How travel stirs up emotions

Travelling in India is unique not just due to the changing landscape in every state, but also due to the ever-changing food, culture and customs. India is such a diverse country that it almost seems like you are zig-zagging through multiple countries, all within one country!

When you travel in India, even simple things like watching the guy who sweeps the roads in the morning while the sun rises, the smells emanating from the street food slowly weaving their way into your nostrils, the friendly face of the chai wala as he pours your steaming cup of chai, can move you like never before.

Travel leaves you speechless at first, and then, fills you up with stories. Feelings that you have never experience before surface, your mind is brimming with ideas, your dreams suddenly seem a tad clearer and worth pursuing.

There were times while riding on the highway, emotions would flow so freely, much like when you try to fill a bottomless vessel with water. Those were the times I felt 'free'. Free to think as I pleased, to laugh to feel at ease, and sometimes, to cry to wash those queasy memories away. We are prisoners of our own minds and the brain can be a stern warden. Sometimes, it helps to try and escape. Dig a tunnel, pick the lock, do what it takes to walk out of that damned jail.

Over the course of my travels, I've come to realise one thing. Of course, I didn't need to travel to realise it. But what travel did was to widen my perspective and give me a view which would be sometimes hard to generate from within.

I realised that I could control who I spend time with, I could control what I wanted to do and I had the power to decide what was good or bad for me. Maybe it could lead to fewer people around me, but does it really matter? Would you prefer to have a few intellectually stimulating people around you or a hundred people you can't relate to? Take your pick.

Stealing the words of Ansel Adams, the iconic American Photographer

“When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence”

I am content with silence now.

The ultimate guide to a hassle-free road trip on your bike

A road trip on your bike can be truly exhilarating. However, you need to make sure you carry everything you require, to ensure that it is hassle free. The challenge, however, is the lack of space, unlike in a car where you can dump a lot of things in the boot. There are ways to get through this hurdle. I use a combination of saddle bags, a tank bag and a custom made luggage carrier to take care of my luggage on my KTM Duke 200.

Custom-made luggage carrier on KTM Duke 200

This article focusses mainly on things that you need to carry to make the road trip on your bike hassle free. I've also taken the liberty to give you the approximate cost as well as the links to buy the products, in case you wish to. (These are links I used when I bought these items and don't earn a commission if you buy)

Chain Lube (INR 450)

In the newer performance bikes, open chains are the norm. This leads to the chain requiring lubrication quite often (between 600-800 km). I personally use the 3M Chain Lube which does the work well. You could also consider the Motul Chain Lube depending on your budget.

3M Chain Lube

You can buy it here 

Chain Cleaner (INR 400)

Before lubricating the chain, it is better to clean the chain to ensure that dust/sand particles present are washed off, as they have a tendency to stick to the chain lube and cause friction while the chain is rotating, which may lead to faster wearing out of the chain and sprocket.

You may either buy a Chain Cleaner here or you could use diesel/petrol which is a cheaper yet effective alternative. At home, I prefer to use diesel but when I'm travelling, I usually carry a bottle of Chain Cleaner as it is much more convenient. 

Face Mask (INR 250)

When on the highways, the dust factor is always high. In a country like India where dust occupies more space in our lives than our girlfriends/boyfriends, a face mask is a life saver. I use a Le Gear Pro Face Mask. It costs about INR 250 and does the job well. If you are riding in a colder environment, consider something a little thicker to protect you from the cold as well.

Le Gear Pro Face Mask

You can buy it here

High Strength Tape (INR 250)

This is to be used only in case of emergencies to temporarily put together plastic/metal parts which are broken (let's say you have a minor fall on your bike). Be careful while using this as it is extremely strong and does its job as advertised.

3M High Strength Bonding Tape

You can buy it here

Insulation Tape

Insulation tape is used to insulate/ tape electrical wires. Although it is not as strong as the High Strength Tape, it has its own use which makes it a useful emergency tool.

Tyre Inflator

Most bikes/cars nowadays come with tubeless tyres which ensure that the tire loses air slowly. So in case you have a puncture or the air in the tyre is very low, you can use this to top it up. But just go a little easy and give a 5-10 minute gap between tyres, as it can get heated up real quick, especially if the tyre is flat.

