Thank you New Indian Express & EdexLive for '40 Under 40 Award for Socially Responsible Social Media Superstars' to The Musafir Stories!! https://www.edexlive.com/40-under-40/2020/sep/23/saif-omar-faiza-khan-14711.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Utsav Mamoria, host of the travel podcast "Postcards from nowhere"! Today's destination: North Sikkim! Nearest Airport: Bagdogra airport, IXB or Pakyong Airport Nearest Railway Station: Jalpaiguri or Siliguri railway station Prerequisites: permits might be required for some regions, make sure to check. Packing: Pack warm clothes and multiple layers based on the time of the year Time of the year: Late Feb-March (shoulder season) Length of the itinerary: 8 days Itinerary Highlights: - Utsav arrives in Gangtok, where he is based briefly before he starts moving north. - If this is your first time to Sikkim, make sure to explore some of the touristy places in and around Gangtok. You can also check out our other episodes on Sikkim by Surya Raju and by Sandy and Vyjay - Utsav and his partner head off from Gangtok towards their itinerary of Lachen, Chopta valley and Gurdongmar lake. - It is highly advised that you hire a driver to drive you around as driving in the state is quite challenging given the weather conditions and the roads. - Utsav spends his time in Lachen, enjoying the shoulder season with no tourists, interacting with locals as well as exploring the local monasteries. - Make a quick trip to Chopta valley from Lachen - the valley gives a beautiful view of the snowcapped mountains and the river (depending on the time of the year). - Utsav's trip to Gurdongmar was cut short due to the weather, since the army recommended to avoid travelling during severe weather conditions. - On the way back, Utsav makes a stop at a Gurudwara to enjoy some good conversations and a hearty langar (meal in the community kitchen). - Utsav also learns about the legend of Gurudongmar, about how Guru Nanak is believed to have traveled here and how a portion of the river never freezes at the point where the Guru hit his staff ('Dong' in Punjabi, 'Maar' is hit). There is also a legend about the Buddhist saint Padmasambhava with a similar story, hence the lake is considered sacred by both Sikhs and Buddhists. (Erroneously mentioned as "Sikhs and Hindus" on the podcast) - After spending a day at Lachen, Utsav decides to move base to a small village called Dzongu and spend some time absorbing the slow life of the village. - Slow travelling gives one the opportunity to live like a local and enjoy some authentic experiences, without having to rush from point to point. - This includes enjoying some wholesome organic food (Sikkim is the first officially organic state in India), local beers and Sikkimese hospitality in general. - Utsav also shares some interesting tidbits about the colourful prayer flags in Sikkim and their significance. - Try to hire a local tour guide driver, as they have the best network in the area (which is often useful) and also helps boost the local economy. Links: Link to Utsav's podcast: Postcards from nowhere: https://ivmpodcasts.com/postcards-from-nowhere Also available wherever you listen to podcasts Link to the Utsav's budget traveling specials on Simblified: https://ivmpodcasts.com/simblified-episode-list/2019/6/10/ep-137-how-to-travel-on-a-desi-budget-with-utsav-mamoria-part-1-1 https://ivmpodcasts.com/simblified-episode-list/2019/6/24/ep-139-how-to-travel-on-a-desi-budget-with-utsav-mamoria-part-2 Twitter: https://twitter.com/utsavmamoria IG: https://www.instagram.com/whywetravel42 Photo by Abhishek Singh (https://unsplash.com/@iamsinghabhishek?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) on Unsplash (https://unsplash.com/s/photos/sikkim?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) Follow the Musafir stories on: Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstories?lang=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/?hl=en website: www.themusafirstories.com (http://www.themusafirstories.com/) email: themusafirstories@gmail.com Apple podcasts -  https://apple.co/2LPtTA3 Google podcasts - http://bit.ly/2toY7lj website - http://bit.ly/2xFZqOV Saavn - https://bit.ly/2J5rIqi Spotify - https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVi Gaana - http://bit.ly/2NClUYY pocketcasts - https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewg castbox - https://bit.ly/2sqBDQi Overcast - https://bit.ly/2LN9wnf Stitcher Radio - https://bit.ly/2JiBbhw audioBoom - https://bit.ly/2oZZowS TuneIn - https://bit.ly/2xyQH4a RadioPublic - https://bit.ly/2snY9u0 iHeartradio - https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8R Deezer - https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

The Musafir Stories - India Travel Podcast

90: North Sikkim with Utsav Mamoria

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Satyarup Siddhanta - a Bengaluru-based Bengali mountaineer.[1] On December 15, 2017 he became the first Bengali civilian from India to complete the seven highest summits in the 7 continents. He is the President and founder of ABETO – "A better tomorrow" foundation, and works as a consultant at Brady Corporation, India.[5] Today's destination: Mt. Everest, Nepal Nearest Airport: Lukla airport Nearest Railway Station: n/a Prerequisities - Required visas, training and certification, practice and acclimatization Packing - n/a Time of the year - May Length of the itinerary: 55 days from the base camp to the Everest summit and back Itinerary Highlights: Satya shares the story of his early struggles from asthma as a kid and how he overcame this to start climbing. Satya's speaks of his expedition to Mt. Killimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa and how he discovered the feat to the 7 Summits i.e. a challenge to scale the 7 highest peaks in each of th 7 continents (Mt. Everest in Asia, Mt. Killimanjaro in Africa, Mt. Elbrus in Europe, Mt. Aconcagua in S.America, Mt. Mckinley in N.America, Mt. Kosciuszko in Australia, Mt. Vinson Masiff in Antarctica) Satya discusses his trek to the Mt. Everest base camp and how this turned into a dream to scale the summit of the tallest mountain in the world. He then also discusses how the massive expenses related to the expedition played as a deterrent to his dreams and how he overcame the challenge. Next Satya discusses the preparation and acclimitazation he underwent to scale Mt. Everest, he had to quit his existing job, take up two jobs, hire a personal trainer and overcome his sweet tooth in order to get ready for the Everest challenge! Satya explains the duration of the Everest expedition and the iterations and acclimatization involved during the push to the summit. The adversities that Satya had to face during the push to the summit are also discussed, this includes a fall in a bottomless crevasse, watcing a sherpa fall to his death while climbing, and members of other teams losing fingers due to frost bite as well as death. Satya himself suffered from temporary blindness in the left eye while close to the summit, a failed oxygen mask and 3 failed cameras! Satya finally describes the feeling of being on top of the world as well as the sights! Final thoughts and tips. Listeners can follow Satyarup on his social media handles below and contribute to his expeditions when fundraising takes place. Links to Satyarup's social media handles: Website - http://satyarupsiddhanta.com/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/satyarup.siddhanta Twitter - https://twitter.com/SatyarupS Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/satyarup.siddhanta/ Photo by Theodor Lundqvist on Unsplash (https://unsplash.com/@umbriferous) Follow The Musafir Stories on Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstories?lang=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/?hl=en website: www.themusafirstories.com (http://www.themusafirstories.com/) email: themusafirstories@gmail.com (mailto:themusafirstories@gmail.com) itunes -  https://apple.co/2LPtTA3 Google podcasts - http://bit.ly/2toY7lj website - http://bit.ly/2xFZqOV Saavn - https://bit.ly/2J5rIqi Spotify - https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVi pocketcasts - https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewg castbox - https://bit.ly/2sqBDQi Gaana - http://bit.ly/2NClUYY Overcast - https://bit.ly/2LN9wnf Stitcher Radio - https://bit.ly/2JiBbhw audioBoom - https://bit.ly/2oZZowS TuneIn - https://bit.ly/2xyQH4a RadioPublic - https://bit.ly/2snY9u0 iHeartradio - https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8R Deezer - https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

89: Rebroadcast: Conquering Mt. Everest with Satyarup Siddhanta

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to host of the hit podcast "Echoes of India" - Anirudh Kanisetti! Today's destination: Hampi! Nearest Airport: Hubli Airport (HBX) Nearest Railway Station: Hospet Junction (HPT) Prerequisites - NA Packing - Pack according to the weather - summers can be HOT! Time of the year - Nov to Jan is a good time to visit! Length of the itinerary- 5 days Itinerary Highlights: - Anirudh speaks about the origins of history, rise of the Vijayanagara empire and the dramatic fall. - Hampi is located in the state of Karanataka, close to the Andhra Pradesh border - Vijayanagara empire rose to fame after the fall of the Kalyana Chalukyas, and the capital was established in the city of Pampa - who was married to Virupaksha, a form of Shiva and is also believed to be the land of Kishkinda or Ramayana. - Anirudh talks about the layout of Hampi, which was described by many travellers as one of the biggest and wealthiest cities in the world. - The city is divided into the sacred centre and the royal enclosure. The sacred centre mushroomed around the Virupaksha temple. The royal enclosure was a bit further away and consisted of the royal residences. - Close to the sacred centre is the Hampi Bazaar, a crowded bazaar that was frequented by travellers and traders from different parts of the sub-continent and even abroad. - We also discuss about the Vittala Temple complex built by one of the famous Vijayanagara rulers - Krishna Deva Raya, and the layers of history within the temple complex: From musical pillars to the story behind the chariot. - Anirudh also calls out other important places in the ruins, from the hills of Hemakuta and Mathanga, to the Tungabhadra river and the hippie town and it's stories! - The royal enclosure has several important structures like the elephant stables, Lotus Mahal, Navami Tibba, Hazara Rama temple, Queens bath, pushkarni and many other important structures. - Finally, Anirudh talks about the fall of the great empire in the war of Talikota to a coalition of the Deccan Sultanate. Links: Link to Anirudh's podcast: "Echoes of India" - https://ivmpodcasts.com/echoes-of-india-a-history-podcast "Yuddha" - https://ivmpodcasts.com/yuddha Follow Anirudh on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AKanisetti Follow Anirudh on IG: https://www.instagram.com/aniryuddha/ Picture credits: Ayush Kumar @soul.traveller.kumar (https://www.instagram.com/soul.traveller.kumar/) on IG Thank you Ayush! (https://www.instagram.com/soul.traveller.kumar/) Attribution: 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/) Follow the Musafir stories on: Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstories?lang=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/?hl=en website: www.themusafirstories.com (http://www.themusafirstories.com/) email: themusafirstories@gmail.com Apple podcasts -  https://apple.co/2LPtTA3 Google podcasts - http://bit.ly/2toY7lj website - http://bit.ly/2xFZqOV Saavn - https://bit.ly/2J5rIqi Spotify - https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVi Gaana - http://bit.ly/2NClUYY pocketcasts - https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewg castbox - https://bit.ly/2sqBDQi Overcast - https://bit.ly/2LN9wnf Stitcher Radio - https://bit.ly/2JiBbhw audioBoom - https://bit.ly/2oZZowS TuneIn - https://bit.ly/2xyQH4a RadioPublic - https://bit.ly/2snY9u0 iHeartradio - https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8R Deezer - https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

88: Hampi - A Short History with Anirudh Kanisetti

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Edwina D'Souza from the blog wannabemaven.com (http://wannabemaven.com/) ! Today's destination: Bastar, Chattisgarh Nearest Airport: Swami Vivekananda Airport, Raipur (RPR) Nearest Railway Station: Jagdalpur Railway Station (JDB) Prerequisites: Local tour guide/agency, reservations for all stays. Unexplored Bastar does a great job with travel in the state. Packing: Pack according to the weather Time of the year: April Length of the itinerary: 5 days Itinerary Highlights: - We start off the conversation with the geography and history of the Bastar region as well as the connection with epics such as Ramayana and Mahabharata - We also discuss the misconceptions and realities about safety of a solo traveler, as well as the naxalite movement. - Edwina begins her journey from Raipur, making a stop at Dhamtari. Dhamteri is famous for the Gangrel dam as well as it's likeness to Goa! One should definitely enjoy the two places relaxing. - The next pitstop is at Jabarra, spending time with some locals, this place is famous for its rich sal trees and timber. - Gond, Baiga, Korba, Abhuj Maria, Bison Horn Maria are some of the prominent tribes of the region. - The next point of interest is the Kailash caves, believed to be over a thousand years old and is popular for the underground caves and their stalactite and stalagmite formations. The caves, along with Kutumsar caves, form the backbone of the nature biosphere of Bastar. - The next stop was Teerathgarh falls, the milky white cascading water falls that add to the natural beauty of Bastar. Additionally, the Chitrakoot falls are one of the biggest (widest) waterfall of Bastar measuring over 300m wide. - Another core component of the Bastar region is the 'haat' or weekly market. Picking up a small memento or souvenir from the weekly haats (tokapal haat in our case) does wonders for the local economy. - The banned sport of cockfighting is also a common occurrence on on the haats of Bastar and gives a view of the practices of the Edwina also attends some of the processions of the tribals. - The next event Edwina goes to is the Ghotpal Madai or the village fair. The madais are a popular attraction of the locals and everything from singing to dances and commerce takes place at these fairs. The important art forms like Dhokra art can also be found at such fairs. - Another popular festival of Bastar is the Dussehra festival, which is different from they Mysore Dussehra and goes on for 75 days - the longest festival in the world! - Edwina also talks about the quirky food preferences including the 'red ant chutney' or chapra, the local beverage 'salfi' and the kadaknath chicken or the black chicken! - Finally Edwina covers off some interesting things like the paintings of the tribals as well as their graves. Links: Link to the Edwina's blog: https://wannabemaven.com (https://wannabemaven.com/) Link to the tour agency: https://www.unexploredbastar.com (https://www.unexploredbastar.com/) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wannabemaven Twitter: https://twitter.com/wannabemaven IG: https://www.instagram.com/wannabemaven/ Follow the Musafir stories on: Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstories?lang=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/?hl=en website: www.themusafirstories.com (http://www.themusafirstories.com/) email: themusafirstories@gmail.com Apple podcasts -  https://apple.co/2LPtTA3 Google podcasts - http://bit.ly/2toY7lj website - http://bit.ly/2xFZqOV Spotify - https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVi Gaana - http://bit.ly/2NClUYY Saavn - https://bit.ly/2J5rIqi pocketcasts - https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewg castbox - https://bit.ly/2sqBDQi Overcast - https://bit.ly/2LN9wnf Stitcher Radio - https://bit.ly/2JiBbhw audioBoom - https://bit.ly/2oZZowS TuneIn - https://bit.ly/2xyQH4a RadioPublic - https://bit.ly/2snY9u0 iHeartradio - https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8R Deezer - https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

87: Bastar with Edwina D'Souza

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Sampath Menon as he takes us around the coastal town of Mangaluru! Today's destination: Mangaluru, Karnataka Nearest Airport: Mangalore International airport (IXE) Nearest Railway Station: Mangalore Junction (MAJN) Prerequisites : n/a Packing : pack according to the weather, summers can be hot! Time of the year : Winter months from November to January is a good time Length of the itinerary: 3-10 days Itinerary Highlights: - Sampath starts off by speaking about the rich history of Mangaluru and the various names it has been known as over time - Mangalore, Manjaran, Kudla, Kodial, Maikala - Sampath calls out the various temples in the city, starting from Mangala Devi temple, after which Mangaluru is named, Kadri temple, Gokarnatheshwar, Venkatramana temple, Saravu temple among others. In the vicinity are temples of Udupi, Kollur Mookambika temple, Dharmasthala, Ananthpura lake temple, Shringeri mutt and Jain Temples of Moodbidri and Karkala! - Along with the temples, some iconic churches are a must visit - Rosario church, Aloysious chapel, Milagres church - Beaches in Mangalore are quite unique and a popular tourist spot. The important beaches include Someshwar beach, Tannirbhavi beach, Kaup beach, Suratkal beach, Panambur beach, Padubidri beach and St. Mary's island. - Don't forget to catch up on the international kite festival if you are in town during the event. Another new addition is a cycling trail along the coast! - Once you are done with the beaches, you can catch up on the Pilikula wildlife sanctuary a well maintained zoo. - Mangalore is also famous for the tiles -the famous Mangalore tiles with Albuquerque tile factory a possible visit. - Coming to the food choices, Mangalore is a world in itself. From Bonda juice (tender coconut juice), Mangalore bajji, Mangalore buns, patrode, Gole bajje, patoli, neer dosa, ghee roast, kundapur chicken, fish fry and the lest we forget the popular Gudbud ice cream! - Mangalore is also rich in culture right from the Yakshagana form or dance/performance to the hulivesha and Karadivesha dances. Dusshera celebration is also one of the popular festivals that draws in large crowds. - Nearby places like Udupi, Bekal fort and Chikmagalur are great options for a short trip! Links: Links to the blogpost: Why visit Mangalore: https://sampathmk.com/great-destinations-mangalore-india https://sampathmk.com/my-perfect-day-in-my-city-mangalore Pilikula Heritage Village: https://sampathmk.com/nikon-photo-walk-pilikula-heritage-village The vegetarian crocodile: https://sampathmk.com/in-search-of-the-vegetarian-croc Sultan Battery: https://sampathmk.com/sultan-bateri-tipus-watch-tower Mangalore Intl Kite festival: https://sampathmk.com/kite-festival-in-mangalore Moodbidre Jain temple: https://sampathmk.com/a-jain-temple-and-a-giant-statue Nearby Murudeshwar: https://sampathmk.com/that-trip-to-murudeshwar Nearby Chikmagalore https://sampathmk.com/a-few-days-in-chikmagalur https://sampathmk.com/chikmagalur-into-the-rains (Chik Nearby North Kerala: https://sampathmk.com/north-kerala-places-to-visit Bakel Fort: https://sampathmk.com/amazing-bakel Odhens sea food: Kannur: https://sampathmk.com/dog-cafe-dosas-more Oyster Opera https://sampathmk.com/oyster-opera-great-settings-good-food Nearby Dharmasthala: https://sampathmk.com/a-day-in-dharmasthala Link to the blog: https://sampathmk.com (https://sampathmk.com/) IG: @sampathmk Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sampath.menon.7 Twitter: @sampathmenon Follow the Musafir stories on: Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstories?lang=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/?hl=en website: www.themusafirstories.com (http://www.themusafirstories.com/) email: themusafirstories@gmail.com Apple podcasts -  https://apple.co/2LPtTA3 Google podcasts - http://bit.ly/2toY7lj website - http://bit.ly/2xFZqOV Saavn - https://bit.ly/2J5rIqi Spotify - https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVi Gaana - http://bit.ly/2NClUYY pocketcasts - https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewg castbox - https://bit.ly/2sqBDQi Overcast - https://bit.ly/2LN9wnf Stitcher Radio - https://bit.ly/2JiBbhw TuneIn - https://bit.ly/2xyQH4a RadioPublic - https://bit.ly/2snY9u0 iHeartradio - https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8R Deezer - https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

86: Mangaluru with Sampath MK

In this episode #Kartarpur #Sikh #Gurunanak #pakistan #sikhism #pilgrimage #border #holy #gurudwara #love #peace #brotherhood ==================================== Winners of the book giveaway contest on the Pondicherry episode: Mohan and Shruti! We will reach out to you shortly! ==================================== This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Abhishek Vaid, founder of the Untravel Show as he takes us across the Indo-Pak border to the holy gurudwara of Kartarpur Sahib, the place where Guru Nanak spent the last years of his life! Today's destination: Kartarpur, Pakistan!   Nearest Airport: Raja Sansi Airport, Amritsar Nearest Railway Station: Dera Baba Nanak Prerequisites :  You need an ETA - electronic transfer authorization to travel and passport is mandatory, even though there is no visa stamped on the passport. Look up the process and requirements on https://prakashpurb550.mha.gov.in/kpr/ Packing :  Avoid carrying anything that you would not carry on a plane (carry-on)  Time of the year :  Round the year (but watch out for the political situation and COVID-19!) Length of the itinerary: 1 day Itinerary Highlights:  - Start from Amritsar and drive/take local transportation to Dera Baba Nanak.  - Complete your immigration formalities at this post, the experience is very hospitable. One can apply no earlier than 15 days before the planned date of travel. - A bus ferries you from Dera Baba Nanak to Kartarpur, it is a short journey of 4kms.  - Make sure to carry 20USD/1800INR as the fee has to be paid at Kartarpur.  - Start early so that you get to Kartarpur around 9am. The latest you can get in is about 2pm since you have to return by 4pm IST.  - Each visitor is allowed to carry items up to 7kgs. Cameras and photography is allowed.  - Kartarpur is significant as the first guru and founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak spent the final 18 years of his life here.  - The corridor was opened after years of lobbying by both the governments and important members of the Sikh community.  - The corridor now leads to the Kartarpur Sahib gurudwara which is one of the largest gurdwaras of the world.  - Built in white marble, the gurudwara complex has an elegant and simple look, very different from the Golden temple in Amritsar, one of the other important places of Sikh pilgrimage.  - The gurudwara is an epitome of calmness and tranquility, despite of its size and the crowds of people.  - The main shrine has day long prayers and darshan and the community kitchen/langar severs food to the pilgrims for the full day.  - The complex also has a well that is from the time of Guru Nanak devji, a monument of the Kirpaan or dagger as well as a small market to buy souvenirs. There is also a muslim shrine in the vicinity.  - One of the highpoint of the visit, besides the opportunity to pay homage to Guru Nanak is the chance to interact with Pakistani locals who travel here to interact with folks from across the border.  - The ambience is that of peace, calmness and friendship and very different from the Wagah border where patriotism and aggression is more evident.  - A great opportunity for not just followers of sikhism but others as well to visit a historical and religiously significant place across the border when the option is available!  Links: Link to the video log:  How an Indian can go to Pakistan | The Kartarpur Corridor Experience (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcoorOvh5G8) :  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcoorOvh5G8 10 THINGS YOU MUST KNOW BEFORE VISITING KARTARPUR SAHIB | Documents, passport stamping, fees etc:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfGv-TQlIas Facebook: The Untravel Show (https://www.facebook.com/TheUntravelShow/) (https://www.facebook.com/TheUntravelShow/) IG: @the.untravel.show (https://www.instagram.com/the.untravel.show/) Photo by Ali Rizvi (https://unsplash.com/@alirizvie?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) on Unsplash (https://unsplash.com/s/photos/kartarpur?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) Follow the Musafir stories on: Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstories?lang=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/?hl=en website: www.themusafirstories.com (http://www.themusafirstories.com/) email: themusafirstories@gmail.com Apple podcasts -  https://apple.co/2LPtTA3 Google podcasts - http://bit.ly/2toY7lj  website - http://bit.ly/2xFZqOV  Saavn - https://bit.ly/2J5rIqi Spotify - https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVi Gaana - http://bit.ly/2NClUYY pocketcasts - https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewg castbox - https://bit.ly/2sqBDQi Overcast - https://bit.ly/2LN9wnf Stitcher Radio - https://bit.ly/2JiBbhw TuneIn - https://bit.ly/2xyQH4a RadioPublic - https://bit.ly/2snY9u0  iHeartradio - https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8R Deezer - https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

85: Kartarpur Sahib with Abhishek Vaid

GIVE-AWAY ALERT!!! ------------------------------ Listen to the episode, answer 3 simple questions in the form below and stand a chance to win a copy of Aditi's book! Open for two weeks! https://forms.gle/Mmb5jgx5mzsTXT7K7 Alternately, you can buy the book here! https://www.amazon.in/dp/B07PS1SLXP/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1 ======================================= The Musafir Stories mentioned in an article of Wall Street Journal!! (https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.wsj.com/amp/articles/5-travel-podcasts-to-cure-stuck-at-home-syndrome-11593094350) Thank you dear guests and listeners!! ======================================= This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Aditi Sriram, a traveler, a teacher and author of "Beyond the Boulevards - a short biography of Pondicherry" Today's destination - Pondicherry a.k.a Puducherry Nearest Airport - Puducherry airport, PNY Nearest Railway Station - Puducherry railway station, PDY Prerequisites - Read the book! Packing - pack light for humid weather Time of the year -  Round the year, summers are HOT! Length of the itinerary - Depends! Itinerary Highlights: - Aditi talks about the backstory of the book and how she came about meeting the editors. - After covering how she got the lucky break, Aditi begins be drawing out the orientation of Pondicherry, some of it's historic milestones, the Arikamedu connection and the conquest by colonial powers, and the journey up until independence and beyond. - We talk more about the French connection, it's history and how it has played out in the modern day Puducherry. - Aditi speaks about the layout of the city, how the city was segregated into the various quarters and the distinguishing factors. - We discuss about unique identity of the town, some important citizens like Aurobindo Ghose and his journey, Auroville and the mother. - We also delve upon some of the popular folklore of the city, the Aayi Mandapam and it's connection to Napolean. - Aditi wraps up the conversation by calling out how even though POndichery is seen as a narrow strip of land comprising of the French and Tamil quarters, it has deep rooted connections to the history of the city. Links: Link to Aditi's book: https://www.amazon.in/dp/B07PS1SLXP/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1 Aditi's Twitter: https://twitter.com/sriram_aditi Aditi's IG: https://www.instagram.com/sriramaditi/ Photo by Vivek Sharma (https://unsplash.com/@vivekxr?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) on Unsplash (https://unsplash.com/s/photos/pondicherry?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) Follow the Musafir stories on: Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstories?lang=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/?hl=en website: www.themusafirstories.com (http://www.themusafirstories.com/) email: themusafirstories@gmail.com Apple podcasts -  https://apple.co/2LPtTA3 Google podcasts - http://bit.ly/2toY7lj website - http://bit.ly/2xFZqOV Saavn - https://bit.ly/2J5rIqi Spotify - https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVi Gaana - http://bit.ly/2NClUYY pocketcasts - https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewg castbox - https://bit.ly/2sqBDQi Overcast - https://bit.ly/2LN9wnf Stitcher Radio - https://bit.ly/2JiBbhw audioBoom - https://bit.ly/2oZZowS TuneIn - https://bit.ly/2xyQH4a RadioPublic - https://bit.ly/2snY9u0 iHeartradio - https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8R Deezer - https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

84: Pondicherry - A Short History with Aditi Sriram

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Arjun Narayanan, a journalist and host of Madraswallah Podcast! Today's destination- Varanasi, UP Nearest Airport- Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport Nearest Railway Station- Varanasi Junction railway station Prerequisites - preparation and research Packing - Dress appropriately as some of the temples might require modest attire Time of the year - November to February Length of the itinerary- 4 days Itinerary Highlights: - Arjun plans and reads ahead of time before visiting historically significant places like Varanasi. - We talk about the history and the religious significance of Varanasi, the deep relationship with Ganges and the beliefs. - Visit Sarnath, the place where Gautama Buddha delivered his first sermon at the deer park. There is also a museum where you can explore ancient artifacts. - Temples to visit while in Varanasi: Sankat Mochan temple, Kashi Vishwanath temple, Kaal bhairav temple, Vishalakshi temple, Annapurna temple. - Ghats of Varanasi - best explored by walking, but you can take up a boat ride to cover them in number. - Important ghats include - Manikarnika Ghat, Harishchandra ghat, Assi ghat, Raj ghat, Guleria ghat, Dashashwamedha ghat among many others. - Watch the many aartis performed on these ghats, ranging from simple poojas to elaborate procedures, hymns and conches. - Explore the streets and alleys of Varanasi that offers a variety of street food. Some places visited by Arjun include Ram bhandaar for Kachoris, Blue lassi shop, Pehlwan lassi, Kachori gali, Poori sabzi, Ras waale aloo. - There are a number of book stores one can explore in Varanasi as well and check out some great books such as 'Bananas, the city of lights', 'Bana rahe Banaras' etc. - Varanasi also has a rich literary history like Munshi Premchand and Bhartendu Harishchandra who belong to Varanasi as well as a rich cultural history with artists like Bismillah Khan, Pandit Ravishankar, Pandit kishan maharaja, Sitara Devi etc. - Try to check out a music festival if you happen to be here during such events. Sankat mocha music festival (April), Dhrupad mela (February), Ganga Mahotsav (November), Kabir festival (December) are some music festivals of Varanasi. - Dussehra, Diwali and Dev Deepavali are among the popular festivals of Varanasi. - Also consider making a visit to BHU - Banaras Hindu University if you have the time for it. It is one of the largest universities of Asia. Popular are the model of the Kashi Vishwanath temple on its campus as well as Bharat Kala Kendra which is a popular museum. - Finally don't forget to check out some Benarasi sarees and try out the Benarasi Paan along with Bhaang from a government authorized outlets! Links: Link to the Madraswallah podcast: https://madraswallah.com/category/podcasts-2/ Shout out to CreativeAudios.in. Check out their podcast on: https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8yMmIwNzA5NC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== Photo by Srivatsan (https://unsplash.com/@srivatsan?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) on Unsplash (http://s/photos/varanasi?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) Follow the Musafir stories on: Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstories?lang=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/?hl=en website: www.themusafirstories.com (http://www.themusafirstories.com/) email: themusafirstories@gmail.com Apple podcasts -  https://apple.co/2LPtTA3 Google podcasts - http://bit.ly/2toY7lj website - http://bit.ly/2xFZqOV Saavn - https://bit.ly/2J5rIqi Spotify - https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVi Gaana - http://bit.ly/2NClUYY pocketcasts - https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewg castbox - https://bit.ly/2sqBDQi Overcast - https://bit.ly/2LN9wnf Stitcher Radio - https://bit.ly/2JiBbhw audioBoom - https://bit.ly/2oZZowS TuneIn - https://bit.ly/2xyQH4a RadioPublic - https://bit.ly/2snY9u0 iHeartradio - https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8R Deezer - https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

83: Varanasi with Arjun Narayanan

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Susan Jagannath, a best selling author and traveler as she takes us to the Valley of Flowers, with her new book titled 'The Valley of Flowers - The Ultimate guide to an adventure trek in the upper Himalaya' Today's destination: Valley of Flowers, Uttarakhand!   Nearest Airport: Jolly Grant, Dehradun  Nearest Railway Station: Rishikesh Prerequisites: Physical fitness, carry a form of ID (passport for foreigners) Packing: Pack layers of clothes (warm, rain) along with hiking gear Time of the year: June to September Length of the itinerary: 10 days Itinerary Highlights:  - The Valley of Flowers (VoF) is a beautiful monsoon trek to the valley hidden in the heights of Uttarakhand in the Himalayan mountains, filled with carpets flowers, over 500 species that bloom during June - September - Susan heads to the Valley of Flowers with her band of friends in the month of August. The trip inspired Susan to write the book (the only previous book written about this was in the early 1900s by British mountaineer Frank Smythe who discovered this place) - The Valley is very close to Badrinath and the religious circuit of Chota Chardhaam.  - Given that the valley is situated at a high altitude (14400 ft), it is imperative that one acclimatizes sufficiently. Hence traveling slowly and stopping over at other interesting places like Auli is a great option.  - Gobind Ghat is the road head for the trek. One needs to trek from here to the base village Gangharia.  - The Valley of Flowers national park is open only between 7-5PM, so it is advised to head to Gangharia the previous day and rest before heading to the VoF.  - It is roughly a 10km trek from Gangharia to the VoF, so you will need to make the trip to the VoF and back the same day as staying there is not allowed.  - One can either trek or avail the services of porters or a mule. The porters can carry you in bags called pittoos.  - Options for food and lodging are plentiful in Ghangharia and around although the nicer places will need you to book accommodation  in advance.  - The Ecocenter in Gangharia has a documentary screening every few hours that gives you information about the flora of the place. There are options to hire local guides from the centre who are very competent and knowledgeable.  - Some of the flowers one can find are orchids, poppies, primulas, marigold, daisies, rhododendrons, Himalayan rose, Blue poppy, cobra lily amongst others. Best time is to visit after the monsoons since the flowers are in full bloom.  - The Pushpavati river and some smaller streams criss cross as you walk from Gangharia to the VoF where you have to register yourself and pay the fee which is good for 3 days.  - Milestones within the park include a big rock (baman pair), a glacier point and the grave of a botanist, Joanne Leigh. One can also trek to Badrinath all the way from the VoF with the help of a guide.  - Hemkund Sahib is a separate trek which also starts from Gangharia and leads tot he very sacred Gurudwara Hemkund Sahib. Hemkund Sahib is at a height of over 15,000 ft. So precautions for AMS are necessary.  - There is a langar service as well as accommodation for traveler in the Gurudwara. Other options around the area are Auli, Badrinath and the Chota CHardham locations.   Links: Link to the book: The Valley of Flowers: The Ultimate Guide to an Adventure Trek in the Upper Himalaya https://www.amazon.in/Valley-Flowers-Ultimate-Adventure-Himalaya-ebook/dp/B087V3YGTF Link to the blog: https://susanjagannath.com/basic-guide-valley-flowers-2/   Shoutouts: Shabby and Man podcast! https://shabbyandman.podbean.com (https://shabbyandman.podbean.com/) Follow the Musafir stories on: Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstories?lang=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/?hl=en website: www.themusafirstories.com (http://www.themusafirstories.com/) email: themusafirstories@gmail.com Apple podcasts -  https://apple.co/2LPtTA3 Google podcasts - http://bit.ly/2toY7lj  website - http://bit.ly/2xFZqOV  Saavn - https://bit.ly/2J5rIqi Spotify - https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVi Gaana - http://bit.ly/2NClUYY pocketcasts - https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewg castbox - https://bit.ly/2sqBDQi Overcast - https://bit.ly/2LN9wnf Stitcher Radio - https://bit.ly/2JiBbhw audioBoom - https://bit.ly/2oZZowS TuneIn - https://bit.ly/2xyQH4a RadioPublic - https://bit.ly/2snY9u0  iHeartradio - https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8R Deezer - https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

82: Valley of Flowers with Susan Jagannath

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Ayush Kumar as he takes us to another hidden gem in India! Today's destination: Bhubaneswar, Odisha! Nearest Airport: Biju Patnaik Airport, BBI Nearest Railway Station: Bhubaneswar Railway Station, BBS Prerequisites -  NA Packing - Pack according to the weather Time of the year - Winter months from November to Jan is the best time to visit! Length of the itinerary: 3-4 days to a week! Itinerary Highlights: - Ayush starts off by sharing important historical anecdotes about the city, the city that has been witness to some significant historical events like the Kalinga war! - Bhubaneswar is also known as the temple city and rightly so, has been home to over 2000 temples in the past. The important temples to visit include Lingaraj temple, Mukteshwar temple, Raja Rani temple, Parashurameshwara temple, Anantha vasudev temple - famous for it's serving of the temple food or Prasad! - Ayush also references the variety of food options that are indigenous to Odisha and their backstory, touching up the GI tagged foods like the Rasgulla! - Other culturally important experiences are the Odissi dance, the local music, Pottachitra (palm drawings), Bomkhai sarees, chenna poda sweet! - Other places of interest include Dhaulagiri that has some buddhist edicts from the time of King Ashoka. The region also has a number of rock cut caves that served as residences for the monks. - Not far away, there is also the Khandagiri and Udayagiri known to be Jain rock cut caves that have a number of inscriptions and served as residences for the monks. - The ancient city of Shishupalgarh, is another place that one can plan to visit while in Bhubaneswar. The excavations of this lost city from 1-2nd century BC was recently discovered and the findings continue to grow. - One can also indulge spending some time in the Odisha state museum, Tribal museum and Kalabhoomi museum. There are also miniature models of the Ratha used during the Rathyatra at the Puri temple is installed at the KalaBhoomi museum. - Nandankanan Zoo and Ekamravana are other places for ones who want to indulge in the outdoors and nature. - Finally, those who are short on time can partake in some heritage walks conducted by Ekamra Walks that covers the old city and temples. Links: Link to the Ayush's social media: IG: https://www.instagram.com/soul.traveller.kumar/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ayush.kumar.737448 Cover art picture credits: Dhirendra Singh Rajpurohit (https://www.instagram.com/dsrimagination/) IG: https://www.instagram.com/dsrimagination/ Battle music: Sota War (https://freesound.org/people/YleArkisto/sounds/258207/) (https://freesound.org/people/YleArkisto/sounds/258207/) by YleArkisto (https://freesound.org/people/YleArkisto/) (https://freesound.org/people/YleArkisto/) is licensed under CC by 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/) (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/) Follow the Write & Geek Show for your weekly dose of Geek! https://www.writerandgeek.com (https://www.writerandgeek.com/) Follow the Musafir stories on: Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstories?lang=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/?hl=en website: www.themusafirstories.com (http://www.themusafirstories.com/) email: themusafirstories@gmail.com Apple podcasts -  https://apple.co/2LPtTA3 Google podcasts - http://bit.ly/2toY7lj website - http://bit.ly/2xFZqOV Saavn - https://bit.ly/2J5rIqi Spotify - https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVi Gaana - http://bit.ly/2NClUYY pocketcasts - https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewg castbox - https://bit.ly/2sqBDQi Overcast - https://bit.ly/2LN9wnf Stitcher Radio - https://bit.ly/2JiBbhw audioBoom - https://bit.ly/2oZZowS TuneIn - https://bit.ly/2xyQH4a RadioPublic - https://bit.ly/2snY9u0 iHeartradio - https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8R Deezer - https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

81: Explore Bhubaneswar with Ayush

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Girish Shivakumar, a clean-tech evangelist who takes us on a trail of power plants in India! Today's destination: Around the power plants of India!   Nearest Airport: n/a Nearest Railway Station: n/a Prerequisites -  Some plants might require permission before visiting, please reach out to the authorities as applicable.  Packing - Pack according to the weather and time of the year.  Time of the year -  n/a Length of the itinerary: n/a Itinerary Highlights:  - Girish sets out right from the windmill farms of Kanyakumari that he visited as a youngster and reminisces how this arouse his curiosity. Other important plants in Tamil Nadu include the Neyveli thermal plant.  - Kerala has been a pioneer in the move towards renewable sources of energy, with the Kochi airport being the first in the world to be run fully by solar energy. Additional plants like floating solar plants and a move towards electric vehicles is also high on the priority for the government.  - Karnataka has important power plants like Shivanasamudra (Hydel), Pavgada (solar) as well as initiatives like the solar panels for Chinnaswamy stadium.  - Moving on to Maharashtra, it is important to note that smaller factories like Mapro of Mahabaleshwar are run by solar energy. Additionally, Mumbai metro has solar panels in almost 30% of its stations.  - Gujarat, being one of the first states with power surplus, has the famous Charanka solar power plant. Kutch is also a place where there are a lot of wind mills, but is also gearing up for off-shore wind projects in the sea. Baruch has a gas power plant which is also prominent.  - Rajasthan is next on the radar, where Girish enjoyed visiting some local points of interest like Mehrangarh fort and other places in Jodhpur.  - The eastern part of India are also slowly catching up with Cuttack and Bhubaneshwar in Odisha having some important captive power plants.  - Finally the capital has made some important strides with a lot of the Delhi metro stations being run by solar power. Parts of UP have had good success with micro grids.  - Plants to look out for in the future include solar projects in Ladakh and Lakshadweep, Andaman & Nicobar islands.  Links: Link to the website: https://girishshivakumar.com (https://girishshivakumar.com/) Girish's Podcast - Mission Shunya : https://audioboom.com/channel/mission-shunya Mission Shunya on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/mission-shunya/id1460138702 Or search for 'Mission Shunya' on any of your favorite Podcast App. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MissionShunya/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/missionshunya IG: https://www.instagram.com/mission_shunya/ Follow the Musafir stories on: Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstories?lang=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/?hl=en website: www.themusafirstories.com (http://www.themusafirstories.com/) email: themusafirstories@gmail.com Apple podcasts -  https://apple.co/2LPtTA3 Google podcasts - http://bit.ly/2toY7lj  website - http://bit.ly/2xFZqOV  Saavn - https://bit.ly/2J5rIqi Spotify - https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVi Gaana - http://bit.ly/2NClUYY pocketcasts - https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewg castbox - https://bit.ly/2sqBDQi Overcast - https://bit.ly/2LN9wnf Stitcher Radio - https://bit.ly/2JiBbhw audioBoom - https://bit.ly/2oZZowS TuneIn - https://bit.ly/2xyQH4a RadioPublic - https://bit.ly/2snY9u0  iHeartradio - https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8R Deezer - https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

80: The Power Plant Trail with Girish

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Khaliq Parkar, a researcher and social scientist as he shares his adventures in the caves of Meghalaya! Today's destination: Krem Lymput caves, Meghalaya Nearest Airport: Shillong airport, SHL Nearest Railway Station: Guwahati Railway station, GHY Prerequisites - Inner line permit for some states in the North East (https://services.india.gov.in/service/detail/e-ilp-inner-line-permit) Packing - Make sure to carry a pair of hiking shoes for good grip, powerful torch and backup, energy food for the trip. Time of the year -  Avoid the monsoons (July to September) Length of the itinerary: Per your convenience Itinerary Highlights: - Khaliq and his friend, Xavier, set out to explore the north east and one of the most memorable experiences during the trip was their trip to the underground caves of Meghalaya. - The caves date back to millions of years ago and have been formed by the water percolation and gradual dripping of water, primarily from rains and monsoons and dripping through the rocks resulting in beautiful formations. - The duo decide to set out on a cave adventure when waiting for the ILP and other permits required for travel. - Meghalaya has a bunch of caves including Mawlong caves, Mawsmai caves and a bunch of other caves the most famous being Krem Lyat Prah which is 30kms long and is the longest underground cave formation in India. - Khaliq and Xavier decide on Krem Lymput, a medium sized cave about 6 kms long and head out to explore. Enroute the mouth of the cave, they run into a group of boys from the local village who offer their powerful torch which the duo gladly accept. - The expedition begins around 9:30AM and the plan was to trek till a prominent landmark within the cave complex called the "Mughal Room" which is a huge enclosure with a height of about 20 ft and at a distance of about 2kms with stunning stalactite and stalagmite formations. - The complex is almost like a mesh of caves, passages and walkways that connect and form a network. The cave is filled with water puddles at points and stalactites (projections from the ceilings) and stalagmites( projections from the ground). These can range from a few inches to a few feet high! - The duo pass through a number of interesting formations, rocks, knee high puddles, dripping water and pin drop silence. Some of the pools were crystal clear and felt like a completely different world with its own eco-system. - The trip to the Mughal Room was quite exciting and both Khaliq and Xavier were enthralled by what they saw, capturing photographs on the way and marvelling at the nothingness and deprivation of sound and light within the caves. - The trip to the Mughal Room takes about 2 hours and there is a feel of elation on reaching the summit. After taking pictures and resting for a few minutes, the duo starts their journey back, only to run into unfamiliar passages. - When this happens on two or three occasions, Khaliq and Xavier decide to take a step back and retrace their footsteps which leads to more panic as all exits lead to a dead ends. Almost 2 hours of deliberation and trying and the duo discovers some footsteps trailing from a passage way that was above them. - The realization strikes that they have been descending all along and thus have missed out on taking the right passage way back. On discovering this, they start their journey back and repeat the marking exercise and narrowing down on the return options. - After more deliberations, they finally retrace their way back to the mouth, where they are greeted by the sounds of crickets! Success at last, almost 6 hours later! - Khaliq also discusses about options one should consider which primary includes trekking with the Meghalaya adventure association which does a number of expeditions for beginners as well as pros. - He also calls out some threats that the caves face from mining for limestone for cement factories that is endangering the cave ecosystem and how the Meghalaya Adventure association are spreading awareness and activism. Links: Link to the Caravan article: https://caravanmagazine.in/vantage/caves-meghalaya-and-threat-posed-limestone-and-coal-mining-poses Pictures by Khaliq: https://imgur.com/a/OBB7egD Link to Meghalaya adventurer's association: https://www.facebook.com/Meghalaya-Adventurers-Association-488002144653544/ Follow Khaliq on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/khaliq.parkar and Follow him on IG: https://www.instagram.com/outofstockq/ Nikhil Shankar's podcast - Get Out! http://getoutpodcast.com (http://getoutpodcast.com/) Follow Nikhil on IG: https://www.instagram.com/pichidodo/ Photo by Adam Bixby (https://unsplash.com/@adambixby?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) on Unsplash (https://unsplash.com/?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) Follow the Musafir stories on: Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstories?lang=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/?hl=en website: www.themusafirstories.com (http://www.themusafirstories.com/) email: themusafirstories@gmail.com itunes -  https://apple.co/2LPtTA3 Google podcasts - http://bit.ly/2toY7lj website - http://bit.ly/2xFZqOV Saavn - https://bit.ly/2J5rIqi Spotify - https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVi Gaana - http://bit.ly/2NClUYY pocketcasts - https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewg castbox - https://bit.ly/2sqBDQi Overcast - https://bit.ly/2LN9wnf Stitcher Radio - https://bit.ly/2JiBbhw audioBoom - https://bit.ly/2oZZowS TuneIn - https://bit.ly/2xyQH4a RadioPublic - https://bit.ly/2snY9u0 iHeartradio - https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8R Deezer - https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

79: Lost in the Caves of Meghalaya with Khaliq Parkar

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Priyanka Gupta from the blog onmycanvas.com (http://onmycanvas.com/) as she takes us offbeat in Manali! Today's destination: Manali, Himachal Pradesh     Nearest Airport: Bhuntar airport (50kms) Nearest Railway Station: Joginder Nagar, Himachal Pradesh (50kms) Nearest Bus Station: Kullu (40kms) Prerequisites:  n/a Packing: pack some light layers of wool as mornings and evenings can be chilly. Warmer clothes are required for the winters Time of the year: October to Feb is a good time to enjoy the snow, March to July is best for summers   Length of the itinerary: 5-6 days Itinerary Highlights:  - Priyanka sets her sight on Old Manali to explore having already visited New Manali in the past. Just crossover the bridge from New Manali to wander off in the less explored older Manali - Old Manali is more laid back with a lot of homestays and old rickety wooden cottages, apple orchards and friendly locals. The best thing to do in Old Manali is to wander off with google maps handy to ensure you don't get lost. One can also explore close by villages like Bari which are rich with the nature and in the vicinity of river Beas.  - While in Manali, make sure to try out the rainbow trout, juicy apples and the local dishes like Siddu.  - Naggar is another village that is not far away (20kms) and has a lot of points to cover. There are a lot of beautiful temples like Gauri Shankar temple, Vishnu temple with stunning Himachal architecture (nagara style) with stone shikharas and a wooden level on top.  - Naggar castle is the seat of Kullu kings for a long time before it was moved to Kullu. The castle is built in a beautiful kathakuni architecture is made mostly of stone and an upper wooden level. The castle is now a heritage hotel and also houses a small temple and a museum.  - Other points of interest include the Nicholas Roerich museum, the home of the famous Russian painter and traveler which has now been converted to a museum.  - After spending a day or two in Naggar, another option is the Vashisht village about 5-6 Kms from Old Manali which is where the Rishi Vashisht is believed to have meditated. Must see places include the Vashisht temple, the hot springs and the Jogini falls. Other famous temples include the Manu temple and Hidimba Devi temple which are situated within Manali.  - Spiti valley is another spot that is pretty close to Manali and deserves an itinerary of itself. You can check out our podcast on Spiti for more places.  - If you want to indulge in some adventure activity, one can sign up for river rafting in the Beas river, Zorbing, paragliding (viral paragliding video!) are some options.  Links: Link to Priyanka's blogpost:  https://www.onmycanvas.com/best-places-visit-manali-itinerary/ https://www.onmycanvas.com/places-visit-naggar-manali-himachal/ Spiti blogpost: https://www.onmycanvas.com/spiti-valley-travel-blog/ Link to Priyanka's blog:  https://www.onmycanvas.com (https://www.onmycanvas.com/) Social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/priyanka_onmycanvas/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/guptapranky Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/onmycanvasblog/ Thank you for doing the episode introduction, Girish Shivakumar!  You can check out the Mission Shunya podcast on your favourite podcast app and follow on social media Website:  https://missionshunya.com (https://missionshunya.com/) Twitter:  Mission Shunya Podcast: hhttps://twitter.com/missionshunya Girish Shivakumar: https://twitter.com/SivakumarGirish   Other episodes mentioned in the podcast: Naggar/Nicholas Roerich - https://themusafirstories.com/podcasts/paintings-of-the-himalayas-with-medhavi-gandhi/ Spiti - https://themusafirstories.com/podcasts/tms005-explore-spiti-with-the-desi-traveler/ Follow the Musafir stories on: Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstories?lang=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/?hl=en website: www.themusafirstories.com email: themusafirstories@gmail.com itunes -  https://apple.co/2LPtTA3 Google podcasts - http://bit.ly/2toY7lj  website - http://bit.ly/2xFZqOV  Saavn - https://bit.ly/2J5rIqi Spotify - https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVi Gaana - http://bit.ly/2NClUYY pocketcasts - https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewg castbox - https://bit.ly/2sqBDQi Overcast - https://bit.ly/2LN9wnf Stitcher Radio - https://bit.ly/2JiBbhw audioBoom - https://bit.ly/2oZZowS TuneIn - https://bit.ly/2xyQH4a RadioPublic - https://bit.ly/2snY9u0  iHeartradio - https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8R Deezer - https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

78: Explore offbeat Manali with Priyanka Gupta

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Sangeetha as we explore the Kashmir of the South, Munnar! Today's destination: Munnar, Kerala Nearest Airport: Kochi International airport (110kms) Nearest Railway Station: Aluva, Kerala (110kms) Prerequisites - n/a Packing - pack some light layers of wool as mornings and evenings can be chilly Time of the year - September to Feb is a good time to visit Length of the itinerary: 5 days Itinerary Highlights: - Sangeetha travels with her family by flying from Bangalore to Kochi and driving down to Munnar, this way one can enjoy the beautiful drive leading up to Munnar. - The first day is spent seeing around the resort and visiting the Blossom Hydel Park, a park formed by a Hydel power station and has some fun activities for kids. One could spend between 2-3 hours at the park enjoying the beautiful views. - Close the park is the Pothamedu view point where one can drive to and enjoy some stunning views of the tea plantations along with picture perfect view of the valley. - To experience the rich cultural heritage of the Kerala, Sangeetha visits the Punarjeevi Cultural village to enjoy a Katahakali show next. Kathakali is the popular dance form of Kerala that is based on a song/dance performance to the stories of Mahabharatha and other epics. The beautiful costumes, face paint and expression of the artists is something one should not miss out. - The next day begins with a short trek organized by the resort where Sangeetha gets to learn more about the local flora and fauna of the place. The trek is not very strenuous and can be done with ease. - Following the morning trek, the family drives down to Eravikulam National park, the first national park of Kerala and home to the endangered Nilgiri Tahr. The park also sees the blooming of the Neelakurunji flowers once every 12 years. Make sure to plan your visit to the park well as waiting times can be a hinderance, specially on weekends. - Following the visit to the park, the family drives towards the Anamudi peak - the highest peak in Kerala. The peak is a monolith and offers some stunning views on a clear day. There are also options to trek a part of the peak if one is up for it. - Next on the itinerary is a visit to Mattupettey Dam where one can indulge in boating and a few other fun rides. There is also an Echo point, not far away from the dam where you can go shout your lungs out. If you are lucky, you can also run into a herd of elephants grazing the meadows close to the dam! - After having fun with the speed boat ride, the family heads back to the Punarjeevi cultural village for an evening of Kalaripayattu - the very popular martial arts form of Kerala that is believed to have originated in the 3rd century BCE. One can watch the performers battle it out with swords, dagger and fire! - The other must do trip while in Munnar is a drive up to the Kolukumalai peak - one of the higher peaks in Kerala that is also home to the world's highest organic tea estate, the Kolukumalai tea estate. An early morning drive makes a great spot for watching the sunrise from the peak. PS: Don't miss the egg omelette sold by a little tea stall on the peak! - It is better to sign up with a tour company to drive you up the peak as the drive can be quite bumpy. The estate has a very old wooden tea factory that still produces tea in the orthodox style, there are tours of the tea factory available that are worth the time. There are treks around the area that one can take part in as well. - Other places of interest in Kerala include a variety of waterfalls, beautiful lakes, tea museums and some great food! One can easily spend a week in Munnar and enjoy the lush green tea gardens and the vistas and still end up wanting more! Links: Link to Sangeetha's blogpost: https://msangeetha.wordpress.com/2019/10/22/munnar-the-land-of-the-mighty-mountains/ Link to Sangeetha's blog: https://msangeetha.wordpress.com/ You can check out the Passion People podcast on your favourite podcast app and follow on social media Passion People Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/7A1tBp7leAD8egg2SknxMX Twitter: Passion People podcast: https://twitter.com/thepassionpeop1 Naga Subramanya: https://twitter.com/n1n3stuff Photo by Vivek Kumar on Unsplash Follow the Musafir stories on Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstories?lang=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/?hl=en website: www.themusafirstories.com email: themusafirstories@gmail.com itunes - https://apple.co/2LPtTA3 Google podcasts - http://bit.ly/2toY7lj website - http://bit.ly/2xFZqOV Saavn - https://bit.ly/2J5rIqi Spotify - https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVi Gaana - http://bit.ly/2NClUYY pocketcasts - https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewg castbox - https://bit.ly/2sqBDQi Overcast - https://bit.ly/2LN9wnf Stitcher Radio - https://bit.ly/2JiBbhw audioBoom - https://bit.ly/2oZZowS TuneIn - https://bit.ly/2xyQH4a RadioPublic - https://bit.ly/2snY9u0 iHeartradio - https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8R Deezer - https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

77: Munnar with Sangeetha

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Prasad NP, also known as the 'desi Traveler'. Prasad shares his story about the time he spent traveling the Spiti Valley, Dhankar lake, Chandratal Lake and the beautiful Monasteries around. So sit back and enjoy listening! Today's destination: Spiti -- Kaza, Chandratal Lake, Ki Monastery, Dhankar Lake in Himachal Pradesh Nearest airport: Manali or via Shimla; Nearest Railway Station: Shimla railway station; Joginder Nagar railway station Direct buses are available from Chandigarh, Shimla, Kullu, Manali etc Packing - Sunglasses, sunscreen, hats/umbrella, warm clothes, a good pair of shoes, medicines for AMS Time of the year - June to September Length of the itinerary: 7-10 days Itinerary Highlights: Spend a day in Manali to acclimatize yourself to the higher altitudes  Start from Manali to Kaza - its about 12-14 hours by road. It is advisable to hire a cab/guide from Manali for your entire trip. Kaza can serve as the base - lodging in the Himachal tourism hotel; visit the Kaza monastery and kaza market.  Enjoy the beautiful star trails at night from the rooftop of the hotel. Savour on some flavorful spitian food that is also influenced by tibetan cuisine Make a short stop to Ki Monastery, Enjoy the blue skies and cotton candy clouds, meet with the monks and get a beautiful view of the kaza city from the rooftop.  Enjoy the awesome Himalayan tea offered from the Ki monastery's kitchen. If you are lucky, you could get a chance to interact with the monks help them with plucking sweet peas from the farm.  Make a visit to the Dhankar monastery which is about 2 hours from Kaza, getting some beautiful shots along the way.  Trek to the Dhankar lake, which is about an hour's hike from the monastery. Be sure to have a good pair of walking shoes on, some sunscreen to ward off the sun, and keep hydrated!  Drive to the Langza Village, stay with the locals, enjoy interactions with the locals, partake in their daily chores like farming and weaving.  Camp close to the Chandratal lake - the crescent shaped perennial lake that is also one of the source of the Chandra/Chenab River.  Trek to the Chandratal lake early in the morning to enjoy the fabulous view of the lake with golden peaks in the backdrop as the sun ascends. Make a stop at the amazing Kunzum pass. Capture the pictures of the snow clad peaks, gompas and fluttering colourful prayer flags. Head back to Manali.  Last but not the least, listen to some funny stories and useful advise on how to travel responsibly! Links: desitraveler.com/ (http://desitraveler.com) Links to the blog posts: desitraveler.com/dhankar-lake-trek-spiti/ desitraveler.com/travel-kunzum-pass-kunzum-la/ (http://desitraveler.com/dhankar-lake-trek-spiti/) More about the Guest: desitraveler.com/travel-tips-blog…dia-photography/ (http://desitraveler.com/travel-tips-blog-india-photography/) twitter: @desiTraveler (https://twitter.com/desitraveler) facebook: facebook.com/thedesitravelerOfficial (https://www.facebook.com/desiTravelerOfficial/) instagram: https://www.instagram.com/desitraveler/ Follow The Musafir Stories on Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstories?lang=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/?hl=en website: www.themusafirstories.com (http://www.themusafirstories.com/) email: themusafirstories@gmail.com (mailto:themusafirstories@gmail.com) itunes -  https://apple.co/2LPtTA3 Google podcasts - http://bit.ly/2toY7lj website - http://bit.ly/2xFZqOV Saavn - https://bit.ly/2J5rIqi Spotify - https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVi pocketcasts - https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewg castbox - https://bit.ly/2sqBDQi Gaana - http://bit.ly/2NClUYY Overcast - https://bit.ly/2LN9wnf Stitcher Radio - https://bit.ly/2JiBbhw audioBoom - https://bit.ly/2oZZowS TuneIn - https://bit.ly/2xyQH4a RadioPublic - https://bit.ly/2snY9u0 iHeartradio - https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8R Deezer - https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo

76: Rebroadcast: Explore Spiti with the desi Traveler

The Musafir Stories is an audio podcast that documents Indian travel tales. Each episode, we share the journey of travelers in their own words and relive their experience with you, our listeners. The sole aim of our podcast is to share the rich experiences of traveling in India and inspire listeners to take the leap of faith, grab those backpacks and set out to explore the beautiful and exotic country, India!

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The Musafir Stories - India Travel Podcast

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