If you are visiting Coorg then do not forget to keep at least half day for a visit to Bylakuppe. It is a Tibetan settlement about 40kms away where the Indian government had leased 3,000 acres of land to the fleeing Tibetans in 1961. It consists of two Tibetan refugee settlements that were setup in 1961 and 1969 respectively and has now grown into a full-fledged town housing the largest Tibetan population outside of Dharamsala in India.

It is the largest Tibetan community in exile with about 40,000 people in five settlements containing monasteries, kindergarten to higher level secondary schools, health care clinics, a hospital and a traditional Tibetan medical facility. The ‘Lugsum Samdupling’ settlement established in 1961 has grown to a veritable township with monasteries, nunneries and cafes and stalls that showcase the Tibetan way of life.

As you near the settlement you will find monks in robes zipping past on two wheelers. Makes one wonder – what’s the hurry for the monks? Ah well, the monks here are well rooted in tradition and well connected with all modern technology too. You will see monks chatting away on a mobile phone in one hand and rolling beads on his rosary in another!

The most visited temple here is Namdroling (The Golden Temple) and the signage is loud and clear. And of course you can spot it from afar. Three beautiful larger than life gold plated statues look down at visitors above the altar. Buddha around 60 feet tall holds prominent place, flanked by Guru Padmasambhava and Amitayush (each around 58 feet tall). The walls are adorned with colourful paintings depicting gods and demons from Tibetan Buddhist mythology. The entrance has a curtain of beads which is the favourite of kids who love going in and out.

The monastery attached to this temple is considered to be one of the best places for higher learning. This monastery dedicated to the teachings of Palyul Lineage of the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism was established by His Holiness Pema Norbu Rinpoche shortly after he came to India from Tibet. A long, leisurely visit to the Namdroling monastery would take up almost half a day. If you are lucky you will witness a prayer chanting session in one of the temples and it is a ‘must experience’. Rows of monks will sit and start chanting from their books and a couple of them will blow wind instruments while there will be another who will play the cymbals. All this will be accompanied by the rhythmic beat of the drums.

The exterior of the new Zangdokpalri temple looks majestic with a majestic rainbow arch. We are so used to being told not to photograph the idols in temples, that the ready willingness of the monks to let the idols in their temples being photographed is such a pleasant and welcome surprise. Most of the monks when approached are very friendly and ready to talk and answer all your question about their life there or Buddhism. It is almost like visiting a foreign country in your own!

There is a large parking area near the Golden Temple. A shopping arcade next to it houses many curios shops and restaurants.

Getting there: Bylakuppe is situated on the state highway 88. The nearest town for Bylakuppe is Kushal Nagar. Auto-rickshaw is the best mode for a trip to the Golden Temple from Kushalnagar. There are frequent buses shuttling between Mysore and Madikeri and you can get down at Kushalnagar.

Club Mahindra has a beautiful resort in Coorg and Bylakuppe is not too far away from our property.  Enjoy your visit to the coffee country with us and  plan a visit to Bylakuppe at your leisure.
Watch this video to experience the destination more.

There’s something about sleepy Puducherry or Pondicherry that draws me to it over and over again! For most people one visit is enough to look around and soak in the atmosphere of this laidback former French colony. For me, every visit only makes my heart grow fonder. The beauty of Pondicherry lies in the way it straddles two very distinct cultures with complete ease. Be prepared to hear native Tamilians converse in fluent French as you walk down the streets. Ask their names and expect to be even more surprised because names like Brutus Vivek are not uncommon in this part of the country.

It never ceases to amaze me how French and Tamilian cultures have come together and coexisted so beautifully. The Sri Aurobindo ashram is probably the most visited piece of real estate in the city. Years go by, but the ashram remains the same – a place of universal acceptance and abundant peace. A few minutes spent there will soothe your nerves. Walk across to the Manakula Vinayagar Koil to visit the temple dedicated to Lord Ganesha or just go there to see Lakshmi – the temple elephant. Lakshmi is always surrounded by locals and tourists some seeking her blessings, and some just enjoying watching her antics.

