All posts filed under: PLACES

RootsandLeisure_CherryBlossomFestival_Shillong

A Blossoming Crowd at the International Cherry Blossom Festival Shillong,2017

Published by Badal Nyalang

  Not long after the first International Cherry Blossom Festival pulled in almost 30,000 tourists from the nearing states to Shillong last year, Meghalaya yet again geared up for the second international cherry blossom festival. It was held at different locations across Shillong from the 8th November – 11th November 2017 to commemorate the cherry blossom spread through out the state. A quick look back!  The Himalayan cherry blossom grown wild in Meghalaya has long been associated with Japan. This annual festival is a reminiscent of the local heritage with its white and pink blooms all over the hills of Shillong. With around 5,000 trees planted along the Umiam Shillong road, Mawphlang and Ward’s Lake, the government of Meghalaya further targets to plant 20,000 trees by the festivals’ 50th anniversary. Day One of this years’ event kicked off at the 5th Ground, Polo Grounds, Shillong hosted by the Meghalaya Minister for Forests & Environment, Clement Marak. The opening day was marked by a pleasant painting and drawing competition followed by story telling, local folklore and fashion show accompanied by a great display of lights at …

RootsandLeisure_BiishoVillage

Unearthing Manipur’s Pristine Beauty at Biisho Village | Travel

Published by Kumti

  Biisho is a beautiful village of the Poumai Nagas in the district of Senapati in Manipur. The village’s soil is known to be very fertile as it sits on the banks of Barak and Darai rivers.  The village is known for its lush valley called Zhophao, which is a vast meadow that serves as a pleasant spot for backpackers to set up tents. The valley serves travelers with a perfect weekend escape to the hills and the rivers. With some pretty unique experiences hidden in its depths, Biisho is more than just a destination to experience waking up to mist ladened mountains. As you enter the village, you will be greeted with excited and beautiful smiles of the locals. On a lazy afternoon, you will mostly find the villagers nonchalantly sipping a hot cup of tea sitting on their porches made of bamboo or by the verandah. A sight that is only but a slight cue of the simple joys of life that the blissful village enjoys. Bissho was once explored by travelers far and few. The village has …

RootsandLeisure_Faces_YamunaGhat

Faces | A Detox from Delhi Smog at the Ghats of Yamuna River

Published by Imtee Jamir

  “This is a shot of my friend, Emily, captured one beautiful morning around 5 a.m. at Yamuna Ghat in New Delhi. I love shooting portraits and exploring spaces with unique surroundings. My friends and I made this spontaneous plan to have a photoshoot at this location early morning. What began as an impromptu shoot ended up being a wonderful, fun experience. It was about an hour and a half drive away from the place we were staying. Devotees often come here early to bathe in the holy water and feed the birds. The birds you see behind in the picture are Siberian Seagulls. Hundreds of them migrate every year during winter season (between October and March) and flock across the holy rivers of Yamuna. We were told by the boatman that feeding the birds is often believed to bring good karma.  This was my first visit to Yamuna Ghat and it was truly an awe-inspiring sight watching the seagulls swivel around the rivers as we fed them, while riding on our boat. That was the exact moment I captured this photograph! The ambience …

RootsandLeisure_PaliGhar-Homestay

Farmstay & Experiential Travel : A Dash of Heritage and Beauty with Palighar Homestay | Kalimpong

Published by Shweta Rao

  “Oh! Heaven is a place on earth.” December is almost here, and most of us are feverishly looking all over the internet for a great winter getaway to usher the New Year. Well, aren’t you the lucky one today? Because we have found you just the right place to be at when you step into the first day of the coming new year.  PaliGhar is a countryside farm-stay that’s situated in a small town called Echhey in West Bengal’s scenic destination, Kalimpong.  Kabir Pradhan, the founder of PaliGhar homestay, tells us why PaliGhar is more than just “another hotel”, and how they’ve worked on keeping the place connected to its roots, heritage and culture without compromising the quality of comfort and service they offer their guests. Tell us a bit about yourself. I am Kabir Pradhan and am 32 years old. After completing my Bachelors in Commerce at Calcutta University, I realized that the subject didn’t interest me much. I then pursued a Post-Graduate Diploma in Travel & Tourism Management from the Indian Institute of …

RootsandLeisure_Travel_KrangShuri

Badal On A Trip To Krang Shuri – A New Tourist Hot Spot in Meghalaya

Published by Badal Nyalang

Recently, my expedition took me to yet another unexplored site in the hills of Meghalaya. It seemed as if nature has blessed these hills with innumerable locations that travelers from afar get attracted to. Here’s how it began. After almost an hour journeying from Shillong towards Jowai, then taking another 45 minutes towards Amlarem, we finally reached our destination, Krang Shuri. A beautiful bliss of nature and a must visit for everyone travelling to Meghalaya. You would need to walk another kilometer or so to reach the location but on the way,  you can see the waterfall from a distance. My friend, who came along couldn’t resist taking a picture. From this place walk for about 5 minutes and you will reach the ticket counter. A minimum of ₹30 per person is charged as an entry free to Krang Shuri. Upon entry, we saw a huge crowd carrying their life jacket (for safety of course) heading towards a mini dam like structure where you could swim. We arrived near the natural pool and the first …

