Mysore or Mysuru is a cultural town in the Karnataka state of India. It was the capital of Wadiyar dynasty until the early 90s. It is also one of the cleanest and well-planned cities of India.
It still maintains a peaceful atmosphere, and is a good weekend destination, especially for the folks from Bangalore. If you are planning a vacation in Mysore and seeking information about how to reach Mysore, this article could help.Continue reading “How to reach Mysore”
Folks, in this read, we bring to you some of the popular dishes of Visakhapatnam (or Vizag).
Pela Vadiyalu
Pela Vadiyalu is a sun-dried lentil side dish. It is either deep-fried and served as a snack, or it is added to vegetables and curries to accessorize the taste. You can also bring home some of these and simply deep fry and eat them whenever you feel like, after your Vizag trip.
Aratikaya Bajji
Aratikaya Bajji is a raw banana fritter, popular in entire Andhra Pradesh. It is the most common street food in Visakhapatnam as well. The locals have a unique process of making this fritter, which is different from making fitters in rest of India.
Well, this tasty savory snack is best to eat when hot. Also, try the dry chutney and tamarind chutney they serve with this dish.
Muri Mixture
Muri Mixture is a savory delight in the beaches of Vizag. Relaxing on the beach and snacking some tangy, spicy, and crunchy food; who wants more?
Muri mixture is made from puffed rice (Muri), roasted peanuts, coriander, onion, tomato, green chilies, etc. with some basic spices. You can find the small-scale vendors, selling them on portable stands.
Madugula Halwa
It is a regional sweet dish in Vizag, and you can find many street vendors selling this item. The dish originated in Madugula, a village about 70 kilometers far from Visakhapatnam. It is a unique combination of wheat, milk, almonds, and sugar, cooked in ghee. The low-cost version of this dish is made with peanuts, but at least once, try the authentic Madugula halwa. You can also bring home this sweet dish, they have a considerable shelf life.
Chepala Pulusu
It is a traditional dish of Vizag, prepared with a fresh catch of fish. The fish is cooked in tamarind sauce, with little addition of local spices. The taste of this dish is tangy and goes well with hot steamed rice.
If you are looking for shopping souvenirs from Mahabalipuram, you will find a number of items made from sandstone and seashells. And why not, Mahabalipuram is a coastal town.
Shopping stone sculptures in Mahabalipuram
You will find here mostly the sculptures are made of sandstone and granite stone. Although a miniature, still people follow the monolithic rock-cut carvings. (Actually, not rock but yes the sculptures are made from a single piece of stone :D). There are Hindu deities and replicas of the monuments from the place in their sculpture. There are several vendors along the beach selling these art pieces. You can bargain as well.
You can visit the Mount Road and Arjuna’s Penance in Mahabalipuram for stone sculptures.
Oh yes, you can also see people working on the art and they are friendly enough to hand you their chisel to try a chip.
Shopping seashell items in Mahabalipuram
You can find some very good seashell jewelry and showpieces along the streets of the popular monuments in Mahabalipuram. Again buy them directly from the artisans, the stores and emporiums are generally more pricey than buying from the artists themselves. Shore temple road is one such place to buy some good seashell items at a reasonable price.
The street vendors also sell leather sandals, pashmina shawls, bronze statues around the popular tourist places. There are even silk saree emporiums, but you can find better deals in Chennai for the same clothing. If you are looking for exclusive from Mahabalipuram, we suggest buying stone sculptures and seashell items.
You can also book AC cab in Mahabalipuram for your entire trip and hop around the streets for the best bargain and coastal shopping experience.
Here is a tip– Buy the sculptures from the interior streets or small roadsides rather than from the main road. You can save a lot on almost similar items.
Jaisalmer is a favorable place for shop-alcoholics. One can find here a range of sarees, handicrafts, puppets, decorative items, footwear, jewelry, just name it and it is available here.
If you ask us, what is that one thing to definitely get from Jaisalmer, we would say- grab the mirror work clutches and handbags. They are useful, traditional and gives a twist to your everyday look.
Also, since Jaisalmer is a desert area, you can find the authentic camel leather items, which are made from leather obtained after the animal dies. Well, here is a list of top things to shop from Jaisalmer and the popular markets.Continue reading “Authentic Jaisalmer shopping”
The refreshing sights of the sun-drenched city of Srinagar create our own paradise on earth. One can spend numerous days here, but if you have only a day’s time, you can visit the following places.
Chashme Shahi
It is an ancient terrace garden built during the Mughal era with freshwater springs, waterfalls, and fountains.
Address: Chashma Shahi, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir 190001
Visiting time: 08:00 AM to 07:15 PM
Time to spend: 1 hour
Next destination: Pari Mahal, 5 minutes drive
Pari Mahal
Also known as Angel’s adobe, Pari Mahal is a terraced garden with splendid views of Dal Lake and stone dwellings.
Address: Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir 190001
Visiting time: 07:00 AM to 07:30 PM
Time to spend: 1 hour
Next destination: Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip garden, 10 minutes drive
Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip garden
Opened in 2007, Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip garden was formerly a Model Floriculture Center and now an expensive tulip garden with different species of colorful flowers.
Address: Cheshma Shahi Road, Rainawari, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir 190001
Visiting time: 07:00 AM to 07:30 PM
Time to spend: 1 hour
Next destination: Nishat Bagh, 10 minutes drive
Nishat Bagh
It is a lovely terrace garden and also the second largest Mughal garden in the Kashmir valley.
Address: Nishat Bagh, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir 190001
Visiting time: 09:00 AM to 08:00 PM
Contact:+91 194 250 2279
Time to spend: 1 hour
Next destination: Shalimar Bagh, 10 minutes drive
Shalimar Bagh
It is a sprawling Mughal garden linked through a channel to the Dal Lake.
Address: Jammu and Kashmir 191121, Shalimar, Rainawari, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir 190025