• The Flying Scotsman Travelwithacouple
    Heritage - History - Places

    The Flying Scotsman @ Aviemore

    October 16, 2023 - By 

    Aviemore was, without a doubt, the most memorable part of our Scotland trip. Our pre-travel research with Google Maps as the starting point and National Parks as the destination turned out well this time too. Cairngorms National Park covers almost the central part of the Scottish highlands. At over 4,500 sq kms, it is the largest National Park in the United Kingdom and is also rated by National Geographic as one of Top 20 Places to Visit in the World. The Cairngorms National Park website is the best resource that will help anyone planning their trip. It certainly helped us.…

  • Tarangambadi Beach Tranquebar
    Beaches - Heritage - History - Hotels - Places

    Tarangambadi (Tranquebar) – The Place of Singing Waves

    April 9, 2023 - By 

    When the Danes landed in the east coast near Tarangambadi, admiral Ove Gjedde perhaps felt a sense of tranquillity. With a rhythmic, but soothing sound of crashing waves, the endless blue sky and fresh air, it could not have been otherwise. The origins of the name ‘Tarangambadi’ is not known, except that it means ‘place of the singing waves’. Well, tranquillity might not be the reason why Ove called it Tankebar. But that’s what we felt when we reached there on a December afternoon. Clear skies (which remained for most part of the 3 days we stayed there), the constant…

  • Hampi Itinerary Travelwithacouple Unny Bindhu
    Adventure - Heritage - Hikes - History - Nature's Wonders - Places - Sanctuaries

    A Hampi Itinerary – Something for Everyone

    January 6, 2019 - By 

    Never perhaps in the history of the world has such havoc been wrought, and wrought suddenly, on so splendid a city, teeming with a wealthy and industrious population in the full plentitude of prosperity one day, and on the next seized, pillaged, and reduced to ruins, amid scenes of savage massacre and horrors begging description. –Robert Sewell, A Forgotten Empire. History and mythology intertwines effortlessly as local guides narrates the story of Hampi,  once a world class city and trade centre of 14th century, built and ruled by the kings spanning four dynasties starting with Harihara and Bukka. The mythological…

  • TravelwithaCouple Jain Temple Sulthan Battery
    Arts & Culture - Heritage - History - Places

    The Jain Temple at Sultan Battery, Wayanad

    April 7, 2015 - By 

    We had earlier written about the Jain temples in Kerala and Wayanad in particular and also about the connection with the Hindu temples. So, this time when we heard about the Jain temple in Sultan Battery, we decided to have a quick look. The Sultan Battery Jain temple is right at the middle of the town and is maintained by the ASI. After many Jains and Buddhists left Kerala between 800 and 1000 AD, some families seem to have stayed back in Wayanad. Also, it is said that in the 15th century, many businessmen and merchants in the region were of…

  • Greek Theatre Syracuse Italy
    Heritage - History - Places

    Syracuse: 2700 Years of History & Heritage

    February 14, 2014 - By 

    Four hours cannot do justice to 2,700 years of history for sure. One evening. That’s all we could spend in the historical city of Syracuse (or Siracusa) in Sicily, Italy, where Archimedes was born. The massive Greek Theatre, several palazzos and churches, and the Maniace Castle (Castello Maniace) in Syracuse represent the best of Greek, Roman, and Baroque architecture. The city’s architectural monuments have stood the test of time, surviving two earth quakes in 1542 and 1693 and bombings during the Second World War. Syracuse was bestowed a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2005. In the few hours we had…

  • Arts & Culture - Heritage - History - People - Places

    Mummy: The Inside Story

    February 20, 2013 - By 

    Nesperennub, a priest at the temple of Amun-Ra, had severe dental abscesses, which would have given him terrible pain when he was alive. He had a small cavity on his skull, above his left eye. He was a man of high status and belonged to an influential clan at Thebes, a city in ancient Egypt. Nesperennub lived in ancient Egypt, around 1550–1069 BC. He passed away when he was middle-aged. But he has come to India and will be here for one more month. The mummy of Nesperennub in its cartonnage case The mystery of Egyptian mummies has always puzzled…