ResQTech Tyre Inflator

You can buy it here

Puncture repair kit (INR 300)

In case any of your tyres suffers a puncture, don't waste time finding a puncture shop. It takes 5 minutes to do it on your own. Just observe someone repairing punctures or look for some videos online and you should be good to go. Once you fix the puncture, you could use the Tyre Inflator above to top up air. It also comes with a plier and scissors which can be used for other purposes as well.

Puncture Repair Kit to repair punctures in tubeless tyres

You can buy it here

Zip Ties (100 No's INR 100- INR 250)

An invaluable asset to tie loose wires and also keep a couple of parts together in case of breakage/damage. Very light both in terms of weigh and on your wallet.

Zip Ties

Spanner set (INR 450)

It's not just in a workshop that you need these tools. While you are on the road, some nuts/screws may need tightening or you may have to change the engine oil on your bike or adjust the chain slack. So keep them handy. 

Just ensure that you do a quick check on your bike for the sizes of the spanners required before buying them. For instance, on the KTM, sizes 12, 14 and 22 are required for adjusting chain slack. You may not need to carry the entire set, just the sizes which are required for your bike. 

Stanley 12-Piece Combination Spanner Set

You can buy it here

Allen Keys (INR 150)

Some smaller screw heads need to be adjusted with Allen Keys. Just take a look at your bike, especially smaller screws on the number plate/ visor/ front chain sprocket and you will notice the need for these keys. They have the same purpose as the spanner set above. On most modern bikes, you would need to carry both the spanner set and the Allen Keys, each having its own utility. 

Taparia Allen Key Set

You can buy it here

Apart from the above, depending on your bike, you should carry the following. Just make sure you check with the Bike Manual/ Service Center to get the specifications right. You could even buy it from them, like I did.

1. Engine Oil

2. Coolant (if your bike uses it)

3. Air Filter

4. Oil Filter and O-Ring

5. Spark Plug

6. Clutch and Accelerator Cable

7. Clutch and Brake Levers

8. Clutch and Gear Pedals

9. Brake Pads

10. Brake Fluid

If you have any questions, do let me know in the comments below.

A guide to making your photographs look better in 2 minutes

In this photography tutorial, I will help you understand different steps of post processing which will help make your pictures better, so that you can try to recreate what your eyes saw while shooting the picture. This is meant for beginners who wish to increase the quality of the pictures they shoot while travelling.

For super quick processing, I recommend a software I've been using for ages now, called FastStone Image Viewer. It's simple, light and does the job perfectly especially if you don't like spending time working on the picture (unlike Photoshop which is more advanced but is time consuming) 

You can download FastStone Image Viewer here. So give it a shot and believe me, you will have fun playing with your pictures. 

I'm going to be using a landscape I shot in Maharashtra for this tutorial. You can see the difference between the original picture and the final output below:

Step 1 - Straightening the picture (Ctrl + R) - Optional

Sometimes, when you shoot a landscape, the orientation may be slightly off. You can correct the orientation very easily to ensure your picture is straight, just as our eyes see the scene.

I applied the following settings (-0.8 or 0.8 rotation to the left). I used the line separating the river from the trees and the mountain to ensure I had a properly straightened picture.

Just experiment with the rotation and figure out what your picture requires. Remember each picture is different. Some times, you may just skip this step if your picture is perfectly aligned.

Step 2 - Adjusting lighting (Ctrl + T) - Required

In this step, you will try to work on the lighting in the picture. It contains the following elements:

1. Shadows - Shadows refer to the darker areas of the picture. Increasing this will add more light to the darker areas and decreasing it will make it darker. It is used to bring out details in darker areas of the picture mostly. Remember not to overdo it or you will have a picture which looks pretty bad.

2. Highlights - Highlights refer to the bright areas of the picture. Increasing it will make the brighter areas brighter and decreasing it will make bright spots less bright. In this picture, the most prominent bright area is in the center of the picture in the cloud formation.

