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Haridwar as a tourist

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Haridwar (Door to Hari, Lord Vishnu), there is something familiar about this city where the abundant northern plains meet the giant Himalayas. The city has always been there, not as mystifying as Banaras, or as touristy as Agra, or as religious as Shirdi, but all those features combined together in one neighborhood. I’ve always been through (yes, through) Haridwar, touched it on the surface many a times. Be it for last rites of a neighbor or relative, or on the way to my college in the hills of Garhwal, or just to take a dip in Ganga. All these peripheral trips were way before the realization that travel is not about source and destination. It was way before the joy of sitting through an entire sunset dawned upon me. It was way way before that I wouldn’t call those trips, travel anymore. A marriage ceremony, a dying airline and a spring- summer school break gave a chance to feel the city in my new normal, slow and easy way. Witnessed the famous Ganga Arti a few times in different posit
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My first Trek-Bhira Tamhini

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Washing mud from my feet and grime from my tired body, the memories came rushing in. Initially in sequence and later in bursts and flashes. So decided to pen them down before aging memory fails me. It already started to look like a dream now but was not so dream-like when we were out there doing it. It was real, perhaps more real then the mere existense of our day-to-day life. What started as a 5 day trek to Sahyadri, became a toil which opened all the joints of my body and sensitised some deep corners of my mind. From the outside, through our city blinded eyes, these places looks barren, down-right poor and less fortunate. But staying there, living their life, eating their food and breathing their air make you realise the richness. The richness of life, richness of heart, richness of time and richness of stories. So here are some glimpses of that richness which touched me, overwhelmed me and made me a follower with the mud on my feet. The day started with me luging my r
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Location: 402120, Bhira, Patnus, Maharashtra 402308, India
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The Guests who are welcome now!!

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‘We don’t do it for money'.  Everyone must be accustomed or rather tired listening to this cliché from bird guides across the country. But coming from this young lad of not more than 20 years, I was forced to believe. We are at Kumbhargaon bird sanctuary, one that is created and maintained by local group called Agnipankh (Flamingo in Marathi) without any visible support from the government. Enjoying early morning’s crisp and cool air, we are going in our motorised boat with Shailesh, our bird guide for the trip.   The ride: our humble but sturdy boat ‘Aren’t the bird scared of the sound of boat?’ I asked apprehensively.  He paused for effect and informed that all boats will switch off and run on manual near the habitats. His knowledge about birds was satisfactory given the fact that it was all self-acquired with no professional training. But his belief and conviction was more than adequate to overcome occasional lapses.  Kumbhargaon was a usual sto
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Location: Kumbhargaon, Maharashtra, India
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Enchanting Thane Creek- Part 2

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Nature is wonderful! Yes it may sound as a cliche, but it is. Sometimes it allows you open-heartedly into its enormous treasure, some other time it'll shy away or rudely turns you back. One has to be patient, take a step back, wait and allow It to come to you. Believe me, what an experience it will be then. Here I'm once again on a date with wonderful Nature.The place, as enchanting as it was last time, has shrunken a bit. The spread of 'civilization' encroaching in 'inch-by-inch'.  I allowed myself some indulgence this time. The pace was more relaxed, the movements were more controlled, the excitement under check and instead of trying to 'do it in', I tried to 'take it in'. I was rewarded for my patience and could get closer than last time.  As a famous quote says "More knowledge brings you closer to ignorance", my ignorance was revealed and I was left wanting while recognizing all that I saw. Hopefully I'll c
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Location: Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
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