Incredibleindia - Blog Posts

The Landscapes Of India

Welcome to the varied landscapes of India, my dear friends starting with the loftiest mountain range in the world called the Himalayas in the North to the grasslands of India in the South of Himalayan foothills, also spread across parts of central & western India.

We also have two big deserts in India.

A sandy, yellow desert called the Thar Desert/The Great Indian Desert in the North Western State of Rajasthan.

Then a salty desert or White Desert called the Great Rann of Kutch located in the western state of Gujarat.

The gorgeous backwaters of India are mostly found in the South Western state of India called Kerala.

Similarly the lush green tea gardens at Munnar is also located in the state of Kerala in South India.

The coastal areas with its gorgeous beaches spread in the West, East & South of India can be explored all round the year for some adventurous & fun filled activities.

Happy weekend, my dear friends & see you soon 🙌 🤗

I Visited The Second Longest Wall In The World

"There’s Magic In Forts"

In the topmost video clip, I can be seen walking at Kumbhalgarh Fort along with my husband while in the bottom most video clip, our wonderful guide can be seen talking to my husband, explaining about the glorious history of this place.

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Some very interesting facts about this place:

* The wall at Kumbhalgarh Fort stretches over 36 kilometers, second only to Great Wall of China.

* This Fort was built by Rana Kumbha, a ruler of the Mewar region in the North Western State of Rajasthan, India.

* The wall has never been breached.

* It served as a refuge for the rulers of Mewar.

* There are 360 temples in that area.

* The Fort has seven gates.

* The Fort is surrounded by a Wildlife Sanctuary.

* A spectacular light & sound show is held every evening in the complex depicting the history of the place.

* It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2013.

Source: Times Of India

See you soon, my dear friends 🤗

Wah Taj

The Ivory White Marble Mausoleum

Located in The City of Agra in Uttar Pradesh, India

On The Banks of River Yamuna

Built in the 17th Century

By the Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan

In memory of his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal

A UNESCO World Heritage Site

Also One of the Seven Wonders of the World

The Timeless Beauty

The Smell Of The Village Soil

Ever ventured into the countryside away from the concrete jungle of the city & town, away from dust & pollution, away from competition & rat race?

If not, then you must visit the villages of India. India is a land with varied landscapes dotted with hills, rivers, seas & oceans, backwaters, sandy & salty deserts, fields & farmland and forests too. In fact there's so much to explore!!

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This is a village up in the hills & mountains of India.

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This village is in the heart of Thar desert/Great Indian Desert surrounded by sand where the only mode of transport is camel.

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This village is down south in the state of Kerala where such backwaters & houseboats are a common sight and coconut trees on either sides.

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This is a village in western India in the state of Goa where there is sea, farmland and some beautiful chapels & churches all over the place.

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Another gorgeous village of India. This one is located in the eastern part of the country where the staple diet of the locals is rice & fish, hence glimpses of paddy fields & fisherman.

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This is how an Indian village looks like - grandma sitting in the courtyard; smiling faces of children coz they are genuinely happy & not just posing for the camera; huts with pet animals roaming freely; muddy tracks with greenery all around.

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Also, you would be able to spot some very hardworking women; children & cattle venturing into the nearby forest and of course simple & meaningful activities like watching the sunrise, sunset or perhaps counting the birds flying by. Way better than those unstoppable video games played by our children most of the time.

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Welcome to a typical Indian village 🤗

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Wish you a fabulous weekend, my dear friends & see you soon 🙏🤗

Jaipur, the gorgeous city where everything comes alive

Pink City of Jaipur: The Capital of Rajasthan, India

Welcome to the old city of Jaipur located in the northwestern state of Rajasthan in India.

Here all the royal, traditional buildings and even the entire marketplace is painted in a dusky pink shade.

It all started in the year 1876 during the rule of Maharaja/King Sawai Ram Singh when every house, palace & building was painted in pink to welcome Queen Victoria & her husband, Albert Edward, Prince of Wales.

Pink colour is also known as the colour of hospitality.

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On that note, here's wishing you a gorgeous weekend, my dear friends and see you soon 🙌🤗

Switching from shower to bucket could be a step towards saving water.

Would love to hear the different ways to save water in our daily lives.

See you soon 🤗

Gorgeous beaches; finger licking seafood; dotted with temples & churches; covered with a carpet of greenery; known for its festivals, carnivals and the hospitality of the locals - all this & much more can be found in Goa, the smallest State of India which lies on the southwestern coast of this country.

Goa was a Portuguese colony for centuries, from about 1510 until 1961 bringing along Portuguese influence, Christianity & European culture to this state. The official language here is Konkani.

This video clip shows Kharvi dance being performed by the fishing community of Goa. The fishermen are overjoyed after a good catch at the sea. Hence they are celebrating with their families. Enjoy 😍

See you soon 🤗

See you soon 🤗

Celebrating The Festival Of Colours In India

India is a land of many colours, just like these beautiful fields of my country.

