travel – Page 10 – VAGABOND IMAGES

मरु देश में होली के रंग aka Colours of Holi in Desert!

Upendra SwamiMarch 19, 20192278 Views2

होली के मौसम में जिक्र एक और अनूठी होली का। यह होली राजस्थान की है। यह है बीकानेर इलाके की तणी होली। होली में तणी को काटने की प्रथा को तकरीबन 300 साल पुराना बताया जाता है। हालांकि इसके बारे में ठीक-ठीक कहना मुश्किल है। पुराने लोग बताते हैं कि यह परंपरा रियासत काल से चली आ रही है। बताया जाता है कि इसका मकसद वहां के पुष्करणा समाज से जुड़े जोशी समुदाय के लोगों को होली की उत्सव में भागीदारी कराने से है। यहां यह मान्यता है कि होलिका जोशी समुदाय से थी इसलिए उन्हें होलिका के जल जाने का अफसोस रहता है। इसलिए इस समुदाय के लोग होली की स्थापना होने से लेकर होलिका दहन तक सब्जी में छोंक नहीं लगाते। न ही वे होलिका दहन देखने के लिए ही जाते हैं। Among many different colours of Holi in India, this one is from western end of the Rajasthan, from the heart of the That Desert. This is Tani Holi of Bi...

AdventureInternationalNews

Best of Classic Rock in the middle of desert

Upendra SwamiMarch 16, 20191188 Views0

Burning Man’s Israeli offshoot, Midburn is a special 5-day festival held in the Negev Desert around May – June every year. It is the second largest regional Burning Man after Africa Burns where, for 6 days, a temporary city is set up creating a platform for communal life style, creativity, art and self-expression. Unlike a typical music festival with big acts, one can camp in the desert that host parties and in the center of the playa are incredible art displays and a huge temple that is burned on the final night. This year, Midburn will be held between June 4 through 9, 2019. Midburn Festival. Photo: Niv Shafran This summer, Israel will also host some of the biggest names of Rock genre like Bon Jovi, Slash and Air Supply. Air Supply, the soft-rock duo of the 80s, Graham Russe...

AdventurePhotogallery

Menar again, for owls and vultures this time

Upendra SwamiMarch 11, 20193372 Views2

Menar seems to have find a place in my every winter trip to Udaipur. So, when I was in my hometown 'City of Lakes' once again this winter, I had already planned a morning of birding trip. Well, that all depended on birder friends to accompany as I am still quite unfamiliar with that region. So, though my to be companion backed out because of some other work, he managed to hand me over to another of his birder friend, a senior automobile executive. I later realised that Udaipur now has a culture of birding and photography trips every weekend- either solo, with friends or in groups. There are photography groups, birding groups with regular activities, sharing and learning, all with utmost sincerity. Awake and alert! The Short-eared Owl, or 'Shortie', is an unusual owl because it prefers...

InternationalNews

Brussels in “Geek” Mode this Spring

Upendra SwamiFebruary 26, 20191405 Views2

From March onwards, Brussels will be celebrating pop culture with a host of events and activities. From Comic Con Brussels to BIFFF and even the Brussels Games Festival, fans of the genre will be spoiled for choice. In coming days, Brussels will be putting on its finery and becoming the capital of pop culture. There’s no doubt that it has the necessary qualities — a quirky, festive and creative spirit. Brussels is bursting with enough events, game bars and escape games to delight geeks of all kinds. This year, the European capital is putting on a series of unmissable events for gamers and cosplayers. So let’s see, what all is in store for us. Anima, Brussels’s international animated film festival, is back with original shorts and feature-length films for young and old alike. ...

InternationalPromotions

Now go to North Island in Seychelles for Babymoon Bliss

Upendra SwamiFebruary 22, 20191250 Views0

Travel is diversifying itself so fast that you get to see new genres and sub-genres developing every now and then. It all depends on how quickly are you able to pounce upon an idea and develop it into a marketing strategy. Earlier, honeymoon travel used to be a big genre. Later on when destination wedding started to develop as a craze, wedding became the main genre and it developed many sub-genres. Hence, it seems as if in the process wedding and honeymoon travel is already a passé. Believe it or not, Babymoon is now a new travel idea. Seychelles has already started promoting itself in this category. North Island - Indian Ocean Seychelles So, as it goes, North Island situated around 30km from the main island of Mahé in Seychelles is an exclusive escape, ideal for couples looking t...

