Heart of India - Madhya Pradesh

We know this place as the heart of -Incredible India  . For some , it's called as the Land of the striped stalker. For me, this is the -heart of India - Madhya Pradesh

Every since I was a little kid I always used to wonder how and where the heart fits in . Why is the shape of the heart - like a heart . Why in the world do they break . What does the beating of heart really means . That of course is not the topic of debate of this share .

Just like being central to everything , Madhya Pradesh is the central state of  India & very aptly called and made into a nice ad film - Heart of India   .

So , when I choose to go to a place for a vacation far away from the not so popular these days - Delhi , MP it was .  I wanted to make it short yet a fun filled vacation with a combination of some old city culture , a religious leg to it & yes of course some of the famous local delicacies. The circuit that we took was - Indore & Ujjain and the nearby quick make places.

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Indore - The flight to Indore is a decent under two hours run and the moment you land into the city it feels you are in a different place all together . Take an early morning flight and you will realise the slow pace at which life moves here.  Shops open at  / around 11 am and that is how life moves .People are happy being the way they are - simple , slow and at time honking . The city is synonymous with the legendary queen - Maharani Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar whom my first connect happened back in school days in our history lessons . Just like a typical place filled with rich heritage , kingdom rules , battles ,amalgamation of various sects - Indore is no different.

From the Kanch Mandir or the Jain temple to the Bada Ganpati , Lal Bagh palace to Khajrana this place is indeed - the heart of India .

Bada Ganpati

Visiting during summers also means you carry you sun blocks , shades and hats . There are umpteen places to book your stay and the food , though spicy has a different taste and texture to it .

For the foodies , there are two must visit places -

--> Most important place in Indore for Foodies is Sarafa Bazar, where a wide range of Indian Fast food is available. Chhappan Dukan is a major food junction in Indore, where the youth & family gathers on the road side shops for Indian Snacks. Generally, Namkeen is served on top of a variety of food items served in Indore.


--> The life in Indore starts early with chuskis of 'Chai' (tea) with 'garam garam poha & Jalebi' followed by delicious lunch which invariably includes popular 'besan preparations'. Indore has a wide variety of Namkeens, Poha & Jalebi, Chaats (snacks), Kachoris and Samosas, cuisines of various types in different restaurants, and Bengali, Muslim, Mughlai, Rajasthani, continental and confectionery sweets, as well as local delicacies such as Dal-Bafla.

--> Another celebrity of the Sarafa Bazar is Joshi Dahi Balla - more than the preparations , the person himself is a delight to watch and see how he serves folks mouth-watering food .

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Ujjain - This place in one word is -divine  . Not only because it is regarded as one of the seven sacred cities (Sapta Puri) of the Hindus. It is one of the four sites that hosts the Kumbh Mela (also called the Simhastha Mela), a mass pilgrimage that attracts millions of Hindu pilgrims from around the country. It is also home to the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga, one of the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines to the god Shiva. An ancient seat of learning, Ujjain is the place where Lord Krishna, along with Balarama and Sudama, received his education from Maharshi Sandipani.





Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga


So,you dont need any reasons not to visit this pious place.  There is so much of positive energy in and around this place that you suddenly start feeling the 'bright light' .

The other places to visit and worship are the -

• The Harsidhhi temple is one of the Shaktipeeths,
• Kal Bhairav is a temple on the banks of the Kshipra ,
• The Chintamani Ganesh temple ,
• The Mangalnath temple ,
• Sri Sri Radha Madan Mohan Temple, of the ISKCON

Ujjain is mostly a religious Hindu city wherein people spend a day and then return back to Indore. One can also choose to stay in Ujjain and attend the early morning prayers at Mahakal . Most the temples are located within a 5km radius and hence easy to approach  .

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Just like always , feel free to reach out to me for any queries . As always , I do my background checks and there are some do's and don'ts for one to follow . 

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Apparently our cab driver was a Punjabi and all thanks to him I heard this song for the first time in Kanika Kapoor voice  - Jugni ji  . You may want to give it a streaming...

