Travel Blog – Discovering the beautiful world we live in.
Sneha is an amazing place for a good Malayalam meal. Cant say how authentic it is, but seems to be the best place for that food in Mumbai. Do try the beef-fry with parotta and the fish thali. Its in Mahim, Mumbai, opposite Paradise Cinema. Ask for their desserts. Either the payasam or Ela Ada … Read more
Lakes, Heritage, Silver and sunsets! Winding lanes turn the golden light into a maze of shades and long shadows. Inside the walled city an aura of history envelopes you through the many arches, bridges and ghats. The mysteries of opulence melt into shimmering waters! Suddenly you get drenched in a colourful explosion emanating from a … Read more
Over the years Manali has become too commercial with over-development, and honestly, parts of Manali seem as polluted, dusty and congested as certain parts of Mumbai. While on a trip to Kulu Manali, we desperately looked for a quaint escape. We found Katrain. A small village of apple orchards. And we found our stay in … Read more
In 2006, I and a friend went biking to attend the International Film Festival if India at Panjim City, Goa. These are some images from that epic (by those days’) journey.
Panjim, also known as Panaji, is the capital of Goa. Panjim City is the oldest civic institution in India. Being such an old city, it is full of heritage and plenty of fanatic places to stay.
The retreating rains call for one last time to cavort under the cloudy skies and misty winds. Just the right time when we decided to road trip to south of India, to Coorg, in the Western Ghats of Karnataka. The first stop of our journey was Belgaum as we wanted to drive through the Anshi National … Read more
August 2013. Once again in our untouristy mood we submitted to spontaneity and cancelled our home bound flights, re-routing ourselves into the jungles of Nagarhole, Karnataka. The drive from Bangalore to Kabini is about 6 hours, include half hour stop for a quick meal at midway Kamath. Try the various range of vada, idli, dosa … Read more
During one of our work trips to Malaysia, hopped onto a car and drove to Malacca. It is a cheerful little town with loads to shop and eat. The main thing to try is the Hainanese Chicken Rice. Its a simple Chicken Rice dish with a distinctly unique flavour. The town has a strong Portuguese influence … Read more
Panchgani is a beautiful 6-7 hour drive from Mumbai*. As you cross Pune, the drive gets better and you move ahead for another 1.5 – 2 hours and take a right. Then the ride up the hills is awesome, and best attempted on a weekday. Avoid the weekend, when Panchgani / Mahabaleshwar become as crowded … Read more
When in Delhi, do stop by at Babboo Da Punjabi Dhaba for lunch. It’s at Naoroji Nagar Market. Its a simple dhaba, with outdoor seating under an old banyan tree (which even has a fan), but unmatched vegetarian food. Order anything. It is one of the best vegetarian foods in Delhi.
Sinhagad Fort is easily accessible from Pune by road. The best seasons are monsoons and winters. There is a parking lot at the top where one can safely park the car and then explore the fort ruins by foot. As with most popular destinations, avoid the weekends. You get some of the most amazing bhajji … Read more
October 2010. Our short trip to Kasauli was also one of our most memorable. It’s a small cantonment town, and as such, retains the quintessential ‘quaint hill station’ flavour more than most hill stations. The place to stay is the Himachal Tourism Department’s Ross Common Hotel (an erstwhile colonial bungalow). It has the best views, … Read more
Tarapur is a sleepy little town/village some 45km north of Virar, near Mumbai. These images are from my FTII Diploma Film recce in the summer of 2005. A lot must have changed since then. The town was a narrow road with houses on both sides. Tarapur used to have a prominent Parsi population, which has dwindled since. The town has some very interesting and beautiful old houses. The major occupation at the time was making gold jewellery dies by hand. I had one of the best Parsi meals of my life at the Parsi Dharamshala in Tarapur. During the recce we had literally stayed in a garage kind of place called ‘Master Lodge’, where the bathroom had a water mug with baby scorpions under it. Another place I want to revisit.
