Posts

The most extravagant gathering that mankind has ever witnessed

Image
Yes, you guessed right, the Mahakumbh. I was fortunate to experience this in person on 21st Feb 2025. I would never have attempted to visit the Kumbh Mela even in my wildest imagination. Our dear friends CJ and GC mentioned on our WhatsApp group about their plan to visit the Kumbh. This triggered our curiosity. TJ and I quickly checked the flight fares. It was more expensive than usual. But it was the Kumbh, so it ought to be. After contemplating about the overall budget and availability of accommodation, we decided to take the plunge. We booked our flight from BLR to Varanasi and a cab from Varanasi to Prayagraj. Our stay would be at IRCTC Mahakumbh Gram in Prayagraj (Friday) and Hotel Utsav Grand in Varanasi (Saturday), one night each. We would fly back on Sunday evening from Varanasi to BLR. Few days after we booked the tickets, it was the Mouni Amavasya Shahi Snan, followed by the stampede. You can imagine our plight!!  Throughout the month leading up to our trip, we heard vari...

Do Dham in Dev Bhoomi

Image
This was a long-awaited group trip that we friends wanted to check off since last few years. What started off with  a plan to visit Kailash Manasarovar, ended with a Do Dham Yatra. With initial research we found that the Govt of India was not conducting the Kailash Yatra ever since Covid times. So instead we decided to plan the trip to Badrinath and Kedarnath  and delighted that we completed it successfully. Through this blog I would like to describe our itinerary, giving some essential tips from our experience so that it would help future travellers. Day Places visited Stay @ 1 Arrive at New Delhi and get picked by driver with Tempo Traveler. Drive to Haridwar, enroute lunch at Shiva Dhaba (excellent) El Grovia (very avg- not reco) 2 Check out after breakfast and proceed towards Sersi (Rampur). Enroute visit Dev Prayag Hotel Panchwat...