Off beaten track

Central India - the melting pot of Indian history.  The stones at Jhansi, Orchha, Khajuraho and  Gwalior all have a story to tell. So many stories in fact, spanning centuries, tales of love, religion and of course war. There are monuments to each of these fundamental human passions at these places. It is nice to see that the monuments are very organised, clean and well maintained, a pleasure to visit. There is much written about these places hence this is not a tourist guide or travelogue, just a peep into history through my lens. Jhansi Fort My travels began at Jhansi Fort. It is redolent of history, of course the famous Lakshmibai, Rani of Jhansi fought for her rights here. Immortalised in the poem:   "Bundeley Harbolon key munh hamney suni kahani thi, Khoob ladi mardani woh to Jhansi wali Rani thi." These walls were witness to to so much valour, defiance and grief, if only they could talk. War and Religion Warriors are religious and in almost every fort anywhere i...

A view of  Table Mountain from the Lower Cable Car Station. This is the start of the climb. Table Mountain is an iconic landmark towering in grandeur above Cape Town, the southernmost tip of South Africa, exudes a powerful but inviting presence.   Its slopes have wildlife, an exquisite range of flora and the homes of the rich and famous. Even today, despite human habitation creeping up its slopes, it is an imposing sight, particularly from the suburbs of Cape Town.   Huge blocks of stone, almost artificially cuboid, make up the steep cliffs crowning the summit.    Presiding majestically over the city of Cape Town, adventurers will feel compelled to conquer the giant by walking to its summit. Take the cable car back to the bottom if your legs are too tired to descend on foot, which is what I did. After a short while looking down at the  lower cable car station. The view of Table Mountain is an ever changing kaleidoscope of vistas, sometimes clear and stark s...

The abode of the clouds, so aptly named.    Do not go to Meghalaya with a plan for a hectic �been there done that� kind of schedule crammed with plans for sight seeing.    This is a state which you have to just soak in ( pun intended); rambling through verdant hills, waterfalls and lakes.    The beauty here is a vivid green kaleidoscope of forested hills, water and clouds. One can arrive at Guwahati by train or plane and then motor up to  Shillong , the capital of the state.    This town used to be the capital of  Assam  in the old days and the layout and buildings are still redolent of the Raj. Using  Shillong  as a base one should motor around the state as far afield as one desires.    There is plenty of accommodation in  Shillong  ranging from the budget friendly to the exotic and expensive. The three hour drive up from Guwahati is a precursor of scenes to come, lush green rain forests, and quaint vi...

The Indian One Horned Rhino   Kaziranga   National Park  is synonymous with the great Indian one-horned rhinoceros, the only place in the world where you can see such large numbers of this battle tank like behemoth.    The park is in  Assam  and covers an area of 430 Sq kms along the river  Brahmaputra  on the North and the Karbi Anglong hills on the South. The best way to get there would be via Guwahati and Tezpur.    The many places to stay around the park would suit most budgets and levels of luxury. I recommend staying as close to the park as possible to get in an early morning elephant safari.   There is a view point on the highway approaching the park from where one gets a magnificent preview of the wildlife one is about to experience. From here one sees an enormous expanse of wetland with myriad birds and varieties of animals peacefully coexisting; we saw rhino, wild buffalo, a variety of deer and even a fox all at the s...

B rig (retd.) Xerxes P Adrianwalla  spends a day in the monsoons driving from Lonavala past the many waterfalls that line the drive to walk up to Koraigarh fort. He recommends it as a perfect family outing. I t looms out of the mist like the prow of the Titanic; enigmatic and majestic, caped in the monsoon green so typical of the region. Koraigarh (or Korigarh), in the vicinity of Lonavala, is a day's nature walk, ideal for the monsoon season when it is a verdant green, swathed in chill mist at the top. F rom Lonavala towards Aamby Valley is a 20 km drive past innumerable waterfalls, till one reaches Shahpur (Shivpur) village where you park your car and pay a local shop keeper to look after it. From there it is an hour's easy, but fascinating, walk up the hill. A round the base of the fort there is dense jungle. A path through it takes one to the steps of a fort. This jungle, with dense bamboo thickets, abounds in flora and a fascinating variety of birds and insects. The steps ...

B rig (retd.) Xerxes P Adrianwalla  enjoys visiting the many splendid forts of Maharashtra. The monsoons add their own sense of adventure, mystery and romance to his tryst with history. L ohagarh, as the name suggests is an iron fort, soaked in history. The bastion stands aggressively amidst the Sahyadris near Lonavala. In the monsoon the fort is veiled in mist, brilliant green foliage lines the route and waterfalls punctuate the verdant hill sides; making a trek to the fort at this time a wonderful experience. T he trek starts at Malavali railway station, when coming here by train; and Bhaje Village if arriving by road. The climb begins at Bhaje, the route being a rubble track to a plateau at the base of, and between the twin forts of Lohagarh ? Visapur. To get here takes about an hour of easy climbing. At this point one needs to decide which fort to climb to. Lohagarh being better preserved, the easier climb is recommended. A nother small village, Lohadwadi, is situated in the de...