traveller

email: themusafirstories@gmail.com

You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.

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https://barikothi.com/index.php

enNovember 10, 2022

Murshidabad and Bari Kothi with Darshan Dudhoria

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Darshan Dudhoria, an ardent heritage enthusiast and co-owner of Murshidabad’s first Luxury Heritage hotel!

Today's destination: Murshidabad, West Bengal!

Nearest Airport: Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport (CCU)

Nearest Railway Station: Azimganj City Rly Station(ACLE)

Prerequisites - N/A

Packing - Pack according to the weather

Time of the year - Winters are the best time

Length of the itinerary: 3-8 days

Itinerary Highlights:

Darshan starts off the episode by sharing some insights into the history of Murshidabad, previously known as Makhsudabad, the founder Murshid Quli Khan and the small but mighty community of Sheherwalis and their contributions towards the building of Murshidabad.

We discuss the origins of the Sheherwali community, their contributions to building Murshidabad, and some of the iconic members of the community including Jagat Seth.

Darshan delves into the history of the Bari Kothi, the erstwhile home of his Sheherwali ancestors, the decline and the eventual rebuilding and restoration of the property. We also touch upon the important features of the Bari Kothi, now Murshidabad’s first luxury heritage hotel and its architecture.

We also cover some of the iconic experiences offered by Bari Kothi including places like Hazarduari palace, Katra mosque, Kathgola palace, Nashipur Rajbari, House of Jagat Seth, Kiriteshwar temple, Charbangla terracotta temples, and experiences including Tantipara weavers village, Tea on the Ganges and the traditional Raibeshe dance and Baul music performances.

The sheherwali cuisine is an intrinsic part of the Bari Kothi experience - this vegetarian cuisine is a wonderful confluence of jain, bengali and mughlai cuisines and includes dishes like hhaata ka tarkari (vegetable prepared using lotus pod), mocha ka tarkari (banana flower preparation), kathbel chutney (wood apple paste), muri ka laddoo (puffed rice and jaggery sweet), pitha (steamed rice dumplings stuffed with khoya), kache aam ka kheer (ram mango pudding) and bore ka boondiya (a sweet made of white bean powder)

Links:

Bari Kothi’s website::

Bari

Kothi on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/barikothi/

Bari

Kothi on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/BariKothi/

Cover

Photo by Bari Kothi

Battle music: Sota War (https://freesound.org/people/YleArkisto/sounds/258207/ ) by YleArkisto (https://freesound.org/people/YleArkisto/ ) is licensed under CC by 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ )

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enOctober 13, 2022

Seven Lakes Trek with Upasana Kakati

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to blogger and traveler Upasana Kakati from www.unconventionalandvivid.com!

Today's destination: Seven Lakes Trek, Arunachal Pradesh!

Nearest Airport: Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi Intl Airport - GAU

Nearest Railway Station: Naharlagun Railway Stn (NHLN)

Prerequisites - Inner line permit is required (https://itanagar.nic.in/service/inner-line-permitilp/)

Packing - Sleeping bags, odomos, hat, rain gear, gum boots, trekking gear, backpack, raincoat, down jacket, trekking pole (optional), waterproof clothing

Time of the year - Monsoons are the best time

Length of the itinerary: 8 days

Itinerary Highlights:

Upasana talks about the seven lakes trek in the Dibang valley in Arunachal Pradesh, one of the most pristine and beautiful treks in the country.
The trek lasts for at least 8 days and covers 7 alpine lakes, the highest one being located at a height of over 14,000 ft. done with Emudu trekkers.
Upasana does the trek in October, one of the nicer months to do this trek, however monsoons might be a great option to consider given the offbeat nature of this expedition.
The nearest village is Anini, where the group gathers and heads to the trailhead at Emuli village. Day 1 involves trekking through a grassland and camping at the base of the forests for about 4-5 hours.
It is best to have a hat, a walking stick and odomos as there are dam dims or insects in the grasslands that could cause itchy bites.
The first base camp is Aniku where the group spends the first night at. The next day, the team starts walking through the grasslands. It involves 4-6 hours of trekking, and is filled with the cacophony of insects and birds making loud sounds.
The second campsite is called Emudu camp site and has a beautiful logwood cabin in the middle of the rainforest.
The third day included trekking through the rain forest and ascending uphill to scale rocky mountains. It is one of the longest days of trekking along with some technical climbs accompanied by winds and rain.
The first lake - Kahmu-yu lake is accessed from this basecamp. The next campsite is after a fairly easy trek through the rolling hills, the 2nd lake Emuh-ya lake is next to the campsite. There are also wonderful views including waterfalls, streams and fog covered peaks that one can see from this campsite which is base for the next 3 days and serves as the basecamp to trek to the remaining 5 lakes.
The team fills up on tin fish, dal, rice, pickle, rotis, leafy vegetables and maggie for meals with the aim of ensuring enough nutrition for the treks. Sitting by the campfire and gazing at the night sky was another of the moments to remember.
The next day includes a trek to lake 3 (Koyombo lake) and lake 4 (Dinu lake). Dinu lake is the most gorgeous of all the lakes, situated at 14,000 ft, deep blue colored and sandwiched between two mountains.
After return to the camp and refreshing to have a go again the next day to the final three lakes, lake 5 (Che-ne lake), and lake 6 and 7 - Huhu I and Huhu II. This culminates in a very beautiful sight, Huhu I which is located at a higher altitude, flowing down to Huhu II, engulfed by mist all around.
The return journey retraces the initial trek, making stops at campsite 2 before heading back to Anini.