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The Spring Festival Of India

The Spring Festival of India called Holi is also known as the festival of colours & love.

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Radha & Krishna

Holi celebrates the eternal & pure love of the deities, namely Radha & Krishna.

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Holika

The night before Holi, people light up a bonfire to commemorate the victory of good over evil. This is also known as Holika Deepak or Choti Holi.

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Celebrating Holi

People enjoy this festival by throwing dry colourful powders called gulal as well as coloured water on each other followed by feasting on delicious delicacies.

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Happy Holi

Wish all of you a very Happy Holi, my dear friends & see you soon 🙌 🤗

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THE ENCHANTING MANGANIAR

This lovely singer here is following our camel cart just as we are entering into the Thar Desert, Rajasthan in India. He is a Manganiar/Singer from Rajasthan.

In fact the Manganiars are a Muslim community who belong to the Thar desert. They are trained in singing and playing instruments from a very young age. The folk songs sung by them are passed down from generation to generation.

As of now, we are enjoying this performance thoroughly.

See you soon 🤗

THE TRAIN JOURNEY

Life's quite like a journey on a train - at each station or junction of our lives, we make new friends while some others leave us unnoticed.

The journey is throughout dotted with meetings, greetings, goodbyes & farewells.

Let us all travel together on this amazing Tumblr journey, my dear friends creating some very beautiful memories before we reach our respective destinations.

Happy journey & see you soon 🤗

CHAI KAHANI/THE STORY OF TEA

This is one such magical drink which will warm you up if you feel cold; cool you down if you feel warm; add to your happiness if you are happy; cheer you up if you are sad.

At A Tea Parlour in Hyderabad, India

You guessed it right - tea is just not a beverage; it is an emotion that rules every mood, house, office, canteen, occasion - be it a condolence meet; someone's marriage; kitty party; spicy gossip; breakup; proposal or a get together.

Mint Tea

Masala Chai/Spiced Tea with Samosa (Triangular Pastry)

Whatever be the tea we are consuming (spiced or mint tea), meetings do become warmer & conversations juicer. Agree?

So, till we meet again on Friday over a cup of tea from yet another destination, keep smiling & see you soon 🤗

A Note To My Dear Readers

I remember going on school excursions & then when I grew up, visited forts & palaces from the college hostel. Each & everytime I had something unique as in experiences to share with my near & dear ones.

In those days there wasn’t any mobile or for that matter social media. The easiest thing would be to get hold of a postcard with a picture of that place; adjacent to it, there would be a blank space to pen down some precious memories of my travels & post the same to my loved ones. Similarly my parents & friends would send me postcards from their respective travel destinations.

Every Tuesday & Friday postcards & letters of the hostelites would be neatly placed on a table in the dining hall. I would wait for those two days of the week to pick up my postcards from the small table in one corner of the hall.

It was indeed the most exciting & enjoyable activity for me back then.

As I continue to travel to palaces, forts, cities, villages, seas, hills, mountains & valleys, I plan to send a virtual postcard every Tuesday & Friday to my lovely readers & that's a promise.

Of course nothing will ever replace the warmth of a handwritten letter.

Let there be a scribble about the beautiful sunset by the sea; a cloud passing over a mountain; interesting shells found on shores in some faraway land; some adventure; unknown custom; a remote village; a festival.....in fact the list is literally endless.

Most of the time I do not have a planned itinerary. Hence I do not know where I am heading to till the last moment, yet I am somehow sure you are coming with me, won’t you?

So until we meet this Tuesday, keep smiling & take care, my dear friends 😊

Wish you a beautiful weekend & see you soon 🤗

See you soon 🤗

Har Har Gange 🙏🙏🧡🧡

See you soon 🤗

Vibrant Colours Of India

Women drying sarees/Indian drape on the banks of Ganges.

See you soon 🤗

Charms Of Charminar

The 'Arc de Triomphe' of the East or the heartbeat of Hyderabad city in India is the CHARMINAR or four minarets, a monument as well as a mosque built in the year 1591 AD by the fifth ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah to commemorate the end of a deadly plague.

The iconic structure lies on the banks of Musi river and is surrounded by chaotic markets or bazaars comprising of shops/ carts/stalls selling dresses including wedding outfits; Hyderabadi cuisine; jewellery which includes pearls & famous bangles; perfume; footwear etc etc

It is hugely popular for its intricate architecture. Also, this place is beautifully decorated for celebration of festivals like Eid-ul-adha & Eid al-Fitr.

Ek Shaam Charminar Ke Naam/An Evening @ Charminar

Spent a beautiful evening at Charminar last Sunday. I participated in the 'Sunday Funday' programme out there.

