Memories Unlimited in Uttarakhand

It was a beautiful morning, which seemed even more beautiful for several reasons. For one, summers were approaching! As the cool breeze brushed past, it immediately put a smile on my face - I could finally get rid of those boring sweaters! The weather was perfect for a trip to the mountains. Our bags were packed and we were headed to the railway station to board our train to Dehradun to explore the beautiful Doon Valley, the shimmering rivers, rivulets and the enchanting hill temples.

The hills of Uttarakhand make for a charming getaway.February to April is the best time to visit the hills of Uttarakhand. Rains are yet to create a mess and for all of us who come from hot states like Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi, the hills offer a respite from the scorching heat. Interestingly, this is also the season for a number of local and national festivals that people celebrate with utmost enthusiasm. While we had no plans to attend a festival on the trip, we were lucky and got to attend a local festival, Phool Dei, which falls in mid-March.

After a rejuvenating outing at Kempty Falls, we headed to Mussoorie, where we visited a friend for a day. It was a pleasant coincidence for we got to be part of Phool Dei celebrations at her house and neighbourhood.

One thing that I love about Indian festivals is that no matter which region or religion you belong to, there is always space for an eager soul to be a part of the festivity. My friends and I got talking with the ladies of the neighbourhood who told us that the festival was celebrated on the first day of the month of Chaitra. In a way, I think, it is a celebration of harvest and the welcoming of spring. Young girls dressed up for the day and sang folk songs called chatis and gently threw flowers and rice puffs or kheel. They prayed for the wellbeing of their brothers and families and were given money and sweets in return. The scene reminded me of the navratra poojas when as a young girl, I would be invited by the neighbours for prasad of kheer, chole and puri.

There, I was thinking about delicious prasad and soon enough a lady brought plates of a delicious-smelling pudding – dei. So that’s the mystery of the name of the festival! Made out of jaggery and milk, the dish was quite something. In the evening, the girls of the neighbourhood danced to folk songs. Being dance lovers ourselves, it did not take much urging for us to get up and shake a leg.

The Kempty Falls, 15km away from Mussoorie, make for a fun picnic spot. Photo Credit: Bijoy Mohan / FlickrOn our long tour to Uttrakhand, there was everything from the ropeway ride and unlimited splashing at Kempty Falls to the street food and shopping at Mussoorie’s Mall Road, from bungee jumping at Rishikesh (not for me though, the height scared the peeves out of me) to the spectacular morning aarti at Harki Paudi... but the decorated doorsteps, lively music, heart-warming people and the delicious food we enjoyed during the festival, made us feel very much at home.

1Malaysia Contemporary Arts Tourism Festival: The Here & Now of Art

Contemporary art, entrenched in local themes and cultures, deals with depictions of the ‘here and now’. This is the art that’s going to be the new currency in a future world that would undoubtedly wonder about what life was like ‘back in the 2000s’!

Get the feel of the contemporary art scene in Malaysia at the festival to be held from July 2 to September 30.Want a piece of this future history? Get on a plane to Malaysia and make a beeline for the 1Malaysia Contemporary Arts Tourism Festival in Putrajaya. To be held from July 2 to September 30, this festival will be one of the most important congregations of contemporary artists in South East Asia. This is a great way to buy some art, get a feel of the contemporary art scene in the country and have a great vacation because Malaysia offers so many options to holiday seekers.

Celebrating the New

Contemporary art in Malaysia has seen a big leap in the last two decades and artists like Abdul Latif Mohidin and Tew Nai Tong have splashed across the global art scene with great flourish. One of the most successful drivers of this growth has been the 1Malaysia Contemporary Arts Tourism Festival organised by the Ministry of Tourism in Malaysia. This initiative aims to provide Malaysian artists with a global platform to showcase their work as well as give young artists and hopefuls a reason to stick to the fine arts.

In its fourth year now, the festival expects to welcome more than 40,000 visitors to its participating art galleries for viewing and acquiring new contemporary artworks. With that kind of a crowd, make sure you’ve booked a comfortable hotel before you leave for your Malaysia trip.

What to Expect

Although the city of Putrajaya near Kuala Lumpur will host the festival, you can expect to walk in on an art exhibition nearly everywhere on your Malaysia trip. Galleries across the country will display explosive and thought provoking works by established and upcoming artists and you’d be in for a treat witnessing new and unexplored subjects become the mainstays of exhibited works. You can expect to find a lot of oil and acrylic works as these are the preferred mediums of most Malaysian artists. But also look out for screen printed works on silk and for sculptures.

