Spiti Valley: Land between Tibet and India

Spiti is a desert mountain valley in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, rightly called as the Tibet of India. They are geographically believed to be situated somewhat North-east in the state of Himachal Pradesh. Well the name “Spiti” in itself means “The middle land” and here quite surprisingly so, it is the land between Tibet and India and maybe that’s the very reason for it shares a very similar and intense Buddhist culture as to that found in Tibet and also in Ladakh. Spiti’s capital, Kaza is situated along the Spiti river at an elevation of about 12,500 feet from the sea level.

The road network to and in Spiti is quite of a confusing honeycomb maze actually, firstly Lahaul and Spiti are cut off from Kullu Valley by Rohtang Pass(13,054 ft above sea level) then further going up Lahaul and Spiti are in themselves cut off from each other by theKun-Zum pass at a awe-gaping elevation of 15,059 feet above the sea level. Though, there are roads connecting Lahaul and spiti along the Kun-Zum pass but then again the road is cut off for major parts of the year due to excessive snow-fall. The valley is also alienated from the North for almost 8 months in a year due to the same reason – Yes! holy Snow!

Diving deep into the culture we find that Spiti not only has to exhibit but also to teach and embrace a lot of things, maybe small, but which we people generally miss out on. The place is also considered to be one of the most important research and debate centre for Buddhists. It also helped two of Indian films find their shooting locus – Paap and Milarepa.

Now, the disappointing part is the accessibility; not that it’s difficult but something of an enthralling experience to off-road lovers and a hiccupping drive for those preferring luxury travel but for Back-packers – get, set, go! Spiti can be accessed from Kinnaur via Shimlaalong a nerve wrecking 412Km drive in a terrain that’s not only difficult but adventurous too. Though inner line permits are required for those coming from overseas. During summers it is a someway easy route from Manali via Rohtang Pass, Manali that is 201km from kaza.

Spiti boasts of its fragile mountain ecology and why wouldn’t it? It has all the right and ingredients to do so. Anyway, considering what Spiti is actually all about it is surely very much essential for travellers coming here to leave a green and positive impact on the ecosophere of spiti. Thus, comes Ecospehere – Social Enterprise, Kaza into play. It assists tourists to make a meaningful and beneficial travel and also ensures in reduced carbon emissions.

Brihadeeswara Temple in Thanjavur (Tanjore) - Its Shadow Disappears at Noon

The Brihadeeswara Temple or the Peruvudaiyar Kovil is a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and is located in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu. This temple is one of the most beautiful architectural sites in India. Raja Raja Chola I had this temple constructed in 1010 AD. The Brihadeeswara Temple was built for royal ceremonies and to display the emperor’s power and vision. The Cholas had a splendid eye for art and architecture, which shows in their temples, which have been constructed in a Dravadian style. Also, the entire temple is built on the rules of axial and symmetrical geometry, displaying an engineering marvel of that time. Almost all the structures are aligned axially. The Brihadeeswara Temple is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, under the list “Great Living Chola Temples”.

Brihadeeswara Temple Facts:

Only granite was used to make the entire temple structure. It is believed that about 130,000 tons of granite was used to construct the Brihadeeswara Temple. The height of the temple tower (vimana) is 216 ft and among such kinds of structures, this is the tallest in the world.
Just at the entrance of the temple, there is a large statute of Nandi (sacred bull) measuring about 16 feet in length and 13 feet in height. This statute of Nandi facing the inner sanctum is carved out of a single stone.
The topmost structure of the temple known as “Kumbam” is also carved out of a single granite stone, weighing about 60 tons.
There are two gateways, known as “Gopuras” on the eastern side of the temple to enter.
Hundreds of sculptures adorn the exterior of the temple, whereas inside the temple there is a huge idol of Lord Shiva with three eyes. The third eye is closed. The entire compound of the temple has 250 lingams (representative of Lord Shiva).
108 dance poses, known as “karmas” performed by Lord Shiva have been sculpted on the inner walls of the sanctum sanctorum.
The Brihadeeswara temple consists of a pillared hall and an assembly hall known as mandapas and many sub-shrines. The inner Mandapas are the most significant part of the temple. The mandapas are divided into different levels with the help of sculptures and pilasters.
Idols of “Ashta-dikpaalakas” or guardians of directions, are found in the Brihadeeswara Temple making it one of the rarest temples in India. Six feet tall statues of Agni, Varuna, Indra, Yama, Vayu, Isana, Kubera and Nirriti have been placed in a separate temple.
It is believed that the shadow of the tower over the gateway of the temple never falls on the ground, especially in the premises of the temple.

Yeti sightings in Himalayas

The creature which almost dragged the Sherpa girl, Lakhpa Domini, into a stream was ape-like. An ape with large eyes and black and brown hair. She had been at watch over her yaks near a stream near Machherma village when the thing seized her. Only after she gave a scream did the beast let go. Then it set about her yaks. The police were alerted. They found footprints to corroborate the tale.

Such episodes are quite common to the people who inhabit the Nepalese mountains, the Sherpas. This case is only known to the West because it was recounted by a Peace Corps volunteer called William Weber in the early Eighties (Welfare and Fairley, p-19-20).

The Abominable Snowman is a sensational legend – made all the more exotic as it issues from an out-of-the-way territory. What could be more romantic than the Himalayas: the land of the Dalai Lama, Shangri La, Tibetan monks and heroic endurance? What follows, though, is my attempt to show that there is more to the yeti than an escapist fable.

The Bear hypothesis.

Last November the internet, TV and newspapers thrummed with `final exposes` of the yeti enigma. A geneticist called Professor Bryan Sykes, who is attached to Oxford University, had unmasked the culprit. After having scanned two bits of hard evidence –hair samples from Bhutan and western Himalayas – he concluded that the yeti is...a bear.

`So that’s that one put in a box`, says Joe Public with a clap of the hand. `Pass me a pot noodle while I play a Scooby Doo video game`. As much as we `all-like-a-good-mystery`, we all like a good mystery wrapped up even more.

