Walking, the Essence of My Travels

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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Climbing the Mountain Meadows

Last month, I spent a good couple of weeks in Himachal Pradesh. On one of the mornings, we hiked up to an ancient temple called Giri Ganga and stopped by the neighbouring meadows for lunch. I was with my homestay’s host and a couple of his friends. The four of lunch sat on the open…

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Travelling to the Unknown Mountains

Very many hours of my waking life are spent staring at India’s map. I think it comes closest to meditation for me! On a serious note, every Spring I spend some time picking my mountain region of the year. Last year, I was basking in Uttarakhand’s chrome sunshine. But where will the roads take me…

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The Kashmir I Met

Seldom do we realise the power of our own words. A casual remark can often make or change decisions. In September 2009, when I was travelling to Kashmir for work, I had encountered certain stereotypical words used for the state. Unsafe, conservative and dangerous were just the popular ones. Even though it was an official…

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