  • Arts & Culture - Food - Fun - History - Places

    Goa Carnaval 2013: Fun, food, and Much More

    January 30, 2013 - By 

    Goa Carnaval 2013 is almost here! The 4 days of fun, frolic and, feast is set to open on February 9 and will last until February 12. But for foodies and cultural buffs, celebrations begin a day earlier. Food & Cultural Festival, to be held parallelly with the Carnaval (Portuguese for carnival), is slated to be from February 8. Goa is known mostly for its beaches. All these years, tourism as well as all celebrations happened in and around beaches. But this time, there is going to be a conscious effort by the department of tourism to remove the focus from the beaches and…

  • Adventure - Heritage - History - Places

    The Cliffhanger @Takmak Tok

    December 9, 2012 - By 

    Hang at about 1000 ft and have a 360-degree view of the landscape down. Thrilling and spine-chilling! Slowly move down until you reach a ledge at 300 feet. One misstep and it is a straight drop of 700 feet. Carefully trudge along the ridge and trek back to the top. That’s all about rappelling at Takmak Tok, Raigad. Raigad Fort, near Mahad, Maharashtra, was Shivaji’s capital. It was at Raigad that he was titled Chathrapathi. Attacked and destroyed by the British, the fort is now in ruins. The queen’s quarters, durbar hall, and marketplace are still discernible among the ruins.…

  • Heritage - History - Places

    Traipsing Around Taormina

    July 15, 2012 - By 

    A building at the top of a hill by the coast of Ionian sea. Sitting on its balcony or verandah, the likes of D H Lawrence, Guy de Maupassant, John Steinbeck, and Francis Ford Coppola would have delighted in the sight of the mesmerizing blue sea below. For, this air seemed to have refreshed many a creative souls. And, it is not surprising. After taking over the control of this small town in 200 B.C., the Romans seem to have discovered its quaint beauty and made this a holiday destination. Taormina is a small town in coastal Sicily. Being ruled…

  • History - Places

    Daman – A Weekend by the Beach

    March 24, 2012 - By 

    Covering 150 km in just about 2 hours was not something we planned for. We didn’t expect our impromptu driving trip to Daman to be such a cool drive.  The Mumbai –Ahmedabad highway has been made six-lane with flyovers at every possible junction. It’s almost 4 years since our last road trip through this road and at that time, pot holes in every possible shape decorated the road. This was meant to be a laid back trip. Drive to Daman, find a decent beach-facing place to stay. Have a relaxed evening. Read something. Also attempt to write. In between, do…

  • Arts & Culture - Heritage - History - Places - Publications - the great driving challenge

    Pick Your Escape Route (Mid-Dday Feb 02, 2012)

    February 11, 2012 - By 

    If you choose to do one trip a month for the whole year, that is 12 short trips in an year. When Mid-day asked us to give us an all-year itinerary in Maharashtra for travel lovers to explore, we were only happy to do so. It was late January and so we came up with a 11 month schedule. Here it goes. The full text February: Koyna Valley (Koyna Nagar) Why should be here: Far away from the maddening crowd. Without the trappings of any hill station. Spend a quite weekend in the MTDC resort or a couple of other…

  • Arts & Culture - Heritage - History - Places

    The Red Town of Karnataka – Pattadakkal

    January 15, 2012 - By 

    In the middle of nowhere in rural Karnataka is the remains of (perhaps) a glorious past. Where nicely chiseled stones and beautiful sculptures tell you million stories. Hundreds of unnamed craftsmen with their skillful hands and genius minds lived and died for their kings and queens, while building and leaving behind stupendous architectural marvels that will remind us not of their glories, but of their rulers. As we wander through the wonder that is Pattadakkal, we imagined the scene where hundreds of workers in the rumble and tumble creating poetry out of shapeless rocks. Pattadakkal (Pattadakalu in Kannada), also known…