Read the small print, however, and you will see that Professor Sykes’s claim is neither simple nor unproblematic. He has just substituted one unknown animal for another – a new species of prehistoric bear. This may be a subspecies of brown bear that descended from a polar bear, or a cross-breed between a polar bear and a brown bear. Either way, its behaviour differs from that of a standard bear, thus accounting for yeti tales.

The broadsheet columnist Anunja Ahuga could therefore announce `a dazzling discovery` of a `beast unknown to science` that even exists outside of `the fevered imagination of the locals` (Telegraph Online, November 21st, 2013). So, the Yeti is Dead...Long Live the Yeti...sort of!

The West and the Yeti.

Towering with dizzying height over verdant pastures like vast crystals, the Himalayan Mountain range encompasses Tibet, Nepal, Afghanistan, Bhutan and Sikkim. From time immemorial, the locals have spoken of a man-like beast that belongs to these heights.

The West first came to hear of this from the hill-walker B.H.Hodgson who related some tales from Northern Nepal in 1825. Then the military Major Lawrence Waddell recorded the first footprints in 1899. By 1921 journalists were already dashing out copy about the `Abominable Snowman`.

Then followed the craze of attempts to scale Mount Everest. The mountaineers brought with them the oxygen of publicity, and back with them stories of yeti encounters. The Second World War put a stop to the party for a while until 1951. This was when Eric Shipton reignited speculation with his dramatic snapshots of enormous foot tracks in the snow.

Witness transcriptions reveal some agreement. Our snowman averages six feet in height and is thick set with a weight between 200 and 400 pounds. The hair is shaggy grey or red brown and the face pale and hairless. The yeti stoops, sometimes on four legs, sometimes two, and its toes point backwards. The beast lives in mountain forests and caves and prefers to come out at night. There are times when the yeti attacks humans, hence the fear with which it is sometimes spoken of.

An early western conjecture was that what is being described is nothing more than an orang utan. This monkey, however, is too small to fit the profile. Besides how and why would this monkey stray so far from its native Borneo and Sumatra?

Bears though are known to inhabit the locality. They do match the yeti’s size. Furthermore, they can sometimes assume an upright posture. John Napier, the eminent British primatologist, considered a glorified bear to be behind the legend. Likewise, the Italian alpinist, Reinhold Messner,who had his own glimpse of the yeti, decided in the end that the elusive Tibetan blue bear might be the smoking gun. So if we look at Professor Sykes’s findings and arm ourselves with Occam’s razor then the bear hypothesis looks quite solid. Take a bear seen at a distance, add a dash of superstition, sauté on a low heat of tourism – and serve with journalistic hyperbole. Voila! A monster myth sprouts legs!

Ghost Soldier On duty in Sikkim

We have all seen Smart , young people of their country doing duty in their country's Army. But have anyone seen a Ghost doing duty in the Army of any country.......Yes it happens & happens only in India. Yes, in Indian Army the Ghost of "Baba" Harbhajan Singh who died during the 1962 China - India War still does his duty on Nathula Pass in eastern Sikkim, India. The story goes like this......

"Baba" Harbhajan Singh was a soldier in the Indian Army & worked in the Dogra Regiment during 1962 China-India War. This soldier died near the Nathula Pass in eastern Sikkim - India while on duty. Mr. Harbhajan Singh got drowned in a glacier during the 1962 China-India War. He was searched for everywhere & he was found three days later and was cremated with full military honours. Legend goes like this that Harbhajan Singh led the Search Party to his body, and later, through a dream, instructed one of his colleagues to build and maintain a Temple/Shrine after him. A shrine was built at his Samadhi in the hills. Army folklore holds Baba is a stickler for discipline and is known to admonish those who do not tow this line.

In the camp at Nathula Pass, a camp bed is kept for him and his boots are polished and uniform is kept ready every night. The sheets are reportedly crumpled every morning and boots muddy by evening. The Ghost soldier continues to draw a salary and takes his annual leave also. Legend also has it that in the event of a war between India and China, Baba would warn the Indian and Chinese soldiers three days in advance.

Chinese do also worship him & during the flag meetings between the two nations at Nathula Post, the Chinese Soldiers have also set a chair aside for the saint. Every year on September 14, a jeep departs with his personal belongings to the nearest railway station, New Jalpaiguri, where it is then sent by train to the village of Kuka, his hometown in Kapurthala district in Punjab.
A small sum is also sent to the mother of this Ghost Soldier each month. Ghost Soldier's name still continues in the army's payrolls, his mother has still been getting his salary cheques and he has also been given all due time bound promotions. Though it may look weird but it is true & Indian Army still honours this soldier like that.

After post death promotions, late soldier is treated as honorary captain. Ghost Soldier gets two months annual leave every year & a First Class berth is booked in the train in his name and his portrait, uniform and other belongings are brought by army officials to his native village Kuka in Kapurthala district for availing of his leave.

This year also under this annual drill, belongings of "Baba" Harbhajan Singh were brought to Jalandhar from New Jalpaigudi by Dibrugarh Express on Thursday night.
A JCO, a Subedar and an Orderly accompanied the belongings. The family of the late soldier received the belongings at the railway station and later proceeded for their native village. On completion of the leave the same team of the army personnel will escort back the belongings to the Nathu La region.

Now what you call of this weird but true story happening in Indian Army. Interestingly, one of his old colleague Mr. Pyara Singh of Jallandhar District of Punjab has put a Court Case against Indian Army & Ministry of Defense for allowing such weird Dead worship of a person who was dead long long ago.

Indus Valley Civilization of Harappa

The earliest traces of civilization in the Indian subcontinent are to be found in places along, or close, to the Indus river. Excavations first conducted in 1921-22, in the ancient cities of Harappa andMohenjodaro, both now in Pakistan, pointed to a highly complex civilization that first developed some 4,500-5,000 years ago, and subsequent archaeological and historical research has now furnished us with a more detailed picture of the Indus Valley Civilization and its inhabitants. The Indus Valley people were most likely Dravidians, who may have been pushed down into south India when the Aryans, with their more advanced military technology, commenced their migrations to India around 2,000 BCE. Though the Indus Valley script remains undeciphered down to the present day, the numerous seals discovered during the excavations, as well as statuary and pottery, not to mention the ruins of numerous Indus Valley cities, have enabled scholars to construct a reasonably plausible account of the Indus Valley Civilization.

