Cobblestone Chronicles

When looking for some of the most beautiful destinations in south India, in search of serene country-side respite, Coorg finds its place somewhere right at the top of that list! For a moment, imagine yourself to be in this delectable borough in the Madikeri district of Karnataka. The invigorating wind whips your hair as you ramble along the byways that rise and dive amidst the thicket. Breathtaking glimpses of the Tandiyandamol peak take you aback in bewilderment as you sniff appreciatively the heady fragrance of coffee blossoms. The place is surrounded by lush green landscape, offers a peaceful environment, is home to some of the friendliest people in India and perhaps the highlight, is the birthplace of some of the finest coffee that one might ever savour. Welcome to Coorg, fellow travellers! The magic of Coorg begins to unfold as one starts their journey from the low-lying town of Kushalnagar towards Madikeri – the town-centre of Coorg. The dwindling road a...

Artwork done by Ameya Kulkarni © To touch art is to touch a mind; to touch the mind, is to touch a life. With its pious pilgrims, quiet hill stations, plush wilderness, less-frequented beaches and tribal charm, Odisha is truly an unmissable destination. Hemmed by the Bay of Bengal on the east, flaunting a generous coastline, this east Indian state humours the curiosity of a traveller who is eager to learn about the many strokes that paint its canvas. Home to one of the four sacred Hindu pilgrimages, Odisha is also a well-known destination for art connoisseurs and for anyone who takes delight in understanding culture and traditions. We often hear people debating about fast fading art and handicraft heritages across the world and how that is indeed inevitable. Thankfully, as Indians, we still have some room to gush about how we have somehow managed to preserve quite a bit of our art and handicraft legacy. Raghurajpur, in Odisha can be titled as the kingpin...

A place hosting no concrete structures whatsoever, a place that is not as far from civilisation, yet makes you feel quite afar, Kutla is the dream-like reality - one of the many, yet lesser known places, that Himachal is home to! Himachal Pradesh hosts some of the most surreal mountain tops, awe-inspiring boroughs and scintillating secluded towns. However, the most enshrined asset of this state is the beauty that encompasses the lesser known burgs, the hillocks and trails that are, till this date, explored by just a tiny bit of ardent backpackers, and the small villages, that even though many may have heard of, are visited by hardly a handful! Kutla village is one such place - a lesser known hamlet about an hour away from the Tosh village, located at the far end of the Parvati Valley. A place hosting no concrete structures whatsoever, a place that is not as far from civilisation, yet makes you feel quite afar, Kutla is the dream-like reality - one of the many, yet lesser know...

Hampi, with all its temples, palaces and fortresses in balletic ruins, exemplifies the rich cultural, architectural, cosmopolitan, and historical legacy of the Vijayanagara Empire, which once thrived on these very banks of the Tungabhadra river. Most of the people do not associate the ancient ruins of Hampi, detritus of the civilisation along the banks of the Tungabhadra river, with the same reverence and grandeur as the ruins along the Indus or other timeworn vestiges. Hampi was the former capital of the Karnataka Empire, established around 1336 A.D, having collapsed some time in the seventeenth century, and has a rich history representing the formulation, glory and finally, the demise of the Vijayanagara Empire. It is a place that, in its own way, has a presence – a personality, a charisma, as one might say, put together in form of rubble, remnants and records! Just ten kilometre from the town of Hospet, which is well connected by rail and road ways, Hampi ...

A regular nominee among backpackers’ favourite beaches in search of tranquility and solitude in India, Gokarna appeals to the congregation looking for a nonchalant, laid-back beach holiday. Strolls along the quiet amicable beaches make you aware of your existence; splashes of sea water on your feet, the sound of waves crashing on nearby rocks, the scent of salt air and the windswept sunsets make you live in the moment. Gokarna, for quite long, has been the destination for those who find peace in desolation, who prefer to stay away from the dynamism of Goa - rangers who can befriend the art of lull and placidity. Gokarna starts to put up quite a show right when one gets off on the Gokarna Road Railway Station. The station lies about ten kilometre from the core of the haven. The elementary, single-lane boulevard that leads its way into the town, with little to no traffic, provides the most apt introduction to what is about to come. Trees and la...