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Our Panna is quite a dry forest. The green you see now will wither soon,” 20-year-old Iden Lal smiles at me as we walk across the dry deciduous expanse just within the territorial area of Panna National Park. What I notice first is how…
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Dear 28-year-old me, We haven’t hung out in a while. At 68, I could blame the knees, but really it’s the foggy brain that seems to be always leaking out of things to remember. And by that I don’t mean bulbs that need fixing or the names of…
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Sipping on some kahwa to start off an elaborate iftar meal in his drawing room in Srinagar, Ferooz Ganai looks surprised when I enquire about visiting the old city the next day. A long-term acquaintance of my family, Ferooz uncle had…
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Spring in the eastern Himalayas connotes not only a spectacular burst of flowers, it also marks the peak activity of the region’s glorious passerines, who are busy courting as the temperature thaws. Sikkim’s Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary…
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Like most non-resident Bengalis, I travel to Calcutta frequently, and every time, I chance upon some unexplored treasure tucked between the drapes of history. But this time was singularly special. I have been researching on the journey of…
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Stealth and grace marked his every step; his long furry tail swished like a bridal train, helping him maintain balance at the top of a ridge. The snow leopard paused, preened and then presented a proud profile, unaware of the adoring…
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“You want to go to a farm in Ratnagiri in the middle of May?” “Yes! And we can go mango picking.” “But in May?” My reaction was not that unexpected. Temperatures often reach 40 degrees in Mumbai and parts of Maharashtra in the summer. It’s…
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“You must make your way to the gateway of the Deccan through Malwa,” declared Anu aunty. My husband and I were in her dining room in Indore, gorging on home-made dal baati, a speciality of the region. I was trying not to overeat in…
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I was seated on the fifth floor deck of my Grand Executive Suite in Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty. Overlooking the serene expanse of the Vembanad Lake, I sipped my morning coffee. Lush green palm trees swayed in the wind as glistening rays of…
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In the last dozen years, I’ve made at least one annual trip down this road; very often on my own, down a cut and dried route. It starts with a night bus from Delhi that reaches Haridwar in the wee hours. A quick chai in the lone, just-open…
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As young, impressionable children, we were allowed to watch TV only on Sundays at my grandma’s house in the Himalayan foothills, even during our long winter vacations. The set was a grainy, black-and-white Jolly, kept behind a shutter, and…
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Awesome surfing, the coolest street art, yoga studios, hipster cafes and beach bars – it’s time to find out the best things to do in Canggu, Bali.  Canggu is one of the hottest destinations in Bali right now! Buzzing with…
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Tsering offered me a handful of ruby red finger millet grains to taste. A crunch and a pop, followed by a burst of sweetness. I then took a swig of a deceptively innocuous looking clear liquid, brewed from the grain I had just ingested.…
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Jammu & Kashmir, Srinagar, and beyond Why Go Now: ‘Water trek’ across placid lakes No visitor to Kashmir returns without taking a shikara ride on Dal Lake. We suggest going a step further—and ‘water trek,’ as Kashmiris prefer to call…
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I am not new to Kolkata. I lived there for two years at the start of my career, made the occasional trip in between and have done the usual touristy activities—from wandering around the Victoria Memorial to eating egg rolls on Park Street.…
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