Sunset at Netarhat, Jharkhand

Netarhat is a popular hill station in Latehar district of Jharkhand.It is loacted at a height of 1071 metres and is referred to as the "Queen of Chotanagpur". It is famous for it's Magnolia sunset point, sunrise point, Netarhat Residential School and a breathtakingly beautiful view of the hills all around.

We visited Netarhat during our short winter trip to Ranchi at the end of December. We started from Ranchi at about 9:30am and reached our hotel, Ravi and Sashi Lodge, Netarhat by 1pm. The journey  from Ranchi to Netarhat through the roads with eucalyptus trees on both sides takes away all the exhaustion and tiredness caused. After having lunch at the hotel of Netarhat, we decided to start for the sightseeing of the places at about 3pm in the afternoon. At first, we reached the Koyel View Point, a serene hilly place, from where the beauty of Netarhat can be seen.

Then, we went for the Upper Ghagri waterfalls, which turned out to be a complete disappointment as the source of water could only be seen and the rest of the waterfalls was hidden beneath the huge rocks and boulders.The road to the waterfalls at the beginning is through the naspati garden on its both sides with a great view,but as one gets near the falls, the condition of the road detoriorates becoming dangerous with numerous potholes and puddles.

After our futile to and fro journey of Upper Ghagri Falls, we finally reached the Magnolia Sunset Point at about 4:40pm. The huge crowd which had gathered there to experience the sunset made me realise that we were too late to find a good spot in watching the sunset. Though we managed to get a suitable spot, to add to the misery, some people had climbed up the railings of the sunset point and gathered in front of a tree,thus blocking the view of others.

Nonetheless, we were able to experience the beautiful sunset amidst all the odds. The sky was filled with different colours of blue,yellow and light orange. But as time passed by, the yellow ball of fire which was shining bright had become soothing to the eyes and painted the whole sky with its hues of orange.We could feel the temperature going down and the weather becoming chilly as the biggest star in our solar system merged with the sky and disappeared slowly in front of our eyes.It was one of the most beautiful picturesque sunsets I had seen in my life.
 Netarhat is located about 156km from Ranchi and is well connected by roads.It a place of beautiful sunrise and sunsets in the middle of the hills. Summers are pleasant here but winters can be quite chilly. If you looking for taking a break from the monotonous life or planning a short trip away from the hustle and bustle of the city life, then you can definitely give it a try.

Chelo Kebab and all that :P

Which place comes to your mind when you hear about Chelo Kebab? ;)

Yeah! It's the Peter Cat at Kolkata.. :D

This place has been bookmarked in my Zomato profile since a long time. And no other day could have been better than Diwali to grab some delicious lunch at this famous placed located in Park Street, Kolkata. Being a holiday, there was quite a large number of people waiting outside to get a table. We had to wait for about 20 to 25 minutes and I must say that the food we had was worth it.

The place has two floors,we got a table on the upper one, from where the whole area could be seen. The atmosphere is a nice cosy one with dim lights hanging from the ceiling.

At first, we had ordered the famous Chelo Kebab and Beckty Meunier.Both the dishes are complete meal which serves one person each.We were so hungry and eager to try out different dishes, that we also ordered Chicken Marakesh, which we could not finish at last. The Chelo Kebab consists of butter rice served with 6 to 8 pieces of chicken tikka kebab, 2 pieces of mutton seekh kebab, two cubes of tomatoes and an egg poach. Though the other two dishes were equally good, I felt this dish to be the show stealer. 

Beckty Meunier consists of two pieces of fish in some kind of sauce or gravy, served with four cubes of potatoes, boiled carrots,beans and a bread roll. The fish was so soft that it melted in the mouth. I personally didn't like the dish of chicken marakesh, though my friend felt otherwise. It had butter rice, with one potato served on top, chicken irani kebab and two pieces of mutton seekh kebab.The sweet taste in the irani kebabs was a total turn-off for me.

Chelo kebab was the most successful in satisfying my taste buds.