AdventureInternational

Spring some romance in Oman this year!

Upendra SwamiFebruary 14, 20191211 Views0

Well, its Valentine’s Day. But, truly speaking romance is not just about the Valentine’s day. And, when its spring time, its all about love. A travel far away from your routine world can surely lit a spark in your lives. You might have many options in mind but Oman can certainly be on top of them for all the fantastic reasons. If it’s mesmerising beaches, majestic mountains or desert experience that you are looking for your adventure filled romantic moments, then Oman has it all. Located just 2 ½ hours away from India, the Sultanate is an exotic, adventurous, historic and geologically stunning country offering the most authentic Arabian experience. Also, connected via direct flights with major Indian cities, easy e-visa process and introduction of a short-term 10-day tourist visa ma...

CruiseInternationalPromotions

Romancing at the most exclusive suite on sea

Upendra SwamiFebruary 12, 20192522 Views1

Well, its just two days to the Valentine. So, too late to plan for now, but not too late to plan for something for the next valentine’s day. And actually it is so grand the you will literally need a year to plan. And, the idea is that you can promise your love on this valentine to give him or her a ‘big’ surprise on the next one. No more mystery, but it is real big. We are talking about a suite on board a cruise ship. The new most luxurious residence at sea will be perched on the 14th deck of Seven Seas Splendor, above the bridge and overlooking the ship’s bow when she sets sail in February 2020. The custom-made Treesse minipool spa is perfectly located on the front balcony. As the largest suite ever constructed on a luxury cruise ship with more than 3,000 square-feet of interior ac...

InternationalNews

Master Composer Yanni dazzles at Al-Ula

Upendra SwamiFebruary 11, 20191511 Views0

Yanni has a nick of performing in front of top heritage monuments around the world. Remember the March of 1997, when his concert in backdrop of Taj Mahal right on the banks of Yamuna river became a phenomenon in itself! The master composer has many firsts to his name. Here was he, once again, performing adjacent to Mada’in Saleh, a major UNESCO World Heritage Site in Saudi Arabia, once home to major civilizations including the ancient kingdoms of Dadan/Lihyan and the Nabataeans. Yanni in concert at Al-Ula. Photo credit: Center for International Communication (CIC), Ministry of Media, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Grammy Award-winning composer Yanni dazzled a packed crowd on Friday night with some of his popular pieces in a spectacular show at Al-Ula as part of the extended Winter at Tanto...

InternationalNews

Two love stories to reach heights of Empire State Building this valentine day!

Upendra SwamiFebruary 7, 20191220 Views0

Ever dreamt of a dream wedding! There are few who actually dreamt and are now close to realising it in most dramatic fashion. Indeed it is not normal to have your wedding on one of the most iconic buildings on this planet. And, that too on the Valentine’s Day!! So, as it is said, where there is love, there is a way!! This Valentine’s Day, two lucky couples will have their weddings on the Empire State Building’s world-famous 86th floor Observatory. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the event, and in honor of this milestone, the Empire State Building chose two couple, Fabiana Faria and Helena Barquet from New York, NY and Nachiket Patel and Chitra Pathek originally from Mumbai to have the wedding of their dreams at the iconic landmark. Fabiana Faria and Helena Barquet:...

AdventureIndiaPhotogallery

Poetry in motion: Birds in flight at Mangalajodi

Upendra SwamiJanuary 29, 20192233 Views4

Mangalajodi has been an extraordinary experience for lot many reasons. Since my first visit to Chilika almost a decade ago, I was always keen to return to this place for another bird-watching stint. Then, had heard some extraordinary things about Mangalajodi- it being the poachers haven and then a turn-around which converted hunters to protectors. Finally, a big UN award coming its way, raised all the curiosity. It actually was first among the many accolades coming its way. On a misty winter morning a photographer tries to capture birds with his big lens while a Northern Pintail flies past him at Mangalajodi A femail northern pintail takes off as a boat approaches closer at Mangalajodi A female northern pintail takes off for a routine flight at Mangalajodi. They are migrat...