Winter Getaways from Kolkata

With the arrival of October, most residents of Kolkata start planning their winter holiday. After Durga Puja, Christmas holidays are the most cherished events in every Bengali traveller’s household. Here are some recommendations for idyllic escapes from the city of joy Tagore’s Shantiniketan Only 212 kms away from Kolkata, lies the scenic village of Shantiniketan….

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A Guide to Bodhgaya, Bihar

About 110 kilometres away from the state capital, Patna, Bodhgaya is a popular pilgrimage destination for Buddhists. The first time I visited this dusty town in 2013, I didn’t know I would return thrice over and it was deepen my inclination for Buddhism manifold. As I concluded my fourth travel to Bodhgaya, I knew I…

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Photo Story: Could Winter be the Most Beautiful Season?

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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#DoorsofIndia— Building Perspective and Glorifying India’s History

Why do we travel? Primarily I travel to add perspective. Perhaps this is why every time I repeat a destination, each experience is different from the other. The #DoorsofIndia campaign, by Tata Pravesh, multiplied my perspective to very many things. Architecture has always been a defining subject in all my travels. But narrowing it down to doors was…

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The Great Statue of Buddha, Bodhgaya

Even though Bodhgaya in Bihar has the spectacular Mahabodhi Temple to distract all of us, I think the Great Buddha Statue (nicknamed 80-feet Buddha) deserves at least a visit. This creation is made of impressive, clear marble. What I liked the most is the eight statues of Buddha’s disciples on either sides. Amrita DasI have…

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