Some kind of centralized state, and certainly fairly extensive town planning, is suggested by the layout of the great cities of Harappa and Mohenjodaro. The same kind of burnt brick appears to have been used in the construction of buildings in cities that were as much as several hundred miles apart. The weights and measures show a very considerable regularity. The Indus Valley people domesticated animals, and harvested various crops, such as cotton, sesame, peas, barley, and cotton. They may also have been a sea-faring people, and it is rather interesting that Indus Valley seals have been dug up in such places as Sumer. In most respects, the Indus Valley Civilization appears to have been urban, defying both the predominant idea of India as an eternally and essentially agricultural civilization, as well as the notion that the change from ‘rural’ to ‘urban’ represents something of a logical progression. The Indus Valley people had a merchant class that, evidence suggests, engaged in extensive trading.

Neither Harappa nor Mohenjodaro show any evidence of fire altars, and consequently one can reasonably conjecture that the various rituals around the fire which are so critical in Hinduism were introduced later by the Aryans. The Indus Valley people do not appear to have been in possession of the horse: there is no osteological evidence of horse remains in the Indian sub-continent before 2,000 BCE, when the Aryans first came to India, and on Harappan seals and terracotta figures, horses do not appear. Other than the archaeological ruins of Harappa and Mohenjodaro, these seals provide the most detailed clues about the character of the Indus Valley people. Bulls and elephants do appear on these seals, but the horned bull, most scholars are agreed, should not be taken to be congruent with Nandi, or Shiva’s bull. The horned bull appears in numerous Central Asian figures as well; it is also important to note that Shiva is not one of the gods invoked in the Rig Veda. The revered cow of the Hindus also does not appear on the seals. The women portrayed on the seals are shown with elaborate coiffures, sporting heavy jewelry, suggesting that the Indus Valley people were an urbane people with cultivated tastes and a refined aesthetic sensibility. A few thousand seals have been discovered in Indus Valley cities, showing some 400 pictographs: too few in number for the language to have been ideographic, and too many for the language to have been phonetic.

The Indus Valley civilization raises a great many, largely unresolved, questions. Why did this civilization, considering its sophistication, not spread beyond the Indus Valley? In general, the area where the Indus valley cities developed is arid, and one can surmise that urban development took place along a river that flew through a virtual desert. The Indus Valley people did not develop agriculture on any large scale, and consequently did not have to clear away a heavy growth of forest. Nor did they have the technology for that, since they were confined to using bronze or stone implements. They did not practice canal irrigation and did not have the heavy plough. Most significantly, under what circumstances did the Indus Valley cities undergo a decline? The first attacks on outlying villages by Aryans appear to have taken place around 2,000 BCE near Baluchistan, and of the major cities, at least Harappa was quite likely over-run by the Aryans. In the Rig Veda there is mention of a Vedic war god, Indra, destroying some forts and citadels, which could have included Harappa and some other Indus Valley cities. The conventional historical narrative speaks of a cataclysmic blow that struck the Indus Valley Civilization around 1,600 BCE, but that would not explain why settlements at a distance of several hundred miles from each other were all eradicated. The most compelling historical narrative still suggests that the demise and eventual disappearance of the Indus Valley Civilization, which owed something to internal decline, nonetheless was facilitated by the arrival in India of the Aryans.

Yumthang Valley - Sikkim

Yumthang Valley is a beautiful valley situated in north Sikkim. It sits at an elevation of 3,500 metres above sea-level, so naturally home to many beautiful Himalayan flowers. It is rightfully called a valley of flowers, although that name is associated with the Valley of Flowers in Uttarakhand. Yumthang Valley is extremely picturesque, with green slopes covered with trees, yaks grazing in the flower-spangled grassy plains below, and a river flowing right through the valley. The serene and tranquil air of the Valley cannot be described in words. A single visit there can leave the visitor in an enchanted state for weeks.

It also happens to be situated at what is called "the tree-line", the altitude above which there are no trees. This makes the Yumthang Valley unique in that it has trees and Rhododendrons, and yet abounds in tiny, low-growing Himalayan flowers. The Valley has an astounding, over 24 species of Rhododendrons which paint the Valley red in spring. Rhododendrons are shrubs or trees, and different species of Rhododendron cover different large stretches of the Valley. In spring, the Valley looks like a collage of little forests of different colors. The flowering of Rhododendrons is over by May end. During monsoons, starting in June, the Valley blooms with all kinds of tiny Himalayan flowers, like the Primroses, Cinquefoils, Louseworts and Cobra-lilies. This is a much more enchanting scenario, but takes a keen viewer, with an eye for detail, to truly appreciate.

Tea garden hill of Munnar

Munnar in Kerala is an ideal getaway for all those who want to enjoy some genuine lovely moments with nature... 
As you start your journey from Kochi in a taxi, up the hills towards Munnar, the snake road makes you feel dizzy and you want your journey to get over as fast as possible. But as you go round and round and climb towards the hill station which is situated at a height of 6000 ft and at a distance of 140 kms from Kochi, you realise that this hill station in Kerala is tremendously gifted and not for nothing that it adds to the tranquil beauty of nature in the state. The weather suddenly turns cooler, the fogs are travelling over the mountains and the first signs of women plucking tea from the green tea gardens, is an indication that you have arrived in Munnar.

