The Yak Dancers of Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh
The state of Arunachal Pradesh falls in the snow capped eastern Himalayan region with one of the most photogenic terrains in the country. It is often referred to as the Shangri la of the north eastern states and begs for a thorough exploration. It has been rightfully said that in order to understand a place, one […]
Buddhist architecture of the eastern Himalayas
Traditional architectural styles prevalent in the eastern Himalayas across Sikkim, Bhutan and Eastern Arunachal Pradesh are characteristically simple with Buddhist influences and carved wooden window frames. The use of local sustainable materials such as rammed earth, stones and wood is customary. A prominent feature is the window assembly known as a rabsel in Bhutan. The […]
Ani Gompas – Buddhist nunneries of Tawang district.
As a young girl I studied in a Christian convent school in Shillong run by a mix of Indian and Irish nuns. I was initially quite taken aback and then fascinated to hear about the Buddhist nunneries since I had at the age of ten assumed that only boys joined the monasteries. Arunachal Pradesh has […]
Remnants of a Kingdom – Sivasagar
In the history of Assam, Sivasagar undoubtedly, holds pride of place. It was the seat of the Ahom kingdom for 6 hundred years of their tumultuous reign. The entire district is filled with ancient monuments, artefacts, parks, tanks, spurs and dykes and roads built by the Ahom kings. The name itself is derived from the […]
Collecting tales, creating trails – interacting with the Apatani tribe
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. EXPLORE. DREAM. DISCOVER. – Mark Twain After investing over a quarter of a century in familial […]
Travel, Eat & Savour…. a recountal of a Khasi lunch at Shillong, Meghalaya.
The best thing about travelling to new places is the discoveries that one makes about local food. On a recent visit to Shillong, Curtain Call Adventures introduced us to Vivek Wahlang, an entrepreneur and a die-hard foodie, whose passion is to bring travelers the best food from his region. Vivek and his family host travelers […]
Tale of nine sisters sojourn into the realms of the east – Sita Kumar
The gateway to the northeast “Guwahati” was our first port of call. From different directions we met at Kamakya temple which houses the deity who guards the city. The atmosphere in the temple was so charged. It gave us an insight of the Assamese as they flocked to this place of worship. Continuing further […]
Chota Assam Tour – experience life in the Brahmaputra valley!
Our first destination of interest on our Chota Assam Tour is the Kamakhya Devi temple, devoted to Goddess Kamakhya Mata. Legend has it that during the early century a Vedic sage in Varanasi was approached by a king in the Himalayan range. He wanted a solution to convert the tribal folks and their rituals of […]
Heaven on Earth or at least in parts of Arunachal Pradesh
My friend Subu Sumpi sent these gorgeous pictures of Talley Valley in Arunachal Pradesh, taken this winter( 2017). Arunachal Pradesh contains about 40% of India’s flora and fauna. The state has many unexplored areas that are simply breathtaking. Talley Valley is a wildlife sanctuary as well as a bio-diversity hot spot located at a distance […]
Majuli: Playing cupid on the banks of the Luit river
The Hotel at Majuli had let their standards slide since my last trip there, and a few guests found it a bit uncomfortable. The warm bonfires, gorgeous sunsets, good food and the easy-going camaraderie of the group kept all in smiles. For me Majuli is magical, and I think some of that rubbed off on […]