Coming to the quantity, one plate of chelo kebab or beckty meunier or marakesh would suffice one person only. Thus we could not finish the chicken marakesh as we were two in number and had ordered three meal dishes. :/ Prices are quite reasonable in Peter Cat and they charge 18% gst on the total bill amount. 

Sizzlers are also very popular in this place.would definitely visit next time to try out sizzlers .:D

Lunch at Tandoor House, Golpark

Tandoor House has two outlets in Kolkata,one at Golpark and the other beside Lake Mall. I went to the Golpark outlet yesterday with my friend to grab a lunch. At first we had gone to the one beside Lake Mall, but as there were too many people waiting, we decided to head to this other outlet.It is situated in the first floor of a building.As it was during the peak hours of a Sunday afternoon, we had wait for 15 to 20 minutes for getting a table for two.

The place is small but they accomodate sufficient number of people.
Now coming to the food, we ordered two plates of the popular chicken biryani combo, one plate of chicken wings kebab and two scoops of butter scotch ice cream. The chicken biryani combo consists of one boiled egg, one potato, one piece of chicken with the biryani rice alongwith two pieces of chicken tikka kebab and a piece of chicken chanp as side dish. The amount of rice is sufficient for a single person, but they need to improve the taste. The wings kebab tasted good. But I did not like the chicken chanp as it had literally had no taste. The positive part of this restaurant is that they offer a number of different items at a very affordable price. This is their USP. Otherwise, the taste of the dishes needs to be improved.

Chicken Chanp

Chicken Wings Kebab

The chicken biryani combo costs rs.120, chicken wings platter was for rs.70 and the icecream for rs.60.On this they charge 18% GST. Our total bill was only Rs.434 including GST. Thus it was quite cheap.
Overall, it was a good experience. If you are low on your budget and want to grab some lunch at cheap prices, then you should definitely visit this place.

A Visit to God's Own Garden

Mawlynnong  Village

MAWLYNNONG
Located at a distance of 90km from Shillong, Mawlynnong portrays the combined efforts of its people to keep their village clean.Also referred to as "God's own garden", it has been conferred the title of "Asia's Cleanest Village"in 2003.It is situated in the East Khasi Hills of the north-east Indian state of Meghalaya.The village offers a breathtaking view of how nature has spread its beauty throughout the environment. The people living in Mawlynnong belongs from two tribes; Khasi and Jaintia. Another unsual feature of this village is that, they follow a matrilineal tradition of society; that is, the families are run by females.

 There are different types flowers,trees,plants and birds present and one can take a walk through the village to observe the lifestyle of the village people. It also has several homestays and eateries where tourists can spend a day or two amidst the lush green nature.

Every people in the village make sure to keep the surroundings clean by regularly removing garbage from the roads,picking up dry leaves and putting them in bins, from where the waste is directed to the pit and then used as a manure.. These bins are made of bamboo and are present at every corner off the streets to ensure that the garbage is thrown inside them by both the villagers and tourists. Here, smoking and use of polythene is prohibited, whereas rainwater harvesting is encouraged.

Living Root Bridges
This is the most attractive tourist destination near Mawlynnong. The living root bridges have been formed in the neighbouring village known as Riwai. One has to go down through the naturally made stairs to reach the bridge.Many eateries are present alongside the path so that the tourists can take rest while having some fruits and water.It takes about half an hour walk to reach from Riwai village.
These bridges are made by the village people with the help of roots of rubber trees. The tree roots are made to grow through the trunks until they attach themselves from other side of the trees,These are then placed across rivers or streams and sticks,stones,pebbles,etc are used on them to stabilize the bridges.The living root bridges may take more than 20 years to complete,and once formed,they can last hundreds of years.

