Stone grinders have gone out of fashion in urban India. But when I was growing up we had both sil batta (on the right in the photo) and chakki (the round one on the left) at my home! This is what was used to grind pulses (using the round one called chakki), masala (spices) and chatni…
Category: Photography
National Elephant Conservation Center at Kuala Gandah, Pahang, Malaysia
I stopped at Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary only for a few hours. I wish I had more time. When I got there I stood with others to listen to the rangers telling us the story of their elephants. It was obvious from the way they told the story that the elephants were a big part…
Seri Pacific Hotel, Kuala Lumpur- Perfect for Business
On my first trip to Malaysia I stayed at Seri Pacific Hotel, a truly comfortable place. It is a good choice for business travelers as the Putra World Trade Center (PWTC) is adjacent to the hotel. PWTC was the venue of our conference and being right next door to Seri pacific, it made the task…
A Night Trek at Fraser’s Hill, Malaysia- A Walk in the Dark!
I have trekked many times through a jungle, so many times that I am comfortable. I know the amount of noise any group makes is a guarantee that there would be no animals for miles around hence I am not worried. But the jungle acquire a different hue at night, one that is dark and somber….
Glorious Sunrise at Lakshman Sagar, Rajasthan, India
When I post for sky watch most of pictures are either clouds or sunsets. I am not a morning person. But since I learned (and it was a long time ago) that the morning light can do wonders for your photographs I have been making an effort! I was told that the sunrise was at…
Pullman Putrajaya Lakeside- A Beautiful Hotel
When I visited Malaysia for the Malaysia Tourism Hunt 2012 my first stop was Pullman Putrajaya Lakeside. Before leaving someone who knows Malaysia asked me where was I staying and when I said Putrajaya they were suitably impressed. I now understand why. It is a really beautiful hotel and has an equally beautiful location. True…
Engaging with Batik at Noor Arfa, Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia
Call me challenged when it comes to crafts and arts. The only skill I have shown ever in a creative endeavor is with my camera and thank god for small mercies! So I had quite mixed feelings when I got to know that we were visiting the Noor Arfa Batik Complex at Kuala Terengganu. The building itself…
On the Malaysian Roads with Police Escort!
And before you wonder what did I do to get involved with police in Malaysia let me set the record straight. When I was there for Malaysia Tourism Hunt 2012, we were traveling in a 30 car convoy and covering more than 1000 kilometers. The police escort was to keep us together and safe and probably others…
Flying Coach Class with Malaysia Airlines
I traveled with Malaysia Airlines on both my trips to Malaysia. So twice I took the Delhi-Kuala Lumpur flight and back. So far my experiences have been good with them. Check In: I did the web check in (for that window seat) and thankfully there was a separate queue for web check in which was much…
My Dream of Exploring North-East India
I have to admit that North East India fascinates me. I have only been to Sikkim as of now and I am very keen on exploring further. In fact in 2011 I tried very hard to go to Nagaland. But Tourism in North East India particularly Nagaland didn’t seem that easy. In spite of my best efforts I…