The city of Putrajaya near Kuala Lumpur will host the festival. Photo Credit: WilliamGraphy / FlickrMalaysia is a rising star on the contemporary arts scene and this will be your chance to meet some prominent artists like Ivan Lam, Ahmad Zakii Anwar, Anurendra Jegadeva and Yee I-Lann.  Some other artists expected to display their works are, Suhaimi Fadzir, Yap kim Boon and Juhari Said. Some of the top galleries that are expected to show these artists’ works are Valentine Willie Fine Art, Wei Ling Gallery and New York Gallery. Several installations, seminars, art auctions (must visit!) and competitions will form the fringe events associated with the festival.

One of the biggest reasons for you to be a Malaysia tourist during the festival is that you can buy a new form of art projecting a different culture and varied themes that affect all of Asia, in a way. Remember to pack your top credit cards because contemporary art pieces by Malaysian artists often come with pricey tags!

Catch the IPL 2013 Action in Delhi

IPL 2013, one of the most awaited events on the cricket calendar, began last week and the competition has been intense. Delhi, the home ground of the Delhi Daredevils, will host six of the IPL league matches at its Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium. Even though the star of the team, Virender Sehwag, is out of action temporarily due to an injury, the city’s diehard cricket fans will be treated to the histrionics of some other stalwarts – captain Mahela Jayawardena, swashbuckling batsman Kevin Pietersen and all-rounder Irfan Pathan, to name a few.

Delhi Daredevils' Superstars

Where to stay?

So if you’re a fan of the Delhi Daredevils or simply enjoy a good match, head over to the capital city of India for this sporting extravaganza. The stadium is located at Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, close to the heart of Delhi. There are many hotel options for you to choose from, depending upon your budget. If you want to splurge, The LaLiT at Connaught Place offers a luxurious stay. The Radisson Blu Marina Hotel (also at Connaught Place) is a good mid-range hotel, with excellent amenities. For budget travellers, Hotel Broadway on Asaf Ali Road (merely 1.8 kilometres from the stadium) is a great option. MakeMyTrip has several last minute hotel deals on these and many other hotels in Delhi. Be sure to check them out.

The LaLit Hotel in Delhi

Where to eat?

Delhi is a food lover’s paradise and there are numerous places to eat in Delhi. Moti Mahal restaurant in Daryaganj (1.6 kilometres from the stadium) is a must-visit for delicious North Indian food. The restaurant’s owner claims to have invented the iconic tandoori chicken and butter chicken dishes. Whether that’s true or not, there’s no denying that Moti Mahal serves up some excellent food. Another restaurant worth visiting is Chor Bizarre at Hotel Broadway, which is famous for its Kashmiri cuisine.

Delicious butter chicken

Where to get a drink?

If you want to unwind after an exciting match, Delhi’s nightlife is quite happening, especially in the Connaught Place area. Head over to Ssky Lounge & Bar, which is located on the 25^th floor of Antriksh Bhawan Building, and gives a panoramic view of the city. Another option is Castle 9, one of Delhi’s favourite bars, with a great selection of drinks and snacks. And of course, there is no dearth of shopping options in Delhi. You can also explore some off-the-tourist-track places and uncover one or more of Delhi’s secrets.

Ssky Lounge & Bar Delhi

How to get to the stadium?

Finding your way around Delhi is fairly easy, now that the Metro is operational in many places. The nearest metro stations to Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium are Pragati Maidan and New Delhi. If you’re arriving in Delhi by train, the Old Delhi railway station is 4 kilometres away and you can take an auto-rickshaw or a pedal rickshaw to the stadium. If you’re flying in, note that the airport is 20 kilometres away. You can take a prepaid taxi from the airport to get to the stadium, which is always a better option than haggling with a taxi driver later.

Do you want to experience Delhi as it buzzes with excitement during IPL 2013? Book your flight or catch a train to the country’s capital now!

Experience Ayodhya’s Unique Festival Celebration

In a long list of traditional fairs, festivals and religious occasions, there is one unique festival which stands apart from the rest – the Shravan Jhula Mela – celebrated every year in the Hindu month of Shravan (July/August). This year the mela (fair) will be take place from August 9 to 21. The fair promises to be a unique experience for all its visitors, especially those who want to experience the religious fervor and spirit of this ancient city.

Beautiful idols of of Lord Rama, Sita and Lakshmana. Photo Credit: Deepaaidasani / wikimedia

The Festival

Ayodhya is well known as the birthplace of Lord Rama. Strewn with hundreds of beautiful temples dedicated to the diety, the Shravan Jhula Mela celebrates Lord Rama and his consort Sita. Shravan or monsoon is the time when jhulas or swings are hung from fresh, green trees for young girls and women to swing and sing on. The fair is recognition of this playful spirit. During this time idols of Lord Rama, Sita and Lakshmana are brought out and placed on swings in temples. They are then taken to the beautiful Mani Parvat where special swings are strung up on trees for the gods. The idols are placed on the swings and devotees are allowed to rock the swing. The idols are then brought back to their respective temples.