Sky Walk Bridge

Sky Walk Bridge
Sky Walk Bridge is another popular spot in Mawlynnong village,which offers a bird's view of the Bangladesh plains. The bridge has been made up of bamboo and cane structure, which is tied to a tree beside it. It is about 80 feet tall and has a narrow width which allows only one person to walk at a time. The top of the bridge has a broad base,from where the Indo-Bangladesh Border and the entire village of Mawlynnong can be seen.Though not tough,the walk through this bridge itself provides a thrilling experience to the tourists. But persons who are afraid of height or not physically fit may avoid this place.

View of Mawlynnong

View of Bangladesh plains

These are the views of Bangladesh and Mawlynnong from the top of Sky Walk Bridge.

How To Reach: Mawlyynong is located at a distance of about 90kms from the city of Shillong, which can be reached by private cars and local buses. It takes about 2.5hrs to 3hrs to reach Mawlynnong. Thus,it will be better to consider this as a full day tour.



DAWKI

It is a town in the West Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya. Dawki is located at a distance of a few kilometres from Tamabil, which is the India-Bangladesh border in the North-East. The Dawki-Tamabil road is used for coal transportation to Bangladesh. A large number of trucks cross the border everday which creates a congestion on the road.

Inspite of these difficulties, Dawki remains a favourite spot of the tourists due to the beauty of the Umngot River. The river flows through Dawki near the India-Bangladesh border.


 It is the prime fishing spot for the people in the nearby villages.The crystal clear water of  Umngot river is the main tourist attraction of Dawki. It is the natural boundary between the people of the Khasi and Jaintia Hills over which hangs a suspension bridge.This was built by the British during their colonial rule over India today serves as an important gateway to major import and export transactions across the border. 


Also,the bank of the river is a popular picnic spot for the people of Bangladesh. Apart from this, other major attractions of Dawki is the annual boat race in the Umngot River.which is held during March to April. It also provides some adventure sports like camping,scuba diving,cliff jumping.boating,etc.


 How To Reach: Dawki is at a distance of 95kms from Shillong. It can also be reached from Mawlynnong,which takes about  one and a half hours.
 Since we visited Dawki after covering the places at Mawlynnong and there was a huge chaos in the Dawki-Tamabil road due to the trucks; it was already dark when we reached. Thus we didn't get the opportunity to stay there for very long. Here are some of the pictures of Dawki taking during sunset.

 If one wishes to visit Mawlynnong and Dawki at the same day,then it will be better to start early in the morning. One can also spend a night in Mawlynnong,visit Dawki next morning and then come back to Shillong. There are several homestays present for the tourists in the village. All types of cuisines are available. 
Mawlynnong and Dawki are suitable for visit throughout the year.
 For more photos go to the link below
https://plus.google.com/collection/gvkFmB

For videos go to:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0MJa27WgOM

Beni- A tryst of two rivers

Just as the lovers have a predetermined specific time and place to meet and fulfill the yearning of their hearts, River Teesta comes down from the state of Sikkim to meet River Rangeet at a place known as Triveni or Beni, in the district of Kalimpong. According to mythology, both these rivers were lovers, Rangeet being a male river; so the place came to be known as the Lover’s Point. Triveni is located near Melli, a small town close to Teesta Bazar. It is only a one and half hour ride from the town of Kalimpong. Each year on 14th January, a large fair is organized here. The place has become the hub of river rafting, as the swirling waters and strong underlying current of the rivers offer a challenge to experienced rafters.

Teesta ,a 309 kms long river flowing through the Indian state of Sikkim, originates from the Pahunri (or Teesta Kangse) glacier above 7,068 metres and flows southward through gorges and rapids in the Sikkim Himalaya. After flowing past the town of Rangpo, it forms the border between Sikkim and West Bengal. On the other hand, Rangeet, a tributary of Teesta, originates in the Himalayan Mountains in West Sikkim district and flows through the towns of Jorethang, Pelling and Legship. Before the Teesta Bridge, where the roads of Kalimpong and Darjeeling join, the deep green and crystal clear water of River Rangeet meets the fearless and ferocious River Teesta, forming a delta like structure in the mountain valley. From this confluence point, the rivers flow together through West Bengal and enter Bangladesh where they finally meet the mighty Brahmaputra River.