Links:

Upasana’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unconventionalandvivid/

Upasana’s blog:: https://unconventionalandvivid.com

Blog post on the 7 lakes trek: https://unconventionalandvivid.com/guide-to-seven-lakes-trek-dibang-valley/

Upasana’s podcast: https://unconventionalandvivid.com/travel-podcast/

Emudu Trekkers on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emudutrekkers/

Video series by Geetfreebird on the 7 lakes trek experience: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k93Ohent6Ts&list=PLZSzUvvwYwnducSpiBEW28wq_ronomF0Q

Cover Photo by Upasana Kakati

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enSeptember 29, 2022

Gokarna with Paro

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to lawyer turned travel entrepreneur Paro from rawdiaries.in!

Today's destination: Gokarna, Karnataka

Nearest Airport: Goa International Airport - GOI

Nearest Railway Station: Gokarna Road Station (GOK)

Prerequisites - NA

Packing - Pack clothes for the beach, sunscreen, sunglasses and your flipflops

Time of the year - Oct to March

Length of the itinerary: 5 days

Itinerary Highlights:

Paro starts with the origin story of Gokarna and the etymology of the name Gokarna which means cow’s ear. She discusses the importance of gods Ganesha and Shiva to Gokarna as well as the important temples for these deities.
We discuss the religious circuit of Gokarna which is also referred to as the Dakshin Kashi or Kashi of the south. The most important temples are around the Gokarna main beach. The Ganesha temple and Mahabaleshwar temple are the most important temples of the circuit.
The Ganapathi temple is dedicated to lord Ganesha in the standing form, and relates back to the story of how Ganesha takes the form of a young brahmin boy to trick Ravana in letting go of the Atmalinga which was awarded to Ravana for his penance. The deity is in the standing form and also has short legs that reflect the episode with Ravana
The other important temple is the Mahabaleshwar temple that is dedicated to Shiva, it is believed that the atmalinga was placed here by lord Ganesh, who had taken the form of a young boy. The deity is usually submerged in water and only surfaces fully every 40 years.
The third temple that is quite important is the Mallikarjuna temple, it is believed to be the only temple that is oval in shape and is a bit away from the Gokarna main beach. The architecture of the temple is really beautiful and offers one an opportunity to spend some time in solitude away from the crowds.
The other important temples are the Ram thirth, Jatayu thirth and the Shiva cave that have their own significance. The Ram thirth has a very unique architecture and is situated very close to the beach and offers some great views.
Moving over to the beach town of Gokarna, the best way to explore some of the prominent beaches is to do the 5 beach trek. It is best to start early in the day, preferably by 5am and takes about 5-6 hours to complete.
The first beach is the Belekan beach, a rocky beach then going to Paradise beach.
The third beach is the half moon beach that appears in a crescent shape from a height and has phytoplanktons that can be viewed at night.
The next beach is the Om beach which is popular with the locals and has a variety of water sports. The final beach is the kudle beach that also has some water sports as well as shacks and restaurants.
There are a couple of other beautiful and offbeat beaches including Nirvana beach and the Honey beach. One has to take a ferry to reach these beaches and hence they are not very crowded. Make sure to catch a sunset at kudle hilltop while in Gokarna
The other things one can indulge in includes cafe/shack hopping - important cafes include white elephant, Levis, half way home, mantra cafe, bhagwan cafe, Prema’s cafe, Lagoon.
Places in the vicinity include Murdeshwar temple town, Mirjan Fort, Yana caves, Vibhuti falls and Honnavar. These places are within about 100kms from Gokarna.

Links:

Raw Diaries on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rawdiaries.in/

Raw Diaries on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSJD6yexHqBB-2VYMCnwMjg

Gokarna video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBCu62LFSMo&t=9s

Photo by Darshan Gajara on Unsplash

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You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.

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enSeptember 15, 2022

Untravel Ladakh with Abhishek Vaid

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to traveller, entrepreneur and content creator Abhishek Vaid from the Untravel Show!

Today's destination: Ladakh, a Union Territory in India

Nearest Airport: Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport - IXL

Nearest Railway Station: Jammu Tawi Railway Station (JAT)

Prerequisites - Inner line permit may be required depending on your itinerary

Packing - Pack warm clothes, depending on the time of the year; medications for AMS

Time of the year - Winter (November to Jan) and monsoons (June to Aug) are ideal time to visit

Length of the itinerary: 8-10 days

Itinerary Highlights:

Abhishek takes us on another untravel expedition, exploring Ladakh in his signature “untravel” style - soaking in experiences rather than checking off bucket lists. But first things first - acclimatisation in order to avoid AMS
He talks about his experience starting off in Leh - walking through lesser known bakers’ street trying out the local breads from Kashmir; meeting a young Ice hockey star who is also an art conservator during the day; meeting young entrepreneurs who are trying to revive local couture and cuisines.
Next stop is to a small village close to the capital Leh called Phyang! The idea was to spend time in a village that promotes decongestion of Leh via agri tourism. Abhishek spends time with the family, learning about their livelihoods, living the simple village life and exploring the local points of interest.
Some interesting local cuisine and dishes Abhishek tries include Thukpa (soupy noodles), momos or mokmoks, Chuttagi (soupy pasta), Yarkhandi Pulao (originating from China and brought to India through the silk route), Churpee (dried cheese based chips), Apricot jams, Changg (local beer) and much more.
Another stop on the untravel experience includes a visit to Nubra but looking at experiences beyond camel rides and ATV rides. The experience includes living in a luxury property called Kyagar
Follow the Untravel show on Youtube to see other experiences in Ladakh including Pangong Tso, Stok Village and more food experiences in Leh.

