the light baggage

Overview: The district headquarters of Uttara Kannada is at Karwar, a place which inspired Sri Rabindranath Tagore in 1882 and dedicated a chapter on this town. Karwar was a very important port during the Portuguese rule in the 16th century. In the 16th century, the Portuguese entered the district through the Cintora port (now Karwar), and captured the Pir fort, called as Forte de Piro in Portuguese. They later built the Sadashivgad fort to harbour shelter against the attackers. The Marathas took control of the Sadashivgad fort in the 18th century under Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The British took over the region after the fourth Anglo Mysore war in 1799.  Some of the old temples in Karwar are Naganatha temple, Shejeshwar temple and Brahma temple. Karwar is home to serene beaches like Devbagh beach and Rabindranath Tagore beach, also having watersports for the visitors. RT Beach also houses INS Chapel, a warship belonging to Indian Navy, and currently a museum.   ...

Overview: A little over 40kms from the Jog falls is the small town of Gerusoppa. The quaint village on the banks of the river Sharavati has many tales to tell. On the other side of the Sharavati is a wonderland called Nagara Bastikeri, from where the queen of Gerusoppa- Rani Chennabhairavi devi ruled. The area is covered with dense forest and opens up at an ancient Jain Basadi, also built by the queen. The queen ruled from here and made this place the capital of the Saluva dynasty in the 16th century. A few other temples and the ruins of a palace can be seen near the main temple, which is the Chaturmukha Basadi. For visitors travelling to Nagara Basadi is a unique experience, which involves crossing the river by a boat, and walking into the woods for a km before reaching the main Basadi.             How to reach: From Jog, travel along the Honnavar road, and turn left towards Gerusoppa, and park your vehicle at an open field on the banks of the r...

Overview: Pune is one of the most modern cities in India, which also has a rich cultural heritage. I decided to explore a few sites in Pune city which defined the city before modernity. We first went to Pataleshwar Caves, carved out of basalt rock in the 9th century during the Rashtrakutas. The caves can be termed as architectural wonder, as the entire temple has been carved out of a boulder, a miniature version of Kanheri caves in Mumbai. Though this place does not widely feature in the tourist list of many people, the caves are a favourite hangout for students and youngsters.       Our next site was Shaniwarwada, which was the state mansion of the Peshwas, and was the residence of Bajirao I in the 18th century. Though much of the residential structure no more exists, the fort walls can still be seen intact, which is a major attraction for the city visitors. One trip around the old areas of Pune takes one through several of Peshwa Palaces and residential complex...

Overview: Hyderabad, popular for its Nizam influence, has always attracted heritage lovers across the world. I set forward to visit some of the oldest sites in the city. My last visit took me to the ever enchanting Charminar, surrounded by the bangle stores and pearl shops, a treat for shopaholics. One can soak in the beauty and culture of the old city sipping a cup of hot Irani chai near Charminar. Next to Charminar is the Makkah Masjid, where thousands of people offer prayers on Fridays. Few other places visited in my last visit are Taramati Baradari, Adil Shahi tombs, Necklace road and the massive Golconda Fort. This visit for my friend's wedding took me to some more places which I had missed the last time. We reached Kacheguda Railway station early morning. The railway station is one of the oldest in the country, constructed by the Nizams in 1916. Post breakfast at my friend’s home, we started off with the beautiful St Joseph's Cathedral, established in 1820 AD, with ...