Blogs from Uttar Pradesh, India, Asia

I’ve gone with the word awesome (one of my favourites) to describe Agra but it’s more my description of the Taj Mahal, than the town itself. The Taj did not disappoint. It is truly awe inspiring. It’s gorgeous from a distance and also up close. But first to our journey……. On the way from Jaipur to Agra we visited yet another fort called Fatehpur Sikri, but much like all the others it was impressive. It was built by a chap called Akbar and he had separate quarters for his three wives. For his Muslim wife he built a small room, for his Christian wife he built a wing of the palace, but for his Hindu wife who gave him an heir he built a whole entire palace! Onwards to Agra where we were greeted by a ... read more

24.11. – 5.12. Die Velos können wir in Kathmandu leider nicht verkaufen, oder jedenfalls nicht zu einem akzeptablen Preis. Wir entscheiden uns, sie nachhause zu schicken und verbringen einen ganzen Tag damit, sie auseinander zu schrauben und zusammen mit dem restlichen überflüssigen Gepäck zu drei Paketen à 20kg zu verpacken. Die beiden Herren vom Postoffice in Thamel, dem Touristenviertel, helfen uns eifrig. Als wir schliesslich bezahlen wollen, stellt sich heraus, dass es ein riesiges Missverständnis gab, es keine Seamail gibt von Nepal aus und die Sendung per Airmail bedeutet, dass wir die Bikes zuhause zu einem sehr guten Preis verkaufen müssen, um keinen Verlust zu machen… (@ Sabin C.: es hat zwar nie ins Zelt geregnet, aber dieser Tag war mindestens so ärgerlich ;-). Neuer Ort, neues Glück: der Chitwan Nationalpark im Süden Nepals ist berühmt ... read more

Before this trip, I had never heard of Nandgaon; according to Hindu mythology, Nandgaon is the birthplace of Lord Khrisna, one of the most revered deities in Hinduism. The town is known for its beautiful temples, narrow lanes and traditional houses. Holi is a Hindu festival of colors, joy, and happiness, and is celebrated on the full moon day in the Hindu month of Phalguna. The Holi celebrations in Nandgaon are unique in many ways, and unlike other parts of India, where Holi is celebrated with throwing of colored powder and water, the celebration in Nandgaon are entered around the Lathmar Holi. In this tradition, women from Barsana visited Nandgaon and carried sticks, and played beating the men, who covered themselves using shields. The Lathmar Holi is a symbolic representation of the playful and flirtatious relationship ... read more

Sunauli Dec 13th2022 “Few are those among men who have crossed over to the other shore, while the rest of mankind runs along the bank. However those who follow the principles of the well-taught Truth will cross over to the other shore, out of the dominion of Death, hard though it is to escape.” Buddha “Smile, breathe, and go slowly” Thic Nath Hanh For reasons that I am yet to comprehend, when I received my one year/ multiple entry Tourist Visa for India in Sydney, Australia, it had a stipulation that I was only allowed to spend 90 days maximum continuously in India. That meant that although my visa was valid, I had to leave India and return again after 90 days if I wanted to continue my travels. Not only does the sense of this ... read more

http://www.heygo.com 2nd February Taj Mahal - Agra A virtual treat today with our guide Ata. The Taj Mahal located on the right bank of the Yamuna River is in an area covering nearly 17 hectares. It was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal with construction starting in 1632 AD and completed in 1648 AD, with the mosque, the guest house and the main gateway on the south, the outer courtyard and its cloisters were added subsequently and completed in 1653 AD. The Taj Mahal is a perfect symmetrical planned building.The building material used is brick-in-lime mortar veneered with red sandstone and marble and inlay work of precious/semi precious stones. The mosque and the guest house in the Taj Mahal complex are built of red sandstone in contrast to the ... read more