Both the temple and ashram are located in the French quarter of Pondicherry – the part of town that still has magnificent French style villas and where street names begin with “Rue” meaning street or road in French. Magnificent doorways peeping out from under a curtain of bougainvillea in full bloom welcome you instead of a regular metal gate. With imposing walls and long windows with grills, it’s practically impossible to take a peek inside, making these houses and their residents even more fascinating. You can walk around and take as many photos as you like, as the inhabitants of these villas take no offence. In fact, across the city, you are most likely to be greeted by smiling faces and people who will stop by to chat or help.

No one is in a hurry in Pondicherry. Rest is not frowned upon and afternoon siestas are a norm. As evening sets in, the seaside promenade comes alive. Crowded and full of vendors trying hard to make a sale, I prefer a walk by the sea in the mornings when it is calmer. French cuisine is well known the world over, but again considering its Pondicherry we are in, even French cuisine has been strongly influenced by the local culture. Known as Franco-Tamilian cuisine, you can sample this at the many cafes and restaurants located in the French quarter. Seafood lovers are in for a special treat. Different people visit Pondicherry for different reasons. Whatever it is that draws you to the city, you will definitely leave a calmer and rejuvenated person. There’s something in the air. While it’s hard to describe what this magical thing is, it’s a total pleasure to experience!

Club Mahindra has a beautiful resort- the Club Mahindra Big Beach Resort in Pondicherry. Make sure to experience the property when you plan your trip to Pondicherry.

What is the contest about?

Tiny Travel Tales is a contest that gives you the chance to publish your travel tales and get recognised!

So why is this contest so exciting?

1. Top 50 short entries (shortlisted by a jury of travel writers) gets their story published in this blog, and also wins a popular travelogue/ travel book as prize!
2. The Final Top 3 entries gets their travel tale produced as as an illustrated video/ animation and uploaded on Youtube for everybody to see! The Top 3 entries also Win the Grand Prizes (packed with travel goodies!)
3. And that’s not all, all 50 entries will get compiled into an illustrated book and sent across to all participants!

How to submit your stories to the contest?

• Send in your travel tale to tinytraveltales@mahindraholidays.com.
OR
• Upload your story (in Word or RTF or PDF format) using the form below:
  

Where will the results be announced?

• The results and updates of the contest will be put up on CLAY  and also announced on the Club Mahindra page on Facebook (facebook.com/clubmahindra), Jiyo Life page on Facebook (facebook.com/jiyolife) and Twitter (Twitter.com/Jiyolife, Twitter.com/clubmahindra)

Rules of the contest:

• Word limit is 300 to 500 words.
• Stories should be related to travel or holidays.
• No images/pictures allowed.
• Contest only open to residents of India.
• Content entries may be edited to fit the constraints of the contest.
• The contest will run between 16^th Jan to 5^th Feb.
• Please read the Terms and Conditions for more information

Almost every hill station in India – be it Shimla  or Darjeeling tell the same story. Lush and plentiful in summer with snow kissed conifers carpeted on their slopes in winters, these towns have been plucked   out of nature by the British. The quaint names, a sleepy railway station, an ancient church , a club and the palatial bungalows are all reminiscent of the old world charm.

If you take a leisurely walk down the malls and markets of these towns, they still smack of the colonial legacy. These hill stations were dubbed the summer capitals of the Britishers who lorded over them for several  years. And yet, one little hill station stands apart from the rest, defying the colonial hangover . It owes its existence on the political and tourist maps to an Indian ruler who made it his summer capital. This is the story of Chail , a town barely 45 kms from Shimla in Himachal Pradesh .

Located at a higher altitude than Shimla, the story goes that the Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala made Chail his summer capital when the British barred him from entering  Shimla. Although the conflict was not on military grounds, the story goes that the Maharaja was romancing a daughter of Lord Kitchener, who was then the Commander in Chief of the British army. The Maharaja decided to give the British a fitting reply and went on to create his own summer capital in Chail.  He first built a palace near Khandaghat  called Chail View Palace and then  built a road to Chail and finally his own summer retreat in this little town surrounded by deodar forests. Ironically Chail itself had been gifted to the Maharaja by the Britishers earlier .