3. Contrast - Contrast is the difference between the whites and blacks in the picture. Increasing the contrast makes brighter areas brighter and darker areas darker.

4. Saturation - Saturation is used to increase or decrease the colours in the picture.

I applied the following settings (Shadows + 40, Contrast + 20, Saturation + 70). I didn't touch the highlights as I thought they were fine.

See how much of a difference it has made to the picture especially on the rock formation in the bottom and the colours of the sky.

Step 3 - Adjusting colours (Ctrl + E) - Required

In this step, you will work on colour corrections mostly. Some times, due to the lighting, blues/reds/greens may overpower the picture. You can use this tool to correct it.

I applied the following settings (Brightness + 8, Red + 10, Blue - 5)

I increased the brightness of the picture slightly. Further, I thought the picture was too blue for my liking, so I reduced the Blues and increased the Reds to make the sunset look more appealing.

Step 4 - Resizing the picture (Ctrl + R) - Required

This step is used when picture sizes are too large for social media like Facebook and Instagram. Resizing helps in reducing picture size and consequently it may look better on a Computer or a Mobile Phone. Also it takes lesser time to upload for you and to load for the viewer. Remember that resizing may lead to a little loss of quality. It is to be used only for uploading pictures online and not when you want to print your pictures.

I applied the following settings (2000 pixels by 1399 pixels)

Step 5 - Sharpening the picture (Ctrl + U) - Required

This step is to be done ONLY AFTER resizing. Sharpening helps to bring out the details in the picture. But overdoing it will lead to the picture looking too processed, so go easy on it.

I applied the following settings (USM Sharpen, Amount 15, Radius 1.0)

Don't forget to SAVE your picture. 

Try these steps on any picture you have, post your awesome picture on Facebook or Instagram and see the increase in the number of likes! Remember to tweak the adjustments based on the needs of the picture. What I have shown above is for this picture, but I'm sure it gives you a pretty good idea how to do this on your own picture.

Remember that you can only make a good picture look better, and not a bad picture look good :)

Do let me know if you have any questions in the comments below and I will help you make your picture just the way you would love it.

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68 days in India on a motorbike - A post mortem

Being a Chartered Accountant, it's difficult to stay away from numbers, however hard I try! Over the course of 68 days, I maintained a pretty meticulous record of every rupee I spent and every kilometer I rode. I had two reasons to do this - one, to analyse at a later point in time and see how I fared in terms of spending and planning, and two, to help people who are planning similar journeys.

I've divided this post into 3 parts - The Journey, The Bike and The Money.

Before I dive into the post, I'd like to share a piece someone I follow on Instagram wrote:

Last year I was going through a time where I kept attracting negative energy into my balance, and I was unable to understand why my good intentions of manifestation were not working. 

I knew the issue was something to do with the frequency I was transmitting, and the perceptions I had about who I was as a person. 

So I wrote a list of incorrect beliefs I was holding onto. At first I was struggling to think of what to write, but after the first few lines, I was scribbling so fast my handwriting was almost indecipherable. 

I was shocked to realise I'd written 32 dot points. I wrote things like "I'm not worthy of love", "I will never be successful" "I deserve to be treated badly as karma for my past". The list went on for 2 pages, and a lot of what I'd written were things that had been said to me when i was younger, ugly words I'd carried through into my adult life. 

So I wrote another list of opposite positive affirmations, starting with "I am worthy of love". I burnt both of those pages beneath a new moon. It was strange, because the list of negatives went up in flames instantly and burnt my fingers. The positive list burnt so slowly that I had to keep lighting it, and it felt so symbolic and beautiful that I almost cried. 

My life has not been the same since. I have shed layers of self-hatred, discarded toxic connections with people, and truly started attracting wonderful people into my life. Whenever I revisit an old incorrect idea of myself, I remember the positive affirmation that replaced it.

Never underestimate how much your negative beliefs about yourself can hold you back. Burn the ugly words. Sever the tie to anybody who speaks to you in a way that hurts, even if you think they're your friend. Invite the light back in.

george_bones

These words above truly describe the range of emotions I felt when I was riding on the highways of India. I can't put into words how I found answers (to some) complex questions while riding. As always, one journey cannot answer all your questions. That's why you keep going back.

