Past Revisited

I am a travel freak and I love to write as well. Mitsubishi Cedia driving challenge gives me the right opportunity to follow my dreams and share my travels through my writing skills on a bigger platform with the people those who know me and those who do not know me.

Not many are lucky like me who get this platform to give away what you have and pave way for more which is soon to follow.

Now when I write, I write is because of this event that is happening to me but this is something I have always wanted to do. In fact, I have a list of 30 odd cities where I have visited in India which is waiting to be published on my blog with my experiences.

Remembering some of them here:

1. Agra
How can I forget the train journey to Agra which inspired the poet in me and made me write one of my most favorite poetry which goes like:

While looking through the window
vast stretch of land
looked so barren
till the end of sight
it started with nothing
to end no where.

2. Ajmer
Ajmer Dargah Sharif is what it is famous for.

3. Amritsar
Everyone knows it – Gurudwara Golden Temple, Jallianwala Bagh and Wagah Border. But for me it is also special because I also visited a replica of Mata Vaishno Devi and the beautiful garden in front of the hotel where we stayed. It wasn’t actually a hotel but a huge villa.

4. Bangalore
The hot afternoons and nice evenings, Bangalore is a place to be. Nice windy evening and a bike ride is something I can’t forget as it is amiss in Delhi.

5. Chandigarh
Rock Garden, Rose Garden and Mango grooves is the place to go in Chandigarh but this is probably one of the most beautiful cities of our country. Well manicured gardens and parks on the roadside and roundabouts. Something I really miss in Delhi.

6. Chennai
Very hot. Phew!! Reminds of the kellawalla (Banana seller) whom we could actually not explain what we wanted until we took some help of someone who understood little hindi/English. The museum out there, I can’t remember the name is what I liked there the most.

7. Jaipur
Famously known as Pink City. This is so because of the old architecture and wall color which paints the city pink. This is the beauty of the city and off course how can I forget to mention the Aimer fort. My love for forts took me and my friends to Aimer in order to explore the darkest of places there. It was real fun.

8. Jammu
Jai Mata Di
I laugh when I recall of this. I was young and was quite scared to enter the cold waters in the cave. My dad had to carry me in his arms so that I could get across. And yes my act brought the human traffic to a stand still inside the cave.

9. Kanyakumari
I am in love with this place. The beautiful waters of the three surrounding water bodies comes together at Triven Sangam and it is an amazing sight.

10. Kodaikanal
The most beautiful hill station I have ever known/seen after Srinagar. It is covered with amazing greens. It is probably the greenest hill station I have ever visited in India. It has deep death valleys, lakes and hills. Simply a small beautiful little known place.

11. Madurai
The five towers of Meenakshi temple were so much visible from my hotel roof that all day long I wanted to sit there and cherish the beauty of the architecture.

12. Manali
My most visited hill station. 4 times I have been there and I can go there for many times to come. I now remember the city lanes as if I was born there. I specially liked the Mahadevan temple which is a 4km uphill where one has to walk and when you are there, even the clouds are beneath you.

13. Manikaran
The holy shrine for Sikhs – Manikaran famous for its hot spring and also for the cold waters of river vyas.

14. Mathura and Vridavan
Famous for the temples of Sri Krishna, the God of love and his beloved Goddess Radha.

15. Mount Abu
Though Mt. Abu is famous for its sun set and sun rise but I particularly liked it for Bharamkumari’s ashram where I lost myself in the sound of ‘OM’ and for the first time I realized life is much more to what we see.

16. Mumbai
People like the city for its weather, for its beaches, for its lifestyle, everything about Mumbai is so special but for me, it is a little different. I went to the Vasai fort, a kind of abandoned fort with little tourist but I liked it for it was next to the Vasai beach, for it is so called the haunted fort and for its ruins. It was just amazing.

17. Neemrana
Another fort. I am telling you I am in love with forts. I have been there many times and every time I go, I feel there is more explore.

18. Pune
Didn’t get much chance to visit Pune but I remember my day there as it rained when I was there so it was a pleasant weather and yes I also remember the simple food that was served in the conference where I had gone. The people of Pune are so simple and warm and that plain food was so much delicious that I couldn’t resist the food.

19. Ranthambore
Hmmm… the morning 5am safari to the Ranthambhore national park just to get a glimpse of tiger. We saw everything there but a tiger. And I still remember the two most special words “call aayi call aayi” of the safari guide to make us shut our mouths and wait for the tigers to appear. But they never did. L

20. Rishikesh
Ohho! The most heavenly place I have ever been. The hot afternoons and cold evenings, hot sand and cold Ganges. It is a mecca of adventurers. Rafting - nothing more to say.

21. Simla
Mall road, the church, an old cinema hall with rusty seats – nothing official about it but yes would definitely want to write a piece on this one. Check it out soon.

22. Srinagar
We got lost one night and couldn’t find our way back to our hotel. I was young and must have started crying for the reason that we got lost in an unknown city but my mom convinced me that we will soon find our hotel. She said “Chanda mama humein hamare ghar pahuncha denge” (Follow the moon and you will reach your hotel) and you know what He did.

23. Trivandrum
Kovalam beach – ouuuuhhhh the most beautiful beach. Clear waters and soft sand, both are still afresh in my memories.