Links:

Untravel Show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.untravel.show/

Untravel Show on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheUntravelShow/

Untravel Show on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/THEUNTRAVELSHOW

Untravel Ladakh Series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL76-1IsJMwJLRB1UouRSi9RRfzW07HFAE

Untravel with Abhishek: Apply here - https://forms.gle/aFQaUf9DvP3vWfuWA

The Musafir Stories - Kartarpur Sahib with Abhishek Vaid: https://open.spotify.com/episode/58dGzqrVyeHhDv4adUlYKl?si=M6OxoIscTD2eTKn9HBwz_A

Photo by Hans-Jurgen Mager on Unsplash

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You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.

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enSeptember 01, 2022

Badami, Aihole and Pattadakal with Keshav Chaturvedi

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to podcaster Keshave Chaturvedi as he takes us on a temple trail across North Karnataka!

Today's destination: Badami, Aihole and Pattadakal, Karnataka

Nearest Airport: Hubballi Airport - HBX

Nearest Railway Station: Badami Railway Station (BDM)

Prerequisites - N/A

Packing - Pack light clothes, as it is hot most of the year

Time of the year - Winter (November to Jan) and monsoons (June to Aug) are ideal time to visit

Length of the itinerary: 3-4 days

Itinerary Highlights:

Kehsav takes us on a whirlwind tour across the Northern part of Karnataka on a temple trail. The pit stops include the Badami cave temples, Aihole and Pattadakal.
We start with Badami, discovering the rock cut cave temples built during the 4-5th century CE by the Badami Chalukyas as they established their political capital in Badami. The cave temples consist of 4 main caves - 3 Hindu and 1 Jain cave that have some finely sculpted temples. Keshav talks through the significance of each of these cave temples as well as subtle differences.
There is Cave 5, which is a relatively newer cave that is closer to the Agastya lake and Bhootnath temple and is unique for its representation of the deities
Besides the cave temples, Badami also has a mosque that was likely built during the Adil Shahi sultanate. The town is also a popular hot spot for bouldering among the local and international community.
Aihole was considered to be the cultural capital of the Chalukyas and is situated a few kms away from Badami.
It is considered to be the cradle of Indian temple architecture due to the sheer diversity and number of temples found here. There are over 100 temples in the main complex including Hindu, Jain and Buddhist temples.
THe main temples include the Durga temple, Lad Khan temple, Gaudargudi temple and the Ravan Pahadi caves.
Other important temples include Ambigergudi temples complex, Jyotirlinga temples complex, Mallikarjuna temples complex, Ramalinga temples group, Veniyar shrines complex, Maddin temples group, Triyambakeshvara temples group, Kuntigudi complex.
Finally, Pattadakal came into prominence between the 7th and 8th century CE and was considered as the place of coronation of the Chalukya Kings. It is often referred to as a harmonious blend of architecture styles from North and South India.
The main temples include - Kadasiddheshwara temple (Nagara/North Indian style), Jambulingeshwara temple, Galaganatha Temple, Chandrashekhara Temple, Sangameshwara Temple (dravidian/vimana style), Kashi Vishwanatha Temple (rekhanagara), Virupaksha Temple (dravidian/vimana), Jain Narayana Temple

Links:

Keshav’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keshavchaturvedi9/

Keshav’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keshav.chaturvedi.37

Keshav’s podcast - https://shows.ivmpodcasts.com/show/tedhe-medhe-raaste-8nsu-Rh7epsqeWjEL8yjl

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You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.

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Puri - https://open.spotify.com/episode/2qlot1VdxOHoUsQhxGYPTc?si=50710e9bb1c44d43

enAugust 18, 2022

Coonoor with Ayush Kumar

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Ayush Kumar, solo traveller and photographer as he takes us to the hill town of Coonoor in Tamil Nadu!

Today's destination: Coonoor, Tamil Nadu

Nearest Airport: Coimbatore International Airport - CJB

Nearest Railway Station: Coonoor Railway Station (ONR)

Prerequisites - N/A

Packing - Pack warm clothes, depending on the time of the year

Time of the year - Summers (March to May) and winters (October to February) are ideal time to visit

Length of the itinerary: 3-5 days

Itinerary Highlights:

Ayush takes us to the quaint little hill town of Coonoor on the podcast today - we begin the journey on the historic UNESCO World Heritage Site, Nilgiri Mountain Railway or popularly known as the toy train.
The train runs from Mettupalayam to Udhagamandalam or Ooty, making stops at several beautiful stations, including Coonoor. Make sure to book the tickets well in advance as the demand is very high during the tourist season! The toy train runs 3 times a day between Ooty and Mettupalayam, and is one of the steepest lines that is run on a narrow gauge rail line supported on a rack and pinion mechanism.
The journey takes about 5 hours, and is one of the few lines that still runs on a steam engine (for a part of the journey). Other stations in the journey include Runnymede, Ketti, Hillgrove, Lovedale and Wellington. The railway line has also been featured in a number of popular movies including the SRK/Mailaika song “Chaiyya Chaiyya” and Kamal Hasan/Sridevi starrer Sadma.
The Nilgiri biosphere is also an ecological hotspot that is teeming with wildlife and hundreds of species of flora and fauna. The western ghat formation is believed to be at least 150million years old, making this a significant part of the Indian subcontinent.
After enjoying the train ride, Ayush covers off the touristy places in Coonoor including Sim’s Park, Lamb’s Rock and Dolphin’s nose to get a view of the beautiful Catherine Waterfalls.
As you are visiting these spots, make sure to visit tea estates in the vicinity like Glen Morgan, Homedale, Glen Mark, Highfield tea estate, Guernsey Tea factory etc
Other places Ayush explores include Tiger Hills and the cemetery, Wellington, Kotagiri among some of the other places.
From a local cuisine perspective, make sure to check out Ramachandra restaurant (hotel) for some mouthwatering local dishes. Cafes include Cafe Diem, La Belle Vie, Bird house cafe, Crown bakery, Indian Bakery, Ayush shares his experience being stung by a honey bee as well as the trip to the nearby town of Wellington!
Wellington is popular as the HQ of the Madras Regiment and its famous alumni include Field Marshall KM Cariappa. The trip also includes a visit to the Defence college, Wellington Lake and the Wellington Station. Other points of interest in the vicinity include Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, Bandipur Tiger reserve and Kotagiri.

Links:

Ayush’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soul.traveller.kumar/

Ayush’’s Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/ayush.kumar.737448

Ayush’s previous episodes:

Bhubaneshwar - https://open.spotify.com/episode/3j9rNyQ9FUVrJJoSD4tcDP?si=6528696138dc4a01

BBC Documentary on Indian Railways: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpoQO9ggzC4&list=PLwOyHkOUH9wKRF46cU7Pzxc4U1eE0RPst

The Musafir Stories on Audible:

Ooty - The Queen of Hills!

https://www.audible.in/pd/Ooty-The-Queen-of-Hills-Podcast/B09F1PLKF7?ref=a_pd_The-Mu_c0_lAsin_0_3&pf_rd_p=fb415642-61ca-48d1-82f5-1e0dcaa1f83f&pf_rd_r=JP0AVEWDCXJYSEJ7B0XK

Image Credit - Ayush Kumar

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You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.

You can check out our website at https://shows.ivmpodcasts.com/featured

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enAugust 04, 2022

Kedarkantha Trek with Surya Raju

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Surya Raju who was the very first guest on the podcast when we started more than 5 years ago talking about her experience on the Kedarkantha Trek!

Today's destination: Kedarkantha, Uttarakhand!

Nearest Airport: Dehradun Airport (DED)

Nearest Railway Station: Dehradun Railway Station (DDN)

Prerequisites - Permit required

Packing - Pack trekking gear and warm clothes

Time of the year - December

Length of the itinerary: 6 days

Itinerary Highlights:

Surya talks about the USP of the trek, as well as the difficulty level and preparation required.
The railway head for the trek is Dehradun from where the trek company takes the team to Sankri, the starting point of the trek.
Sankri is a small village that serves as the base camp for a lot of treks including Harki Dun, Rupin pass along with Kedarkantha trek. It is situated at about 200kms from Dehradun and some buses ply to this little village.
The first day’s trek involves trekking for about 5 hours and camping at the Juda Ka Talaav - a high altitude alpine lake. This is the first pitstop and provides some wonderful views with the stunning alpine lake surrounded by trees and some dense forests. The stop is a great chance not just to rest and recoup from the first day’s trek but also acclimatise with the altitude and get to know your trekking group.
The next day’s trek is fairly easy and the team gains relatively less in terms of elevation. The destination of the second day’s trekking is the Kedarkantha base camp. The team not only rests here, but also prepares for the snow trek with microspikes to ensure grip.
The final day of trekking starts very early in the morning, as early as 1AM when the team sets off for the Kedarkantha peak. This is the most strenuous of days given that the team has to not only summit the peak but also return to the base camp at Sankri.
The trek involves an ascent in sub zero temperatures on very narrow ridges and severe conditions. However the views once you reach the summit are worth every bit. One gets a view of neighbouring Himalayan peaks including Nanda Ghunti, Swargarohini, Kalanag peak, Gangotri and Yamunotri ranges amongst others.
The descent involves taking the same route back to the Kedarkanta base camp followed by a descend to Sankri, usually through a different route.

Links:

Surya’s podcast: Travel Rope - You Inspire Me - https://open.spotify.com/show/7vkwapzVBv2adt3qCjcLzl

Surya’s blog - https://travelrope.com

Surya’s’s Twitter - https://twitter.com/travel_rope

Surya’s Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/travelrope/

Surya’s Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/thetravelrope/

Surya’s episode on Sikkim with The Musafir Stories: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5YI3FaVMG1QqCQOC6rdRr3

Image Credit - Photo by Vivek Sharma on Unsplash

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You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.

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enJuly 21, 2022

Nagpur with Amol Wanjari

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Amol Wanjari, co-founder of Orange Odyssey - a tour company specialising in curating heritage experiences around Nagpur, Maharashtra!