A. The journey

10,000 kms through the West Coast and North of India! When I set out, I didn't know what to expect. Don't expect much and you will be pleasantly surprised, is my mantra.

The route-map at around 7,500 kms

India on a bike in 68 days -10,000 kms

A break-up of the 10,000 km journey, state-wise

10,000 kms broken up, state-wise

Rajasthan was such a splendid state, that I covered over 37% of my total journey there. Nice roads, combined with even nicer landscapes, ensured that long rides were effortless. The longest I rode in a single day was from Ahmedabad to Jaisalmer which was about 500 km and took 12 hours. Most other journeys were between 250-350 kms and took on an average 6-7 hours. Since I didn't plan my entire trip in advance, I could afford the luxury of going back to places which I loved more than the others. For instance, I went back thrice to Udaipur and twice to Pushkar. Sometimes, the best journeys are pretty badly planned.

Also read: Rajasthan - The untold story

Next on the list with over 2,000 kms, was Maharashtra. I stopped at Maharashtra, both on the onward and the return journey. Starting from the beautiful Malvan coast, known for its amazing food, to Ganpatipule which is a little further up the coast, to Mumbai, the financial capital of India, to Nashik, the Wine Capital of India - Maharashtra ensured that I had an amazing start (and end) to the trip! On the way back, I also stopped at Panchgani, a scenic hill station close to Pune, where I spent 3 days stuffing myself with over 2 kilos of Strawberries apart from a great session of rock climbing and abseiling (rappelling).

My daily quota of strawberries, freshly plucked in the morning

B. The Bike

Let's deviate from numbers here and talk a bit about my ride, the uber reliable KTM Duke 200. During the course of this journey, I've learnt a little more about bikes, more so about mine. Although I can't really do any major repairs on the bike yet, small issues like punctures, regular bike maintenance etc are quite easy to do. If you learn to care for your vehicle on long trips like these, you will have pretty much no issues.

Pro-tip

Ensuring correct tyre pressure, cleaning and lubricating the chain at regular intervals, tightening/loosening the chain according to the slack, periodic checking of nuts/bolts, changing the engine oil/ oil filter/ air filter/ brake pads  are some of the basic maintenance do's which will go a long way in ensuring that your ride is trouble free. 

Over 9,000 kms on the road and still, the bike was trouble free and rev happy

Custom-made luggage carrier on the KTM Duke 200

Also read : The ultimate guide to a hassle-free road trip on your bike

C. The Money

Coming back to numbers, I spent a total of INR 1,40,000 (about USD 2,300) over 68 days which effectively works out to INR 2,000 (about USD 33) per day . This included accommodation, food, beer, fuel, bike maintenance and pretty much everything else. Not that expensive, eh?

(I noticed I typed beer before fuel. So much for relative importance. Didn't bother changing it.)

Overall spending pattern (Total expense INR 1,40,000)

Overall spending pattern in India

Pro-tip

1. To search for hostels in India, use the following websites:

hostelworld.com

hostelbookers.com

agoda.com

2. To look for hotels/buses/flights/trains in India, use the following websites:

cleartrip.com

goibibo.com

makemytrip.com

booking.com

redbus.in (for buses)

irctc.co.in (for trains)

Some of the above websites don't take foreign debit/credit cards, so just look out for that.

3. If you love getting opinions of backpackers in India, use the following groups on Facebook to know a little more about the places you are visiting

www.facebook.com/groups/TheHimalayanClub

www.facebook.com/groups/backpackingIndia

If you are driving/riding, this group is amazing for routes and road updates

www.facebook.com/groups/hvkumar

Gujarat turned out to be the most expensive in terms of stay, as I stayed for a night at Dhordo (Rann of Kutch) which costed about INR 6,000 alone! The rest of the days were spent in a hotel which was about INR 800-1,000 per night.

Delhi was the cheapest at only INR 120 a day, because I stayed at a friend's place.

