Tunes Of The Dunes- Desert Safari In Rajasthan

Rajasthan picture by mapsofindia.com

What does come to your mind when I say Rajasthan?
Camels.
If you think a little harder?
Huge, old beautiful palaces. Then, deserts.
What if I say, in my mind, the first thing that comes up is colors.
Have you ever wondered that the state which is so arid and all about deserts, how can such a place be so colorful? Or what makes it so colorful?
Remember, life is not about monochromes, if you add color to it you get a different life. A bright a happy one!

I went to Rajasthan twice, first when I was a two and a half years old and of course I do not remember anything, secondly when I was 16.
I experienced Rajasthan in its full glory, then.
One of the best experiences that I had was the desert safari in Jaisalmer.
The desert in Rajasthan is called the Thar Desert. Jaisalmer is a city surrounded by desert and here each part of the desert has a different name. Precisely, it is divided into two Sam and Khuri Desert.
The desert safari takes place in both of these places, but I went to Khuri Desert one.
The day started with the usual sightseeings like the Jaisalmer Fort, Patwano-ki-haveli and the usual shopping of glass bangles and ‘Bandhani’ dupattas.
After lunch we started towards Khuri Desert, it’s almost a two hours ride from the main city. There is no proper road, to be very honest. It is a bumpy but a very entertaining ride amidst the cactus bushes and the sand dunes. With the occasional cheer of seeing a camel, “See See see”, the ride was perfect.
So, Khuri is basically a village in the middle of the dunes and so it’s a no-brainer that the desert is named after the village. The people living in this village are camel riders or local farmers or musicians and dancers.
As we reached the place, the very first thing we see is a row of camels, all decorated with colorful covers and mirror work are done on those. The camels are decked up with accessories and tassels, very appealing to the eyes. These camels are there to take us to a place to see the sunset over the dunes. So , we all chose our camels and each camel has to carry two people, so I and my sister were riding one.
Before, I explain the beauty of the sunset what we should keep in mind is that we are riding a camel. It is the most horrifying experience when the camel gets up and if you have a back problem, I strictly don’t recommend you a camel ride. My sister, who was sitting at the back, could only scream and scratch me because she had this fear of falling down. If you want me to explain the ride, I should say it was like driving on a bumpy road except the fact that you are sitting some 6-8 ft above the ground!
But this ride paid off when we saw the sunset, it was amazing. The molten gold hue of the dusk mixing with the golden sand, the slightly purple sky in the background, mesmerizing to the eyes. One thing that I noticed in the deserts is that the sun sets very fast and suddenly it’s dark.

Khuri Village picture by media.expedia.com

When we returned to Khuri village, it was all lit up and tents were set up and there was a place in the middle turned into a stage with floodlights on.
So, here comes the most amazing part of the desert safari, the folk dance.
Dancers from in and around the village come to perform, there are also local singers accompanying them.

Dancer picture by cleartrip.com

The dancers dance to popular folk songs like “Kesariya Balam Padharo to more desh…” to the localized Bollywood songs like “Nimbooda Nimbooda” songs with their local instruments. The dancers dance to these songs, showing their own stunts like balancing the pots over their head, dancing inside a plate, and all of this is happening in the middle of sand dunes.
I know what you are thinking, how can you go there?
You can plan your own holiday or ask any travel agent to plan for you.
So, this gala event continued till late night and at the end, these dancers called us on the stage to dance with them. I became friends with them and they invited me to their home. The people are so nice there.
The best part of that evening was when one of the dancers gave her bright blue dupatta to me, the dupatta has mirror work all over it and I still have it.
That dupatta still cheers me up, it makes me believe in the theory,
“Live in colors.”

Virgin Beauties- Some Offbeat Places Of Kashmir

People of Kashmir picture by treasureindia.com

“You never know what’s around the corner. It could be everything. Or it could be nothing. You keep putting one foot in front of the other, and then one day you look back and you’ve climbed a mountain.”   ― Tom Hiddleston

 

This quote is perfect for those wandering souls, who are a a little wild at heart and are  ready to make their own ways.

This quote came true when I was in Kashmir and I was looking for some of those typical tourist destinations. And I was convinced that I will only cover those places and come back, since I was travelling solo and thought it won’t be safe to go anywhere else.

But fate had a different role to play!

One morning, while experimenting with Kashmiri ‘Nun Chai’, I was having a conversation with my hotel manager in Srinagar and he told me “Madame go to Pahalgam, very beautiful!”

The traveller in me, said “Why not”. That’s the beginning of it!

