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Everything You Need To Know About The Beatles Ashram In Rishikesh!

I had always sensed the Beatles connection in Rishikesh, even when I wasn’t looking for it. To me, Rishikesh is the ultimately detox destination and no, I have never needed to check into an ashram for it. The sight and sounds of Rishikesh are enough, nature’s glory and the fleeting impressions of art left behind by inspired minds from around the world have long satiated my creative needs. On my latest visit, I set out to find the real Beatles Ashram or to bust the myth forever.

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Interview Of The Month: Is It Safe To Travel To Kashmir?

Joy Singh @Raasta.jpgThere’s a lot to be said about Kashmir. The Valley has enchanted travellers for centuries but all that has changed in the past decades. The very idea of travelling to Kashmir is considered dangerous. Alpaviram spoke to F&B entrepreneur, Goumtesh Singh better known as ‘Joy’ who from hails of Jammu. Now, a co-partner of Raasta and although his work takes him away from his beloved homeland, its beauty and charm is always on his mind.

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It Was Love At First Sight In Rwanda…

The thought of travelling Africa for the first time, evoked in me mixed feelings. While I was excited about visiting a new country, the thoughts of its difficult past, of war and conflict, poverty, disease and other stories that I often read, kept me guessing what the travel had to offer. So, a week before I embarked on my Journey to Rwanda and Uganda, I kept reading as much as I can about these countries, their history, economic order and culture. While information helped, I won’t deny a sense of unease while boarding my plane from New Delhi. Continue reading “It Was Love At First Sight In Rwanda…”

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Postcards From Russia, The Land Of Smiles, Warmth… And Football!

Russia has the dubious distinction of being the most unfriendly country in the world. But it is also the land of Dostoevsky, Tchaikovsky and this year’s Football World Cup. So I set out for ‘the land of no smiles’, armed with a solemn expression and a Russian speaking friend.

The latter was most useful but the first was absolutely unnecessary.

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Chandraketugarh: Will India’s Legendary Lost Port City Remain Buried Forever?

Close to India’s border with Bangladesh lies a Harappan site which has been guarded over diligently by citizens who care for the wealth that lies hidden from plain sight.  Without any tangible support to save this vast heritage site, this incredible chapter of history may be lost to us. Put your travel shoes on and make your way to Deganga region of West Bengal, a discovery of this lifetime awaits.  Continue reading “Chandraketugarh: Will India’s Legendary Lost Port City Remain Buried Forever?”

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An Unparalleled Glimpse Into Space, Into Life, Into The Meaning Of Everything

“And now it’s clear,” he said passing the telescope eyepiece toward me. “Can you see a big dot and three other small dots on the same line?”

“That’s Jupiter and it’s 3 moons.”

Standing on a big lawn in a 6 degree Celcius cold winter, in the wee hours of morning in a place 100 km from Jaipur, we saw Jupiter and its two moons.

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A Visit To Rabindranath Tagore’s Garden Of Peace

Shantiniketan, near Kolkata in West Bengal, is a university town and home to Vishwa Bharti University that was established by Rabindranath Tagore – India’s only Nobel Laureate in Literature.

Today, thousands of young and old people throng to the little town to celebrate the fusion of contemporary thought alongside a legacy of the natives of the land.

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