Average Stay Cost per day (in INR)

Average Stay Cost per day in India

Accommodation is quite cheap in India. Expect to spend around INR 500 (USD 9) for hostels/hotels in most places. You can cut this down drastically as well. One way is to volunteer at the hostel in exchange for a bed. The other way is to check if the hostel allows guests to sleep in common areas for a lesser price. The Journey Hostel in Udaipur, for example, charges INR 400 (USD 7) for a dorm and INR 150 (USD 2.5) if you sleep in the common room. If you want to watch the stars, you can even stay on the terrace! That's cutting your stay cost by 60-70% which can go a long way in saving for travelling longer.

Average F&B cost per day (in INR)

Average Food & Beverages cost, state-wise in India

Well, my saving on stay cost in Delhi was made up by going out for food and drinks. On one hand, Delhi can be super cheap (especially its street food), and on the other hand, super expensive if you go out to fancy places. Gujarat made up for its expensive stay cost by being the lightest on the wallet. Can I attribute this to it being a dry state (maybe)?

Notice closely and over half my total expense (about 52%) was on Food and Beverages (the damned beer!). If you are a teetotaller, you could reduce you overall costs by 15-20%. If you don't smoke as well, make that a 25% drop in costs. Typically, you could expect to spend between INR 300-500 for breakfast, lunch and dinner in most parts of India which is roughly USD 5-9 per day for all 3 meals. Anything extra depends on your vices :)

Travelling in India is not very difficult, relatively safe and amazingly cheap. So whether you are travelling alone or in a group, it would be a great experience to see the rural hinterlands of India and feel connected to its people and nature. So what are you waiting for?

Related Articles for you

Rajasthan - A Magical Land

The ultimate guide to a hassle-free road trip on your bike

Gaurav Rajaram is a photographer from Bangalore who is passionate about travelling, teaching and writing. 

He teaches Accounting and Direct Tax to students pursuing the Chartered Accountancy (CA) Course. You can read more about him and what he does for a living here

An Indian perspective of travelling in India

White skin fascination

It is amazing and at the same time quite discomforting to see that India attaches so much importance to the colour of a person's skin. On one hand, we accuse the West of being racist and looking down upon us, and on the other hand, our own people practise a brand of racism that even makes white people squirm with discomfort (although they are not at the receiving end). It is not uncommon to find dark-skinned Indians thronging around white people asking for a picture with them. 

Random strangers taking a picture with my fellow travellers from the US

A friend from the US once asked me innocently "Why are Indians so eager to take pictures with us?" She went on to say that, a couple of times, she was asked to take a picture with a baby which was handed over to her by the mother. The weirdest of them all is when the husband asks his wife to stand for a picture with a white guy and the wife radiates a glow her husband hasn't seen in all those years of marriage. Whatever happened to the demure Indian girl who wouldn't dare to look at her husband's face directly and instead cast shy glances!?

As a nation which was under the British rule for over 200 years, we forget the fact that it was the white skinned folks from England who put a board outside a club meant for the elite, which read, "Indians and dogs not allowed". It only gets worse when some of Bollywood's biggest movie stars endorse fairness creams. 

India is opening itself up to solo travellers in a big way

Having backpacked through Western and Central Europe, I experienced the warm embrace of travelling solo. Once you start enjoying travelling alone, it is often very difficult to look back. The kind of people you meet while travelling alone is vastly different from when you travel in a group. It is liberating and at the same time, gives you a perspective of life which is very different from when you are with a group of friends. 

It is heartening to see the ease with which you can travel solo in India today. Of course, as a foreigner, you may face problems on some Indian websites and some e-wallet apps which do not accept International Debit and Credit cards. But that's not a deal breaker. 

The hostel culture is in its nascent stage in India. Hostels help you meet travellers with varied backgrounds and interests which in turn fuel your imagination. Staying in hostels is also a great way to meet people with similar interests. Rajasthan particularly seems to have taken a giant leap and you find amazing hostels at very affordable prices in most places. The South of India is slowly getting there and a hostels are cropping up in places like Kodaikanal and some parts of Kerala. You may expect to pay anywhere between INR 300-500 for a dorm bed in these hostels. 