There was music, food stalls, laser & magic shows, stilt walkers, sapling distribution among many other events.

It was such a refreshing evening; enjoyed my evening stroll too.....things sadly end, but memories last forever, agree?

See you soon 🤗

The land Of Many Colours

India, the land of many colours - the colourful & beautiful dances as well as dancers from the different states of India being one of the main reasons for this. Agree?

See you soon 🤗

Red Fort

Red Fort or Lal Qila is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in old Delhi, India & built by Emperor Shah Jahan in the mid 17th century when he decided to shift his capital from Agra to Delhi.

It served as the main residence of the Mughal emperors. The historical fort has huge red sandstone walls, palaces, balconies, royal baths, canals, gardens &: mosque.

Apart from these, there are also two popular structures in the complex called the Hall of Public Audience/Diwan-i-Am) & the Hall of Private Audience (Diwan-i-Khas).

A gem of the Mughal era for sure.

See you soon 🤗

My Sincerest gratitude for the gifts of nature 🙏🌄🏜️🏔️🏞️🌳🌲🌴

Pause in & breathe in and then witness the thousand miracles out there.

Time spent in nature is never wasted.

Let's slow down & enjoy the simple pleasures of life.

The connection here is definitely better than the Wifi.

Agree?

See you soon 🤗

Hampi: The Saga Of A Lost City

From the land of living rocks; a saga in stone; Hampi (a town in the South Indian state of Karnataka, India) is home to an ancient Indian dynasty called the Vijayanagara empire established in the mid 14th century where both art & architecture flourished.

Amongst the marvel of the ruins & the splendours of a bygone era, I am that soul who is busy chasing the sunrise & sunset- beautiful examples that both beginning & ending can be gorgeous.

See you soon 🤗

The Queen's Bath, a popular royal heritage site at Hampi, Karnataka in India.

See you soon 🤗

I Want To Break Free

I want to break free from the daily routine; from the mundane life; from staying indoors & staying safe; from Covid.

Would love to flap my wings; travel far & wide; take risks; lose myself in the wilderness; fear nothing; dream often; create some precious memories & leave my footprints 👣 in the sands of time.

See you soon 🤗

Life Is A Journey

There are muddy roads; concrete roads; no road; stairs to climb; rivers & bridges to cross; hills to trek; interesting souls on the way; at times nobody; sunny days; cloudy sky; dark nights & cheerful mornings.

But the journey must continue as always. Agree?

See you soon 🤗

I'll spread my wings

I'll learn how to fly

I'll do what it takes till I touch the sky!!

See you soon 🤗

Dancing With The Waves

Sea Breeze

Swaying Trees

Crashing Waves

Lazy Days

Sun Kissed Hair

Salty Air

Take Me There 🏄

See you soon 🤗

Jal Mahal in Jaipur, Rajasthan

Jal Mahal/Water Palace is in the middle of the Man Sagar Lake in Jaipur City (capital of Rajasthan), India.

Both the palace as well as the lake surrounding it were renovated by Maharaja/King Jai Singh Il of Amber.

It is a four storeyed structure. Only one storey is visible while the rest of it is submerged under the water.

It offers a gorgeous view of the Nahargarh hills. It has a garden at the top dotted with trees and beautiful flowers.

See you soon 🤗

What Are My Secrets Of Staying In Shape While Travelling?

I have been a traveller since I was a child. While I would enjoy exploring the different regions, landscapes, cuisines, cultures & languages, I had always paid less attention to a healthy lifestyle.

Well after years of suffering, I finally decided to take control of my health. So, here are my discoveries to staying in shape while travelling.

* Wake Up Early

* Exercise Before You Start Your Journey

* Choose Fun Activities On The Go

* Eat Natural Food

* Hydrate Yourself

* Avoid Junk & Sugary Items

* Take The Stairs Whenever Possible

Health Tips From The Expert 👇

I truly feel blessed to have interviewed Sneha Shah, Head Nutritionist & Lifestyle Expert, Luke Coutinho Holistic Healing Systems.

* According to Sneha, we should first do a research about the cuisine of the region we are visiting so that we can pick up healthier food items focussing on seasonal & local food of the region.

* Also, one should go for small, frequent meals instead of large, heavy meals.

* Eating mindfully takes care of the portion size of each meal.

* Advisable to start with a soup or salad without any dressing.

*Any nauseating problem can be tackled by sipping lemon water or munching on citrus fruits.

* Carrying homemade items like granola bars, mixed nuts or jaggery laddus would make sure that we don't make unhealthy food choices.

*We should carry water in stainless bottles.

*Important to maintain a three hour gap between our last meal & sleep.

Healthy Travelling : A dose of discipline, handful of activities, clean eating habits, a calm mind & peaceful sleep are the key ingredients to a healthy, happy & energetic vacation.