There are some beautiful resorts situated in Munnar and Siena Village. Located in one on of the hills overlooking the valley and surrounded by huge mountains, this becomes an ideal place to just sit back and marvel at nature's beauty. In the monsoon, the weather is so cold and windy that you could easily be blown away by the winds. It's also very cold and you need a sweater or jacket to keep you warm especially in the early mornings and late evenings when it rains. There is no special sightseeing at this hill station but once you reach there, you feel you just want to enjoy the flora and fauna than indulge in any sight-seeing here. However, if one wants to trek and enjoy watching animals in the wild, then the Eravikulam National Park, 15 km from Munnar is worth a trip. At a height of 2695 metres, the bus takes you there and then you take a trek if you want to go higher up and spot animals. It's a fantastic view as you look below, the tea gardens. A warm cup of coffee and masala cashew nuts make you indulge in a heavenly experience as you enjoy the rains and the cool weather. 

If you feel that since it is Kerala, you will find good fish then you will be in for a surprise. Since it's a hill station, you don't get to eat fish here, but it is a treat to find nutmeg, pepper, cinnamon and such other spices' trees here in addition to the tea gardens. The markets here are known for their bakery items like unni appams and homemade chocolates. A visit to the spices garden or flower garden makes you realise how gifted the hill station is. Do not forget to indulge in some spice shopping.

As we walk past the green tea gardens and click pictures with an occasional waterfall amidst the mountains, you realise that one trip is definitely not enough! You need to come back again

Havelock Island - A Romantic Gateway

Havelock is one of the most important tourism destinations of the Union Territory of Andaman & Nicobar. It is one of the few islands that is inhabited, although most of it is a natural paradise, replete with white sand beaches, coral reefs with a colourful array of aquatic life, palm trees, as well as dense forests in the interiors. Inhabited mainly by Bengali settlers, the island houses a number of small villages. Covering an area of 100 sq. km, it lies on the northeast of Port Blair, 54 km by road and 33.5 km by sea. The pristine island is a great base from which to hike, fish, kayak and sail to other islands. It also offers some brilliant snorkelling and diving opportunities. Radha Nagar beach on Havelock has been voted Best Beach of Asia, by Time Magazine.

Sightseeing:

The two famous beaches here are Radha Nagar Beach and Elephant Beach also called Hathi Dera. You could see some a live marine action by renting a glass-bottomed boat and sailing the crystal water, and if you are lucky even spot a few dolphins.

Havelock is a beautiful laid-back tropical island encompassing about 55 square miles, located about 2-3 hours northeast of Port Blair. Barefoot Scuba at Havelock Island is the highest rated PADI dive resort in the Andaman Islands and offers recreational diving in small groups for all levels of divers. Barefoot Scuba also provides you with opportunities to learn how to dive through a complete range of courses from the introductory level programs to the professional levels of Divemaster, Instructor and beyond

Chidiya Tapu : Andaman's Best Sunset Beach

Chidiya Tapu, also known as the bird island, is located 25kms from Port Blair in the southernmost tip of South Andaman. Chidiya Tapu is a small village with lush green mangroves, tranquil islands, and forest bestowed with numerous chirping birds, making it an ideal picnic spot.

Chidiya Tapu, well known for its rich collection of birds, white spotted deer and orchids, draws many visitors, and is a perfect place for nature lovers. The sky of Chidiya Tapu is filled with around 46 species of birds namely, drongos, hanging parrot, scarlet minivet, emerald dove, long-tailed and red-breasted parakeets, white-bellied sea eagles and grey-fronted and imperial green pigeons to name a few.

Chidiya Tapu is well known for its green landscape, enthralling beaches, variety of corals, vivid butterflies and most significantly, the exquisite view of the setting sun in the horizon. The main attractions here include the Chidiya Tapu Biological Park, Chidiya Tapu Beach, the Sylvan Sands and the Munda Pahar beaches. There is a forest guest house located atop the hillock that offers a panoramic view of the entire village as well as islands beyond.

The water in this region is alive with bright corals which makes it an excellent site for snorkelling. Incidentally, Chidiya Tapu Beach offers a variety of sea shells which makes shell craft a prime industry of the Chidiya Tapu. Some of the shell products which are sold here are table lamps, ashtrays, bangles, decorative boxes and show pieces.


Keeping in mind the moderate and tropical monsoon climate of Port Blair, ideally the best time to visit Chidiya Tapu and Port Blair is between the months of October and April. Rest of the year the weather remains unbearable as the summers are hot and humid and winters experience strong winds

Chandipur Beach : Where Sea Water Disappears

Have you seen the sea disappear in front of your eyes? A unique phenomenon rarely seen anywhere else, the sea recedes by as much as five kilometres every day on the Chandipur beach in eastern India, not just enthralling the onlooker but also offering an opportunity to literally walk into the sea.

One of nature's many wonders, the sea recedes massively from the beach during ebb and returns to fill the emptiness during high tide. This hide-and-seek of the sea comes to play twice a day and seeing the sea disappear and then return is an unforgettable experience.

Chandipur lies around 200 km from state capital Bhubaneswar. From here, one can either take the train to Balasore, the closest town at a distance of 10 km, and then travel by road, or take the entire journey by road on National Highway 5. One can be assured of a good journey thanks to the green scenery that follows you throughout and good roads.

Adding to the peaceful ambience are the swaying casuarina trees and the solitary sand dunes, with the constant hum of the waves as they rise and fall gently.

Considering its uniqueness, the beach supports a varied range of biodiversity. It's not rare to thus find a horseshoe crab or red crab crawling beside you. While it's still not very well known among tourists who flock to its cousin beaches of Puri, or the temple destination of Konark, local tourists often visit Chandipur.

"My wife and I saw the sea disappear in front of our eyes, and we walked in the sea bed, almost for four kilometres, and then returned with the gentle water when the high tide came," Anirban Mukherjee, a tourist from the nearby state of West Bengal, told IANS.

"It was like returning with the sea. The massive void left behind by the waters, the path we took, was soon filled up and it was as if we had walked into the sea. This beach is nothing like the other beaches," said his wife Arpita.

For some, it's not just walking but also riding a bike into the sea. When asked if it was dangerous for people to ride a bike into the sea bed with the impending high tide, Dasarath Dash, a coconut seller by the beachside, said no.

"The tide has its timings. Depending on the moon, the timings keep changing. It's mostly the locals, familiar with the tide's time, who take their bikes into the sea bed. The others are thrilled just to even walk that distance," Dash said.