Pappi Chulo Hostel in Pushkar

Indians hate Indian tourists

Indian tourists, especially the ones heading out on the weekend to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city, behave poorly, often getting drunk beyond their capacity and playing loud music on their portable speakers. Well, no one has a problem with music, but if you play 'Kala Chasma' 3 times in a row, and you dance with your belly jiggling, it could be a bit of a problem :p

It has even forced some hostels to have a policy of asking for the passport as an identity proof for all guests, including Indians. They know that an Indian wouldn't carry his/her Passport while travelling in India. So very cleverly, and in the guise of rules, they have managed to find a way to weed the problematic Indian crowd out. 

Sometimes, it's good to have an attitude, not always though

                          

A hostel owner once told me that he doesn't have a problem with Indians, but when the "Delhi Boys" come, it could be a problem for the other guests in the hostel. Such is the reputation of our own people in our own country, which I hope changes soon. 

(During my travels, I have met some of the nicest people from Delhi. This is what the hostel owner said to me, which I particularly don't agree with)

If you are travelling alone, people are much more very welcoming and would go out of their way to help you irrespective of your nationality. So go ahead and travel alone without worries. 

Gujarati's love getting drunk

India's favourite pastime is banning anything which our elected representatives feel is a detriment to the society. While we elect them to govern and take the country forward, some of the bans have helped our country go in the reverse direction. 

Take the alcohol ban in the state of Gujarat for example. Since alcohol is not freely available there (although if you know the right people, you can get anything you want in India), a lot of Gujarati's tend to go the neighbouring states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh etc to quench their thirst. Brilliant idea, except the fact that the whole purpose of the alcohol ban is lost like a needle in a haystack. What is worse if they decide to drive back after consuming irresponsible levels of alcohol and endangering themselves and other people on the road. 

Gujarat is one of the 3 dry states in India, others being Mizoram and Nagaland

Since they want to make the most of the limited time available, they drink like there is no tomorrow, causing havoc and sometimes ruining the weekend for people looking for peace and tranquility. At the hostel where I was staying in Udaipur, a Gujarati couple was asked to leave as they were quite drunk even before 10 PM and started playing loud music on the music system. The wife innocently told me "We are from Gujarat, you know how it is there. That's why we come here to party. Modiji has ruined it for us" when I politely asked them to turn down the volume of the music. It's not Modi who came up with the idea of the alcohol ban, but well, she was too drunk for me correct her. 

A couple of days later, a bunch a Gujarati teens got so drunk that they had a brawl. They were asked to leave too. 

I think India has reached that state where bans must be banned. We could maybe take a leaf out of The Netherlands :p

Note from the author

It is easy to write about the nice things you find when you travel in India, but I thought I should write about a side of India which not too many people write about. You may disagree with some of my views, but the views are mine and mine only. If you still want to rant, please use the comments section below :)

Gaurav Rajaram is a photographer from Bangalore who is passionate about travelling, teaching and writing. 

He teaches Accounting and Direct Tax to students pursuing the Chartered Accountancy (CA) Course. You can read more about him and what he does for a living here

Rajasthan: The untold story

As I ride through Rajasthan, I pass through myriads of landscapes. The desert landscape is just a tiny blimp on the map. No one told me that Rajasthan was green. No one described to me that the people of Rajasthan are so friendly that they would invite random strangers for a cup of chai. No one taught me the Rajasthan I set out to discover myself. Schools continue to teach in a constrained manner despite technology at their fingertips. It is disheartening to see that textbooks fail to encapsulate the beauty and showcase the bounty of this country.

Rajasthan, a magical land

I am lucky to have travelled through one of the most unique and beautiful states of India. At every turn, Rajasthan unravels a mystery. As I turn a page, a new surprise awaits; like a novel you can never put down!

I slowly weave my way through the heart of Rajasthan. I see cows grazing nonchalantly by the side of the highway, unperturbed by vehicles and the general noise of the highway. A couple of them gracefully dance across the road, blissfully unaware that a second's loss of concentration for a driver could mean the difference between life and death.