Today's destination: Nagpur, Maharashtra

Nearest Airport: Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport (NAG)

Nearest Railway Station: Nagpur Railway Station (NGP)

Prerequisites - N/A

Packing - Pack light

Time of the year - October to February, winters are ideal time to visit

Length of the itinerary: 3 hours

Itinerary Highlights:

Amol takes us on a guided heritage tour around the old city of Nagpur, uncovering the evolution of Nagpur.
The evolution takes us from the prehistoric time to the post-independence era, unravelling a layered history of Nagpur.
The first reference is of the stone circles at Junapani and Mahurjari that date back to the megalithic period. There are 300 such stone circles dating back to 3000 years ago and are believed to be burial sites of those periods.
There is also a copper inscription at Devri dating back to the 10th century, probably from the Rashtrakuta period that mentions Nagpur.
Then we discuss the Gond era, the Gond Fort, the foundation of Modern Nagpur, and the brief rule of Gods at Nagpur. There’s a bastion left from the early Gond period which we visit during the walk.
After that, we unfold the History of Maratha's rule at Nagpur by visiting the Kalyan Dwar, a gateway of the old Rajmahal or Mahal of Nagpurkar Bhonsles, their rule & development of the city. During this layer, we visit Gol Bazaar, Kotwali Police Station, Kelibag Temple Complex, and Bakabaicha Wada (Now DD Nagar School).
We then visit the site of the old palace to see the Town Hall & Native Library. We start here with the British rule & developments during the colonial period. After that, we visit Senior Bhonsla Palace, followed by the Rukmini temple complex. This temple is a masterpiece from the Bhonsle Rule.
We then come to Shukrawar Darwaja, which is known as Gandhi Gate now. We talk about history from the post-independence period, discussing the Nagpur pact & the renaming of the gate & lake after Gandhi.
As the walk ends here, we visit an old food establishment, to have Nagpuri breakfast of Tarri-Poha.
Post that we take an overview of the structures of Civil Lines, like the Central Museum, High Court & Zero Mile Stone. We also have an overview of Weavers of Mominpura.

Links:

Orange Odyssey’s website - https://www.orangeodyssey.com

Orange Odyssey’s Twitter - https://twitter.com/OrangeOdysseyIN

Orange Odyssey’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orangeodysseyindia/

Orange Odyssey’s Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/OrangeOdysseyIndia/

Image Credit - Amol Wanjari, Orange Odyssey

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You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.

You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

enJuly 07, 2022

Calicut with Ajay Kamalakaran

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Ajay Kamalakaran, a writer and traveller as we explore the beautiful town of Calicut or Kozhikode, in the Malabar region of Kerala!!!

Today's destination: Calicut or Kozhikode, Kerala

Nearest Airport: Calicut International Airport (CCJ)

Nearest Railway Station: Kozhikode Railway Station (CLT)

Prerequisites - N/A

Packing - Pack light

Time of the year - October to February

Length of the itinerary: 2-3 days

Itinerary Highlights:

Ajay sets off on our virtual trip to Calicut by speaking about the historical significance of the place, the influence of the Zamorins or Samoothris as well as the conquest of the colonial powers starting with the arrival of Vasco da Gama on the shores of Calicut.
Some of the first pit stops in the city include the famous Kuttichira, a heritage locality popular for some wonderful monuments like the Miskhal mosque and the Tali temple. Ajay discusses the history of the place, architecture, cultural influences of the Chinese as well as Arab merchants which forms a part of the popular culture.
We also discuss the popular eateries in Calicut, including the influence of the Arab and Gulf cuisine.
We talk about the busy SM Street and its specialities including Halwa and Banana chips.
Ajay then takes us to some of the prominent beaches including the Calicut beach and Kappad beach, where Vasco Da Gama first landed in India.
Ajay also shares the experience of walking about in SM Street area as well as watching a movie in an old single screen theatre - Radha talkies.
Ajay speaks of the popular personalities of Calicut including the former Defense Minister, VK Krishna Menon, PT Usha and author Vaikom Basheer as well as his hometown of Beypore and its shipbuilding industry.
We discuss short day trips that cna be done from Calicut - Kannur, Ponnani, Thalassery and other places nearby including Mahe.
Finally Ajay shares his experience interacting with the locals from different communities - including the oldest woman freedom fighter, Parsi community

Links:

Ajay Kamalakaran’s newsletter - https://ajaykamalakaran.substack.com

Ajay’s Twitter - https://twitter.com/AjayKamalakaran

Ajay’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ajaykamalakaran/

Ajay’s episode on Sakhlin islands: https://themusafirstories.com/podcasts/explore-sakhalin-island-with-ajay-kamalakaran/

Image Credit - Photo by Arun Geetha Viswanathan on Unsplash

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You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.

You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

enJune 23, 2022

A weekend in Aurangabad with Sagar Senapati

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Sagar Senapati from Travel Safar aur Hum as we explore the historical town of Aurangabad.

