the light baggage

Watch the detailed video here Overview:  In our last post we had covered Amarkantak, and from there we visit Pachnmarhi Hill station, one of the most popular hill stations in India. We took a train from Pendra Road to Pipariya, the nearest railhead to reach Pachmarhi. Our train was delayed by over 1 hour and we reached by 7:30am. We quickly checked into our dormitory and freshened up. Pipariya Railway station We waited for a bus to go to Pachmarhi, but found a shared cab waiting for us, so we boarded it in front of the railway station. It took around 1.5 hours to reach Pachmarhi, and the cost was around Rs80 per head. We reached Pachmarhi by 11:30am and hired a Gypsy near the bus stand. The Gypsy cost was around Rs 1500, but it depends on the season. Pandav Caves, Pachmarhi We first went to the Pandav Caves, and were happy to see the 5th century Gupta era caves carved exquisitely. There are Buddhist caves and also also believed to be used by the Pandavas during their exile. There was a

Watch the full video here Overview: After boarding the train from Jabalpur at 9pm, we reached Umaria the next day at around 2:30am in the morning. We stayed at Umaria railway station until 4:30am, and then we got into our taxi which we had booked from Sahil tours and travels, Umaria. We reached the Tala entrance of Bandhavgarh National Park at around 5:20am, and had hot cup of tea at a small shop to beat the cold. The office at the Tala entrance opens at 5:30am and we had booked a shared Gypsy, which was to start at 6:30am. We got our identity validated and paid the fees at the office. We were soon joined by other members of our Gypsy, and we started at around 6:45am for the safari. The trails at the safari is very well marked and organised and different Gypsies take different routes. According to our safari driver and guide, normally tigers are sighted in the mornings, but due to the cold weather we are unable to see any on this day. We searched a lot for the tiger in vain, though we

View the detailed video here Overview: Day 9 of our Madhya Pradesh trip and our next destination is Jabalpur where we stay for an entire day and visit Bhedeghat. We had our train from Indore at 9pm and reached Jabalpur at around 4:30am in the morning. We checked into our Railway retiring room and freshened up immediately.  Outside the Railway station we hired one autorickshaw who agreed to take us to Bhedaghat for Rs 600. Later we realised that there are buses as well which go to Bhedaghat tourist spots. However, since we had booked the autorickshaw, we continued our journey.  We first visited the mighty Dhuandhar Falls, often termed as the Niagara of India, though I don't like comparisons. We have to walk a few metres before we reach the waterfalls, and the pathway is well laid and made safe for the tourists. Some small shrines can also be seen on the way and offerings to Narmada Mata can be made. At the edge we can see the waterfalls taking a 30 metre plunge creating a spectacle

Watch the full video here Overview: Indore is awarded as the most cleanest city in India for 6 years in a row from 2017 to 2022 and is always a pleasure to explore. I reached Indore in the evening and my cousin also joined me at Indore for my next few days of trip. We stayed in the retiring room of Indore Junction in AC Double room. Krishnapura Chatris On the evening of 19th Nov, we visited the Chatris of Krishnapura, around 1.5km from the Railway Station. These Chatris are Mandapas which were built by the Holkars, a minor clan of the Maratha rulers. The Krishnapura Chatri is located in a crowded area in the mid 19th century to honour the deceased members of the Holkar family. The complex contains 3 Chatris and 5 Cenotaphs on the banks of the Kahn River.  Rajwada Palace Around 500 meters from the Chatris is the Rajwada Palace, built in 1766 CE for the Holkars. The Palace has a lot of Maratha influence with the entrance opening up into a courtyard comprising Ganesha Hall. The wooden an

Introduction:  Taking a sabbatical from work can be an incredible opportunity to explore new places, learn new things, and gain a fresh perspective on life. For me, my sabbatical was all about travelling across India, a land of diverse cultures, traditions, and languages. During break, I had the chance to immerse myself in the local way of life, meet new people, and explore the beautiful natural and historical landmarks that make India such a unique and fascinating country. In this blog post, I want to share some of the highlights of my journey and the lessons I learned along the way. Cultural immersion: India is a country with a rich cultural heritage that spans thousands of years. During my travels, I had the opportunity to witness and participate in many cultural events, festivals, and traditions that were completely new to me. From the colorful Okali festival in Karnataka to dance performances in Meghalaya and Leh to the elaborate wedding ceremonies, I was amazed by the diversity a