The Maharaja was an avid cricketer and had captained many an Indian team besides playing several first class matches himself .  He left Chail a trophy – a cricket ground which has the highest ever pitch located at 2140 metres and it doubled up as a polo ground as well.

Like many Indian towns , Chail has its own share of myths and legends. We visited a temple dedicated to a saint, Sidh Baba built on a hillock by the king. The locals believe that the king had planned to build his palace here earlier , but the seer had visited him in his dream and asked him to choose another location.

Nevertheless, the Maharaja couldn’t have found a better place to create his summer capital. With the Himalayas in the background and the valley beneath,  the river flowing down and three dense hillocks covered with deodar forests, Chail looked every bit a royal capital. The lights of Shimla and Kasauli came up  as I stood there for awhile watching the sun went down. Chail had indeed come a long way from an idyllic hamlet to a royal seat and now a tourist resort .

This story was published in The Hindu , as part of the author’s column, Inside Story

Club Mahindra has a lovely resort in Mashobra , near Shimla and the author was invited to the property as part of a blogger’s trip

Our journey into Coorg’s heritage takes us on a spiritual quest – atop mountains, inside forests and coffee estates and by the river side.  These are temples etched in the cultural landscape of the Kodavas, although some of them will never find mention in any religious texts.

It is misty as we climb a small hilltop to the Padi Iguthuppa temple in Kakkabe. The bells start ringing the moment we enter the temple , as a gentle breeze blows from the rolling hills around. A group of Kodava women enter and speak with the priest Kush Bhat who welcomes us and insists that we stay over for lunch. “ No one comes to the Iguthuppa temple and goes away without eating lunch ,” he says. He explains that Iguthappa means giver of food and the deity is a form of Subramanya or Muruga, son of Shiva

“Close your eyes and ask Iguthappa whatever you want ..If you have faith, you will get the same,” says Kush Bhatt adding that centuries ago, Shiva and Subramanya came here and loved the hills so much that they decided to settle down here . The temple is known to feed anyone who comes here and all pilgrims offer food, not money to the deity . “Iguthappa told the people of Coorg that you will never go hungry as long as Im here and if you accept me as your God, ” explains Kush Bhatt. Some call him a saint, some say he is one of the four brothers who settled in the hills around the area. But despite the legends, every festival of the Kodavas starts with the invocation of Iguthappa and the  most important festival of the temple is Tulabharam .

We go to the another Iguthappa temple in Naljee, inside a forest through a lush coffee plantation . There is not a soul around and it is peaceful just listening to the sounds of the forest. These monuments are probably lost to the average tourist , but as a traveler, I realize that one finds sanctity in the silence around them

Club Mahindra has a wonderful resort in Coorg and make sure you get an experience of mystical Coorg when you visit them next

I just got back from a short trip to Goa. This was not my first and it probably won’t be my last either. But this was a trip after several years; my last had been towards the end of 1975.

Despite Goa being touted as a destination of choice that draws German charter flights like a Goan to his feni, the airport in Goa remains rather unassuming with no aerobridges or tunnels. You have a choice of prepaid taxis to take you to your destination, ours being Panjim. The buses are sparsely crowded with folks who are going about their work with baskets and since we do a lot of “push-push-shove-shove-squeeze-through-to-the-exit” in Mumbai, we decide to treat ourselves to a taxi and pretend we are on a five star vacation.

Goa to me was a bunch of cities interspersed in a wealth of small villages dotted with greenery. The big difference this time was there are no well defined village boundaries any more. Some of the older Mangalore-tiled houses with intricate trellises and bowers of greenery, leaning over imposing entrances have given way to cement-concrete monstrosities. Some unavoidable industrial areas have come up, but they still try and blend in with the surroundings, moderating their external display. Goa is still lush with mangroves, trees, and several mango, cashew and coconut trees crown it. You notice “houses nestled amongst trees” as opposed to trees decorating the house.

There are several watchdog organisations today that ensure that newly planted trees exceed trees brought down during any construction activity. One is delighted to see inland waterways, and mangroves. While driving inland in the hills, pineapples bought from locals certainly tasted much sweeter. Old women hawkers on the streets and markets of Panjim sell raw cashews and Goa’s local mangoes.