"In any case, the sea is not rough here. The waves are gentle," he said. Food is another plus point here. For those who love sea food, here's a place which can offer you plenty, especially fresh prawns.

The Chandipur beach is also well known for its proximity to the Defence Research and Development Organisation's (DRDO) Integrated Test Range. A number of missiles have been launched from here, including Akash, Agni, Shaurya and Prithvi ballistic missiles.

There is a handful of small hotels - with a tariff range of Rs.500 to Rs.2,500 per day - and a government guesthouse in Chandipur. There are no 5-Star hotels in the area. One can also opt to stay in Balasore.

"The best time to visit Chandipur is winter, between November and March, and most tourists come during this time," Dash said. The tourism department has also been trying to promote Chandipur and other spots nearby as potential tourist destinations. An elaborate beach festival, showcasing the dance forms, art and culture of the state, has become an annual affair here and takes place every February.

"I really hope proper infrastructure can be put in place so that the Chandipur beach attracts more tourists and the locals around can benefit. Right now we mostly have local tourists and those from the neighbouring states. The number of foreign tourists is still very low compared to Puri," said Ubachan Mohanty, a local.

Ross & Simth Islands: Tale of Twins Island

Ross and Smith Islands are known as the Twin Islands of Andaman and Nicobar group of islands. Ross and Smith islands are actually two islands – Ross and Smith joined together to make a single group of islands. These are one of the must watch places in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
These beautiful islands are in North Andaman, few nautical miles from Diglipur Jetty.

What makes these islands truly beautiful and sets them apart from the rest of the islands is that these two islands are joined by a natural, sand bar. Its like if you face both the islands, you see a road kinda thing which is actually a sand bar linking both the islands. And thus, while walking on the bar one can move from one island to the other.
This white, silky sand bar goes inside the sea at times of high tide and surfaces up again during high tide.

One can easily reach these islands by taking a boat from Diglipur that costs anywhere from Rs. 500 to Rs. 2000. Boats run from early morning till noon. The island also has a small tree house where one can climb and enjoy the serene beauty.

The islands also have a bit of corals under the water but they are not much known and are present in deep sea so in a way coral life is not to be experienced here. During high tide, the sand bar disappears leaving a trail of water between the two islands and during low tide the sand bar appears again making the islands look majestic!

Water is crystal clear and gem green in color. Sun bathing in Ross and Smith Islands is a wonderful experience that can be had only after visiting them.

Andaman Island's Rajan : Ocean-Swimming Elephant

Rajan - Barefoot's 63 year old retired Asian elephant is the last of the famous ocean swimming elephants of the Andaman Islands. He is a well known celebrity having featured in the Hollywood movie 'The Fall'.

Like most elephants, Rajan loves the water and enjoys his swims. With us, you could dive or snorkel alongside this beautiful tusker and add that extra zing to your Andaman experience. Every year many professional underwater photographers and magazine journalists make the journey to the Emerald Isles just to meet and have the opportunity to interact and photograph this amazing swimming elephant.

Diving or snorkeling with Rajan is a unique and enriching experience. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity and is truly a magical experience. Every season snorkelers and divers from all over the globe are amazed and mesmerized by his grace and relative weightlessness underwater.If you thought diving with a great white shark is the most special you could do, think again!

To ensure that our guests get the most out of this once in a lifetime experience, we like to keep the groups for this trip small. It is not Barefoot's intention to turn this celebrity elephant into a circus act by getting him to swim too often and with too many people. Hence diving or snorkeling with Rajan needs to be booked ahead of time so we can keep our bookings few and far between.

A typical dive with Rajan - what's it like?

When you first get to Beach, you will meet this gentle giant in the jungle just behind the beach, probably munching away on some leafs or scratching himself on a tree trunk.

The divers kit up on the beach and will enter the water from there. Once the divers are in, Rajan will slowly make his way down to the waterline, carrying his mahout on his back. Together they enter the water, which on days can be a bit tricky for the two, since there can be some waves.

As the divers descend while Rajan walks towards them you will see a cloud of sand to start with, out of which Rajan will appear. He slowly walks through the water, enjoying himself. With the water getting deeper, he will slowly lift his hind legs and continue walking on the front legs, before eventually lifting his front legs as well off the ground when the water is deep enough for him to swim.

This moment is truly magical. It's certainly an experience, to see this large Asian male elephant (who by the way is the largest in all of the Andaman Islands), move so elegantly and almost effortlessly in the water.

Rajan does dive; however there are some days were he doesn't want to go quite as deep or have a long swim and nobody will force him to. But even on days where he is more of a walking elephant- it's still as breathtaking and a once in a lifetime experience.

Parrot Island in Andman: Delight for Bird Lovers

The Parrot Island, part of Baratang islands is a natural habitat for parrots in this region. Thousands of parrots returning home before every sunset is a unique and must see view for all nature lovers. It is a must visit place for people touring the Baratang islands.

It is recommended to start off early morning for Baratang Island. Baratang Island is located at about 100 Km off the Capital city of Port Blair on the NH 223 (known as Andaman Trunk Road) towards Diglipur.

This island has dense Tropical Forests of all types ranging from tidal swamp forest to Evergreen to littoral forests laced with sandy beaches along its coast at Baludera, Roglachang etc.
Parrot island is reached through a small boat at around, so and mostly visited in the evenings as we can see the thousands of parakeets (mixed group) roost in this island every night. Time can be spent by visiting lime cave and mud volcano in Baratang Island.

The boat ride is for 30 minutes but it is an awesome experience to sit in a tiny boat and ride in such a harsh sea. The boat ride is very enjoyable. Parrot Island is a very small island.

As you approach nearer, you will see a uniquely different group of Mangrove trees that looks more like an evenly cut Mangrove garden. On this lovely, dense island, each evening thousands of parrots flock together and roost here. They leave this island next morning. What is striking is that the mangroves on this island are trimmed from time to time by the parrots themselves using their beaks in a near-perfect manner.

