inspired by the Persian style of architecture with colourful walls and tiles. The other monuments enroute to Charminar the most iconic structure of Hyderabad, include, the Chaar Kamaan, the 4 gates which mark entrance/exit points to the old city, Gulzar Houz the erstwhile drinking water fountain of Hyderabad, Madina masjid the biggest mosque of the old city and markets around Charminar including Pathar gatti market and Laad Bazaar. The group also makes a quick stop for breakfast at Govind’s Dosa Bundi to feast on some cheese dosas early in the morning.The final stop of the walk is of course, the magnificent Charminar built in 1591, it is the most iconic structure of Hyderabad and is reflective of its rich culture and architecture. The building has several Persian and Indian influences including intricate artwork, 4 minars at almost 56m high built with yellow limestone. We also discuss some of the other walks done by Yunus including one that covers the Nizam part of the city, including Chowmahalla palace, Nizam’s museum as well as alternate walks that takes one through the lesserknown buildings of the city.We discuss the eateries of Hyderabad in general and the old city in particular, ranging from biryani to Irani chai. Yunus’ recommendations for Biryani include Grand Hotel, Shadaab, Nayaab, Biryani house, Bawarchi, Fanooz, Khan Miyan, Paradise, Alpha hotel. Alpha hotel, Grand, Paradise, Cafe Bahaar, Nimra Cafe and Garden Cafe are popular options for Irani Chai We wrap up the episode by discussing the language of the region Dakhani, its origins, influences and misconceptions. We also have some wonderful movie recommendations to get a taste of Hyderabad and Dakhani including Shyam Benegal’s Ankur, Mandi, Bolo Hau and The Angrez Links:Link to Yunus’ blog: https://medium.com/hyderabadhistoryprojectLink to Yunus’ Twitter: https://twitter.com/lasaniayunusLink to Yunus’ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thathyderabadiboy/Link to Hyderabad History project’s IG page: https://www.instagram.com/thehyderabadhistoryproject/Linktree: https://linktr.ee/yunuslasaniaPhoto by Shiv Prasad on UnsplashFollow The Musafir Stories on:Twitter: https://twitter.com/musafirstorieslangenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/hlenwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstoriesgmail.comYou can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/