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Friday, November 21, 2014

Amazing Indian Landscapes Part 8

This was my first time in Madhya Pradesh and as we travelled across in and around Singrauli, which is India's energy heartland.... 
As you travel through the region, you see power plants, dams and coal mines all around....
But I was pleasantly surprised as we entered Mohan Ban Reserve Forest. It was pristine.....


The rolling hills of the Vindhyas, densely forested in patches, were a treat to be in after the dusty drive through the roads of Singrauli!
These forests are indeed Amazing Indian Landscapes....




There is a rustic charm in driving along these dusty rural roads.... the crisp winter air, the blue sky and lots of greenery, what more could I ask for?


The slanting rays of the winter Sun!!!!! The warmth was comfortable....



Wonder whose journey lies on this rutted path?










I could spend the whole day relaxing here, but I had to head back 250 kilometres to Varanasi, the world's oldest living city....

There is so much to explore in lovely country, myriad landscapes, places that are off the beaten track, yet absolutely untouched and pristine.... Indeed, there is so much to see and do, in India..... So hope I head to the next Amazing Indian Landscape soon! 

Goodies From The Heartland...

One of the most exciting aspects of travelling is getting to discover gourmet surprises in unlikeliest of places.
This whirlwind trip to the Hindi heartland - to the oldest living city in the world, Varanasi and the drive beyond Varanasi to Madhya Pradesh, to an area which is the confluence of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh proved to be the exact opposite of boring and unexciting, notwithstanding the gruelling 9-hour drive over 250 kilometres.



We stopped by for an unexciting lunch at a dhaba in a village called Ahraura, near Sukirt that's where I discovered Uncle Chipps on sale....
Those of us who grew up in the late 1980s and early 1990s would recall their catchy jingle "Bole mere lips, I love Uncle Chipps"
Today, this brand is practically dead in the metros, but it continues to live on in the hinterland....


A monkey stands guard at the Airtel signage....
Proliferation of telecom companies and new-age banks in the hinterland proves that the savvy and demanding consumer not only exists but thrives much beyond urban India


Kesri Sweets at Ahraura was a true revelation....


Recommended by a colleague who grew up in these parts and our driver, Shukla, Kesri Sweets has the best gulab jamun I have ever had....
Soft and juicy, these gulab jamuns oozed out an untold goodness, obviously, we had to ignore the flies around....


Waking up in Varanasi to a brilliant sun rise in my hotel room's window, I couldn't help but wonder how much history this ancient city, this oldest living city in the world has seen....
Sunrises like this one here, over the last few millenia have kept the spirit of city alive despite numerous murderous attacks on the faith and devotion of the people....
Till today, the ghats and temples of Varanasi survive, as testimony to the indomitable spirit of our people....
Sadly, I wasn't in a position to visit Assi Ghat and Dashashwamedh Ghat this time. Maybe the next time....


On the way to the airport, we stopped by for a Banarsi breakfast at an unnamed and unmarked shop selling local goodies....


A steady stream of hungry people kept the staff busy....



Dal kachori which looked more like a poori with a channa-potato gravy - this was an absolute treat.....



We followed the kachori with piping hot jalebis.... Crispy and juicy, these jalebis weren't a wee-bit oily, much to my delight....

With the sweetness of the jalebis in particular and Varanasi in general, we are now heading to Babatpur to catch a flight back home... 

Sunday, November 2, 2014

Up In The Air .... Part 21

The latest edition of Up In The Air is back with some breathtaking photos from a recent trip to Bhubaneshwar, Orissa. This time around, I was forced to travel on IndiGo, an airline that I love to hate for their snootiness, after a bad experience last year. 
But the sights from Up In The Air more than compensated for the chilling reminders of how callous and haugthy IndiGo had been with me....



We were crossing Maharashtra into Chhattisgarh....



Clouds over Chhattisgarh were amazing....



And the horizon looked breathtaking with its brilliant blue....
Now you know why I love blue, but not the blue of IndiGo...


Massive cumulonimbus clouds as we entered the airspace over Orissa...


We trailed the Mahanadi as we set course for Bhubaneshwar...


These clouds seem to be left behind by Cyclone Hudhud....



The Mahanadi is quite a beauty...



The cumulonimbus clouds appeared to be scattering...


The greenery of Orissa is a massive treat for the eyes...



The hide and seek with the Mahanadi continued....


 I love this greenery....




The shadow of the clouds...




This is like paradise...



The Mahanadi in the distance....





On the short finals into Bhubaneshwar....



On the way back, I did encounter the beautiful sights Up In The Air, but I did have to catch up with sleep...


The next edition of Up In The Air should follow soon...