The folklore says...

The two rivers Rangeet and Teesta, popular for their grace, beauty and love for each other, were looked up to by the people of Sikkim as creations of Goddess Itbu-Moo. They used to meet in the snow covered mountains of the Himalayas. It is said that in order to keep their love a secret, the rivers decided to flow through different routes and meet again at Pozok. This gave rise to a playful challenge of a race between both of them to reach the plains.

 As the rivers had to flow through unknown routes, they agreed to take a guide each for the journey. Rangeet was accompanied by a bird named Tutfo and Teesta followed a snake named Parilbu. Though, Tutfo was swift, it got distracted by the colourful butterflies and fruit trees. But Parilbu was strongly determined to reach the destination without paying attention to anything else. As a result, Teesta was the first to reach by defeating her beloved Rangeet. This hurt the pride of Rangeet and enraged him so much that he decided to flow back to the Himalayas. The furious nature of Rangeet and the pleadings of heartbroken Teesta resulted in severe floods which caused devastation to the people, animals and other living creatures of South Sikkim. It was believed that the flood was an indication of Goddess Itbu-moo to remind people of her power and the need to worship her. The people after realising it offered their sincere prayers to the goddess which ultimately saved their lives. Rangeet finally surrendered to the pleadings of his love, Teesta and they both fell into a long embrace, united for eternity. When the people came to know about the story of these two rivers, they huddled to the confluence to make offerings to the river gods. Even today, the newly married couples are taken to Beni for the blessings of the rivers.

The Thrilling River Rafting

River rafting in Teesta River is one of the most exciting and thrilling experiences one can have on a trip to Kalimpong. It has become a popular hotspot for river rafting in eastern India. It starts from the confluence of these two rivers, Beni. But winter seasons should be avoided as the river rafting routes remain inaccessible during this time.

Other attractions

Kalimpong is located at a distance of 16kms from Beni which offers a handful of tourist spots like Dr. Graham’s House, Deolo hill, Durga Mandir, Sherpa View Point, Hanuman Temple, Mangal Dham , Thongsa Gumpha, Morgan House, Army Golf Course, Durpin Monastery, Pine View Nursery, Pratima Tagore House.

One can also visit the small village of Mongpu; under the Kurseong sub division, which at a distance of 38kms from Kalimpong. Mongpu is famous for the visit of Nobel Laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore. It has its own beauty which attracted Tagore to come and live here in the midst of the hills. The house where he lived has been converted in to a museum which portrays his lifestyle here and preserves some of his personal belongings. Mongpu was also well known for its medicinal plant and cinchona cultivation but since quite some time production of cinchona plant has stopped.

Since Beni is a one and half hour drive from Kalimpong, it can be well reached by private cars. It is needless to say that a trip to Kalimpong remains incomplete without visiting Beni, which offers a breathtaking view of the River Rangeet meeting its lady love River Teesta. ;) 

 For more photos, go to the link below:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/collection/43CkkB

Alleppey Backwaters

Kerala is blessed with one of the most hyped tourist destinations; the city of Alleppey or Alappuzha, which successfully satisfies the thirst of a nature lover.

Located 62kms to the south of Kochi and surrounded by the Lakshadweep Sea on its west,lies Alleppey, comprising of several canals,rivers,backwaters and lagoons,through which one can take a boat ride; and hence the city is popularly known as the "Venice of the East'. This name was given by Lord Curzon;thus Alappuzha is called the "Venetian Capital" of Kerala.Malayalam is the most spoken language.Hindi,English and Tamil are also widely spoken by the people here.

The sole purpose of visiting Alleppey is to experience a relaxing and soothing boat ride through the backwaters of Kerala. The Kerala backwaters are a chain of brackish lagoons and lakes which are separated from the main river by small islands.Here the water remains stagnant as there is no current.These backwaters are a network of rivers, canals,lakes,etc. which has formed a system of waterways.The freshwater from these backwaters meets the seawater of the Arabian Sea.