RootsandLeisure_Travel_Monolith

Travel | Cluster of Age-Old Monoliths Amidst the Hills of Meghalaya

Published by Badal Nyalang

What exactly is a monolith ? Why are they there in the first place? With these questions in mind I wandered off to look for answers and got my reading glasses ready to do some research. The word monolith comes from the Greek word “monolithos”, derived from mono (“one” or “single”) and lithos (“stone”). I begin my exploration in the hub of all monoliths in Meghalaya, Nartiang village in the Jaintia Hills district. It is the place to start if you are looking for a rocky site full of traditional memories and hidden stories. They call it the “Monolith garden”. These monoliths are said to be a testimony of a sovereign strength. They are a symbol of tradition in the Jaintia Hills among the “pnar” tribes. It is said that these monoliths were erected to mark the reigns of the erstwhile Jaintia king. There are folktales to explain the existence of these ancient monuments. Looking for these stories was the highlight of my mini research. I always wondered on how the monoliths came to be in such …

RootsandLeisure_Travel_Longsa

Land of Mystical Tales, History and Folklore | Longsa Village, Nagaland

Published by Kumti

For the lover of ancient culture, tradition, digger of history and folktales in you! Longsa – a picture postcard village, some 29 kms away from Mokokchung town, is hugely popular for its deep rooted cultures and traditions, shrouded with myths and mysteries, echoing rich poetry of the time millennium folklores. Definitely a place that you need to visit once in your lifetime, if you still miss your grandma’s fantasy stories! Lovely natives, stories of the village and of course, its beauty, are some of the key highlights of this place. It was recognized as a Green village in 2006 and is the only Ao village on the other side of Dikhu river. By any chance, if you happen to be a huge historical buff then this might be the place for you to escape to. Visit the Koralong stone that sits at an altitude of 1521 m above sea level, about two kms away from Longsa village. On a clear morning, you can see the Himalayan mountain ranges from here. A sight to behold. Awatsu is a …

RootsandLeisure_ZunhebotoNagaland

Of Rustic Delight and Living | Zünheboto in Nagaland

Published by Kumti

Imagine this. A rustic hillside town nestled within lush hills, with views of spectacular sunrises every morning, blue skies and clouds nestled between hills all day, and vibrant hues of sunsets to end the evening. Lush green forests, freshwater streams and rivers in almost every direction; sounds like a nature lovers dream come true right? And if you’re someone, looking for such experience, then we just might have the perfect place for you. Let’s take you on a journey to the mighty land of warriors- Zünheboto, which also means “hilltops of Zünhebo”. The name of the town comes from ‘Zünhebo’ flower, which abounds plenty in the area. The town is nestled around some beautiful villages, which offers a treat to your eyes as you get to witness interesting attractions cornered all around. Definitely a place to get you exhilarated and makes you wonder why haven’t you visited this place earlier? But better late than never, right? So, how about a visit to the Ghosu Bird Sanctuary as a startup activity? Here, every dawn break, all …

RootsandLeisure_JonathanDkhar

Man of Many Passions | Jonathan Dkhar from Meghalaya

Published by Roots & Leisure

“Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.” — Oprah Winfrey If not for passion, how else can we gather enough energy to pursue all that our heart longs to do. Jonathan Dkhar, from the hills of Shillong seems to have figured that out. He is a lawyer by profession but has many passions – he is a biker and a musician; he plays as a session drummer for two bands : one a progressive metal band called ‘Dwar’ and another a heavy rock/ metal band called ‘Akhia’. His energy in turn inspires many to live each moment with passion. Here’s a chat with Jonathan Dhkar to understand why and how he juggles many interests. Hi Jonathan! Tell us something about yourself. I have lived in Meghalaya my whole life , and I am currently working full time as a lawyer.  As a part time activity, I play the drums with a couple of bands here in Shillong. I also love going for long rides on my bike and exploring the …

RootsandLeisure_ElephantPark_Thailand

Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Published by Roots & Leisure

See elephants as they should be seen at the Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai. Take a virtual tour of this beautiful elephant sanctuary in Chiang Mai, Thailand, where rescued elephants roam freely in their natural habitat. Spend a day in the wild, soaking in the serene surroundings, sharing quiet moments with the gentle giants, and enjoying a delicious Thai vegetarian buffet lunch. Thailand’s Northern Province of Chiang Mai is an incredible place to see wildlife, boasting an array of exotic animals that are specific to the region. But what separates the Elephant Nature Park from the rest is its commitment to the welfare of the elephants – a movement against keeping elephants in confinement for human amusements. There is no riding here and each elephant’s needs are individually assessed and prioritised. For those intending to visit the park, the itinerary, travel details, and cost set out below are what you can expect from a one-day tour. Itinerary: The day begins with elephant feeding, visitors stand on a platform and are instructed to carefully place hunks …