Posts

Posted on

Can Leh be covered in one day?

One day in Leh

Forming an important trade route between India and China, Leh is a beautiful city located in the Jammu and Kashmir state of India. Although one can spend countless days in the snow-covered terrains of Leh, if you have only a day’s time to spend here, you can visit the following sites.

Magnetic Hill

magnetic hill leh
Courtesy: www.ancient-origins.net

It is a cyclops hill located on the Leh-Srinagar highway. The area has such high magnetic attraction that it can even pull a car up-hill.

Address: Magnetic Hill, 194101

Time to spend: 30 minutes

Next destination: Phyang Monastery, 25 minutes drive

More about the Magnetic Hills here.

Phyang Monastery

Phyang Monastery leh
Courtesy: famousplacesinindia.in

Founded in 1515 CE, the Phyang Monastery is a Tibetan-Buddhist monastery with colored frescoes.

Address: Phyang, Jammu and Kashmir 194101

Time to spend: 1.5 hours

Next destination: Shanti Stupa, 40 minutes drive

Shanti Stupa

Shanti Stupa leh
Courtesy: www.flickr.com

It is a Buddhist place of worship with a huge golden statue of Buddha.

Address: Shanti Stupa Road, Leh, Jammu and Kashmir 194101

Time to spend: 1 hour

Next destination: Leh Palace, 15 minutes drive

Leh Palace

Leh Palace
Courtesy: en.wikipedia.org

It was formerly a royal palace of the ruling family of Ladakh. At present time, only the ruins of this palace are left.

Address: Namgyal Hill, Leh, Jammu and Kashmir 194101

Visiting time: 08:00 AM to 05:00 PM

Time to spend: 1 hour

Next destination: Thiksey Gompa, 40 minutes drive

Thiksey Gompa

Thiksey Monastery near Leh, Ladakh
Courtesy: ingervandyke.com

It is a large hilltop monastery built during the mid-1400s. The monastery comprises temples, a nunnery, and a variety of Buddhist art.

Address: Thiksey Valley, Leh Manali Highway, Thiksey, Leh, Jammu and Kashmir 194101

Time to spend: 1.5 hours

You can also book a taxi in Leh for sightseeing and onward journey.

Route plan

One day in Leh
Courtesy: Google Maps

Useful Links-

Cities to travel on Leh road trip

The popular food of Leh

Travel suggestions and routes for Leh trip

Leh: A picture tour

Posted on

Jammu: A food tour

Kashmiri Pulao

Jammu has its own tradition of food, which is highly influenced by the climate and culture. You can also observe a significant variation in the eating habits of the locals from one of the city to the other. The everyday cooking in Jammu involves meat and vegetables in some form.

On your Jammu tour, try out these local delicacies.

Khatta Meat or Chicken Anardana

Chicken Anardana
Courtesy: www.myspicykitchen.net

Chicken Anardana or Murgh Anardana is a chicken leg dish, with pomegranate as a twist. The snowy lands of Jammu and Kashmir grow one of the finest quality of pomegranates in India, so why not make a dish out of it. The dish has a specific tangy taste from the pomegranates and that is why is also called as Khatta Meat.

Patisa

Patisa
Courtesy: www.youtube.com

It is a sweet dish prepared with gram flour. It is crunchy, topped with dry-fruits. It is also popular in rest of the country as Soan-Papdi. This sweet dish has a long shelf life and can stay fresh at room temperature for months.

Dum Aloo

Dum aloo
Courtesy: indianhealthyrecipes.com

Dum is a cooking tradition in which the food is cooked under pressure. Dum aloo is a gravy-based potato dish and is named so because of this style of cooking. Among the vegetarian dishes in Jammu, Dum aloo holds the utmost position. People eat this dish with chapati or rice.

Here is an interesting take on the recipe for this dish.

Kashmiri Pulao

Kashmiri Pulao
Courtesy: www.pepperdelight.com

It is the signature dish of the town prepared with long-grain basmati rice. Saffron, fruits, and meat are also integral to this dish.

Nadir Yakhni

Nadir yakhni
Courtesy: www.hindustantimes.com

Nadir Yakhni is a dish made from lotus stem. The lotus stem is soft and brittle and is cooked in milk and yogurt.

The non-vegetarian variant of this dish is simply Yakhni, which is a lamb dish cooked in almost same style. The Kashmiri tea- kahwa is usually served after this meal.

To hop around places enjoying sightseeing and tasting local delicacies, you can also hire a cab in Jammu on day rental.