A man clad in a Red turban patiently waits for a bus which may take another hour to arrive. He doesn't, however, look perturbed. He gazes at the cars zipping through, probably wondering when he would own one, if ever. Stillness, patience, calmness - qualities I witnessed in the air of Rajasthan! I must remember this when I am back in the midst of relentless traffic and unceasing deadlines.

A sentry at a palace in Rajasthan

Kids walk back from school, wearing cheerful smiles which hide the fact that they need to walk another hour to reach their homes. They wave at me, their smiles so wide, that it threatens to tear their skin, excited at the big black bike, because their normal forms of transport consist of buses, shared taxis and on occasions, a camel. They shout out to me and wave frantically. My wide smile is hidden behind the balaclava but I'm sure they can feel it all the same, such is the connection. Their innocence appeals to me and I am in touch with my inner joy!

Miles of yellow and green greet me. Mustard fields are aplenty; like an oasis in a desert, adorning the otherwise boring highway. I stop to admire the creator's paintings, a scene every artist itches to paint. The splendid scenery is quickly replaced with roadside dhabas where truckers stop to have their morning cup of chai with some butter laden Parathas to help them survive the long, tiring journey by road.

Mustard fields in Rajasthan

Sitting on the charpoy in a dhaba you can see people of all ages, some playing a game of cards, some sipping their umpteenth cup of chai, oblivious to the world around them, basking in the sunshine, before the cold of the evening envelopes the land untouched by time.

A lone horse patiently waiting for its owner

Rajasthan takes you back in time. A time, when you figured what time of the day it was by looking at the position of the sun in the sky. A time when time was aplenty. People didn't have places to go to, their life content. A time when gazing at cows grazing was a favourite pass time. Technology has changed everyone's life; but for some, the day is mostly the same, albeit with a little Facebook and WhatsApp diversion when the cows are grazing.

Oh, and my chai is getting cold. So long.

Chai, a symbolic drink of India

Feel free share the article or comment with your thoughts.

Gaurav Rajaram is a photographer from Bangalore who is passionate about travelling, teaching and writing.

He teaches Accounting and Direct Tax to students pursuing the Chartered Accountancy (CA) Course. You can read more about him and what he does for a living here

Why travel?

1. Transcend into your higher self




2. Rediscover the world around you




3. Appreciate life for what it offers




4. Visualise your past, present and future

5. Experience cultures different from yours

6. Let go of your fears 

Feel free share the article or comment with your thoughts

Gaurav Rajaram is a photographer from Bangalore who is passionate about travelling, teaching and writing. 

He teaches Accounting and Direct Tax to students pursuing the Chartered Accountancy (CA) Course. You can read more about him and what he does for a living here

Mysore - A Food Paradise

Sangeeta Goel, 29th July 2016

Ask an Indian what makes his food delicious. The answer will be “masala”, the spices. The same spices that have changed the history of mankind. Don’t believe in that? Try to look for the journey of the humble pepper to get an insight into why Vasco Da Gama fought the rough ocean waters to find a new route to India.

Masala makes Indian food finger-lickingly yummy. That’s where we get the word “chaat” from, which literally means “to lick”. Now you know why Indian savoury snacks are called “chaat”. You would probably look like a thumb-sucking infant, licking the last of the Masala on your fingers :)

India has a variety of chaats – each region specialising in its own kind. If you Google for Indian chaats, it will tell you that the chaats of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Mumbai (mostly the northern parts of India) are the best. And I agree. Given that chaats originated in Uttar Pradesh, the best varieties are found in that region.

I'll be nice to you and let you in on a little secret. The southern parts of India are also well known for chaats - a variation of what is found in the North. Especially the Gobi Manchurian (a supposedly 'Chinese' dish made of cauliflower) of Bangalore, Churmuris of Mysore, and Masala Puris almost everywhere are known for their flavour and ‘no one can eat just one’ like quality.

