India

Taj Mahal in India.
“Time spent in India has an extraordinary effect on one. It acts as a barrier that makes the rest of the world seem unreal.”
– Tahir Shah
India is a Southeast Asian country that is known for many things–the birthplace of yoga, a diverse landscape, natural beauty, food, culture, it’s dense population, classic dances, Bollywood, elusive catfish like the goonch and so much more. As the world’s second most populous country India offers something for everyone.
Incredible India is a land of mystery and intrigue. It is a transformative experience.
Enjoy the warm hospitality of Indian citizens and travel vicariously through the stories that will take you from the beach to the mountains, from the desert to urban areas, from farmland to churning rivers and architectural wonders. We promise that you’ll be inspired, transformed and eager to experience the potpourri of Incredible India on your own.
The stately manor that dates back to 1804 is the residence of the Bhanj Deo royal family that had ruled the princely state of Mayurbhanj in eastern India
A mountainous land in the Northwestern part of India, the state of Himachal Pradesh has long been a paradise for travelers. Colonial-era hill stations, idyllic rural settlements and verdant valleys dot the expanse of this North Indian state that was once a part of undivided Punjab. However, Kangra Valley, in the south-eastern fringes of Himachal, has always remained a bit off the tourist radar.
‘Be careful. He is watching us’. Omkar whispers. He is one of the four naturalists of Reni Pani Jungle Lodge, just twenty minutes away from the buffer zone of the Satpura National Park, where we have put up for a couple of nights. This morning we started early from Bhopal, the capital city and after a smooth drive of three and half hours we arrived at the jungle lodge.
Located by the Gomti river, a major tributary of River Ganga, Lucknow is a paradise for explorers with its time-honored architecture, lip-smacking dishes, lyrical zubaan (style of conversation), and world-famous garments.
India cradles an ancient and spiritual culture that draws visitors from around the globe. Spiritual experiences in the country range from temple visits and yoga retreats to 10-day silent Vipassana meditations. While India is best known by tourists for wonders like the Taj Mahal, our six-month sojourn brought us to many lesser-known religious sights including the source of the sacred Ganges River in Uttarakhand.
Upstream along the quiet banks of the Ganga, not far from the bustle of Calcutta, lies a string of towns, where a slice of Europe came to roost long before the British did.
Blessed with rich biodiversity and dramatic terrains, this North-Eastern state of India with Assam to its north and Bangladesh to its south is a paradise for nature lovers. The matrilineal state has decked herself up wonderfully for adventure seekers and laid back travelers across the globe.
Mehman nawazi (hospitality) is etched in the ethos of Kashmir and her people, a centuries-old legacy of this Northwestern Indian state. Every time I land myself in Srinagar, my friend Mushtaq would pick me up late in the evening, and a half-an-hour bumpy ride through the Srinagar-Ganderbal highway would take us to his humble two-storeyed house. A four-course dinner of goshtaba, yakhni, rogan josh and rishta follows. Not necessarily in that order, but always hearty portions of meat, rustled up in authentic Kashmiri style.
Leaving behind the tourist-filled streets of Darjeeling and the lingering whistle of the steam engine of the Heritage Himalayan Railway, our car enters the Lebong Valley. It is a different world altogether.
The conclusion of Escape from India during COVID-19 continues with Anietra sharing more of the roller coaster ordeal that took her and Ian from hope to hopelessness and back. Now she is confronted with the memories of the traumatic experience.
In Episode One of Escape from India during COVID-19, we introduced you to veteran journalist Anietra Hamper who was trying to escape from India after COVID-19 derailed her fishing assignment trip. Anietra and her fishing guide, Ian Henderson, were left stranded in India with only a narrow window to get out.
What was meant to be a four-week writing assignment to Nepal and India for veteran journalist Anietra Hamper, turned out to be an absolute nightmare for her and her traveling companion, Ian Henderson.