Useful links-

Jammu: One day trip planner

Quick getaways from Jammu

The best time to visit Jammu and how to reach

Posted on

5 great places to visit near Faridabad

ganga aarti haridwar

Seeking quick getaways from Faridabad, here are some amazing places-

Dehradun

George Everest's House
Courtesy: beqesh.wordpress.com

Dehradun is the capital city of Uttarakhand state of India. It lies in the foothills of Himalayas with river Ganges and Yamuna on either side. Dehradun displays a mix of Bengali, Punjabi, Nepali, Tibetan, Garhwali, and Kumaoni cultures. Here are main attractions of this city-

  • George Everest’s house
  • Tapkeshwar Mahadev temple
  • Rajaji National Park
  • Buddha temple
  • Lambi Dehar mines

Distance between Faridabad and Dehradun: 266 kilometers, 6.5 hours drive

Hire a cab from Faridabad to Dehradun

Haridwar

ganga aarti haridwar
Courtesy: www.flickr.com

Haridwar is a holy city in India. Located beneath the Himalayas, the city offers a peaceful aura to the wandering soul. Some of the great sites to visit in Haridwar include-Har ki Pauri, Mansa Devi and Maya Devi temples, Rajaji National Park, and Chandi Devi Museum. You can also visit Patanjali Yogpeeth, Shantikunj Ashram, Saptarishi Ashram, etc. if you wish to indulge in meditation.

Distance between Faridabad and Haridwar: 231 kilometers, 5 hours drive

Hire a cab from Faridabad to Haridwar

Jaipur

Jaipur- Jal mahal
Courtesy: www.india.com

Also known as Pink City, Jaipur is the capital city of Rajasthan and an important tourist destination. The city is a home to many forts and fortress of the Royal era of India. Amer Fort, Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar, Jal Mahal, etc. are some of the unforgettable sights in Jaipur.

Distance between Faridabad and Jaipur: 275 kilometers, 5 hours drive

Hire a cab from Faridabad to Jaipur

Chandigarh

Chandigarh Capitol Complex
Courtesy: commons.wikimedia.org

Chandigarh is a capital city of two states of India- Punjab and Haryana. The city is extremely well planned and peaceful. Some of the great sites of this city include-

  • Capitol complex and open hand monument
  • International Dolls Museum
  • Shantikunj Park
  • Sukhna Lake
  • Nada Sahib

Distance between Faridabad and Chandigarh: 350 kilometers, 6.5 hours drive

Hire a cab from Faridabad to Chandigarh

Agra

Aishwarya Rai at Taj mahal
Aishwarya Rai at Taj mahal

The city of Agra displays the exquisite Mughal era architecture. The city stands along the banks of river Yamuna, which adds to its scenic beauty. Taj Mahal is the most famous monument in Agra as it is one of the seven wonders of the world. More sites of interest in Agra include-

  • Akbar’s Tomb
  • Agra Fort
  • Fatehpur Sikri
  • Jama Masjid

Distance between Faridabad and Agra: 216 kilometers, 3.5 hours drive

Hire a cab from Faridabad to Agra

Useful Links-

Make the most of one day Faridabad trip

How to reach Faridabad

The local taste of Faridabad

Posted on

Shopping in Thiruvananthapuram

Antique Home Decor items

We often think that the places which have higher tourist footfall are expensive for shopping. What we don’t realize is that tourism also generates livelihood for the natives. The place has achieved popularity either because of its scenic location, religious importance, or its distinct art and culture.

Well, Thiruvananthapuram holds a good rank in both- it is surrounded by natural beauty and it has an artistic temper.

Following, we discuss the shopping arena of Thiruvananthapuram.

The everyday market

You will be amazed to know that the Chalai Bazaar of Thiruvananthapuram was originally conceptualized by the Travancore rulers of the region to provide a one-stop solution to people’s everyday needs.

The market still follows the league and you can find almost everything from groceries to decorative items in this place.

Chalai Bazaar
Courtesy: aclassictour.com

Paintings

The La Gallery 360 is an art store in Thiruvananthapuram. The gallery aims at educating people about rich Indian heritage. It showcases a collection of renowned and modern artists. If you have a flair for art, you can visit this store to grab some authentic paintings.

You can visit La gallery 360’s website for more information.

Home Decor items

The unique feature of the home decor items of Thiruvananthapuram is that they are usually made from teak and rosewood.

From miniature crafts to furniture, you can also look around for antique pieces; Trivandrum has a great taste for it. For antiques and decorative items, you can visit either of these shops-

  • Sarwaa: Shankar Road, Sasthamangalam, Trivandrum- 695010
  • Antique Home Décor: Opposite Chattambi Swami Temple, Tirumala Road, Poojappura, Trivandrum- 695012

Folks, you can also hire a cab in Thiruvananthapuram on day rental and enjoy hassle-free shopping and sightseeing.

Useful links-

Plan one day trip to Thiruvananthapuram

5 great places to visit near Thiruvananthapuram

How to reach Thiruvananthapuram?

Thiruvananthapuram: Nature tour