Sisupalgrah, remains of an ancient citadel near Bhubaneswar

Sisupalgrah

Remains of an ancient citadel near Bhubaneswar

Comparable to Athens, its contemporary, at its prime – archeologists who have worked on Sisupalgarh believe it was the most organised urban centres of ancient India.

Krutika Haraniya, Sishupalgarh: The Lost City, Live History India

Sisupalgarh is a excavated fortified citadel on the south eastern edge of Bhubaneswar. Several archaeological excavations have confirmed that the fortified settlement was continuously inhabited  from the 5th century BCE to the 4th century CE.

The pillars of Sisupalgarh, Bhubaneswar, Odisha

Whats sets Sisupalgarh apart from the other ancient cities of India, or perhaps in the world, is its town planning. Intelligent traffic management, pedestrian-friendly pathways, grand gateways with guard houses, wide roads and a vast open space were some of the key features of the ancient citadel.

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Kuruma, a Buddhist site near Konark

Kuruma

A Buddhist archaeological site near Konark Sun Temple

Come summer thousand of Bengali tourists will be packing their backs and heading for their favorite holiday destination of Puri. Many of them will also make a day trip to the nearby Konark Sun Temple.

Kuruma, Buddhist Archaeological Site, near Konakr Sun Temple, Odisha

But unknown to many the trip to the Konark Sun Temple an be clubbed with the visit to the nearby Buddhist Archaeological site of Kuruma. Just 7 km away on the Konark-Kakatpur (Google Map) road is the site where once flourished the Buddhist monastery.

Uttarakhand Tourism Blogger’s Bus

A tour of Rishikesh, Yumanotri, Harshil, Sat Tal and Rauthal

Blogger’s Bus, a concept of Uttarakhand Tourism, is a 5 day (15 May – 21 May 2018) bus trip of selected travel bloggers. The trip would take the bloggers across the state of Uttarakhand introducing them to the known and unknown tourist destinations of the state.

Bloggers of Gongotri and Yamunotri Blogger’s Bus, Uttarakhand

The first ever Blogger’s Bus focused on the Gongotri and Yuamunotri two of the Char Dhams (the other two are Kedar and Badri) but also included a few lesser known hamlets, villages and even a small trek.

Calcutta Bungalow – Heritage Bed & Breakfast, an initiative of Calcutta Walks

Calcutta Bungalow – Heritage Bed & Breakfast

An initiative of Calcutta Walks

It was probably in 2007 I met Iftekhar Ahsan (Ifte) for the first time. He had just launched Calcutta Walks, a walking tour company aimed at exploring the city. Calcutta was not new to walking tours and I was personally introduced to the concept of walking tour almost a decade before the meet.

Welcome to Calcutta Bungalow, Heritage Bed & Breakfast (the logo has been superimposed by photo editing software)

It was in 1999 when renowned conservation architects Debasis Nayak and Akhil Ranjan Sarkar first introduced me to the world of walking tours. At that time I was doing my Masters of Business Management (MBM) from Calcutta University and thoroughly enjoyed the early morning training session through the lanes and by-lanes of Sovabazar area of north Calcutta.

Purana Qila, The 6th City of Delhi

Purana Qila

The 6th City of Delhi

Delhi has remained the pivot of north India over a thousand years. The stretch of land bounded by the Aravalli Hills and the Yamuna River enjoyed a strategic advantage linking the north – western mountains to the to the fertile flood plains of the Ganges.

Sher Mandal (Left) Dominates the Purana Qila complex, Delhi

The earliest literary references identify the city with the mythical Indraprastha, the grand capital of the Pandavas, the heroes of the ancient epic Mahabharata. Interestingly in 1911 when the Purana Qila (literally meaning the Old Fort) was being cleared of squatters, officials stumbled upon a village called Indrapat within the fort complex, was it the legendary capital of the Pandavas?

Deuli, Harup and Suisa, Crumbling Temples, Scattered Statues and Single Room Museum, Purulia District

Deuli, Harup and Suisa

Crumbling Temples, Scattered Statues and Museum, Purulia District

Historical records suggest that during the 10th – 13th century a flourishing Jain settlement flourished in the western part of West Bengal covering the present districts of Purulia, Bankura and Jhargram. During this period they have built numerous brick and stone temples, following the Oriya Duel style architecture.

Panoramic view of the three Jain Temples of Deuli, Purulia District

Purulia had the largest concentration of these Jain Temples although many of them have crumbled to dust but a hand full have survived the test of time and still towers above the rural landscape of Purulia district. These towering temples, built of both brick and stone, can still be seen in the villages of Para, Pakbira, Deulghata, Deuli and Banda.

Banda Deul, Most Preserved Stone Temple of Purulia District

Banda Deul

Most Preserved Stone Temple of Purulia District

Historical records suggest that during the 10th – 13th century a flourishing Jain settlement flourished in the western part of West Bengal covering the present districts of Purulia, Bankura and Jhargram. During this period they have built numerous brick and stone temples, following the Oriya Duel style architecture.

Banda Deul, Purulia District, West Bengal

Purulia had the largest concentration of these Jain Temples although many of them have crumbled to dust but a hand full have survived the test of time and still towers above the rural landscape of Purulia district. These towering temples, built of both brick and stone, can still be seen in the villages of Para, Pakbira, Deulghata, Deuli and Banda.