Earlier, as you entered the main village area, you would see a large football field, a church and temple, where you read announcements of impending matches with a visiting village team from elsewhere; folks landed up to cheer their team, to be followed by a goodwill feni session, and a hearty meal.

Roads in Goa are wonderful with most being two lane highways. I don’t recall seeing a single speed limit sign during my entire stay. Everyone drives as fast as they want, our taxi driver did an hour drive in 35 minutes flat without a single pothole jostle.

Goan tourism tries to do a commendable job running various tours. One cannot help but smile, when on explaining the importance of Aguada fort, where there is a jail, the tour guide proudly mentions that two very prominent criminals managed to escape from there. There is even a bust of one of the criminals, in the fancy restaurant where he was finally arrested.

The old quarter of Panjim, now treated as a heritage area has these amazing “gulleys”, (small pathways), where houses with intricate carvings and trellises, and a blue delft like plate fitted into the wall outside announces the name of the owners. Dark blue and brick red appear to be the favourite colours of buildings along with white. These areas are dotted with homely restaurants serving typical Goan food, and many are rather highly recommended.

We were treated to a lunch in one of these by our Goan friend towards the end of our trip. Fish Curry and rice being the staple, this place excels in serving various varieties of fish. The non vegetarians amongst us ate with single minded devotion to the plate in front oblivious to everything.

And then there is the Ferry. Despite the Panjim Mandovi river bridge spanning across Panjim and Betim, most people still like to travel across the river by Ferry. And so you see tons of two wheelers emerging, as if from the river, when the Ferry docks at Panjim or Betim. The heady combination of sea, fish and diesel fumes offers the right incentive for a chilled beer or a feni, wherever you plan to go next.

On our last day in Panjim we were looking for a place that sells a typical Goan sweet. Our Goan friend served this to us over tea at her riverfront living room in Betim. A deadly combination of gram flour (channa flour), coconut, and local jaggery (probably toddy based) this melt-in-your-mouth stuff has not been given the publicity it deserves.

And finally as we head  back to the airport, it is time to relax, take a nap and release the tensions.

Rediscover , relax and rejuvenate yourself in Club Mahindra’s  Goa property in Varca Beach

We were on our way to Jodhpur from Udaipur and an important halt on the way had to be Kumbalgarh as were told that it was a ‘not to miss’ fort. We were not disappointed. The roads all the way were wonderful and despite visiting Eklinji and Nathdwar on the way we reached Kumbalgarh by 1pm. On the way we passed the impressive Club Mahindra Kumbalgarh Resort.

Though the sun was beating down mercilessly the first sight of the fort was enough to drive away any tiredness. Having parked in the official parking lot and buying the entrance tickets we set out to explore this much talked about fort.

We were accosted by ‘guides’ at the gate but we decided doing the fort on our own. There is a map at the entrance which one can use to decide what one wants to see. There is also a plaque there which told us that this fort was built by Rana Kumbha of Mewar in the 15^th century. It was built on a 3,500feet high hill overlooking the approaches from Ajmer and Marwar and was considered impregnable. The fort remained impregnable to direct assault, and fell only once, due to a shortage of drinking water, to the combined forces of Mughal Emperor Akbar, Raja Man Singh of Amber, Raja Udai Singh of Marwar, and the Sultan of Gujarat.

Another interesting fact was that, of the 84 fortresses defending Mewar, 32 were designed and built by Rana Kumbha. Of these, Kumbhalgarh, with its 36-kilometer long wall and soaring towers is the most impressive. This wall is supposed to be 2^nd only to the Great Wall of China in size!

Now it is famous as the birthplace of Maharana Pratap, the great King and warrior of Mewar. It was occupied until the late 19^th century but now the fort is open to the general public as a museum. It is lit up for a while every evening which is supposed to look spectacular. Unfortunately due to paucity of time we did not have the fortune to witness that.

Apparently there are 360 temples within the fort , 300 ancient Jain and the rest Hindu. To ascertain this, would have had to stay at Club Mahindra Resort nearby, maybe will do some other time. But if you have the time and the patience and the interest in history it would be a delightful exercise.

