Neil Island, Andaman

Thursday 25 December 2014

Kanyakumari

  • Sunset is among the most beautiful I have seen anywhere. The crowd throngs at the main beach to watch the sea gulp the sun slowly.
  • Ferry ride to Vivekanand Rock has pros and cons. While the island and adjacent Thiruvalluvar Statue are worth the visit, the queues are a killer on both sides.
  • There are several food joints along the beach facing the sea with authentic south Indian cuisine worth trying.
Trip: Bangalore > Kanyakumari > Kovalam > Trivandrum > RameswaramBangalore

Kanyakumari is like one of those beautiful Russian spies. Allow them to nudge you and you will bleed dry. Stay game and you will be allowed to play a little. Fate let us arrive at this southern most tip of peninsular India on a Christmas morning.

Vivekananda Rock & Thiruvalluvar Statue

Tuesday 24 June 2014

Ajmer Sharif

  • Ajmer Sharif is one the most crowded place we have been to. Park at your hotel or before you enter the area.
  • There are tiered entries. The less you have to offer, the longer queue you will be asked to join. Offering at different prices is available in the market leading to the shrine.
It was a whirlwind drive that took us out of the labyrinthine roads of Udaipur to the expansive hill fort of Chittorgarh, to the crowded Ajmer Sharif and finally halted at a modest accommodation in Jaipur all in one day. We drove close to 200 miles, spent decent time in each of the four cities and still managed a breakfast and a dinner.

Way to Ajmer Sharif

Friday 20 June 2014

Jain Temple, Ranakpur

  • Ranakpur is 50 miles from Udaipur. A private vehicle will be handy to cover nearby Kumbhalgarh Fort as well in a single day. Start early.
  • The Jain Temple does not allow entry in shorts or half pants hence dress fully. The campus also offers delicious thali at bare minimum charges.
  • Do take an SLR to capture the intricate marble work. You need to pay nominal camera charges along with entry fee, all of which goes to maintain this magnificent structure.
The next morning we started for Ranakpur. It's 90 km from Udaipur through a tortuous but smooth road mostly into hills. The place is famous for Ranakpur Jain Temple which has exquisite carvings on marble. Whatever we had heard about this place was going to be dwarved by what we were going to witness.

Elaborate ceiling carvings @ Ranakpur