Today's destination: Aurangabad, Maharashtra

Nearest Airport: Aurangabad Airport (IXU)

Nearest Railway Station: Aurangabad Railway Station (AWB)

Prerequisites - N/A

Packing - Pack light

Time of the year - October to February

Length of the itinerary: 2-3 days

Itinerary Highlights:

Sagar starts off the journey by taking an overnight bus to Aurangabad from Mumbai. The historic town is at a distance of about 300kms from Mumbai.
Sagar spends the first day exploring the Ajanta caves. Along with Ellora, these cave temples are the first UNESCO world heritage site from India.
Ajanta caves are about 4 hours away from Aurangabad. The caves contain intricate sculptures and frescos and are an exemplary form of buddhist architecture. Ellora on the other hand is a mix of Hindu, Buddhist and Jain rock cut caves and temples, the most popular being the Kailashnath temple or Cave 16.
The next day’s itinerary starts off with the Grishneshwar temple, one of the 12 jyotirlings of Hinduism. The temple is believed to be almost 1000 years old. The temple was reconstructed after previous Mughal destruction by queen Ahilyabai Holkar
On the way from Ellora to Aurangabad, Sagar makes his next stop at the tomb of Aurangzeb, a very modest structure given he was one of the last powerful Mughal emperors.
From here, Sagar visits the Devagiri fort, believed to be one of the most impregnable forts in India. The other structures within the complex include Chand Minar, similar to the Qutub minar
The final destination on the itinerary is the Bibi ka Maqbara, a mausoleum built by Aurangzeb for his first wife, Dilras Banu Begum. The monument resembles the Taj Mahal but is on a much smaller scale. Make sure to enjoy a sunset at the maqbara to cap off your visit.
Other places close by include Aurangabad caves, Panchakki and Shivaji Maharaj Museum. Also dont forget to try out the paan at the popular outlet Tara paan center and Paithani sarees.

Links:

Sagar Senapati’s travel on Travel Safar Aur Hum -

Sagar’s Aurangabad trip - https://travelsafaraurhum.com/bibi-ka-maqbara-the-dakkhani-taj/ and

Exploring Ajanta& Ellora Caves - https://travelsafaraurhum.com/exploring-the-most-visited-unesco-world-heritage-site-ajanta-and-ellora-caves-along-with-aurangabad-city/

Sagar’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sagar_senapati1/

Image Credit - Sagar Senapati (Travel Safar aur Hum)

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You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.

You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

enJune 09, 2022

Kolkata’s China Town with Subhadip Mukherjee

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Subhadip Mukherjee from www.indianvagabond.com as we explore India’s only China Town!

Today's destination: Kolkata, India

Nearest Airport: Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Intl Airport, CCU

Nearest Railway Station: Kolkata Railway Station, KOAA

Prerequisites - N/A

Packing - Pack light, carry warm clothes as it can get bit chilly in winter

Time of the year - End of January

Length of the itinerary: 2-3 days

Itinerary Highlights:

Subhadip starts off by sharing some background on the Chinese community’s origins in India and Kolkata, the connection to sugar, leather, tanneries and more.
We start by covering the two distinct china towns in Kolkata, Tiretti bazaar or Old chinatown and Tangra or the new chinatown
Tiretti Bazaar is one of the earlier settlements of the Chinese community in India and is popular for the morning breakfast market as well as the Chinese temples that are in abundance in the region.
Tangra was set up initially as a industrial area for tanneries but was eventually turned into a hub of all the popular chinese restaurants in Kolkata
We discuss the new year celebrations in Kolkata, the popular lion and dragon dance that takes place during the celebrations as well as other popular festivals of the chinese community
Finally we touch upon other important places like prominent temples, cemeteries as well as the must visit restaurants in the area.

Links:

Link to the blog: https://indianvagabond.com/

Link to Subhadip’s Instagram: https://instagram.com/subhadipindia/

Link to Subhadip’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/subhadip.mukherjee.india

Link to the Subhadip’s twitter: https://twitter.com/subhadipindia

Link to Subhadip’s episode on Mysore - https://themusafirstories.com/podcasts/a-weekend-in-mysuru-with-subhadip-mukherjee/

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/?hl=en

You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.

You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

enMay 27, 2022

Bundi with Ranjani and Raghavan

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to the travel couple - Ranjani and Raghavan of rararaasta as we take you to the quaint little town of Bundi in Rajasthan!

Today's destination: Bundi, Rajasthan

Nearest Airport: Sanganer Airport, JAI

Nearest Railway Station: Kota Railway Stn, KOTA

Prerequisites - N/A

Packing - Pack light, carry extra liquids as it can get hot during the day

Time of the year - November to February is the best time to visit; you could also visit in October for the Bundi festival

Length of the itinerary: 3-4 days

Itinerary Highlights:

We start the journey by describing the beautiful views that one drives past while approaching Bundi by road. Raghavan and Ranjani also remember being reminded of Hogwarts as they approach Bundi on their road trip
The couple start off by going around the town and the first place they check out is Krishnaji’s Chai - one of the best tea shops in Bundi. The rest of the day is spent walking around the town given that it was already late evening.
The team starts off the next day with a visit to the Taragarh fort and the Garh palace or the Bundi palace. It is advisable to visit the fort first while the temperatures are still low.
Some of the monuments the couple find at the Bundi palace includes Hathi pol, Chatar Mahal, Badal mahal, Chitrashala, Jhoola chowk among others. One can find the very popular Bundi miniature paintings as well as a wholesome fill of Rajasthani architecture on display at the fort and palace.
The duo then enjoy some home cooked meals at Jai’s with the likes of Gatte ki subzee and Dal batti choorma. Other popular food options include pyaas ki kachori, dal ki kachori as well as poha.
Next the couple head to the potter’s village of Theekarda, from where a majority of the pots and cutlery to the neighboring villages and cities is produced.
The next day’s agenda included a visit to the popular stepwells of Bundi - some of them include Rani ji ki Baori, Dabhai kund or Dabhoji ki baori. Some popular lakes include Naval sagar lake, Kanak sagar lake, Phool sagar lake.
Another popular palace is the Sukh Mahal that was made famous by author Rudyard Kipling of Jungle book fame who penned his novel “Kim” while staying in this palace.
Also popular in Bundi are cenotaphs built for the Maharajas - the popular ones being Kshar bagh and 84 pillared cenotaph which gives a good sample of the chattri architecture of Rajasthan.
Things to buy include the popular Kota Doria sarees, a dying work of art that goes back to several centuries. One should also check out the Bundi market to pick up some curios, trinkets, bangles and souvenirs. Dont miss checking out the miniature paintings all across the streets of Bundi.
There are also rock paintings dating back to over 10,000 years ago as well as the Garodia Mahadev temple and canyon.

Links:

Link to Rararaasta’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rararaasta/

Link to Rararaasta’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rararaasta/

Link to the blog: https://www.rararaasta.com

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You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.

You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

#bundi #rajasthan #travel #forts #palace #mahal #taragarh #miniature #paintings #kota #kotadoria #saree #theekarda #pottery #kachori #daalbaati #cenotaph #art #rajasthantourism #wildlife #bundiutsav #sukhmahal #rudyardkipling #kim #harrypotter#grandcanyon

enMay 12, 2022

Kolhapur with Amruta Dhalkar

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks with a very dear listener - Amruta Dhalkar, a museologist, who takes us to a beautiful yet underrated city in Maharashtra!

Today's destination: Kolhapur, Maharashtra

Nearest Airport: Kolhapur Airport, KLH

Nearest Railway Station: Kolhapur Railway Stn, KOP

Prerequisites - N/A

Packing - Pack light, carry extra liquids as it can get hot during the day

Time of the year - September to February is the best time to visit

Length of the itinerary: 3-5 days

Itinerary Highlights:

We start off our conversation by a quick peek into the history of Kolhapur, the origin of its name originating from the Kolhasur demon, as well as the other popularly known names of Kolhapur in the past - Brahmagiri and Karvir.
The city was ruled by various dynasties including Satvahanas, Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Shilharas and marathas.
We also talk about the erstwhile links of Kolhapur to european countries as early as 1-2nd century CE
We start off our exploration with the most iconic temple the Mahalaxmi temple or the Ambabai temple that is important to both Shaivites as well as Vaishnavites.
Other important places include the Old Palace, which was the seat of Tara Rani Devi, wife of Chattrapati Raja ram, the second son of Chattrapati Shivaji. We briefly discuss the two lineages or gaddis of the Maratha empire - Satara and Kolhapur and the important personalities
The next pitstop is the New Palace, designed by Major Mant and built during the time of Maharaj Rajarshi Shahu, it is built in a stunning Indo Saracenic architecture.. A part of the palace also serves as the royal family’s residence. Apart from this the palace also houses a museum, a lake, formerly a zoo, and Khasbaag - a wrestling stadium.
We also discuss the contribution of Maharaj Rajarshi Shahu, who was as much a social reformer as a king. He was involved in encouraging Dr. BR Ambedkar in his movement as well as starting his newspaper - Mookanayak. He was also the first to introduce reservation for backward classes, as early as the 1900s. He was also a patron of artists and sportspersons, especially wrestling.
The next point of interest are some museums starting off with Townhall, which has a variety of artefacts including some found from the 1st century CE on the banks of the Panchaganga river.
Kolhapur has a significant contribution to the Maharashtra film industry and there are a number of museums dedicated to this and personalities from the field. This includes Chandrakant Mandare museum and Bhalji Pendharkar museum. Finally a unique lifestyle museum is the Kanheri Mutt museum that depicts life in a village 200 years ago.
We then come to the most important part of the journey - food and shopping! Food of the region include Kolhapuri Misal, Mutton and chicken tamda rasa (mutton and chicken curry), kolhapuri bhel. Another unique offering of Kolhapur is the Doodh katta - a place where milk from the buffalo is provided as a nutritional drink.
From a shopping perspective there are several options beyond the very popular kolhapuri chappal or jutis which have their own unique style (and a sound when you walk) along with the kolhapuri petha or headgear, kolhapuri saaj or jewellery.
FInally, a couple of other options close to Kolhapur include the iconic Panhala fort, the beautiful temples of Adinath Jain temple and Kopeshwar temple and the beautiful water bodies of Kolhapur including Panchaganga river and its ghats, and of course the popular Rankala lake to cap off the journey!

Links:

Link to Amruta’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amrutadhalkar/

Link to Amruta’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/amruta_dhalkar

Photo by Bhupendra Singh on Unsplash

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email: themusafirstories@gmail.com

You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.

You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

enApril 14, 2022

Mayurbhanj and The Belgadia Palace with Akshita Bhanj Deo

Winner of Giveaway - Lords of the Deccan by Anirudh Kanisetti

Sarbani Mohapatra

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks with Akshita Bhanj Deo, Director of the Belgadia Palace - an 18th century Victorian era styled palace that is now a boutique hotel in Mayurbhanj, Odisha!