According to legend, in 1443, the Maharana of Kumbhalgarh, Rana Kumbha, was initially unsuccessful in repeated attempts to build the fort wall. To overcome this hurdle a seer was consulted about the construction problems who advised ruler that a voluntary human sacrifice would solve whatever that was causing the impediment. He also advised building a temple at the spot where the head would fall after the sacrifice, and to build the wall and the fort where the rest of his body lay. As can be expected, for quite some time no one volunteered, but one day a pilgrim volunteered and was ritually decapitated. Today the main gate of the fortress, Hanuman Pol, contains a shrine and a temple to commemorate the great sacrifice.

Right on top is the Badal Mahal which offers spectacular views.

We spent a couple of hours taking in the awesome sights of and from the fort and then started back the long walk back to the parking lot with a sense of having participated in the most historic forts of Rajasthan.

The Club Mahindra Resort in Kumbalgarh is a sprawling luxurious property overlookin the magnificent mountains. The fort is barely 5 kms from the resort.

Ladakh being one of the highest inhabited plateaus and situated amidst formidable mountain ranges makes it one of the preferred destinations to witness remoteness in its truest forms. The same remoteness allows for chance sightings of wildlife just by the roadside. Over the 12 days I was wandering in Ladakh I saw many kinds of birds and animals. Here are few that I managed to capture.

1. Kiang or the Tibetan Wild Ass

The largest of the wild asses, kiang is found in the Tibetan Plateau living between altitudes of 4000 to 7000 meters. These animals are surprisingly athletic and move with amazing grace. With its association to the ass family, I did not expect them to look any pretty but they do. Kiangs are frequently spotted in Changthang region of Ladakh.

I spotted these Kiangs while going through the little traversed route of Mahe -Chushul – Spangmik.

2. Ladakh Urial

First things first, do you spot them in the picture below? Their camouflage is freaking awesome. Well these are the Ladakh Urial I suppose, correct me if I am wrong. I spotted them on the way to Tso Moriri from Leh.

3. Wild Hare

Well again near the Chushul region, we noticed sudden movement on the land in front of us only to find these little creatures running away from us.

4. Bactrian Camel / Double Hump Camel

Well, as the name says these camels have two humps as opposed to the single hump camels found elsewhere. Only a small population of Bactrian Camels was left here in Ladakh long ago which continue till date but all of them have been domesticated. The only surviving wild counterparts of Bactrian camels exist in Mongolia which I hope to see someday. This was shot in Hunder of Nubra Valley.

5. Black Necked Crane

The Chushul marshes are apparently where the black necked cranes migrate every summer. Luckily we spotted few here and there. The marshes were looking amazing for sure.

6. Yak

I have nothing much to say about this. I spotted them between Loma and Nyoma after crossing Mahe that is.

7. Himalayan Marmot

These very cute looking creatures similar in appearance to the beavers live in the high mountains and can be found quite often by the roadside in the Changthang region or any place with some grass. I spotted these while returning from Pangong to Leh.

8. Sheep

Technically not wildlife but it is amazing how small they look in front of the grand landscape there! Cattle are one of the primary sources of livelihood in Ladakh from what I have seen.

9. Horses

The horses are left freely here and probably they return back to their owners by night fall. Spotted these at many places but this was shot on the farther end of Pangong towards China.

Most travellers heading to Ladakh start their journey from Manali, where Club Mahindra has a wonderful resort . Do refresh yourselves here before you begin your trip to the mountains

What’s in a name? Well not everything. But a coastal town in the Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu with a name like ‘Tranquebar’ certainly had a magical ring to it and enough allure for us to plan a visit.

Not surprisingly, our decision to go to Tranquebar was met with raised eyebrows and strange glares. A five hour drive to a relatively unknown destination is not what most would call a good choice for a short weekend trip. But luckily for us Tranquebar turned out to be a quaint town and the perfect place to just sit back, relax and do absolutely nothing, but gaze at the azure waters of the Bay of Bengal. In fact the ocean looked so beautiful and serene, that it was hard to imagine that it was the same ocean that we had been keeping us company as we drove down from Chennai.

