Travel Express with Mastani Musafir

Ultimate Uttarakhand and Its Jewels   I look upon the purple hills   That rise in steps to yonder peaks,   And all my soul their silence thrills   And to my heart their beauty speaks……   Yes, these lines perfectly sum up the experience when we take a long walk among the evening spirits in the kingdom of the queen of hills. Dehradun to Mussoorie A trip to Uttarakhand, starting from Dehradun in a local bus and then on a shared cab to Dhanaulti and return to Dehradun was simply unforgettable, as I was rolling in the lap of the undulating giants.   Climbing up the hills in the midst of natural fountains even as the local bus would periodically wobble into an unwilling break dance was a raw experience not many visitors would like me would undertake. But I chose the road not yet taken as I did not want to cherry pick but feel the locale in its entire neutrality.                   ...

A Mythic Land where Life embraces Death It is not necessary that one can find serenity and tranquility only in the mountains, lonely beaches, or temples. Even in the chaotic and crowded narrow lanes of Benaras, cutting cow dung cakes with your new branded footwear, Ghats swarming with devotees, Pundits performing their daily rituals, you can discover your inner being and connect to the super sou. The sound of flute in the air in pre-dawn moments, though priceless. A visit to the oldest living city and a city of myth, a land of tradition and culture, home to lakhs of devotees of Lord Shiva has given me some unforgettable memories during my short visit to the city of life and death. Zostel Varanasi After landing at the holy city, I headed to my destination Zostel, booked for three nights costing me about Rs 1000. The journey from airport to Zostel in a local bus and shared tuk-tuk made me wonder that I was no more the same as I was four years ago. The accent, the c...