  • Arts & Culture - Heritage - History - Places

    In Search of the Hidden Kadamba Gods

    December 31, 2011 - By 

    What excites us most in our trips is the last-minute additions or diversions in the plan. At Belgaum, through a common friend, we met a businessman who has interests in history and architecture. And he suggested that we check out Halashi and gave the directions to reach there. Obviously, not many people have heard about the place. Halashi is a small village about 42 km from Belgaum. At 27 km from Belgaum city, on the Belguam-Dandeli road is Khanapur town. Halashi is about 15 km from Khanapur. With the western ghats as backdrop, the road to Halashi is scenic. Halashi…

  • Food - Heritage - History - Hotels - Places

    Ragusa – Welcome to Sicily

    December 11, 2011 - By 

    An old Italian lady who speaks only Italian, a young Italian settled in Switzerland who could speak English and an Indian couple.  All in a small town in Sicily, at an almost-deserted bus terminus. A rain-drenched evening that welcomed darkness without embracing twilight. We started experiencing the warmth of Italian hospitality right after we got down at the upper Ragusa bus terminal. We had booked a hotel at Ragusa Ibla, the old city. The untimely rain meant we had to find shelter in a small shed at the terminal. We asked a lady for directions to the hotel but she…

  • Mahakuta, Badami, TWaC
    Arts & Culture - Heritage - History - Places

    Mahakuta, Badami

    September 25, 2011 - By 

    An ancient temple complex at about 15 km from Badami, Mahakuta is part of the travel circuit of Badami–Aihole–Pattadakkal. Surrounded by hills with bushy forests, the complex was built by the Chalukyas and is the seat of Shaivite faith. The complex has a large number of small- and medium-sized temples scattered around a pond (or a small lake – Vishnu Pushkarni). Only one of the temples has daily poojas. Since we visited the place around mid-morning and not during any festivals, there was hardly anyone and was very peaceful. Some of the temple ruins were on the hill in the…

  • History - Nature's Wonders - Places

    The Chalukya Heartland – Badami

    September 25, 2011 - By 

    Some times the history, the geography, the weather and the people of a place adds to the dynamics of a travel experience, often enriching it. That’s what happened to us at Badami. After being to Ajanta, Ellora, Kanheri, Pandavleni and the Elephanta cave temples, we have remained overawed by the sheer ability of human beings to ‘create.’ Intricate carvings, artworks, massive lifelike statues, astounding temples carved out of rock … all thousands of years back, without any sophisticated tools and technologies. Badami was no different and only added to that awe. The carvings were fuller and realistic, perhaps because of…

  • History - Places

    Lesser-Known Delhi – Mehrauli Archaeological Park

    June 26, 2011 - By 

    It was William Dalrymple’s ‘The Last Mughal’ that triggered our curiosity about the history of Delhi. Not that we were not aware of Delhi’s historical significance. Unfortunately, Delhi brings to our mind all its negatives—lack of safety, extreme heat or cold and the like. When we did our first ever trip to Delhi as ‘travellers,’ we realised 3-4 days is not just enough to explore the city and experience its history. Even as the regular must-see destinations filled up our itinerary, we were on the lookout for the not-so-common destinations. That’s how we stumbled upon the Mehrauli Archeological Park. Being…

  • Submarine Museum Vizag
    History - Places

    The Submarine Museum

    February 10, 2011 - By 

    As kids, like many of us, we were awed by the concept of submarine – something that can travel under the water. And we were under the impression that submarines are a 20th century invention. Yes, the modern submarines were made in later half of 20th century. But efforts to travel under water have been made as early as 325 BC. (A 16th-century Islamic painting depicting Alexander the Great being lowered in a glass submersible. From Wikipedia) Museums have the ability pull us back into the past. The displays recreate history and invoke awe and wonder. Two back-to-back museum visits…

