Khairul Manzil Mosque
What could have been preserved as one of the finest of mosques in Delhi lies largely ignored except by the devout who come here to offer prayers. Or by young boys who like to play cops and robbers amongst its ruins (at least the author did, while he was staying in Kaka Nagar in late 1970s / early 1980s across the road).
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Boating at Purana Qila
Despite being located on the banks of the ‘mighty’ Yamuna, Delhi does not have a water life. The river has been reduced to a national shame, largely due to human abuse. But there are still some oases where you can row a boat. Or use pedals.
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Entry to Old Fort
Three different rulers (one mythological, two real) zeroed in on the site of the present day Purana Qila (Old Fort) as their seat of power – and somehow none survived long enough to really enjoy the fruits of their labour.
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Contributed by Nimish Dubey
It’s a book that is considered a literary classic, has sold millions of copies, inspired film directors to convert it to celluloid and even has an animation series named after it. And yet, for most people, it does not really figure among great travel novels, simply perhaps because they had far too good a time reading it to notice that travel was the central theme of the book. We are talking of Jules Verne’s Around the World in Eighty Days, a book that is admired more in literary circles than in travel ones. [continue reading…]
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The Ashoka Pillar
Head out to the Northern Ridge, a hill area as it is called, near Delhi University – for a 360 degree view of the city below. Actually, make that in the past tense. There was a time when the city had (much) fewer buildings, was less polluted and the green cover was not that expansive – and you could see as far as the river Yamuna and beyond. No longer. But walk along the ridge for a sweeping view of history going back to King Ashoka’s time in the 3rd century B.C.
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Snow Storm
Kunzum Travel Cafe is pleased to invite you to “Let’s Talk Travel” this Friday, September 3, at 18:00 hrs.
A group of 12 tourists embark upon an exciting Jeep Safari & Trekking adventure into Spiti… they’re enjoy the beautiful Himalayan landscapes and have no idea about what’s coming their way. Spiti is lashed with one of the history’s worst snow storms, and is completely cut-off for almost 10 days… [continue reading…]
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Three women off for prayer on Shivratri in Bhaktapur, Kathmandu, Nepal
Limited edition prints of this image are for sale. Ordering info is given at the end of the post. Click on the image for a larger view.
Continue reading if you want to order this print
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Street Photography: Workshop for amateurs and hobbyist photographers
Street photography is is one of the most interesting subjects for photography and this is a genre that can be adopted by one and all. Canon, in association with Nature Wanderers and Kunzum brings to you an exciting photography workshop on Street Photography. [continue reading…]
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This sport gives new meaning to the expression getting your hands dirty. And it is a tradition that goes back to the time of the Mahabharata, the legendary story of Pandavas, Kauravas and Lord Krishna.
Welcome to the world of kushti or Indian style mud wrestling, played as a sport and used to settle disputes long before anywhere else in the world. Wrestlers jostle in a mud pit, wearing nothing but loin cloths around their waists. But it is not usually freestyle – many of the rules are similar to what you see in the Olympics, sans the synthetic mats. This is raw stuff man! [continue reading…]
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What does it take to keep your ear cleaned? A lot apparently. At least for some people – and they require someone else to do so for them. [continue reading…]
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What is in a name? A lot if it is a matter of identity and history. Leading to the toponymy of the city being full of mythological and historical theories.
Earlier travellers to India including Nearchus, Megasthenese, Fah Hian and Hiuen Tsiang never mentioned a city which may have been Delhi, but they did refer to other important ones in north India. Greek geographer Ptolemy mentions Dilli, which he called Daidala, may have been established around 57 B.C. in the area between the present day Qutab Minar complex and Tughlaqabad Fort by King Delu of Kanauj. But there is as yet no archaeological or historical evidence of the existence of either this city or the king.
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Contributed by Nimish Dubey
It is rare to see an adventure or travel being hailed as a literary classic, but this status has been accorded to Apsley George Bennet Cherry-Garrard’s The Worst Journey in the World. Apsley Cherry-Garrard is best known for being part of Robert Scott’s ill-fated 1910-13 Antarctica expedition in which Scott and his friends raced against Roald Amundsen to be the first to reach the South Pole. Scott and four of his teammates did reach the Pole on 1912 but only to discover Amundsen’s team’s flag already fluttering there. All five died on their way back, casualties of terrible weather and according to some, poor planning. [continue reading…]
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Red Masked Dancer with Mask Lifted on Shivratri in Bhaktapur, Kathmandu, Nepal
Limited edition prints of this image are for sale. Ordering info is given at the end of the post. Click on the image for a larger view.
Continue reading if you want to order this print
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Contributed by Nimish Dubey
Camera lovers – professional and amateur – in India have never quite had it so good. In recent times, just about every camera manufacturer seems to be working overtime on upping the zoom and megapixel count of their cameras while keeping the price at relatively sane levels. The latest superzoom camera to hit the Indian market is the Fuji Finepix S1800, which offers a 12.2 megapixel lens with a very respectable 18x optical zoom at a frankly amazing price of Rs 14,999! [continue reading…]
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This is the only ‘quality’ hotel located in Mahendranagar, located near the Indian border. Unless you have a business interest or need a night halt, you usually visit this town to go to the Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve. [continue reading…]
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By Prashanth Vishwanathan
Limited edition prints of this image are for sale. Ordering info is given at the end of the post. Click on the image for a larger view.
Meandering in the streets of Haridwar this February, I had this wonderful series of pictures of holy men in various stages of nudity, embracing technology and modern habits, yet holding on to their ritualistic practices. This picture was photographed hanging on to a fire truck, when the horders of ‘Shiva’s Army’ returned from the Shahi Snan or royal bath in Haridwar during thr Maha Kumbh 2010. Continue reading if you want to order this print
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Contributed by Nimish Dubey
They may have taken the world by storm, but we think that touchscreens – be they on phones, computers, tablets, satnavs or cameras – are not really travel-friendly. Don’t get us wrong – it is not as if we dislike touchscreens. If anything, we think products like the iPhone and iPad are amazing. However, we doubt if we would be taking one along on an extended trip. No, this is not an impulse but a well-thought-out opinion. Here, then is the case against touchscreens when it comes to travel. [continue reading…]
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Ceiling at entrance of Buddha Temple in Patan, Kathmandu, Nepal
Limited edition prints of this image are for sale. Ordering info is given at the end of the post. Click on the image for a larger view.
Continue reading if you want to order this print
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The Kaziranga National Park is one of the best forest reserves in the world – and you have to stay at the Wild Grass Lodge for a truly satisfying and wholesome experience. [continue reading…]
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Lorina and Vishesh, from the band 'Kali Yuga'
Kunzum Travel Cafe is pleased to invite you for a live performance by Indian Canadian, Guitar-Violin Duo – ‘Kali Yuga’ who’ve travelled all the way from Naggar (Kullu-Manali) Himachal Pradesh to perform at the cafe.
They play a mix of – Rock, Blues, Funk with Jazz, Reggae, and Raga. [continue reading…]
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