Weekend destinations from Bangalore

If the north of India is gifted with snow-capped mountains the south doesn’t fall far behind. The dense forests, the Western Ghats, coastal beaches, and acres of green farms add beauty to South India.

If you are put up in Bangalore and long for that quick weekend break from the city here is a list of some of the not so famous and unexplored weekend destinations to visit from Bangalore. While you can climb your way up the granite hills in Ramnagaram, you can also sit back and relax in Nrityagram. If you fancy animals head straight to Bheemeshwari or Bandipur, but if you are looking for simplicity and beauty then Yercaud is where you should be. If history pleases you make your way to Chitradurga.

Having been featured in many movies the number of tourists visiting the town of Ramnagram has escalated. Surrounded by lush green nature and solid rock formations this town has a lot to offer for adventure enthusiasts. Climbing up the challenging rocks at Ramnagaram is indeed a very exciting experience for some of us. The granite hills at Ramnagaram are almost impossible to scale thus many tourists try their hands at it. Some of the well-known climbs are Rainbow wall, Black Diamond and Wanakkal Wall.

Contrary to Ramnagaram Nrityagram is known to be India’s first Gurukul. Set up by Protima Gauri an odissi dancer. The best time to visit Nrityagram is during the Vasanth Habba i.e the spring festival. A must see for all dance lovers, the festival brings with it a lot of joy and enjoyment.  An all night dance festival is organized where legends from the field of Dance and artists perform.

Even if you are not a dancer or fond of dance the town has much to offer, the perfect harmony with nature and the scenic surroundings attract many people to Nrityagram.

Located in Mandya district 100 km from Bangalore, Bheemeshwari is becoming one of the major tourist destinations. Bheemeshwari is a haven for nature lovers and animal lovers. Tourists can get a chance to spot many animal like leopards, crocdiles, wild boars, jackals and many exotic birds.

Fishing as a sport is also catching up in Bheemeshwari. This is also home to the famous Masheer. Boating in the River Cauvery is also something that one can enjoy. The boat ride takes you through some extremely beautiful places and one can even spot some exotic birds and animals.

If you are on a tight budget and fancy a small break in a beautiful hill station Yercaud is the right place for you. Yercaud is sometimes known as the poor man’s Ooty. The pleasant climate and the various species of Flora and Fauna add to Yercauds beauty. Yercaud is also known for its coffee and orange plantations. Like many other towns from the South Yercaud also has numerous spice plantations like black pepper and cardamom.

Yercaud in Tamil can be broken into ‘Lake’ and ‘forest’, and as the name rightly suggests Yercaud’s beauty is mesmerizing. The abundant teak and sandalwood forests make the climate of Yercaud of very pleasant. Don’t forget to catch the summer festival at Yercaud that has many festivities and shows.

If history and culture entices your soul, Chitradurga has a lot to offer to you. One can hear mnay legends about this region. This region was once ruled by many dynasties. Chitradurga is mostly a hilly region with numerous small villages and many forts. The Chitradurga fort built over a period of years by different people is situated on top of a hill. One can associate names like Hyder Ali, Palegar Nayakas and Tipu Sultan with the Chitradurga Fort.

Of the many things to do in Chitradurga one should also visit the numerous small villages scattered in this district, narrating the heroic tales of people who ruled their villages.

Bandipur National Park is a great place for your family. The breathtaking beauty of the Nilgiri’s and the large number of animals like Sambar, Hornbill, Deer, Panther, Sloth Bear, Deer, Python etc make Bandipur a great holiday destination for the whole family. Bandipur also became well known after being chosen as the site for Project Tiger, an initiative by the Government to protect the Tigers. This pleasing wildlife center is located in Chamrajnagar. Bandipur not is blessed with a variety of species of animals but also has exotic trees like Teak, Sandalwood, and Bamboo etc. that add to its beautiful ecosystem.

With numerous properties scattered all across Karnataka, we at The Other Home could help you pick just exactly what you are looking for, while you enjoy the rest of your trip!

If you want to be notified next time, subscribe to the RSS feed or say hello via Twitter @theotherhome. You can plan your dream holiday with us, visit The Other Home.

The best way to stay is Homestay

Very often in India, when one plans a holiday they usually think of Goa first. There is not much of an explanation needed. Goa thrives on tourism. The beautiful roadsides wit stunningly beautiful flowers, the coconut plantations and the old villas set amidst the woods create a beautiful haven for those looking for a holiday.

Homestays in Goa are beautiful houses. They have a touch of elegance yet they make you feel comfortable like it’s your own home. Most homestays are eco-friendly leaning towards comfort of both their guests and at the same time trying to preserve the beauty of Goa. They use simple and resourceful techniques.

Experience homestay in Goa

The concept of homestay maybe relatively new but is widely being explored. What better place to explore it than Goa.

There are an array of resorts and hotels sprawling in Goa, but doesn’t your heart long to spend some quality time in that quaint little Goan-Portuguese house, under the shade of the coconut tree, eating the freshly caught fish.

Goa has much to offer for everyone. Though over the years Goa has become infamous for its drug culture and increasing crimes, Goa is still a beautiful haven of warm Goan people.

While most of the homestays in Goa are away from the tourist spots, they are worth the time spent there. The heritage villages of Goa like Saligaon, Assagaon, Parra and the likes are green, serene and beautiful. I would rather suggest you to stay in the countryside and travel to the beach than stay on the beach and visit thebeach. This way you get to enjoy Goa’s splendid beaches as well as the heritage countryside.

While you may pick up a copy of Lonely planet before you make your trip, there are certain things that you can find out only by talking to the locals and the easiest way to find out is by choosing a homestay where your hosts would be more than glad to help you lunch at the best restaurants, get great deals and explore the unexplored.

Old Goan House and why they touched my heart

There is an unexplainable feeling about living in an Old Portuguese house. The old wooden furniture, huge backyard and frontyard and the lazy old rocking chair in your balcony add that special touch to Goa.

How often do you get to experience all this in your holiday, so don’t think twice book yourself a homestay in Goa.

Exploring the Goan culture

The best way to describe Goan people would be ‘bohemian’. Their easy going nature and their siestas make them rightly so. Unlike the rest of India, Goa is indeed very distinct in its culture. This is attributed to the 450 years of Portuguese rule in Goa.

If there is anything that is popular among the Goan people it has to be music, dance, food and feni. These seem to have become an integral part of a Goan lifestyle.

Music and dance are some of things one should enjoy in the company of a Goan. Though the music in Goa is now mostly a blend of the east and the west, Portuguese music can be still heard very often. Goa’s dance however is very inspired by the Portuguese.

The best way to stay is Homestay

There are many great things that come along with a couple of days spent in somebody’s home than in a boring hotel room. The rich and rare experience of exploring a new city, town or the countryside in a homestay is what The Other Home aims to offer.

Homestays are convenient, affordable, and functional. There is a hub of activities one can explore by choosing a homestay over a hotel. It’s a simple theory, the best way to explore a place is by ‘going local’, and by that I mean meeting the locals and getting to know about the best way to know their place.

There are many kinds of people who visit Goa, some come to explore Goa, while others come to jug beer on the beach. If you fall in the first category, you will realize there is so much more to do and learn.

So join a family and explore the untouristy corners of Goa.

If you want to be notified next time, subscribe to the RSS feed or say hello via Twitter @theotherhome. You can plan your dream holiday with us, visit The Other Home.

Photo Tour of Old Delhi (The walled city)

Posted on March 27, 2012 by Sushmita Sarkar

In the heart of Delhi lies Old Delhi, the walled city  founded as ‘Shahjahanabad’ by the Mughal emperor Shahajahan. Today, Old Delhi is a bustling place, a  symbolic heart of metropolitan Delhi and very much a separate world and a vibrant living history. Old Delhi is also home to some of the most famous landmarks in Delhi – Chandni chowk (the oldest commercial market running since 17th century), Sisganj Gurdwara, Jama Masjid, Red Fort, Chawri Bazar and many more.

The Other Home brings you this charming photo tour of old delhi.

Residential area of Dariba Kalan, into Kinari Bazar

Legendary Delhi college St. Stephen’s, which started here in   Sheesh Mahal, a  haveli in Dariba Kalan.

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Of PRAGPUR’s Cobbled Streets & Mud Houses

With its idiosyncratic architecture and unusual zest to promote itself as a tourist location, Pragpur can be an unusual little town. Located in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, Pragpur was part of the Principality of Jaswan whose chief, in the late 16th or early 17th Century decided to venerate Princess Prag of his royal lineage by building a town and naming it after her.

Now, mostly a cluster of old mud houses, parts of which have collapsed this place still maintains its rich cultural history. One can still see women cooking in traditional mud ‘choolhas’ or gases, the cow-sheds built in a traditional pattern and houses with low rise ceilings built above the shops in the main bazaar dotted with narrow streets. The core area of Pragpur has been declared a Heritage Village and the surrounding area including Garli has been declared as a Heritage Zone.

The main attraction of this town is The Judges Court, now a heritage structure, built in the 20^th century. It also happens to be India’s first heritage country manor. Built in an Indo-European style, this elegant piece of architecture stands amidst a 12-acre orchard consisting of mango, lychee, plum, citrus and exotic trees like camphor, clove and cardamom.

The owning Kuthiala Sood family that runs it has been a part of Heritage Village Pragpur since the time it was founded. Legend goes that when this town was established, there was no source of water and hence the then rulers decided to draw water from a source, fifteen kilometers away. They used bamboo as pipes and filled the pond at the main square with water. The pipes were then replaced by iron pipes in the 20^th century and they’ve been the same ever since. The pond, called The Taal by the locals is surrounded by many heritage structures. The Nehar Bhavan  a 250 year old structure, Naun, a 150 year old structure, a drinking water facility by the Nehar Committee; Dhunichand Bhardial Serai, a village inn, and a Radha Krishna Temple, which is alive with ‘bhajans’ throughout the day.

The market is a reminiscent of the mid-British era in northern India during the Raj and the old school architecture hasn’t changed in decades. If anyone remembers the narrow by lanes and markets as filmed in 1942 – A Love Story, this place looks every bit like that and will take you right back in time.

As you walk from Judges Court, you will enter dilapidated ruins of a town that once used to be synonymous with a royal town. Narrow by lanes, cobbled roads and the maze of many a mud house later, you will reach the main square. The main square looks nothing short of a set from a movie. A pond in the center, old manors surrounding it, a temple by the side, a group of men playing a local version of Ludo outdoors and beyond them is an alley that leads to the main market.

Another interesting place to visit is the Baba Sidh Temple, located about four kilometers from the heritage village. The locals believe that in the Mahabharata, when Arjuna was challenged for a duel by a holy man, it happened here, at the site of the current temple.

The shoot of Rishi Kapoor’s Chintuji, a couple of years ago and the recent shoot of the latest Tata Nano advertisement has created a flurry among the locals, who’ve now been touting themselves as a potential film city and their enthusiasm shows.

The whole layout of the town can be fascinating. Be it way roads were made of cobble stone and the houses made of local mud or how they were among the last ones to ever use locally made thin bricks in construction or how the town in spite of being really tiny, houses two lakes and numerous heritage structures and most of all, how it has managed to stay on this way for so many years.

Unfortunately, the place started falling to ruins from the last half of the previous century due to lack of funds to maintain the grandeur but recent intervention by the Himachal government has led to some damage control. Nevertheless, much has to be done to conserve such places as, these are nothing but history’s gift to us and holding on to them is what will help bridge the gap between the years.

For those who are looking for a detailed insight on this town of medieval Indian architectural reminders, or just interested in the history of the place, one must certainly make a trip to Mr. M.L. Kapoor, a government approved guide for Pragpur. A centenarian of many a virtue, he is the ultimate person to speak to regarding the village, for he is the only one who has kept a track record of all the changes, the place has seen.

How to get there:

By Air – Gagal Airport (Kangra) is at 45 Km. Amritsar International Airport is 170 Km from Pragpur.

By Rail – There are several convenient overnight trains departing Delhi for Pathankot, amongst them the like the Jammu Mail, which leaves at 2100 Hrs, arriving there at 0730 Hrs. It connects to a narrow gauge train of the Kangra Valley Railway System departing Pathankot at 0840 Hrs reaching Guler Station at 1140 Hrs, travelling through lovely countryside giving a panoramic view of the Valley of the Gods as Kangra is known. Guler is 30 km’s from The Judge’s Court.

By Road – From Chandigarh where there are national air and rail links, including the Shatabdi train from New Delhi, the distance is 175 Km’s. This is an easy four hours drive through the historic landscape of Punjab. Taxis are available at all stations. The distance from Amritsar is 170 Km. On 72 Hours advance information, The Judge’s Court can provide pick-up.

Where to Stay

One can either put up at Judges Court, a beautiful manor and an enhancing experience to live at is the budget is right and if high end is not the idea, there are small lodges and home stays available around the market area that offer rooms and food for affordable rates.

If you want to be notified next time, subscribe to the RSS feed or say hello via Twitter @theotherhome. You can plan your dream holiday with us, visit The Other Home.

Unwind on the sun kissed beaches of Kerala

Kerala’s massive coastal stretch has some of the worlds most untouched and virgin beaches, a pleasant tropical sun and dotted coconut groves. Very often the ocean cuts into the land forming the much sought after backwaters of Kerala. One can easily associate Kerala with beaches. Located on the Malabar Coast Kerala rightfully was recognized as one of the ’10 paradises of the world’ by Nat Geo traveller.

The unique culture of Kerala coupled with its ecotourism initiatives to preserve its ecosystem has made it the most popular tourist destination in India. There are many places worth your visit in Kerala; in fact the whole of the state is so beautiful that you would not know where to start.

Start with the beaches, pristine, clear, blue and virgin the beaches of Kerala seem untouched by civilization. Some of the most popularly visited beaches in Kerala are Cherai, Varkala, Kovalam, Kappad, Poovar and Alapuzha to name a few.

Alapuzha beach also known as Allepey beach is one of the most popular tourist destinations. There are many factors that add to Allepey’s beauty, the extending pier that is around 140 years old, the lagoons, lakes and many fresh water rivers come as a blessing to Kerala.

The long sandy beach of Kovalam is a world famous beach that gained popularity as early as the 1930’s. The coconut palms on the golden sand seem almost surreal. While there are many reasons to come to Kovalam, tourists are mostly seen basking in the sun. Foreigners who are drawn towards Ayurveda and meditation also throng to Kerala to visit the numerous Ayurvedicparlours, meditation centers and yoga centers whose numbers have tremendously increased the past few years.

Varkala beach 54 km from Trivandrum is a pristine and quite beach, untouched by tourists who hoard to Kerala every year.Varkala is a great place to have a relaxing beach holiday. Don’t forget to get yourself a fantastic massage followed by a dip in one of the numerous mineral springs. The mineral springs of Varkala are believed to have extremely curative properties. Varkala is also blessed with a fabulous landscape. A rocky cliff that merges with the clear sand makes this beache very different than the other beaches of Kerala. The landscape of Varkala creates a picturesque image at the sunset when the golden sun sinks into the sea.

Contrary to other beaches Bekal is a sleepy village near Mangalore. Forts, beaches and backwaters have made Bekal an international tourist destination. Located in Kasargod district the Bekal fort is colossal and splendid.

Rightly know, as ‘The Princess of the Queen of the Arabian Sea’ Cherai Beach is 15 km long. Dolphins can be spotted near the beach occasionally. Famously known for its savoring sea food delicacies, the paddy fields and the coconut trees add a silver lining to Cherai. Getting to Cherai is very easy, located just 20 kms from Cochin one can easily hire a taxi or ride on a bus to Cherai.

Once an important fishing harbor in Kerala, Beypore beach today is an ideal place for relaxing. The sandy beaches of Beypore attract many tourists because of its close proximity from Kozikode. An historic bridge made entirely out of stones make a trail into the sea. There is a lot to do in Byepore, you can sun bathe on the beach, or take a stroll in the village exploring the culture and traditions of the people of Kerala and nip on the cool coconut water.

The swaying palm trees and the magnificent coconut trees on the vast expanses of the Marari beach make it an ideal spot for those seeking to be in tranquility. Marari is a great place to explore the fishing culture in Kerala. Local fisherman from the nearby village’s row into the sea daily to catch fishes that have been a staple food in Kerala’s cuisine. Unexplored and unfamiliar the Marari beach is a long expanse of sand and dotted with coconut and palm grooves. The locals in Marari also conduct a coir-making workshop, something that you can try your hands on. Coir is made out of the husk of the coconut, and is used to make many useful things like brushes, mats and other household items.

If you like adventure sports, Marari has more to offer. You can simply enjoy a game of beach volleyball or indulge in other water sports such as snorkeling, parasailing, surfing etc.

Wrapped up in the tranquility of the backwaters of Kerala, Poovar beach has golden sand and a pleasant surrounding. The small southern village has its own tale of history to tell. Once a prominent trade point for trading sandalwood and timber Poovar today has some of the most expressive beach resorts. It is also one the earliest Muslim settlement in the western coast.

You could also spend a few hours on Shaghumugham Beach (although I would recommend not staying there) the famous statue of a nymph made by Sri Kanai Kanjunamandraws many tourists. While the beach is bears a remarkable face during the temple seasons, it could be very crowded during the weekends when the locals come to spend time on the beach. The rising number of tourists who visit this beach every year has also drawn food vendors; savor one of the beach side delicacies.

While there is much to read and write, there is much more to see. The unforgettable view of the sun setting at Shaghumugham Beach, the rock studded historic beach at Kappad, the relaxing spa therapy at Varkala, the lovely dolphin at Alapuzha and the fort at Kochi beach, make your experiences at the beaches of Kerala truly remarkable.

The coast of Kerala has plentiful beaches, some unfamiliar and others that have gained tremendous popularity. Depending on what you are looking for, we can provide you your dream holiday. Our propertiesare dotted all across Kerala just like the beaches of Kerala. Book your trip today and unwind on the sun kissed beaches of Kerala.

If you want to be notified next time, subscribe to the RSS feed or say hello via Twitter @theotherhome. You can plan your dream holiday with us, visit The Other Home.