If you want to spend your vacations with the green beauty surrounded by different waterbodies,then you must take the boat ride of the Alleppey backwaters. The serene journey through river canals provides a picturesque of the isolated islands,paddy fields and coconut trees along with a wide variety of birds like kingfisher,waterfowl,cuckoo,water duck as well as Siberian cranes. On either side opf the backwaters,there are simple dwellings,eateries,shops and stores; where one can have a cup of tea or buy some articles as souvenirs to take home.

One can also see the lifestyle of the village people from the boat or enjoy a walk through the paddy fields and have some cocconut water.. ;) 

You can either hire a canoe,country boat,launch for the water ride of stay in the Kerala houseboats or Kettuvallams.The country boats are relatively cheaper and provide a 2 to 3hours ride with sitting arrangements both at the lower and upper decks.The houseboats,on the other hand, provide a lavish experience with all the modern amenities. 

For accommodating tourist,these houseboats have been converted into floating cottages with a sleeping area,western-style toilets,a dining area and a sit-out on the deck. Food is cooked by the accompanying staff and has a flavour of Kerala.

Regular ferry services are also available for both passengers and tourists,connecting most locations of the backwaters. 

Another popular attraction near Alleppey is the Nehru Trophy Boat Race,held in the Punnamada Lake,which is conducted on the second Saturday of August every year. It is the most popular of the boat races in India.

Other tourist destinations include the long stretched peaceful beach of Alleppey,which has an old pier of 150 years old extended over the sea. The view of sunrise from the beach complements the tranquility of the place.

 The beach also offers views of the Laccadive Sea, Ambalappuzha Sri Krishna Temple, St. Andrew's Basilica, Arthunkal, Mannarasala Temple, Chettikulangara Devi Temple, Haripad Sree Subrahmanya Swamy temple, Thakazhy Sree Dharma Sastha Temple, Mullakkal Temple, Edathua Church, Alappuzha CSI Christ Church (oldest Anglican church in Central Kerala) and Champakulam Valia Palli. Krishnapuram Palace Kalavam kodam temple where Sree Narayana Guru installed Mirror is at about 30 km north of Town. The tasty ambalappuzha payasam is a popular dessert.

The Cochin International Airport, located at a distance of 75 kms is the nearest airport to Alleppey. From the Cochin International Airport, one can book a taxi or a cab to get to Alleppey.The Alleppey Railway Station lies within the city limits and is well connected by rail to Cochin and Trivandrum. From the railway station, one can board a bus, hire a taxi or get in an auto-rickshaw to reach the main city. Alleppey is accessible by National Highway-47, which goes through Ambalapuzha and Cherthala cities. Alleppey is well connected to other cities such as Kochi, Kottayam, Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode, Chennai, Bangalore and Coimbatore by road.

Travel agencies generally devote only a day and half for Alleppey along with other places in the 14days long Kerala tour. But one must spend atleast two or three days here to have an alluring experience of houseboat cruise amidst the backwaters and have the real essence of the nature's beauty of Alleppey.

For information related to booking details of houseboat or canoe,go to the link below:

http://keralacanoetourism.com/

For more photos click on:

https://plus.google.com/collection/QChekB
For backwater videos go to the links below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXwbZGbax-4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-D-MpUnHdY

Mattancherry,Kochi

How splendid it would be to experience the blend of different cultures in a single town!

Located at a distance of about 10 kms from Ernakulum, surrounded by the backwaters of Arabian Sea, this colorful town of Kochi is known to be the melting pot of various cultures since the time of sea invasions.It had been an important commercial hub of Ernakulam due to its trade on turmeric,pepper and tea.But gradually it became more of a tourist destination when traders shifted to continue their business in Ernakulam. People from various parts of Goa,Tamil Nadu,Gujarat came and settled here for trade,which had built up the cultural amalgamation of the town.