The City of Temples

As a religious and spiritual city, Ayodhya is a favourite amongst priests, pilgrims and people on a spiritual journey. There are several beautiful and ancient temples that visitors can go to during their stay. Prominent among them is Ramkot, which is one of the most important places of worship in the city, particularly during Ram Navami. Another ancient temple worth visiting is the Nageshwarnatha Temple, said to have been constructed by one of Lord Rama’s sons. Other interesting and imposing temples, famous not only for their deities but also for their structural and architectural beauty include the massive Hanuman Garhi, Choti Chawni (made of beautiful white marble), Kanak Bhawan (which contains idols of Lord Rama and Sita donning crowns made of gold) and Mani Parbat. There are also several other places of religious significance which are a must-visit such as Lakshamana Ghat, Surajkund, Guptar Ghat, Sita Ki Rasoi, Ramjan Bhoomi, Babri Masjid and Sugriv Parvat.

Ramkot is an important place of worship in Ayodhya. Photo Credit: Shikari7 / wikimedia

In & Around Ayodhya

There is no dearth of interesting places to visit around Ayodhya. There are several major towns and cities waiting to be explored such as Mathura, Vrindavan, Varanasi, Agra, Lucknow and Faizabad (the erstwhile capital of the kingdom of Awadh). Visitors seeking some adventure can head to wildlife sanctuaries such as Eagle’s Nest, Katarniaghat and Suhelwa, all of which can be reached either by train or air from the Amausi airport in Lucknow.

For train and bus bookings in Ayodhya, log on to MakeMyTrip.com.

A New Sunrise for Cricket in Hyderabad

Cricket is one thing that evokes a sea of emotions in Indians. Whether it is the young college goers, missing lectures to secretly catch a session at a friend’s house; or the white collar workers who’re taking that conference call so half heartedly because their attention is on the scoreboard on a TV screen halfway across the hall.

The IPL T20 series is like a box of mini donuts - pop in as many as you want and you will still not be satiated. So why should it be any different for the cricket crazy people of Hyderabad, which has given Indian cricket such legendary players as VVS Laxman? The city now has its very  own team for the sixth edition of the Indian Premier League, the Hyderabad SunRisers, whose Principle Sponsor is MakeMyTrip. Led by the sizzling Sri Lankan, Kumar Sangakkara, Hyderabad SunRisers have taken the excitement in the City of Nizams to great new heights!

Catching the Action…Live!        

With scores of matches to be played between April and May in stellar cricketing facilities across the country, a cricketing fan is spoilt for choice. While the option of sitting on a couch with a tub of grub and drinks to wash it all down is always attractive, more and more cricket fans now want to be there right in the middle of all the excitement and action at the cricket stadium. Being there in the thick of the excitement, watching the cheerleaders up close with the possibility of a high six looming in the horizon actually landing in your lap, can be enough to give any fan goose bumps!

Planning Your Trip

Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium where eight IPL 2013 matches are scheduled to be held will see a fair share of the season’s excitement. Eager fans have already begun booking tickets for matches, especially since getting in and out of the city and the stadium is easy. There are also a number of good hotels to fit all pockets located close to the stadium. A good budget hotel like the Taj Mahal Hotel, in Himayath Nagar can be a great B&B option. Those looking for something more upmarket can check in at Courtyard by Marriot on Lower Tank Bund Road or the luxurious, The Westin Hyderabad Mindspace in Madhapur.

The glorious Charminar in Hyderabad

Located in the city’s eastern suburb of Hapsiguda on Uppal road, the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium is some 30 kilometres from the Hyderabad airport. There are regular taxi and bus services available from the airport which can take you directly to the stadium or to your hotel.

Of Food and Nightlife

Of course, you will want to make the most of your stay in Hyderabad during and after the coveted match and there are plenty of options here. In case you want to first try the famed Hyderabadi biryani, step in to Bawarchi for an authentic local experience. Those looking for something more international or continental, Indi Joe’s with fresh from the oven pizzas to some mouthwatering salads, soups and vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, is a superb option.

The mouthwatering Hyderabadi Biryani

Boasting a happening nightlife too, this city has learned to sleep late, if at all. With so many watering holes opening shop here, it is difficult to ignore the heady rush of loud music, packed bars and a good cocktail. While tourists can play safe and head to a well-known joint like the Hard Rock Café or Firangi Pani, trying out an exciting new place like Rush Sports Bar and Café or Little Italy can be an unforgettable experience.

So if you are among the ones who don’t just plan to dekhneka, but karne ka too, begin by booking your flights to Hyderabad! You can also book the IPL special packages from MakeMyTrip for a memorable IPL season this year!