Elephants have been great companions of humans though out our civilizational journey. In India, elephants are associated with royalty; remember the archaic paintings of the kings where they are always shown riding an elephant instead of the horse as they do in most parts of the world. Well, that’s not the only thing they do, with changing times elephants have assumed many other roles, now they perform in the circus, carry tourists on safaris and are also worshiped in the temples. No matter what they do, they never cease to amaze. Dubare elephant camp is a forest camp situated on the banks of ..read more

Ganga is much more than a river, it’s a symbol of India’s ancient culture and heritage. When the earliest men arrived at the Indian subcontinent, they settled along the banks of this river and since then, the Ganga river is inextricably linked to India’s past, present, and future. Empires flourished and perished on its banks, battles won and lost, cities built and destroyed; the river has seen it all. For some, its a goddess, so pure, so benevolent, that a dip in its holy waters can wash away a lifetime of sins, cleanse one’s soul and bestow liberation. Parents bring their infants for tonsuri ..read more

Banaras is a mystic place. Its an epitome of the history, culture, and heritage of Hinduism. The imposing ghats, the vibrant rituals, the passionate devotees, the street food, the sunrise, and the revered waters of the holy Ganges, everything is magical in Banaras and people who visit Banaras invariably fall in love with it. Thousands of visitors throng to Banaras every day, some stay here for weeks but very few of them include Sarnath in their plans. Whether its the ignorance of the visitors or the magic of Banaras, most people do not visit Sarnath. Sarnath derives its name from a Shiva shri ..read more

Dima Hasao, a hill district located in the heart of Assam, India, is one of the best places for a winter vacation around the globe. The temperatures around this time (November to January) do not fall below ten degrees, and rainfall is negligible; thus, providing the ideal weather for exploring and sight-seeing. Some call this destination ‘The Switzerland of the East’, as it showcases an astounding balance of natural landscapes and anthropogenic estate planning. Dima Hasao is an excellent spot for soul searching, given its serene beauty that transcends upon lush green hills, flowing rivers, gu ..read more

‘Banaras me toh Ganga bhi ulti behti hai‘, a colloquial adage meaning here in Banaras, even the mighty Ganges flows in reverse. In Banaras or Varanasi, as it is presently called, river Ganga takes a crescent-shaped turn towards the north, an aberration in the southward flow of the river which originates in the laps of the mighty Himalayas and traverses the Gangetic plain before flowing into Bangladesh and eventually into the Bay of Bengal. Long ago, on the banks of this turn, a legendary city was established; a city that epitomized spirituality and survived long enough to be regarded as the o ..read more

Manikarnika Ghat is among the oldest and most revered ghats of Varanasi. This is one of the two cremation ghats in Varanasi and is believed to be the most auspicious place for a Hindu to be cremated which leads to attainment moksha. Legends mention that Lord Vishnu meditated at this ghat and also established a kunda where Lord Shiva and Mata Parvati is believed to have taken bath. Daily, over 300 bodies are cremated here round the clock and the fire of Manikarnika has never extinguished in thousands of years. So those who are cremated here are essentially cremated from the same fire that crem ..read more

Prayagraj, earlier known as Allahabad is a town in north India situated at the confluence of there revered rivers of Hinduism – the Ganga, the Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati. This is also one of the four sites where Kumbh Mela, the largest religious congregation is organized once in every 12 years which witnesses millions of Hindu devotees and ascetics visit the town and take a dip at the holy confluence called the Sangam. The strategic location of the town between two gigantic rivers prompted Mughal emperor Akbar to build his fort here in the banks of river Yamuna close to the Sangam. In ..read more

Isha Foundation is a non-profit, spiritual organization founded in 1992 near Coimbatore, India, by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudevji. The organization under the leadership of Sadhguru consecrated a mammoth bust statue of Lord Shiva in his customary meditation posture which holds the Guinness Book of World record for being the largest bust statue. I visited the Isha foundation and attempted to create my first video blog. Please watch the video and share your feedback in the comments section below ..read more

Year-end trips are always tricky to plan. Once you join the corporate world, the biggest hurdle in planning a trip is to get the requisite number of leaves. Not only that, all the effort and money you put in to plan a trip can fall apart with two dreaded words – “business requirement”; those who have been a part of Indian corporates need no explanation to this and those not a part of it – don’t bother. Year-end leaves, also known as the client shut down period or euphemistically the block leaves is a time when you are sure about your leaves but life is notoriously difficult. This is also the ..read more

Coorg also called the ‘Scotland of India’ is a popular hill station in Karnataka. Apart from the delightful natural scenes, Coorg, officially called Kodagu, is known for its coffee, wine and the vibrant, exotic lifestyle of the Kodavas. I planned a weekend trip to Coorg which is about 250 km from Bangalore in the month of September. I boarded a bus to Madikeri, a popular hill town in Coorg from the Satellite Bus Stand in Bangalore. The most luxurious bus is the Airavat which operates every alternate hour; there are other options available as well. I reached Madikeri at 4 AM. It was drizzling ..read more