It was a hot summer morning when I mailed Ishita Khanna, the co-founder of Ecosphere, a social enterprise in Spiti, Himachal Pradesh. At that point, I was a desperate traveller at my workstation in Mumbai. After an exchange of 42 emails across months of planning, my first solo trip to Spiti was finalised. It was…
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Many versus in poetry and references in literature had led me to believe that winter is probably the most desolate and monochromatic season. Between Virginia Woolf’s ‘Melancholy were the sounds on a winter’s night’ and PB Shelley’s ‘If winter comes, can spring be far behind?’ I was convinced that winter was made of sorrow and…
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Ever since I can remember, walking has been my expression for happiness, curiosity and departure. Growing up amidst the beautiful hills of Shillong, in Northeast India, walking wasn’t as therapeutic as it is today. It was the only way of getting around the town; we used to walk to college, to weekend gatherings, to reluctant…
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My travel gear is an important aspect of all my travels. It has to be simple, ready for mountain weather and durable, apart from being resourceful. Whether it be a rucksack, a pair of shoes, walking stick, jackets, travel towel or even my headlight, I invest time and money in it. I have been using…
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Beral is a small village in Himachal Pradesh’s Rohru district. A friend of mine pointed me in the direction and I packed my bags to leave in no time. A four-hour drive from Shimla and I arrived at Kharapathar junction. Here I got introduced to Ashish, my host, and together we drove a distance of…
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As I departed for Chandigarh airport from Kandaghat, we stopped by Mohan Shakti Heritage Park. The park was about 20 kilometres away from Kandaghat which took us roughly an hour. The premises is spread over 40 acres and has a cafeteria and washrooms. The area is being developed with Ayurvedic centre currently. This space is essentially a…
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