Where does the name come from?It is said that the streets of the town were filled with mutton butchers,thus it was named Mattancherry,where cheri refers to streets.Some are also of the opinion that the name comes from "Ancherry-Muttom", which the foreign traders used to pronounce Matt-Ancherry; from which the name Mattancherry became popular.

The famous “Jew Town” in Mattancherry shows the culture of the ancient Jews who migrated and settled in Kochi for trade.It has many antique showrooms and shops  from where one can have an idea about the antiques of carved wooden furniture and vessels, handicraft and garment which the Jews used and the kind of lifestyle they led.These Kochi Jews, also known as Malabar Jews are the oldest group of Jews in India of the time of King Soloman,during the 12^th century. It has been mentioned in the Itinerary of the Jewish traveller  Benjamin of Tudela, that the islands of Malabar Coast were inhabited by thousands of  Israelites who later came to be known as the Malabari Jews.  They are known to have developed Judeo-Malayalam, a dialect of Malayalam language. They also built many synagogues in Kerala during the 12^th and 13^th centuries. 

Other Places to Visit: Mattancherry consists of the oldest active synagogue of Asia in the Jew Town, which is popularly referred to as the Paradesi Synagogue , was constructed in 1567. It is one of the seven synagogues of the Cochin Jewish community in the Kingdom of Cochin .The synagogue was built by Spanish speaking Jews, hence the name Paradesi Synagogue. It is also called Cochin Jewish Synagogue or the Mattancherry Synagogue. The synagogue is open every day except Fridays, Saturdays and Jewish holidays. Timings are from 10 am to 12 noon; and again from 3 pm to 5 pm.The township around the synagogue is known for spice trade and curio shops dealing in antiques as well as rare glass and beads.

The Dutch Palace in Mattancherry is another notable place to visit which was built by the Portuguese and presented to the King of Kochi, Veera Verma in 1555; but later it was taken over by the Dutch. The palace has fine wall paintings depicting scenes and stories from Ramayana and Mahabharata. It also exhibits the royal costumes, palanquins and other antiques of the royals.

Another great historical place near Mattancherry is the St. Francis Church in Fort Kochi, originally built in 1503 by Portuguese Franciscan Friars, is the oldest European church in India. The Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama died in Kochi in 1524 when he was on his third visit to India. His body was originally buried in this church, but after fourteen years his remains were removed to Lisbon.

The Chinese Fishing Nets in Kochi are the landmark of Malabar Coast. The nets were introduced by traders from the courts of Kublai Khan of China. The Vasco Da Gama square affords the best view of the fishing nets during the sunset.

Other popular destinations near Mattancherry are Vypin Island which has some longest beaches in Kerala. One can also visit the city of Ernakulum, the Commercial Capital Of Kerala.

Want to go on a shopping spree?? The antique shops on Jew Town store every possible antique items like jewellery, crockery, wooden pillars, curios, wooden and metal figurines, statuettes, carved wooden furniture and handicrafts like wooden elephants, mirrors, wall hangings,

 paintings .There are also lamps, Chinese urns, door frames, vintage photographs, and glass and porcelain ware that were once part of churches or homesteads of noble families. Apart from these antiques, one can find sculptures, handmade toys, embroidered garments, floral oils, and chandeliers in many other shops along the street.  A big vaarpu (bronze vessel with handles on both sides) almost three metres in diameter is one of the major attractions on Jew Town. And you can end it with the varieties of traditional Kerala cotton sarees. ;-)

How to Reach? There are frequent bus and boat services available from Ernakulum to Mattancherry. The boat starts from main boat jetty near Subhas Park at Ernakulum.

Mattancherry has gradually transformed from a trade hub to a popular tourist destination.Ever since the ages,it had embraced the migrants of different cultures, languages and ethnicity and has helped them flourish under her warmth. It binds all the religions together as is evident from the co-existence of churches, temples, mosques and synagogues in the same area and thus has grown herself into a beautiful town of cultural amalgamations
Go to the link below for the video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOhgSJNTXVE