India – Page 3 – VAGABOND IMAGES

A ‘Spike’ for Space Cruiser on Global Dream

Upendra SwamiJanuary 10, 20202487 Views0

Cruise vacations are the one of the most sought after travel journeys. World over, all cruise lines therefore try to make this journey more and more adventurous, more and more memorable, either with bigger, luxurious ships or till now unthinkable adventures on sea. Going a step ahead, Genting Cruise Lines have introduced the future of cruising with Global Dream, Dream Cruises’ first global class ship arriving in Asia in 2021, at this year’s South Asia Tourism and Travel Exchange (SATTE) trade expo in Delhi. Catering to India’s growing multi-generation travellers who are seeking new travel options, the 20-deck Global Dream will be the largest cruise ship in the world by passenger capacity, accommodating over 9,000 passengers across 2,350 cabins. The largest cruise ship to be built in Germa...

IndiaPhotogallery

Bada Bagh: An oasis and cenotaphs side by side!

Upendra SwamiDecember 11, 20193700 Views4

It was an amazing sight- with Royal Cenotaphs of the Bada Bagh in the foreground and towering windmills in the background. A modern technology making a backdrop for a slice of history. Bada Bagh or Bara Bagh was the first wind power project in Rajasthan in private sector at the start of this century. Completing the view was a dense garden in the foreground, almost like an oasis in the desert. It actually was. Huge windmills, cenotaphs and a secluded garden all together gave a feeling of an eerie calmness. Entering the cenotaph complex It was astounding that there was no other tourist in the Bada Bagh cenotaph complex when we were there, and it was surprising also considering the fact, that whole complex looked too impressive to be missed by any tourist. A view from above ...

IndiaPhotogallery

Nanakmatta, place of Guru Nanak’s discourse

Upendra SwamiNovember 12, 20193416 Views2

Located between Sitarganj and Khatima in Udham Singh Nagar district of Uttarakhand, Gurudwara Nanakmatta Sahib is one of the historical shrines associated with Guru Nanak. On the occasion of 550th Prakash Parv (birth anniversary) of Guru Nanak, founder of the Sikh religion, lets go on a photo tour of the Gurudwara Nanakmatta Sahib. View of the Gurudwara from the main road It is said that Guru Nanak Dev visited this place during his third Udasi (Guru's travels) in 1514 AD. At that time this place was under spiritual control of Siddhas (Yogis, devotees os Guru Gorakhnath). People also say that, just because of this the place was earlier known as Gorkahmata. Main building of the Gurudwara Guru Nanak's way of spiritual awakening among people was entirely different from what was pr...

InternationalNews

When it comes to snowy vacations, Switzerland is the top choice

Upendra SwamiOctober 25, 2019872 Views0

Indian travellers are getting more diverse, adventurous, experimental and are increasingly looking at snow holidays in addition to summer vacations. Switzerland is an aspirational and preferred destination for Indian tourists owing to a plethora of options available across seasons and for varied age groups. Winter sports has witnessed a rise in demand among younger segments with travellers including snow activities in their itineraries. Travel patterns of Indian travellers are very interesting, who usually prefer vacationing with family and are highly influenced by friends’ and family’s recommendations when deciding on a snow holiday destination. Club Med, the premium all-inclusive operator and global snow holiday leader has unveiled the results of their recent Asia-Pacific (...

AdventurePhotogallery

Flowers of trekking: Sighting of rare Brahma Kamal

Upendra SwamiOctober 21, 20197545 Views10

Had heard a lot about the Brahma Kamal flower earlier. But got to see it blooming for the first time when I went to Valley of flowers and Hemkund trek almost fifteen years back. (But here I will like to remind you that it is not Valley of Flowers, where you will find it normally, but on the Hemkund trek. Everywhere around the sacred lake on the surrounding mountains, you can see this flower blooming.) Thereafter, have seen it on various occasions during high-altitude trekking in Uttarakhand. Watching this flower in its natural habitat is a luxury that only serious trekkers can afford to. Rest all can enjoy this post and the photographs. Kamal is Hindi term for Lotus, but unlike different species of Lotus family, Brahma Kamal blooms amongst rocks and grasses on hillside. Even Brahma Kamal ...

India

Shah Waliullah Library: A little effort with a rare, outstanding reach!

Upendra SwamiSeptember 9, 20193378 Views2

For book lovers around the world, libraries bring together a world of fascination. Libraries not just store the large, larger and largest volume of books, but big or small, they are also the treasure-trove of knowledge, culture and history. This time around, I am taking you all to a very small library situated in dark alleys of walled city in Old Delhi. Very small, but very unique. Libraries can be unique in their own ways- some in volume of books, some in sheer size of complex, some in collection, some in antiquity, some in architecture and many others in many other ways. Therefore, it won’ be fair to compare a library with 162 million items to a library with just over 21 thousand books. Libraries are dependent on resources, support and patronage and, also on their motives. Little spa...

IndiaNews

Snake boat races in Kerala get their own champions league

Upendra SwamiSeptember 1, 20192592 Views2

Kerala’s famed snake boat race lost most of their charm last year because of catastrophic floods. Heavy rains in first half of August threatened to repeat it again this year. But the God’s own country somehow escaped the nature’s fury this time and though delayed, the boat race season in now on its track, which normally kicks off every year with historical Champakulam Boat Race on the Moolam day. But there was lot more in store this year. Kerala’s all-famous Nehru Trophy Boat Race got an added feature this year when Champions Boat League (CBL) was flagged off at Alappuzha amid the star presence of batting legend Sachin Tendulkar, gifting the country its first such water sport formatted on the lines of IPL cricket. Pallathuruthi Boat Club were the proud winners of the Nehru Boat Rac...

AdventureIndia

A panchpura and a legend of shepherd king at Raithal

Upendra SwamiAugust 12, 20193565 Views2

It’s the time of the year again, when Raithal village in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand gets ready for a unique festival. A festival celebrated to welcome the cattle folk as well as shepherds back to village after months of rearing and grazing in higher meadows of Himalayas. It’s a Holi celebrated not with colours but with butter and curd milk. More about Butter Holi of Raithal, read: Get ready for a Holi with Butter at Dayara Temple at Raithal village Raithal is also popular as base for many treks originating from or concluding at Dayara Bugyal. Truly, Raithal is no ordinary village. Besides its locational value just on the footsteps of Dayara Bugyal and its unique Butter Holi, it is also a historical village. It has got some very old traditional Garhwali homes. Many o...

AdventureIndia

Get ready for the Kashmir Great Lakes Trek

Upendra SwamiJuly 29, 20192043 Views6

Its the time of the year when trekking lovers should be ready for the two of the most beautiful treks in mid-Himalayan region- the ever popular Valley of Flowers trek and the newly popularised Kashmir Great Lakes Trek. When the major trekking season in Himalayan region takes a monsoon break in August-September, these are the two most sought after treks. Camps alongside the stream Kashmir Great Lakes trek, read: Thajiwas is the perfect acclimatisation There is still big difference between the two. Valley of Flowers is largely a single day trek, as there is no camping allowed inside the Valley. So, one has to start early morning from Ghangaria, do as much of trek inside the national park as possible (depends on individual fitness and capability) and return back to Ghangaria in t...

IndiaPhotogallery

Nature’s poet and poet’s museum

Upendra SwamiJuly 19, 20192184 Views0

Pant museum at Kausani in Uttarakhand isn’t a touristy place as such. In my three visits to this place in the course of last few years, I have rarely seen any other tourist there. Despite, this place being in the heart of the Kausani town with just a few steps to walk upto the museum from the road head. I wonder, if even more than five percent of the tourists coming to Kausani would remember the name of Sumitranandan Pant, although surely most of us in Hindi heartland of India have read his poems in school text books. Ancestral house converted into museum Main entrance to the Sumitranandan Pant museum Actually, we don’t respect our literary persons. They are the ones who guide our intellectual discourse, many of them have been leading lights for various movements but we tend to...