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Karan @ the tooth doctor's infirmary

Huh !! kya kya karna padta hai..............kya kya likhna padta hai..................jab panga le liya toh DARNA KYA....Lets write and share with all.....

 

Day - Saturday Morning
Time - 6:10 am
Place - my bedroom

Mom came calling......."wake up" !! If you want to go.....

Still in my dreams ( currently at an unknown location) ........I replied -the usual way - "KYA HO GAYA "..... :-(

Mom said - "Riya called in....You need to go for your appointment ".

Believe me guys - You say / tell /remind anything to girls make sure YOU LEAVE IT. BECAUSE THEY WON'T TILL THE TIME THEY TELL YOU.

So,what was the fuss all about . Atleast , let me start my system

booting........
checking files.........

aha !! 1 match found.

DENTIST .

 
Oh crap ..kya yaar.....itne subah.......yukk.......

Enough...I said....off from my bed into the washroom....and READY I WAS.

It was my annual / monthly /quaterly ( pata nahein kaun si wali ) appointment / check up with my dentist.

As expected,Riya was before time to pick me up......slothful I am !

And zoommmmm we went....

Day - Saturday Morning
Time - 8:50- am
Place - @ my dentist's inn

"Hey Sweety.....Before time, great" - SHE SAID.

STANDING THERE IN A NEAT WHITE COAT ,LOOKING STUNNING AT 5'6'' ,THERE SHE WAS MY DENTIST.....haiiiii.....how beautiful are these dentists these days...Must try out @ one of those Gladrags....I thought...

She is a BDS ,MDS....(look google for help).....and she's someone to go completely FIDA for.

As we entered into her chamber ,shaking I was .........

The picture right across the room when you enter is :

Brush twice . Smile always.

KYA KYA KARNA PADTA HAI FOR THAT SMILE . KAASH BRUSH KAR LIYA HOTA.MORNING AND NIGHT TOH AAJ AARAM SE SO RAHA HOTA...... :-(

So , I sat , sorry slept on the dentist chair......and tak..tak...the lights were ON.
With some horrible equipments she started surveilling my tooth arena.

Found something.....NAAH .....SEE I AM SO GOOD WITH BRUSHING. :-)

So,can I RUN AWAY. NO....... :-(

Let's do some cleaning ,sampling and may be drilling.....OH shhhh !
Riya...you're no more today if I get even a single bleed.

And there she started .

I was looking @ her all the time.She's so pretty ,so caring and SUCH A GOOD DOCTOR SORRY DENTIST.

After all that bleeding and wiping SPARKLE - MY TEETH WERE WHITE noo...not vanilla.It's called PURE WHITE. :-)

Done.I quested her. YES sweety. DONE. Itni jaldi...:-(

huh !! What a fill-in. chalo...let's go......for a Koffee with Karan @ Costa Coffee.

So,what all DID YOU LEARN MY DEAR READERS.

1.DENTISTS ARE DENTISTS NOT DOCTORS.
2.FEMALES MAKE A BETTER DENTIST.
3.THEY ARE SIMPLY STUNNING AND SWEET.THEY TAKE ALL YOUR TEETH WITH THERE SMILE.
4.PLEASE GO FOR A CHECK-UP ONCE IN 6 MONTHS.
5.DON'T DO SMOKING.WHY.....THAT YOU HAVE TO SEE FOR YOURSELF WHAT DO THE SMOKERS HAVE TO GO THROUGH @ THAT DENTAL CHAIR.
6.EAT SANELY.
7.BE A VEGGIE.
8.BRUSH REGULARLY IN A PROPER MANNER AND IF YOU CAN -FLOSS.
MORE.............kuch toh wahan jaake seekh lo.........

btw- must be cogitating what RIYA WAS UPTO ??HA HA HA HA .........SHE'S WAS THERE TO GET HER DENTURES REMOVED........................ :-)

She'll kill me for this.

In case you too want to make your smile safe and secure , I recommend the best dental chain  in Delhi and may be India - Axiss Dental

Life is Beautiful and so are YOU

Today, as the first drop of sweat came near the eye lash , I realised winters are over and summers have set in . For all those who are in Delhi , it's been a decent winter-spell .There was a time back may be a close decade ago ,  when I was in MSM that I used to love Delhi winters.

Just the entire winter attire - the tie,the shirts ,trousers,sweaters and above all the MSM Blazer . It used be a complete formal corporate look . [ which my "to-date" corporate attire lacks :( :( ] School days were fun & simply awesome.

But , not only time has changed , the "mausam"also. Be it the growing pollution , population or global warming , the winters in Delhi are simply yuk and so tough . Thank god for little mercy on us but it makes me shiver what the not-so good-to-do people do and manage .

 

I don't usually get time for watching or catching up on my favourite shows these days ,but,somehow whenever I switch the idiot box there are a whole bunch of idiots who are giving all kinds of gyaan . And the sad part is - they call themselves - astrologers , palmists , numerologists and feng-shui experts and all sorts of universal names.The worst - people from all across call them and within seconds get the queries resolved . I wonder how and why ? And I am sure they too think the same.

People who know me , clearly know that I am strong supporter of astrology and respect people who are really talented and trained and have just one motive in mind - to help people.Not for money . But , for the impatient lot that we are , everyone wants to know their future and at an amazing speed and time . Not possible .

Time takes it's own call . If a thing has to happen it happens . People come to such people and ask - " that if my wife tries hard she can have the baby come out an hour later or may be a day later" !! Can we try to catch the date - 12-12-12 @ 12:12:12 . Will it help ?

I can't believe this . And then you say one is educated . Belief is something , trust is something and not using your mind is something . Gosh !! I tell you.

People and folks often ask me about relationships and marriage from time to time . And I ,for the helper I am , suggests and helps them out. But then they keep on changing and revolving from one "prospective" partner to another and I keep wondering.....what do I make of it. !!

If "you" love someone , you love. If "you"hate someone you hate . What's the other side to it ?!! I don't get it . Giving chances , for things to work out is good , but them time-line is also important . If you like or love someone , just say it . May be it seems tough but then sharing a thought or a feeling is the most beautiful thing in the world.Give the other person time to revert and then positively thinks will be sweet.And if the other person does not revert , koi na , ask again...some people are just so sweet and innocent that you need to put in and go that extra mile . After all , as they say acche log milte kahan hai.....so worth the effort.

But,the bottom line remains the same - Be true and have trust . Never hide.I can say this from experience . If you have trusted someone , trust completely . And I am one of  the strong supporters of this . And things will turn out to be good.

So, thanks for reading and now just pick that phone / BB / text / email / sms / call / whatsapp or drop-in for a coffee and say it from your heart....everything.....to him/her [ even if its ages since you connected ] ..2013 has just started .......it's never too late....happens...

PS - Before closing will give you one tip from my "gyaan ka piitaaraa" -  Stop eating "sour" things [ gol-gappas / paani-purri's , pickles and the likes.... ] and see your relationships become sweet . Try and let me know  . After all , I am talented and very helpful too...

A nice song , may be you will like it too - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUCkBIelSjM

This is all about the real -Bad Girl

There are two key people in this share - Vinay and Akshara .

This is what happens when time actually flees.I happen to meet Vinay - who is a distance friend and he was in Delhi for a weekend . As always , poor me is running short on time and I thought the maximum I could chat up with him will be half an hour .  So I organised a Coffee with Karan session and we met.

Never did I knew that the half an hour , initially thought session will be way over 6 hours and we will be still left with so much of talking. I am sure you must be willing to know "What" in the world did we spoke about ?!

The answer is - A Girl  -Akshara.

And I can't believe we spoke and spoke and spoke .

I did wanted to share this with my universe and get in views across the board . This is not something which is new in our system. This is not something which men these days are held responsible for .This is not about a disconnect . This is not just arrogance.This is not about tears.This is more than all this.

Vinay works with a top MNC firm in Mumbai . He , himself is top notch commerce graduate with a PG from top tier school . A girl [ I hate even to say she is a girl ] - Akshara- works in his office .

Akshara -is simply mind blowing . Let me complete before thoughts start taking off . She is full of superbia . She can say anything to anyone across and to an extent she can make people cry . Not many are her friends and since it is a corporate structure you need to be talking to people for work and hence number of poor souls are stuck up with her.

Somewhere this thing was blown up that our dear Vinay is traducing Akshara. [ My personal view - Not possible ] .

And the news reached her ears in a way it goes - layer after layer with inputs and value-add from everyone who feels to add a twist to the story. And guess what . The volcano conflagrated. Akshara took Vinay head on in his office , in front of his entire team [ top to down included ] and clapperclawed him to an extent that Vinay , Akshara and Vinay's boss had to rush to the office cafe for a discussion . This is Akshara for you people.

Just to give a heads-up - Akshara is a topper throughout in her life. Be it at her school , her college and then her B-school . She has been nothing but Number 1 . Her family is into business and she stays in Mumbai's classy arenas . She is one of the few people who are allowed to change a role every year just because she hates her boss and sometimes - the team . She hardly talks to people and when she does - you know what happens. She works till the end and rarely people have seen her talk sweetly to someone or even give a smile.

Back . So our girl - Akshara spoke and spoke in front of poor Vinay's boss till the time she was sure that nothing is left. Those fifteen minutes of her speaking are the worst minutes Vinay and his boss can ever forget of.  She abused , she had zero respect for a senior , she did not let Vinay speak and share his point and she went to an extent saying that she will report this to the internal team and make sure Vinay looses his job.

My only query is - Vinay should have spoken . Yes.He did . But when you have Akshara - you just can't . What about his boss - Well, he did . But, the girl is least interested to hear.

And she left . It's been days now . Everything is normal and smooth . Vinay is doing well as always . But still he recalls why it happened . And he has his side of story as well.

Vinay replaced Akshara in a role sometime back . Just as we have handovers Vinay never felt the need to take one from her because the entire team was so supportive that everything was smoothly and nicely executed . And if it was needed he would have spoken to her.

This pissed off Akshara. How in the world - a person - like Vinay - [ who is simple, sweet to talk to , humble and a great human being ] did not approached her . Did not requested for help or inputs . Does not say hi to her whenever they catched eye to eye.

I ask - only one thing - Why ? If I don't like a person , I don't want to talk to him / her - then why am I supposed to say hi ; why am I supposed to even look at her and why in the world will I say negative about her . And no one can force someone to talk . Or to like. Or to love.
Then why .

Well,this is exactly what Vinay thought and still thinks . That story is long over . But all Vinay at times thinks is had he been let to share his view things would have been better. But then if you have a person like Akshara  - how in the world can you make her listen , share and put your view . It's simply not possible.

Vinay is settled in life and happily married . He often takes and shares this example in his many leadership summits where people simply are amazed that people like - Akshara exist in our society . Our world.

And how one simple disconnect can ruin a person or two - from ever knowing each other . How much attitude people carry without even knowing that one day - it's all over. All of us will have to die . Nothing will stay on . Then why make enemies. Why make people cry.Why make people suffer. Why be dis-respectful .

As I say - some people never change....and hence Akshara will not get anything good from Santa this year.....

And this reminds me - ❤ WISHING YOU A MERRY XMAS & SEASONS GREETINGS ❤

Some people are like 'Mondays' no matter what you just don't like them!!

Stay happy and spread the joy all around. Everone is busy with his/her role in their small lifetimes.Then why make things worse if you can't make them simple.

btw - I simply love Masterchef . A great and a must watch.

Manglik -The 'mangal' in it !

Normally, I prefer not to poke my nose in when I know something is messy or it is bound to turn ugly. But then , silence is not always the best practice . At times , you need to speak up and voice your opinion . This helps in not only calming your nerves but also  , if you know the subject well , it helps bring about a thinking angle to already disoriented discussion.

Often people come up to me and ask especially parents and our generation next -

• What is a manglik ?
• Am I one ?
• Can't I love / marry someone who is a non-manglik ?
• What in the world is Anshik-manglik ?

And a thousand more queries , all related to the same theme . Believe me ,people are tense , annoyed , unhappy & in tears at times . Common sense would say that a name which itself has 'mangal' in it , how in the universe can something bad be associated with it. My kudos to such folks and the forward thinking they show .

My readers , friends and extended network know besides doing other stuff I am a keen follower , learner  , not ( never ) a practitioner - of Vedic Astrology . I have learnt this over a long period of time while developing constant learning on observing people , reading people's mind and more importantly connecting with people.   Learner , as I always say .

This thing has come up time and again in my discussions and often I have found half baked knowledge being served / cooked .

So , here is my take.  A bit of numbers ; a bit of thinking.





Manglik Dosha due to Mangal ( Mars ) presence in the above 6 houses in a birth chart

 
If you see , a birth chart has twelve houses . Mangal dosha ( I would say a combination though ) arises when Mangal ( Mars ) is present in either the first , second , fourth , seventh , eighth or twelfth house.

So, in a nut shell , Mars being present in 6 houses means 50% coverage meaning a close 50% of entire population is likely to be Manglik.

Need I say more. Why would God want to make half of us Manglik . There has to be something good in it . And yet, I find people , all highly educated ones going bonkers over this . What is more pain to see is - People not getting may be  - a good job , married , wanting to go abroad & other reasons and then linking it with the manglik dosha as if it is because of this.

I have my take on this . Since each house represents a part of us , presence of any planet will have effects  . Then , one would need to see what house it is , what lagna , how is the planet placed , what dasha a person is running and sub--divisional charts .


There are only two ends to this - you have a combination ( manglik ) or you don't have one ( non -maglik ) . There is nothing called as Anshik-manglik . Its like saying you have a mouth with a tongue or your don't have one  :)

Over and above this , there are certain planets in strength which can cancel / negate the effect of Mars and neutralise it.

An example in case would be - If in the seventh house of Kanya ( Virgo ) lagna , Venus is placed making it exalted and along with Venus is Mars - a person can marry both manglik and non-manglik folks . Given Venus is the agent ( karak ) of marriage , which the seventh house denotes , it will neutralise mars.

This is a simple take on a not - so complicated world in which we live and more often what we make of it .

Next time,if someone says the above to you , before connecting with me on Twitter or on email or on the blog , do share the above with the person  .

Life is simple. Let's try not to complex it so much that at the end we find impossible to come out of it and stop enjoying it all together !


PS - Please don't send me your horoscopes . I will prefer teaching you and educating you . Also, all those "Kundli" softwares - When in the world did softwares started deciding people's destiny ?! Time to re-think !

Tying the knot - the other thought - this Valentine day !!

My beautiful niece - Shaira - was playing with me the other day , in a pink wearing apparel with matching pink booties ( thats a new word in my dictionary and a real cute one ) . Looking her best , as always , nothing less than a pink princess straight out of a fairy tale  she requested me that if I can help her tie her pink booties laces which got opened up .




The pink booties - with the laces in place


I must say - kids these days are so cute & simply innocent you just cant say a - NO !

As I was 'tying the knot' , I recalled my childhood days when tying shoelaces was a major task in my life and every morning I used to look up to my parents  ( innocently :) )  to help me tie them . This was the most annoying part of getting ready for school besides waking up at 6 am.

Believe me , it took patience , hard work and regular practice to perfect the art of tying shoelaces . There were times when it used get open during school and I would smartly tuck them inside . Gosh ! Kids , I tell you are so damn creative !

There were times when I always thought to buy shoes which supported no laces . But as Marians ( www.msmschool.net ) one needs to be polished from head to toe and shoes with laces were a part of  the code of conduct.

My parents used to teach me on weekends for 10 minutes and I used to practice hard enough to get it perfect .  That's when I realised that practice makes perfect but I also admired that perfection is actually nothing but a way of thinking.

As we grow , both in shoe size and brain size we get more refined , more smarter and more interesting . Things that were so tough during puerility seems so simple when you grow up.

During my school days wearing a tie as well ,was also considered as a part of true Marians attire . As most of you know , I love wearing suits with ties as I feel they make a man complete just like a saree makes a woman look perfect .

Tying shoelaces was a level 1 beginners course . Tying a tie is advanced and level 2. It comes with various ways of tying that perfect knot & believe me there will be times when you unknot it a good number of times before you get that perfect crisped look.

Childhood memories actually make you learn a lot . It's now when I look back in time I feel wow , a small thing of a knowing how to tie a shoelace can actually give management lessons in - time , patience , hard work ,focus , at times teamwork and that never giving up spirit of - learning .

Also, the meaning of the same sentence - 'tying the knot ' gets changed with time . Today ,  people ask me when am I 'tying the knot' and it takes sometime to revert that its not a shoelace they are asking but a step in life ahead which denotes a 'long lasting' tie which they refer to .




Tying the knot - the other thought !



Chalo...as I need to get ready & polish my shoes ( thats another fight ) and get moving for another step ahead .


PS - As most you ask me via email , Twitter or comments , sharing a small #astrotip which I think you will find useful .  Big trees should always be planted in the south and in the west of the compound . This will also help unmarried girls get married soon .

Look forward for your thoughts....

Currently #ValentinesHelpline is trending on twitter.  My say -  Make the Divine Your Valentine! Just Be & Know that you are Loved! That's Beloved- #Do read: http://www.artofliving.org/in-en/be-loved

Kerala - Indeed ,God's own place - ( country ) -India !!

It's hard to believe when someone uses a tag line - God's own country . It says and conveys a lot . And as always, for most of the things in life you need to - travel, down south to this amazing state located in the south-west region of India. The name Kerala takes the form Keralam in Malayalam, the main language of the state .


Since this was my second visit to Kerala - I decided to focus my travel on the western coastal belt of this divine state criss-crossed by a network of interconnected brackish canals, lakes, estuaries, and rivers known as the Kerala Backwaters.

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Kochi –

The journey started with Kochi - formerly Cochin, a major port city on the west coast by the Arabian Sea , part of the district of Ernakulam . It is also the largest urban agglomeration in Kerala.

Kochi is home to the Southern Naval Command of the Indian Navy and the state headquarters of the Indian Coast Guard . Commercial maritime facilities of the city include the Port of Kochi, an International Container Transshipment Terminal, the Cochin Shipyard, offshore SPM of the Kochi Refineries and the Kochi Marina.Kochi is home for the High Court of Kerala and Lakshadweep, and the Cochin University of Science and Technology.

We stayed at the superb looking Bolgatty Palace, the exclusive heritage hotel located on the picturesque Bolgatty Island in Kochi (http://www.bolgattypalacekochi.com/ ) . A beautiful picturesque property which will make you fall in love , all over again .

Key places to be seen in Kochi are - Cochin Jewish Synagogue or the Mattancherry Synagogue , Dutch Palace , Cherai beach , Fort Kochi and Willingdon Island. Just like other big cities it has its own MG road for a shopping spree and indulgence. Traffic , indeed is like a city traffic so keep your nerves cool .

We took a little detour and headed for the divine - the famous Guruvayur Sree Krishna Temple, the fourth biggest temple in India in terms of the number of devotees per day. A short two hour drive to this temple town will make you feel connected to Krishna again.

Strict dress code exists for people who wish to enter the Guruvayur Temple. Men are to wear mundu around their waist, without any dress covering their chest. But it is allowed to cover the chest region with a small piece of cloth (veshthi). Presently the dress code for women have been relaxed with shalwar kameez . Indeed, this also happened to be the first time ever , I stripped ( if that’s the right word ) and worn a mundu . Indeed a sight !!




Guruvayur Temple

Did you know - Kerala has the highest media exposure in India with newspapers publishing in nine different languages; mainly English and Malayalam .

Did you know -A merry making feast called the Cochin Carnival is celebrated at Fort Kochi every year during the last ten days of December till the new year . Various unique games, dirt bike races, beach volleyball and fireworks display are held as part of the festivities. The carnival is celebrated as a continuity of the Portuguese New Year revelry held here during the colonial days.



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Munnar

Munnar is a hill station on the Western Ghats, a range of mountains situated in the Idukki district of the Indian state of Kerala.The name Munnar is believed to mean "three rivers", referring to the town's strategic location at the confluence of the Madhurapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundaly rivers.

You have breath in the tea air , as it is called in this part of the world. This green hill station is surrounded by the country's highest tea gardens. Layers and layers of tea estates, mountain mist, waterfalls and wildlife sanctuaries make Munnar almost surrealistically beautiful.

Did you know - Munnar is also famous for the wild orchids locally called Neelakurinchi which blooms once in 12 years. During this time the entire valley turns violet. It is also home to Nilagiri tahr, a rare breed of mountain goat.



Neelakurinji

Key places to see in Munnar  – are the Tata Tea Museum ,Lakkom waterfalls, Rajamalai National Park (Eravikulam National Park) , Mattupetty Dam , Forest Rose Garden & Anamudi Peak (- the highest peak in the Western Ghats and South India, at an elevation of 2,695 metres (8,842 ft), literally translates to "elephant's forehead ) .

For shopping you can purchase and see for your self the entire process of tea making at the Tata Tea Museum . This place is beautiful and a perfect destination for long nature trails all over.


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Thekkady

Also known as God’s own district - located in the Periyar forest of Thekkady is one of the finest wild life reserves in India and spread across the entire district are picturesque plantations and hill towns that hold great opportunities for treks and mountain walks.

One of the rare places where you have spice gardens, lakes , forest reserves & tiger trails . Key places to visit in Thekkady  - are Abraham's Spice Garden , Periyar Lake & Tiger trail at the Periyar National Park & Kadathanadan Kalari Centre  - well known for Kalaripayattu martial arts.




Periyar National Park

Did you know - Periyar National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary (PNP) is a protected area in the districts of Idukki and Pathanamthitta in Kerala, south India. It is notable as an elephant reserve and a tiger reserve.


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Kumarakom  

Always used to wonder and think – what exactly were backwaters . Until , I visited and saw them eye-to-eye . Nature has so much spread all across that it’s impossible to cover everything . Yet , if we manage to cherish some of these offerings it’s our good luck than destiny .




Kerala Backwaters - Kumarakom

Did you know - Kumarakom is a popular tourism destination located near the city of Kottayam - famous for its backwater tourism. It is set in the backdrop of the Vembanad Lake which is the largest freshwater lake in the state of Kerala

This is one of those places where you just need to sit back and enjoy God’ creation . We enjoyed our stay at the luxury cottages overlooking the vast Vembanad Lake. It’s hard to describe in words and hence you need to be there to feel it .

There are only two places to be visited in Kumarakom – in case the water sets you free - Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary & Bay Island Driftwood Museum .

Did you know - A one hour drive to Alappuzha ( Alleppey ) can take you to the The Nehru Trophy Boat Race -Vallam Kali held in the Punnamada Lake near Alappuzha.Vallam Kali or Vallamkali literally means boat play/game, but can be translated to boat race in English. The most popular event of the race is the competition of Chundan Vallams (snake boats). Hence the race is also known as Snake Boat Race in English. The race conducted on the second Saturday of August every year is a major tourist attraction

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We stayed at the ABAD group properties ( http://www.abadhotels.com/ ) . They are a renowned hotel chain across Kerala and the properties are indeed great .

Also, the Kerala tourism website  offers great options and insights into the places of tourist interest in Kerala .  To add , with 44 rivers, a vast network of lakes, 1500 kms of labyrinthine canals, snake boat races, over 300 species of birds, floating markets showcasing the magnificence of  Kerala backwaters, Kerala tourism has recently launched a focused campaign on the Kerala Great Backwaters .  I feel in love with it all over again . 

Authentic Kerala cuisine , pools ,backwater cruises + not to forget the Kerala massage experience . A lot on offer.

Keralites are sweet and simple people . They love wearing and purchasing - Gold . Women have a strong inclination towards silk sarees and hence you will see many out of home media dominated by these two key themes. Across the state you will find more number of churches than people . The NH roads are small since on both sides you have residential houses .

Keep the place safe and clean . And don't forget to have coconut water everyday . Apply a sunscreen for sure .

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PS  - As always , I have kept some things under the wraps . In case you plan to go visit Kerala and have any queries whatsoever , let me know / drop in a  Tweet at my twitter handle . As you all know , I do my ground work research before visiting any place and would be happy to chip-in for any queries that you may have.