A former Danish trading centre, Tranquebar or Tharangambadi (meaning ‘place of singing waves’) was founded by the Danish in 1620, after getting into an agreement with King Raghunatha Nayak to pay Rs. 3111 per month as rent. Eventually bought by the Danish, it was later sold to the British in 1845.

As we drove through the once majestic Gateway of Tranquebar, now a dilapidated structure crying out loud for some restoration, we were transported back in an instant to an era gone by. The road leading up to the beach is lined on both sides by buildings built during both the Danish and British rule. The Zion Church and the New Jerusalem Church, built in 1701 and 1718 respectively are still active places of worship.

As the road turns left we caught a glimpse of the Dansborg Fort flanked by the grand Bay of Bengal.  A dull yellow structure and not exactly like the mighty forts seen elsewhere in India, the fort now houses a museum.

If Dansborg Fort is historically the most important structure in Tranquebar, then the most beautiful is undoubtedly, the Bungalow on the Beach, now a hotel with 8 rooms. A majestic white building with a slopping red terracotta roof, the bungalow was used as a Collector’s house in 1845 under the British rule.  The charming bungalow situated right on the beach offers breathtaking views of the ocean, dotted with numerous fishing trawlers, with the Dansborg Fort to the right and the mysterious Masillamani temple on the left. The oldest structure still standing in Tranquebar, the Masillmani temple originally had 3 mandapams of which only one survives. The one standing gopuram is in ruins and is barely protected from the sea by some big boulders to keep the water from hitting against the structure.

But nothing could keep us for long from returning to the bungalow, wanting to make the most of the time we had and to spend as many hours out on the pillared verandah that runs all along the first floor of the house, listening to the sounds of the waves crashing and watching the birds circle the clear blue sky.

There are not too many places that I have been to in the recent past that I have left with an almost certain feeling that when and if I do go back at some point in the future, I will see it looking better than when I saw it last. But luckily Tranquebar I believe will be one such place. The efforts being put in by the Danish Government, INTACH and several others towards restoring more jewels of Danish legacy will make Tranquebar only more beautiful if that’s possible.

Tranquebar is barely a couple of hours from Pondicherry , where Club Mahindra has a Zest property.  Do plan a trip to Pondicherry and Tranquebar the next time youtake a beach holiday

Quite a lot can be said about this beautiful, quite and a calm place. We took off from Mumbai to Bangalore via an early morning flight. As we were going to stay in the Club Mahindra Kodagu Valley, Coorg property, we had our taxi pre-booked from them. It was a nice and beautiful drive all the way to Coorg. It would have been an approx of 280 odd kms. But the entire 4 hours of drive was fabulous and the rains made it more fantastic.

The Mahindra resort was so welcoming. Located amongst luscious greens. We were gonna be there for about 4 days. We reached around noon…had a fantastic lunch in one of their open air restaurants. We then checked in to our room…had taken their 1bhk room. It was just great..especially the back view from the room was wonderful.

The next morning we were welcomed with nice rains and temperature was down to just 14 Degc. We then had planned to visit the very famous Talacauvery which is around 50 kms from the resort. It is the original source of Cauvery river and is located in the Bhrahmagiri hill at 1200m aprx above the sea level. It is believed that taking bath in Talacauvery is very sacred and can relieve the man from all the sufferings.

There is a small hill which once walked up had amazing view..actually breathtaking..

We had a wonderful day out there…got back to the resort and let the day end. The next day we had something very exciting for us to look forward to. It was a trip to Dubare Elephant camp. A place where we can give bath, scrub and feed elephants. An amazing experience with the elephants which I have never had as yet.

I had a wonderful experience out there and thanks to the team of Club Mahindra to make it more memorable. The next day was another different kind of experience which again I had for the 1st time. We were headed to a Tibetan Monastery – Golden Temple, Bylakuppe. It houses over 250 monks as on date.

Stepping inside the temple feels like walking in to another world altogether. There are three beautiful golden Buddha statues each of 40 feet namely Padmasambhava, Buddha and Amityaus look down at visitors above the altar.

An absolutely stunning place. A place where I would feel like going back again and again. With a visit to this place our trip was almost at end. The next day we had a flight back home from Bangalore…The trip was wonderful and more over the Club Mahindra has a fantastic resort out there..

A must must visit for all…