I thought of doing a little research, I came across this page and was totally up for it.

 

Chatpal

Chatpal picture by tripoto.com

This place is not for those who cannot do without electricity!

One of the most unexplored places of Kashmir, known for its panoramic view and virgin beauty, does not get a lot of tourists because of this electricity issue.

I decided not to stay in that Jammu and Kashmir tourism guest house, the only place. My choice of accommodation was staying at a local farmer’s house, Rahim.

I met him while coming to Chatpal. Now, there is no direct bus to Chatpal, of course you can hire a jeep, but travelling with the local people gives you a better idea of that place and I always emphasise on this. If you are travelling alone, talking to people sometimes can get you into trouble but most of the times the opposite happens, like I got a place to stay.

Kashmiris are very sweet people, a bit conservative but very helpful.

I spent two nights in Chatpal and it was amazing. The super cold nights, the amazing sunrise and evenings, which were spent around campfire.

Rahim’s son, a 12 year old boy, is the most strict guide I have ever came across. He took me every nook and corner of that ‘fairy-tale’ village.

More than the place’s beauty, I will miss Rahim’s family.

 

Aru

Aru picture by globalvisiontours.com

After Chatpal I started for Pahalgam. It is beautiful!

The serenity of this place, the roaring river, right next to the tourism bungalow, is amazing. I loved the mornings in this place. The sun rises, with the light reflecting on the mountain next to my guest house. As the sun goes higher, each section of the mountain will get the light, as if the mountain is also waking up with each ray of the sun.

Pahalgam is very near to Chandanwadi, the first base camp to Amarnath Yatra. So, I thought of giving it a try and decided to go to Chandanwadi.

Here’s the twist, I lost my way and reached this magical land of Aru.

Aru is a small mysterious village, very few people stays here. While walking along the streets of Aru, you can only see some rosy-cheeks peeping out of their windows and the moment you wave at them, they will vanish inside their houses. People in this village are very shy!

This is is the village where pink coloured wild roses grow, along the side of the streets. No one plucks it, no one destroys them, this village actually made us realise why Kashmir is ‘Paradise on Earth’.

You can of course stay at Aru, there is only one guest house there. I did not spend my night there and I regret doing that!

 

Kashmir Valley Trek

Kashmir Valley picture by goeassy.com

Ever rode a horse on a steep mountain? Like a proper 90 degree angle?

That’s Kashmir Valley for you!

The second Morning in Pahalgam, I decided to go for this trek. I planned with a ‘ghodawala’, the person who will help me riding the horse, and he told me he will come to receive me early in the morning, around 5.

I was thrilled, first because of the trek and second the cold morning. The cold in Kashmir can freeze your bones, yes, it can actually do that!

The Kashmir Valley is a very steep valley and not meant for walking, not at all. So, it cannot be a called a trek, it can be called a trekking done on horse or by the horse!

In the valley, I started feeling very cold and we stopped in a local villager’s house.

A family of two children and their mother, the lady was a typical Kashmiri, with beautiful eyes and sharp nose. She offered me ‘Nun Chai’ and a ‘kangri’,  the traditional heater of Kashmir.

After feeling a little better I asked my ‘ghodawala’, Maqsood, to take me back.

I won’t encourage you to the same stupidity, like me, complete the whole valley because it’s beautiful and worth a try. But if you have vertigo or breathing problems, I won’t recommend you this trip.

 

There are a lot of offbeat places in Kashmir. Do explore!

A well researched trip is always the best. It is always a new experience when you arrange for your own accommodations, but if you are not comfortable then you can try travel agencies or go through plans.

And if you are in Kashmir, try their food. Here’s to give you an idea about traditional Kashmiri food.

 

Enjoy!

 

A Romantic Affair, Honeymoon In Kerala

 

From the day I started understanding the concept of marriage, I started planning for my honeymoon!

Come on, who doesn’t want a perfect honeymoon or may be those perfect honeymoon pictures, where everybody on social media sites will go gaga.

Last year my cousin went to Maldives, for her honeymoon. Those amazing beaches, picturesque sunset, I was a little jealous to be very honest.

Then I did some thorough research, I thought that why not choose some offbeat destinations in India. At the end of the day we all know, Incredible India!

As a travel enthusiast I have been to Rajasthan, Kashmir, even completed the Kumaon as well as the Himachal. So, I thought why not try ‘God’s own country’, Kerala.

The state is given that tag for a reason. I have never been to Kerala, but I realised that it has much more to offer, other than just coconut or temples.

The tea gardens of Munnar to the beaches of Kovalam or to rejuvenating Ayurvedic massages, Kerala is about all this.