An Indian Chaat always oozes flavour

However, there is one chaat that the entire nation (well almost) will vote for as being the most desirable - Paani Puri. If there was ever a Mr Popular Contest among chaats, Paani Puri would win hands down. Supposed to have originated in Varanasi, these are known as Puchka in West Bengal, Gol Gappa in Delhi and southwards from Mumbai, they are called Paani Puri. These are round hollow crisps (puri) stuffed with some boiled potatoes (seasoned with masala) and spiced-up water (paani). It is to be popped in one’s mouth, in one go, so that when the crisps filled with water breaks in the mouth, there is an outburst of flavour.

Because of the flavour and the spices added to the water, it is generally brownish or greenish in colour. However, a small town, Bangarpet in Karnataka, has invented a variation wherein the water remains clear, but extremely flavourful. Now, this variety of the Paani Puri can be found across Karnataka - especially in Mysore.

Mysore is well known for Chamundi Hills, Palaces, Ashtanga Yoga, decorated elephants during Dasara, Silk, Sandalwood, Perfumes and Incense sticks, Wood Inlay art and a lot more. Mysore boasts of not only its royal heritage but also an unparalleled royal cuisine. There are innumerable places to eat varieties of food in Mysore, each one better than the other.

But when it is about chaats, my recommendation is a humble non-descript eatery on Kalidasa Road - Shettru Mane Chaats (or Shettara Mane Chaats). I have taken many people to this place – mostly tourists from different countries. But recently when I took a few friends from Bangalore who were well acquainted with similar chaats available in Bangalore, I was surprised to find them ogling at the menu.

Shettru Mane Chaats in Mysore

What they found marvellous was that the person, Suresh, who runs this shop, experiments with the flavour of water that goes into the Paani Puri everyday. Quite amazingly, he has been meticulously documenting his masterpieces. Ask him and he will hand over a book containing the names of over 400 different varieties of the spiced-up water (paani) written against the date on which they were made.

The Board which changes everyday with the day's specials

Think of any fruit or vegetable, he probably has already used it for flavouring the water. Guava, Grape, Pomegranate, Banana, Mango, Sweet Pumpkin, Baby Corn – the list is endless. Each day there is a special on the menu – that day it was pomegranate flavoured water, the next time it was 'Kama Kasturi Leaves" (quite similar to Tulsi/ Basil). We not only had the water in the Puris (crisps) – but we also got some extra to drink it like juice.

Shettru Mane Bangarpet Pani Puri with Kama Kasturi Leaves pani and the traditional chilly pani

Ah, lest I forget! There is one more thing that you cannot leave this place without tasting – the delicious Dahi Puri. Generally these are round hollow crips filled with some potatoes, yoghurt and the king of all – masala. But at Shettru Mane Chaats, it is slightly different as with the rest of the items on the menu. The crisps are half-moon shaped and are specifically roasted by Suresh giving it a brilliant texture. He knows the perfect proportion of all the elements that goes into it while plating it, making it a brilliance in itself. No one can stop at one plate and that evening we definitely over ate.

Dahi Puri at Shettru Mane Chaats

Suresh is hard-working and is tech-savvy as well. He takes pictures of his creations everyday and uploads them on his Facebook Page "Shettaramane Chats". One second he is making the chaat, and the next second, he is whipping out his mobile phone and taking some very pictures of his very cool creations.

Suresh's picture of his special Pani

Oh, by the way, he has created a chaat known as "Cool Chaat" made of a base of fried bread crumbs and cold grape pulp (hence the name). A sure shot way to beat the Indian heat.

He even takes the trouble of researching online for the health benefits of some of the creations. Check this out.

Suresh jotting down the health benefits of Chia Seeds

So no matter where in the world you are – if you visit Mysore, do not miss Shettru Mane Chaats. You can thank us later. If you've been here, let us know what you love and if you haven't been here, let us know when we could go :)

About Sangeeta Goel

When words and Sangeeta come together you can be assured that there would be magic. In spite of being an efficient Chartered Accountant once upon a time dealing with numbers and law, words somehow found her. It’s then she realized how much she missed them. Then came the period of “will do anything else other than being a CA”. If there is anything that she is passionate about, it is stories. Travel comes bundled with stories. And she is living both of it.