  • Srinagar to Kargil, TravelWithaCouple
    History - Nature's Wonders - Places

    Himalayan Safari Tales #4 – Srinagar to Kargil

    August 22, 2010 - By 

    Most often during our travel experiences, taxi drivers turn good travel companions. Giving the local flavour to the many stories behind the places or simply by joining the conversations with their points of views or sometimes sporty enough to gauge the moods of the travellers and offering to take detours that might match their interest. This time however, we had a tad different experience. We had two vehicles for our group and a third vehicle joined with some other passengers and since the drivers knew each other, they decided to move as a convoy. A tightly packed schedule meant hurrying…

  • Jadhav Ghad Pune, TravelWithaCouple
    Arts & Culture - History - Places

    Jadhav Gadh. Exuding Old World Charm

    May 9, 2010 - By 

    As we approach the entrance, the doorman ceremoniously lifts the bugle and plays. A little embarrassed, we enter the fort. More welcome ceremonies follow. A lady applies sandal paste on our foreheads while a gentleman waits with perfumed towels. Located at about 20-odd km from Pune, off the Pune-Saswad road, this fort-converted-hotel is run by the Orchid Group. An eighteenth century fort built by Pilaji Jadhavrao (a famous general of in the army of Chatrapathi Shahuji, grandson of Chatrapathi Shivaji), Jadhavgad is small and less splendorous compared to other Maratha forts. But it has a quaint charm and the redevelopment…

  • Matheran Toy Train, TravelWithacouple
    History - Places

    A Toy Ride. A Joy Ride

    May 3, 2010 - By 

    It’s in the long list for UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites. Whether it will get the heritage tag or not, the Matheran Light Railway is a fun ride as the small bogies laboriously climb up and down the hill. So when a friend and Mid-Day reporter decided to do a story on this to-be or not-to-be heritage rail, we decided to tag along. Being a Saturday, the general seats were all taken. So we went First Class, which is an eight-seater cabin with cushioned seats. Though not the fastest way to reach Matheran (meaning ‘wooded head’), a tiny hill station that…

  • Mahabalipuram, Mamallapuram, TravelWithaCouple
    Arts & Culture - History - Places

    Year-End Trips (2) – Mamallapuram

    February 17, 2010 - By 

    Kanchipuram – Mahabalipuram (Mamallapuram) is barely 70 kms and is connected by good roads. Not a wise idea to combine both these places on the same day as you are unlikely to do justice to both the places. Mamallapuram is a 7th century port city built by Pallavas and is supposeed to be named after the Pallava King, Mamalla. Mamallapuram is classified as UNESCO World Heritage site. With some of the rock cut temples resembling the Buddhist/Jain architecture, it is believed that the Pallava kings bought artisans and sulptors from central India after they won over the Chalukyas. We unfortunately…

  • Kancheepuram Temple, TravelWithaCouple
    Arts & Culture - History - Places

    Year-End (2009) Trips – Kanchipuram

    February 15, 2010 - By 

    The year 2009 ended on a good note with a packed weekend. We were back to Chennai after 5 years for a family get together. But we did manage to plug-in an active one-day travel. It is a matter of shame that we lived in Chennai for 7 years and not even once we visited Kanchipuram or Mahabalipuram. We were not in our elements then for sure. So it was Kanchipuram and Mahabalipuram. We planned the timings so that we will be at Kanchipuram Saravana Bhavan for breakfast. Kanchipuram is known as the city of temples and is one of…

  • Thrikkodithanam Temple, Jain Temples in Kerala, TravelWithacouple
    Arts & Culture - History - Places - the great driving challenge

    The Aftereffects of Searching for Jain Temples

    August 29, 2009 - By 

    One of the stories from our TGDC trail was about our search for old Jain temples in Wayanad in Kerala. There are a few of them, either taken over by ASI or left to crumble, like the one we managed to visit. After visiting the place and reading a little more about Jain temples in Kerala, a realisation dawned on us – Most temples in Kerala were earlier Jain or Buddhist temples. We had earlier read that the famous Sabarimala temple (with close to 5 crore visitors a year, it is supposed to be the second biggest annual pilgrimage after…