Today's destination: Mayurbhanj, Odisha

Nearest Airport: Dum Dum Airport, CCU; Biju Patnaik International airport, BBI

Nearest Railway Station: Baripada Railway Stn, BPO

Prerequisites - N/A

Packing - Pack light, carry extra liquids as it can get hot during the day

Time of the year - Year round, except summers

Length of the itinerary: 3-5 days

Itinerary Highlights:

Akshita talks about the orientation of Mayurbhanj and Baripada and its close vicinity to both Kolkata and Bhubaneshwar and how one can get to Mayurbhanj.
We discuss the history of the Bhanja dynasty, written history of which dates back to 598 AD. The erstwhile capital of the Bhanja dynasty - Kiching, as well as Haripur and later Baripada. Akshita talks about the prominent rulers of the dynasty including His Highness Sriram Chandra Deo, the philosopher King and Maharani Sumitra Devi.
Mayurbhanj is known as the land of arts and culture due to its abundance of diversity in craft inspired by its local community. We hope you can come experience this beautiful land with the same sense of wonder and amazement as we do everyday.
The Belgadia palace was initially built as a place for foreign visitors, dignitaries and investors. It currently serves as the royal residence as well as a boutique heritage property.
We discuss the idea of Belgadia palace to be a platform for the community and to do so in a sustainable and effective way, supporting local artists and art forms.
The architecture of the Belgadia palace is also very unique with Greek and Roman influence. The interiors have been curated from previous palaces and include high ceilings, antique furniture, colourful rooms and suites, with wooden staircase, full-length arch windows, dark teak wood furniture, and chandeliers dangling from wooden ceilings.
A few visiting dignitaries have included Irish theosophist Dr. Annie Besant, the first Chief Minister of Odisha Harekrushna Mahatab, award winning Indian artist Hemendranath Mazumdar and the Royal family of Nepal among others.
Things to do in Mayurbhanj include The Simlipal National Park, Barehipani Falls, Sami Brukhya, Sitakund waterfall, Baldiha Dam, a visit to Sabai and Dokra handicraft villages Jagannath and Khiching Temple, events such as Rath Yatra (July), Chhau* Festival (April) (*a semi classical dance combining martials arts and folk dance)
The Mayurbhanj cuisine in the palaces featured a motley underdog sturdy Indian vegetables such as pumpkin, brinjal, potato and a wide variety of local gourds and their flowers, roots, stems and tubers.
One iconic dish that has trickled down to present day Orissa is a dish that originated in the royals kingdom—mudhi mansa. This dish provided a filling combination of carbs and protein and was used by kings to feed battle-weary soldiers in order to provide them with strength.

Links:

Link to the Belgadia Palace :https://thebelgadiapalace.com

Link to Akshita’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abhanjdeo/

Link to Akshita’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheGreatAshB

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You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.

You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

enMarch 31, 2022

Ellora and Lords of the Deccan with Anirudh Kanisetti

GIVEAWAY Alert: Answer 3 questions linked below and stand a chance to win -

https://forms.gle/J2h6mmtLQV3vsMrE9

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks with a returning guest, Anirudh Kanisetti, as we discuss Ellora and his debut book, Lords of the Deccan!

Today's destination: Ellora, Maharashtra

Nearest Airport: Aurangabad Airport, IXU

Nearest Railway Station: Aurangabad Railway station, AWB

Prerequisites - N/A

Packing - Pack light, carry extra liquids as it can get hot during the day

Time of the year - Year round, except summers

Length of the itinerary: 3-5 days

Itinerary Highlights:

Anirudh starts by explaining the orientation of the Deccan region, surrounded by the Vindhyas to the north, Western and eastern ghats to the west and east respectively and the Tamil country to the south.
Anirudh also talks about the historical significance of the palace, a brief history of the rulers over time as well as the natural history of the Deccan
We narrow down on the Ellora cave temples, a set of over a hundred cave temples that date back to the 7th century built by Buddhists, Hindus and Jain patrons. 34 of those temples are now open to the public and offer a view into the architectural and engineering brilliance of that time.
We discuss about the dominant Rashtrakuta empire who ruled the sub-continent during this time, were believed to be vassals/feudatories of the Chalukyan dynasty and had humble beginnings.
Anirudh speaks about the magnificent Cave 16 or Kailashnath temple, believed to be inspired by the Kailash mountain, the abode of Lord Shiva.
We speak about the backstory of how the temple is believed to have been constructed from a monolith and is the largest such structure during its time.
The temple was constructed by excavating 2 million cubic feet of basalt rock, probably formed during the cretaceous era which led to the extinction of the dinosaurs.
Anirudh gives wonderful descriptions of the architecture of the temple, some prominent sculptures as well as the sheer engineering and architectural brilliance of the builders.
We cap off the episode by discussing other important temples of the complex, including Buddist and Jain caves/temples.

Links:

Link to Anirudh’s book, Lords of the Deccan :https://www.amazon.in/LORDS-DECCAN-Southern-Chalukyas-Cholas/dp/9391165052

Link to Anirudh’s podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3gyenNhpv2JIvu5nTccaFr

Link to Anirudh’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anirbuddha/

Link to Anirudh’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/AKanisetti

Photo by Setu Chhaya on Unsplash

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You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.

You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.