Usually the boats are stopped at around 500 mts from Parrot Island. Parrot Island is a very small piece of mangrove right in the middle of nowhere. You can see that this particular patch of mangrove had been neatly pruned by the birds and looked close to a just plucked, tea garden! Why just this patch? Only questions no answers.

They know that as the sun sets, a group of about five parrots flies over Parrot Island and leaves. Then comes a similar group which the locals say comes for an initial inspection. And then within ten minutes we see birds coming over from all the directions and settle down in the forest. It is a mesmerizing experience. The landing of parrots can be viewed from boats and it's an incredible experience to watch such a huge number of parrots landing here.

The quite sea is still silent but the silent island is now a roosting ground for many parakeets. The birds that come to Parrot Island are called parakeets as they are varied groups.

Mattur: A Village Where People Converse in Sanskrit

Sanskrit is one Indian language, which has almost become ancient for us now. Seriously, who speaks in Sanskrit nowadays? Apart from a few Sanskrit scholars, and of course schoolbooks, Sanskrit has lost its identity among the ‘modern us’.

In fact, even the Sanskrit scholars and teachers prefer a different language (a more common one) to converse. Many people say and we read that Sanskrit is the purest of all languages that our Gods used to speak and that Hindi is derived from Sanskrit. Adding to it, many foreigners visit and stay in Indian ashrams to learn the language that has become yesterday for us.

However, saying that Sanskrit has completely vanished from our societal systems will not be completely true. The shocking fact that we are going to share with you now will completely undo whatever we have said above. Did you know that there is a village called Mattur in Karnataka, India, where people even today converse in Sanskrit? Surprised? We couldn't believe too because most of us merely used to get passing marks in Sanskrit and then there is a village where people speak Sanskrit as a native.

Mattur, a culturally rich village on the banks of the river Tunga in Karnataka, is now famous across India as the 'Sanskrit village'. Here, even the vegetable vendor speaks in Sanskrit. Villagers use Sanskrit here for their day-to-day conversation and not just during poojas. Yes, Sanskrit is the language of the commoner in this village

Dow Hills, West Bengal

Kurseong, a small hill station located at a distance of merely 30 kms from Darjeeling in the state of West Bengal has Dow Hill, one of the most haunted places in India. Tourist activity in this town has increased tremendously over the last few years and along with it has increased the frequency of the stories about the place being haunted.

It is often reported to be a centre of paranormal activities and several accidents have taken place in the vicinity of the town, say local residents. The Victoria Boys High School is believed to be the place where the spirits reside. Local residents say, sound of footsteps emanating from the school can be heard even when the school is closed for the three long months from December to March.

Locals claim that there is one stretch often called the Death Road where some woodcutters have reported seeing a headless boy following them. He apparently walks down towards the road and then disappears into the woods. The locals say that anyone having seen him is not spared by his apparition even in his dreams. Several people have reportedly committed suicide because they were depressed of being followed everywhere by the apparition.

These might just be fables or there may be some element of truth to it but one fact that has been established even more strongly through the suicide stories of Kurseong is that once a place is known for being haunted, the residents are deprived of their mental peace and balance. They start living in a make believe world even when there is nothing supernatural happening around them. Some start enjoying the myths and frightening other people while some others become targets on their own.

Raj Kiran Hotel, Lonavla

Mumbai - The Financial and Entertainment capital of India. It is a city where every Indian foresees an opportunity to grow, a metro where every Indian believes that his dream would come true, and an urban which generates highest revenue for the nation, approximately 5% of GDP and 25% of industrial output. A place where even the smallest of episode takes it superlative form, how would an incidence of such serious enormity remain unsaid? So, which incidence are we talking about?

This dreadful thing happened in one of the spooky places named Raj Kiran Hotel in Lonavala, a popular hill station located in Pune district, and a preferred weekend getaway for people from Pune as well as Mumbai. This hotel is not so big, but surely one of the top haunted destinations in India. One room in the lodge has been stated to be haunted. There have been reports by the guests that bed sheets have being pulled off while they slept. Some of them have woken up in the midst of dark nights with a ray of blue light at their feet. These people have gone through mental therapies after staying in that room. It is said that something really-really creepy goes-on inside the room during the nights which frightens the people. Ghostly apparitions keep floating in this room. The room is in the corner and behind the reception on the ground floor. As a result of these reports the room has stopped being rented out and mostly kept vacant. 

When I got to know about such incidences taking place, I just imagined some flop-horror-Bollywood movie failing terribly to scare the audiences. Jokes Apart! When I seriously tried to give it a serious thought, few things came up to my mind. A small paranormal activity happening in a small room of a not-so-famous hotel, why was it given such an importance? Ain’t worth it, right? Wrong! Any paranormal activity can never be quantified in terms of big and small. Doesn’t matter if it happens in a huge city or a small village coz anything that is beyond natural, is significant. In this scenario, evidences are many but proofs are none. So called victims are many, but eye witnesses are none. Any non-believer of apparitions may be free to call this as a competitor’s trick to achieve that competitive edge, or any other reason to create a story of haunted hotels in India to frighten the people. The fact no one would be able to deny is that these incidences have hampered the business of Raj Kiran Hotel.

South Park Street Cemetery, Kolkata

“In the midst of life, we are in death”, read an epitaph at the South Park Street Cemetery. Lying close to the busy Park Street of Kolkata are men and women from the small but closely knit British community of Bengal in the 18th and 19th century, the pioneers of what later became the British Raj.

Calcutta of those days was much different from the cacophonous metro we see now. Park Street was then called the Burial Ground Road, later renamed after a deer park built by Sir Elijah Impey, and was a raised path on a causeway in the middle of marshy land and patches of jungle. Warren Hastings used to hunt tigers near what is now the Free School Street near the Maidan. Centered around the Dalhousie Square between the Mission row and the Hooghly river, lay the hot and stifled lives of the European community. On a quest to win a fortune for themselves and England (mostly the former),they had none of the facilities modern India can provide, and no immunity to the tropical diseases which were otherwise business as usual for the natives. Malaria, typhoid and other diseases of Bengal took a great toll on them and it is no surprising that most of the tombs have people who could not even reach their forties. South Park Street Cemetery provide a rare and rather humane view of this side of the forerunners of the rulers of India. They too had their share of sufferings, the biggest of all – to lay buried alone in a land far away from home.