Munnar is a traveller’s paradise not only for its landscapes but also the amazing tea. This place always experiences a very favourable climate, the temperature ranges between 17 degrees to 25 degrees. The lush green tea gardens, the fogs, the scene itself is romantic. What better than experiencing the same in your partner’s arm, right?

Even if you are getting married during the monsoons, don’t worry! Munnar, is a monsoon destination as well. It is also a shopper’s paradise with the spice market and the small tea-boxes, which can be a great gift!

                                   

Munnar Tea Estate by pixabay.com

But what if your partner likes sea beaches, Kerala has that as well. Though I will share the one beach that I liked the most and I thought can be a honeymooner’s paradise.

Kovalam, it is!

The small fishing town of Kerala, in her capital Thiruvananthapuram, is one of the most beautiful beaches of Kerala. It is India’s ‘only’ international beach.

The serenity as well as the beauty of this place attracted the Regent Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bai of Travancore, who wanted to build her own beach resort away from the maddening crowd. The palace, Halcyon Castle, was built in the 1920s.

There are three beaches in Kovalam, Lighthouse Beach, Hawah Beach and Samudra Beach.

Tourists generally visit the Lighthouse Beach, then they generally prefer Hawah.

Among all the beaches, Samudra Beach is the most quiet of all.

I am sure, now, you know where to go!

The sunset here is a mixture of pink and orange, there are stalls on the beach selling fruit salads, what better than enjoying the sunset holding your partner’s hand munching on some fresh fruits.

A beach in Kovalam by pixabay.com

                                       

There are a lot of places to go in Kerala, for your honeymoon, but these two is in my wishlist.

Enjoy!

 

One Night In A Kerala Houseboat Or Kettuvallam

 

“ Wherever you go, go with all your heart.” – Confucius

 

I believe this line by the great Chinese philosopher Confucius, is held true by all the travellers in the world. Travelling, I feel is one of the most harmless addictions a person can have.

Once you have been to a place, you can talk about that place, you can even compare that place to the next destination you visit.

The same thing happened to me when I went to Kerala, to be very specific, when I spent the the night in a houseboat.

If you are wondering what are houseboats, then I this article, this is the one which I checked before planning this trip.

I have been to Kashmir, now Kerala!

I know two extremes, but then again the experience is completely different. In Kashmir these boats do not float, they are still. You have to board a shikara or a small boat, to reach a houseboat. The Kashmiri ones are designed in a different way, they follow more or less the Mughal designs. The main disadvantage or I should say, the aspect which I did not like is, the boat not moving and after a certain point you just cannot go anywhere.

A Kashmir houseboat by kashmirpicture.com

But in Kerala the thing is that, the houseboat or the Kettuvallam moves! Yay!

The Kerala backwaters are a chain of 5 saltwater lakes which are connected by both natural as well as manmade canals. The Ashthamudi Lake is one of the most tourist-friendly lakes, it is in Kollam. The backwaters are a geographical phenomenon created by the saltwater waves as well as the sea currents. I cannot explain the whole procedure but I can guarantee you that what they create is magic!

I booked one of those houseboats, the single deck one, where the deck of the boat serves  as living area as well as the bedroom, the simple one.

Not being a Malayali myself, the language was a bit of an issue. But the crew tried their level best to converse with me in English, ‘broken English’.

With a crew of two boatmen and one cook, my journey started around one in the afternoon. Of course, you can have a half-day tour but I had to experience the night.

The beauty of the backwaters you can feel once you boat starts moving. As the sun kept on moving towards the horizon, my boat went on crossing the villages one by one. But as the day moved towards night, I realised that not all endings are bad.

The sun set from the houseboat is one of the most beautiful scene one can ever experience, at least for me that was the case!

I am just taking it for granted, that you all have seen Vincent van Gogh’s ‘The Starry Night’, I experienced the same thing. The beautiful moon, the twinkling stars, the amazing breeze, the serene backwaters, they named it right “God’s own country”.

And when can we call this total experience HEAVEN?, when the cook calls you for your dinner and you see some spicy, yummy Malabar food waiting for you. The houseboat ride is basically to make you experience the authentic Kerala customs. And, trust me, they make sure that you have the best experience and you come back again. (Yes, I will.)

Since I was a solo traveller i did not book any travel agent but if you do not want to be that adventurous, why not give this Kerala tourism guide a try.

And please don’t restrict yourself to few places, have a look at this Kerala travel guide, as well.

Happy journey !

Kettuvallam or Kerala houseboat by keralatourism.org