• MTDC Harihareshwar
    Hotels - Nature's Wonders - Places

    MTDC – Budget Traveller’s Delight

    October 20, 2009 - By 

    In the past three years or so, we have visited a few places in Maharashtra. One thing that has been common in many of these visits was MTDC ( Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation) resorts that offer reasonable boarding and lodging. We have now become a fan of MTDC resorts albeit it’s difficult to get accommodation without advance booking. (Mahabaleshwar) MTDC is present in most of the important tourist places in Maharashtra. Simple and basic accommodation. Clean toilets. No fancy stuff. Will fit any backpackers / travel lovers’ budget. Some of these resorts are leased out to private contractors, who have…

  • Places

    Diwali 2007: Lonar

    November 2, 2008 - By 

    We prefer the subdued Diwali celebrations in villages rather than the high decibel gala in cities. So last diwali (2007) also saw us packing our bags, and this time it was Lonar that caught our fancy. An overnight bus journey to Aurangabad, and we were 145 km away from Lonar. After a 2-hour fruitless wait for the state transport bus, we caught a bus that took us a little closer to Lonar. One more bus, and 2 taxi-jeeps, the last one packed beyond imagination, and alas! Lonar was just a few kilometers away. The last stretch was covered in an…

  • People

    Lonar: A Local Boy’s NASA Connection

    June 1, 2008 - By 

    Anand Mishra is not the kind of guide we often meet at the historical sites of our country. Conversant in English, knowledgeable about his job, punctual, and eager to learn from whatever sources, Anand perhaps reflects the spirit of the much-talked about new, small-town India. To top it all, he has a fellowship from NASA. More than what you expect in a sleepy, dusty, village-town of Lonar in central Maharashtra.   But then Lonar is not just a historical place. Far removed from the typical tourist circuits and itineraries, Lonar is a place where history, geology, astronomy, ecology, and mythology…

  • People

    Lonar: ‘Who Is the Country?’ and Desi ‘Angrezi Log’

    May 18, 2008 - By 

    Scene 1: Four backpackers – wearing capris and coolers – were taking a walk along the rim of the Lonar crater. A villager grazing his cows wanted to show his hospitality to the tourists. He smiled and asked, “Who is the country?” The backpackers looked at each other, thinking “who’s the country among us?” After a moment they realized the villager wanted to know which country were they from. Seeing the capris, coolers, and backpacks, he mistook us Indians for foreigners. Also, he didn’t expect Indians to walk the 5-km stretch under hot sun. When we said, “Mumbai se he”…