A look at some of the names engraved on the tombs will be of immense interest for those interested in the history of India. In this calm of oasis within the chaos of modern Kolkata lies Sir William Jones, the prodigious scholar, polyglot, Indophile and the founder of the Asiatic Society. In a corner lies the squeaking white decorated grave of Henry Vivian Derozio, an iconic radical thinker, poet and the soul of the Young Bengal Movement. Then there is Maj Gen Charles Stuart, also known as Hindoo Stuart, an officer of the British East India company and one of the White Mughals, who was a rarity in the way he embraced India and its culture wholeheartedly. Those with a literary bent of mind will start with an exclamation to realize that Walter Savage Landor’s Rose Aylmer person, a girl who was taken away by cholera in 1800 at a young age of 20. So is Lucia Palk, the heroine of Kipling’s ‘City of Dreadful Night‘. Lady Anne Monson, a great-granddaughter of Charles II and Elizabeth Sanderson, the most beautiful woman of Calcutta are also buried here.

Delhi Cantt

Delhi Cantt is one of the three statutory towns that make up the National Capital Territory of Delhi.These cantonments were originally established by the British Indian Army. With few strange incidences and bizarre events, this has become one of the most eerie places in Delhi. So here goes this real Indian ghost story.

Delhi Cantt area is full of green lush trees and haunted forests. It is reported that this place is haunted by a vengeful spirit of the lady clad in white sari asking for lift from the motorists.

The eyewitness recounts: ""there is a lady in pure white sari .. who sometimes appears .. othertimes disappears while walking …she knocks the doors of the cars passing through that road … even if the car is running at a high speed … she'll run along and knock the door of your car .. If you stop the car you are gone. Shocking!"

Hundreds of people have seen that lady.
till then 15 people have died.
Everyone is Strictly advised in delhi Cant,not to stop the car if someone asks for lift...Scary

There is another true Indian ghost story which says that a woman in white dress roams around the Ashok Vihar flyover between 1am and 4am. Anyone who passes by at that hour, and stops to ask her for directions, will not find their way home that night. Their vehicles break down or they go around in circles. She is also been spotted under a fig tree in Dwarka Sector 9 and in Andheria (Mor) Modh, where call-centre employees and their cab drivers are strictly advised against pulling over to have a chat. Sometimes, she appears in the middle of the road, only to disappear under the wheels.

Delhi cantonment road really a terrifying place for those had seen this eerie ghost lady. Many drivers on the night had gone through the nightmare with her memory. More than 100 of people have seen that lady then 10-12 people have died. The lady ghost often appears and disappears in front of the eyes of victims, those who had her experience. They felt she often tried to make them nervous and horrified. Even she knocked the door if the car raises its speed too. Some people claim maybe that lady died in a car accident or maybe she was a hitchhiker in her life. Anyway, everyone in that particular area is strictly advised, not to stop the vehicle if someone asks for a lift. With this strange incidence, that area becomes one of the scariest places in Delhi and gets this real Indian ghost story

Shaniwarwada, Pune

On the night of every new moon a fort in India becomes a place of horror. Where local people often hear a sound “KAKA MALA VACHWA” (uncle save me) from the Fort in the new moon night. Where the spirit till now utters its last words of his past mortal life. This is the story of the Shaniwarwada Fort in Pune. On 30 January, 1730 Saturday the ceremonial foundation of the Fort was started. Shaniwarwada name came from Word Saniwar (Saturday).

Haunted History behind Shaniwarwada

Shaniwarwada fort, PuneBehind the Fort's paranormal activities there are story of the assassination, greed for power and betrayal. Madhavrao , Vishwasrao and Narayanrao was three sons of Peshwa Nanashaheb. After the death of Pesha Nanashaheb in the third battle of Panipath Madhavrao succeeded as Peshwa. During the war of third Panipath Vishwasrao accepted death. After death of Vishwasrao Madhavrao also died in broken heart for his brother. Narayanrao had been just sixteen years old then. He became Peshwa on that very young age. Due to his age his uncle Raghunathrao was in charge of state on behalf of young nephew.

Raghunathrao's wife Anandibai became very jealous. She had the burning desire to be the queen of State. With time situation becoming worse than ever . Narayanrao started to control the power of Raghunathrao and arrested him in his house.
Narayanrao had a bitter relationship with Gardi, the hunting tribe. Raghunathrao's wife Anandibai used this and sent a signed letter from Raghunathrao to the chief of Gardi. But in the original letter Raghunathrao wrote to Gardi chief Sumer Singh Gardi to capture Narayanrao but cruel Anandibai change just one letter and it became the message to kill Narayanrao . Sumner Singh sent a group of assassins who entered in the room of sleeping Narayanrao at night removing all securities. Narayanrao woke up and understood he was going to be killed. He ran towards Raghunathrao' chamber and shouted to him "Uncle save me". But he was caught by assassins and brutally assassinated by them. Hacked into pieces and then dumped in the river.
The Ghost of the young Peshwa still now resides in there with his painful agony. Every new moon night he cries for saving him.

Lothian Cemetery, Delhi

Delhi is a spooky place – or so it is believed. Now the Indian Paranormal Society, and a travel company, Let’s Get Packing, have decided to explore haunted places in the Capital and also Mumbai, Kolkata and Bangalore. Last week they organised a tour, Creatures of the Night which took tourists to Jamali-Kamali’s tomb, the Mehrauli Archaeological Park and Nicholson Cemetery. How many ghosts they contacted is not known but their K-2 meters were able to record some unusual things, like the smell of sandalwood at Balban’s tomb (possibly a Thursday ritualagarbatti for the slave king who was a quite a scrooge) and a shining red triangle at a mosque, to quote a story in a daily. But the ghost-busters were silent on what happened at the cemetery. They expected to see the headless spectre of Gen Nicholson who was shot near the Khari Baoli during the British assault on Mori Gate by a sniper standing at the window of a double-storeyed house. A marble tablet still marks the site. Though mortally wounded, he breathed his last only after Delhi had been retaken, with the words, “Thank God, I can now die in peace”, or something to that effect.

