Backpacking India Part IV- In search of 1200 birds of India!

Map courtesy: Internet

Well, I am back after taking a long break from blogging. Many reasons for the break! First, I was sick with every bone and every joint in my body severely complaining :( After taking rest for a couple of months I was fed up of the walls around me. I fed up of liking, sharing, commenting the FB posts on Intolerant India, life inspirations, profile and cover pictures etc. I had never thought I would some day take interest in being active on Facebook. After suffering all the frustrations of being stuck in between four walls I decided go out no matter what! And I went travelling resisting the pain. Felt great indeed! I feel partly my pain is evaporated!

Street food from Gujarat

Khamman dhokla

Gujarat is one of the vibrant states of India and gujarati food is unique! Here street food is dominantly popular and mostly vegetarian. I am fond of Gujarati food because I visit Gujarat frequently, at least twice or thrice a year! I love to go out in the evening, because afternoons are extremely hot, to eat pani-poori roadside! Well, I am talking about snacks not the thali (full meal) here.

Have you seen this Ice-cream machine?!

As I have mentioned many times ... I visit Gujarat frequently, just because my dear sister lives there nothing else :) And I have seen, experienced and have enjoyed very many small interesting things. One such interesting thing is this ice-cream machine!

Vadodar's Sur Sagar Lake at night ...

Nyaya Mandir (which means Court) is an area in Vadodara that people visit for cheap stuff. The market beside the court has everything here! And there is a lake which goes almost unnoticed during the day. As night falls the Shiva idol gets illuminated attracting almost everyone's attention. Doesn't it look beautiful in the backdrop of dark night sky?!

Tourism Unites ...

I travel to Gujarat quite often! And also go around during the winter. On one such trip to Pavagadh I saw this old rusting board ... though old it conveys a great message ...

Jand Hanuman, monkeys and makai ki roti in the jungles of Gujarat!

Deep jungle, temples, millions of monkeys and a woman cooking food! Well, Yes! I was visiting a temple dedicated to Hanumaan in the deep jungles of Gujarat. Just within 80KM from the city of Vadodara this temple sits in the middle of Jambughoda Wildlife Sanctuary. The fun is neither in visiting the temple nor the wildlife which is always elusive, but in driving a Mahindra Bolero on the riverbed! Well, there is no particular road to the temple other than a dirt rocky road which is sometimes the riverbed too!

Ajwa Nimeta Fountain Gardens near Vadodara

Ajwa-Nimeta is a fountain garden near the city of Vadodara-Gujarat. It is a popular tourist attraction in the city of Vadodara. Built by Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III in early 20th century the dam and the gardens are a delight for the tourists delight.

National Monument- Gandhi Ashram at Sabarmati

Recently I had been to Ahmedabad and well, visit to Ahmedabad is incomplete without a mention of Sabarmati Ashram or Gandhi Ashram. I am not going to write anything about Mahatma Gandhi here- His greatness was in his simplicity and so is his ashram. Located on the banks of Sabarmati river-  Sabarmati Ashram is one of Gandhi's residences and he lived here for around twelve years. A beautiful and peaceful place in busy Ahmedabad.

Temples of India- Sun Temple at Modhera, defines the beauty of Indian medieval architecture

One of the very few shrines dedicated to Hindu God Sun, Modhera temple is one of the masterpieces of medieval architecture in Gujarat, India. The brilliant architecture, exquisite carving on sandstone just two hours away from the busy-crazy Ahmedabad! Though plundered by enemies and earthquakes the temple has much to offer even in its dilapidated state! One of the magnificent specimens of Indian medieval architecture!

Colorful Skies- Another Urban Sunset

I was talking about watching sunsets from my terrace in my post earlier. Here is another one! Sun is looking pretty behind the high voltage towers and lines. The sky was extremely orange which made me run up to the terrace and initially I wasn't happy with those electricity lines. But, thats what I see now-a-days.

Colorful Skies- Sunsets from my terrace

We often go looking for vista points for watching a sunset or sunrise taking all the pain of driving or hiking early in the morning, be it bone biting cold or mosquito season. We just ignore the beautiful sky while at home. We never think of gazing at the sky from our own terrace, garden ... blah blah ...