The story about the headless soldier is associated with another site – the Delhi Gate, where a British sentry shot himself after the woman who swept the road every morning, with whom he had fallen in love, got married. The yarn is that he walks from the gate right down Daryaganj street and later disappears into the nearby Lothian Road Cemetery, where he was presumably buried. The pipal tree at the Delhi Gate is also said to be haunted by a banshee (wailing churail) who sometimes troubles passers-by late at night by making a jingling sound with her anklets. Incidentally, the Lothian Road Cemetery, the oldest existing one in Delhi, is believed to be the most haunted as many of those who were killed in 1857 are buried there. Even during the day the cemetery looks a spooky place with tumbled-down tombs all around and a weird middle-aged woman sitting under a tree to quench the thirst of stray visitors in the afternoon.

Another story would have us believe that every Thursday, the last Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar and his begum Zeenat Mahal, lead a procession of their courtiers, and members of the harem, out of the Red Fort and back into it. This is surprising since both Bahadur Shah and Zeenat Mahal died in Rangoon (now Yangon) and were buried there. Ghosts are never known to cross such long distances as the one between Delhi and the Myanmarese city, where Zafar is honoured as a pir who grants wishes to those who light candles and joss-sticks at his mazaar, though he poetically mourned that there would be none to do so after his death. Many years ago the Custodian of the Red Fort, Asghar Ali Khan, reported seeing the ghosts of Mughal princes and princesses during his nightly rounds of the fort. Later a photographer of a daily spent a night there photographing paranormal activity but his pictures showed either blobs of light or some weird skeletal images of which nothing much could be made. The Army authorities of the fort tried to bring the issue to an end saying some soldiers used to frighten the custodian by pretending to be princes and princesses but the matter did not die down so easily, with Asghar Ali Khan holding his ground and swearing that he was not so naïve. It later emerged that the Army authorities were trying to put an end to the ghostly yarns as they were hurting its image in the public eye.

Students of paranormal happenings can also try their luck on the Ridge, where some of the bloodiest events of 1857 took place. As a matter of fact, young doctors of Hindu Rao Hospital, which was once a British mansion, reported seeing firangi “bhoots” while going to a canteen for tea during night duty or biking down in the dark to the hospital. Panchkuian Road cremation ground and its roundabout are also said to spring a ghostly surprise now and then, like a motorist who honked to get a man out of the road one night and unable to stop, drove right through him. On looking back he saw the man strolling on Link Road just as before, unmindful of another approaching car. C.P. and Bhadur Shah Zafar Marg also have their own phantoms.

Brij Raj Bhavan Palace in Kota, Rajasthan

All of us know that India with its rich and long history was ruled by the British for almost 150 years, until 1947, when India rose to freedom. The first war for independence, popular as the Indian Mutiny started long back in 1857, and so did this ghost story from India. Back then, when the soldiers were called ‘sepoys’ and India was divided into so-called princely states ruled by the Kings who soon surrendered to the British. Rajasthan, the largest state of the Republic of India is one such region ruled by the Kings for centuries. Surely, there are many haunted places in Rajasthan which would add up to the list of ghost stories from India.

Rajasthan, even the name implies ‘the land of kings’. Whenever we come across these vocabularies, first thing we would visualise is wars, kingdom, riches, palaces, mythology, murders, betrayal, deaths and much more….And so this lead to many ghost stories in Rajasthan as well as haunted places in Rajasthan. These places lure ghost hunters and enthusiasts from around the globe. One suchhistorical ghost story comes from Kota, Rajasthan, a city on the banks of the Chambal River.

There are quite a few haunted places in Kota, one of them being Brijraj Bhavan – Once a palace of the former princely family of Kota. It is one of the haunted palaces in India, having a resident ghost of Major Charles Burton, who, while serving as the British resident to Kota, was killed by Indian sepoys during the 1857 Mutiny. Here goes the story!

Brijraj Bhavan Palace was the British Residency and the home of Major Charles Burton, 40th Bengal Native Infantry posted to Kota. He and his family had lived there for 13 years. In May 1857, at the outbreak of the mutiny, Major Burton was summoned by the British General commanding the nearby Neemuch cantonment for the protection of Neemuch, a town in Madhya Pradesh. Burton was accompanied to Neemuch by his family. He returned back with his two sons on the request of Kota’s Maharaja (King). Nobody knew then, that this would turn into a haunted palace in India. The Burtons arrived at Kota on December 13, 1857, meeting every mark of kindness. This didn’t last long! Two days later, Major Burton saw a large party approaching the Residency. He assumed that these troops of the Maharaja had come to pay a friendly visit. But soon, the building was surrounded and entered by the soldiers, who had mutinied. Abandoned by all their servants, Major Burton and his two sons took refuge in an upper room with few arms that they had been able to snatch and waited for help to arrive from the Maharaja, while the house was looted below them. After five hours of firing, Major Burton and his sons surrendered. Kneeling down they said their prayers. In March, 1858, Kota was retaken by the British and the bodies of the Burtons were disinterred and buried in the Kota cemetery with full military honours.

After Independence, the mansion became the private property of the Maharaja of Kota. In the 1970s, the Government of India abolished the privy purses and privileges of the maharajas, renovating the building and calling it as Brij Raj Bhawan. Today, it is not only a heritage hotel but also a haunted destination in India where the ghost of Major Burtan prevails. It is said that Charles Burton’s ghost still haunts the old building and susceptible guests have complained of distinctly "discomforting and oppressive feelings". The staff, although reluctant to complain, have discussed of an English voice being heard often by the drowsy chowkidars (watchmen) that says, "Don’t sleep, no smoking" followed by a sharp slap. Seems that the ghost of Burton still patrols the mansion!