Melange of Tales

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Mesmerizing Thekkady: The Ultimate Offbeat Kerala Trip with Kids
Travel after parenthood isn’t just about the destination; it’s about the family-friendly experiences we can share. For many Indian parents, finding a balance between adventure and safety is the top priority. When searching for an offbeat, cultural, and safe adventure for my 2-year-old, Thekkady in “God’s Own Country” was the obvious choice. If you are looking for the best places to visit in Kerala with toddlers, this spice-scented hill station should be at the top of your list.

Ziplining in Kerala

How to Reach Thekkady: A Scenic Road Trip

We opted for a road trip from Bangalore to Thekkady via Madurai. Driving allows for flexible breaks, which is essential when traveling with a toddler.
- By Air: The nearest international airport is Madurai (IXM), followed by Cochin (COK) and Trivandrum (TRV).
- Pro Tip: If you fly into Madurai or Kochi, the drive to Thekkady offers stunning views of the Western Ghats.
Where to Stay & Commute

While there are many hotels in Thekkady, we chose an estate stay just outside the main town. This allowed us to enjoy nature while staying close enough for activities. We used our own car, but hiring a taxi or a jeep in Thekkady is very easy via your hotel.

Note: Scooters are fun for grown-ups without kids!

Coffee Routes

Top 5 Things to Do in Thekkady with Kids

Elephant Junction Thekkady: A Family Milestone

The first time my toddler sat on an elephant was right here. It was a beautiful family ride where all of us sat together on one of these gentle giants. If you’re worried about the load on the elephant, don’t be! We confirmed with the local tourist office that compared to an elephant’s size, we are like the weight of a fly. It is perfectly safe, and seeing my daughter’s excitement made this one of our best memories from Thekkady.

Elephant safari

Adventurous Jeep Safari

This is a must-do. We explored the outskirts of the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary in a rugged jeep. Holding my 2-year-old tight while she took in the wild sights was an incredible experience. It’s easily one of the best things to do in Thekkady for families.

Jeep ride with my toddler

Authentic Kathakali Show

Introduce your children to Indian heritage early. Kathakali is a mesmerizing traditional dance drama. While a toddler might not follow the complex stories, the vibrant costumes and expressive face paint are visually captivating for kids.

Note: You can either ask your hotel to reserve tickets for you or you can book by yourself at the Kadathanadan centre for both Kathakali and Kalari.

Picture with the artists

Kalaripayattu Performance

Witnessing the ancient martial art of Kalaripayattu is a high-energy experience. The rhythmic movements and agility of the performers are enough to keep even a restless toddler glued to their seat.

Spice Plantation Tours

Thekkady is world-famous for its spices. Taking a walk through plantations is both educational and sensory. Kids love touching the leaves and smelling fresh cinnamon, cardamom, and pepper right off the vine. If you inform your hotel front desk or jeep drivers they can arrange for one such tour near your stay.

Shopping in Thekkady: Spices and Souvenirs

No trip to Kerala is complete without a bit of shopping in Kumily.
- Spices: Head to the local markets for fresh cardamom, cinnamon sticks, and star anise.
- Handicrafts: Look for Rosewood carvings and traditional Kerala sarees.
- Banana chips: Show your kids how banana chips are actually made in Thekkady.
Tea & Coffee: Pick up locally grown varieties that are much fresher than anything you’ll find in the city.

Banana chips in the making

Buying traditional Kerala dresses

Awesome Places Near Thekkady for Families

Kid-friendly day trips
- Periyar Lake: Take a boat ride to spot wild elephants and boars at the water’s edge.
- Chellarkovil Viewpoint: For stunning views of the plains of Tamil Nadu and cascading waterfalls.
- Gavi: A short drive away, this eco-tourism spot is perfect for families who want to go deeper into the forest.
My tiny pet lover after the jeep safari

Extend your Thekkady family vacation
- Vagamon: Meadows and hills like Thekkady – pick one!
- Munnar: Elephants, safaris and camping thrills.
- Kodaikanal: Cool hill station with lakes, views and pine forests (You can check out my Kodaikanal blog).
- Kookal: Quiet spots near Kodaikanal for offbeat fun (You can check out my Kookal blog).
- Madurai: Meenakshi temple (3 hours away) for temple magic.
A 3-4 day family trip to Thekkady for toddlers and kids gives them exposure to wildlife wonders, cultural shows, nature play and family bonding.

Periyar River
March 16, 2026
Ultimate Guide to Shopping in Bangkok
Bangkok is a shopaholics’ paradise. You can always find something interesting to shop for people of any age group. I shopped for my entire family which included my newborn niece. In Bangkok, you can buy things that you didn’t know existed before. My guide to shopping in Bangkok is something every shopaholic would need, when in Bangkok.

Pratunam

Thailand offers a wide range of shopping experience, be it a bustling street market or a luxurious mall. People from all walks of their life will always find something of their interest to shop. In this blog post I am listing down some of my preferred go to shopping places in Bangkok.

MBK Centre (Ma Boon Khrong Center)

MBK Centre in Bangkok is amongst the most famous places for shopping for both local and international tourists. If you are very good at bargaining, then this is the place for you. This is said to be the oldest mall in Bangkok but still relevant to the current trends. The mall is fully air conditioned and houses about 2500 stores.

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Do you want to store your luggage?

In case you have checked out from your hotel or you have too many things that you have bought and need some service to store or transfer your luggage then you should go to Airpotels on 6^th floor, Zone B of MBK, next to MBK Food Court Food Island.

They store your luggage for free for 2 hours and transport your luggage to the airport or your hotel at a very reasonable charge.

What to buy?

Brand replica clothing, electronics, fashion accessories, leather products and souvenirs.

To reach: Take BTS Sky Train (Green line – National Stadium)
Timing: 10 am to 10 pm

Also read: Bangkok’s Husky Cafe

Platinum Fashion Mall

If you are in Pratunam for shopping, then you might not want to miss the Platinum Fashion Mall. Platinum fashion mall is one of the largest wholesale shopping centres. This mall is fully air conditioned, and I shopped to my heart’s content. I noticed that if you buy any product in more quantity then they were willing to reduce the price considerably.

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What to buy?

Women fashion clothing, accessories, kids clothing, toys, shoes, stationery items, food

To reach: The mall is 1.5 km from Phaya Thai BTS Station. You can either choose to walk or board a taxi.
Timing: 10 am to 6 pm

Pratunam market

The market was very close to the mall, and it had narrow streets with multiple road side stalls. They were willing to sell the goods at a discounted price when we buy more than 3 pieces of an item. You can find everything that you want here, and the price was even cheaper when compared to the Platinum Fashion Mall.

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The market is open for 23 hours under the name of Pratunam morning, day and night markets.

To reach: The mall is 1.5 km from Phaya Thai BTS Station. You can either choose to walk or board a taxi.
Timing: 4 am (Day 1) to 3 am (Day 2)

Chatuchak weekend market

My most favorite out of the lot was Chatuchak. Chatuchak weekend market is Thailand’s biggest market with 8000+ stalls. Anyone can get lost at Chatuchak. You can spend a day in this market and still would not be able to explore it fully.

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This market has everything that you would want to buy or think ogf buying. It has clothes for men, women, children, all types of bags, all types of women and kid accessories, hats, footwear, little souvenirs, snacks, food, medicines, leather accessories, natural soaps, tea, coffee, toys, kitchen essentials, craft items and much more.

Chatuchak map

To reach: The market is a 5 min walk from both Mo Chit BTS Station and Chatuchak Park MRT Station.
Timing: 9 am to 6 pm (market is open fully only on weekends)

ICON SIAM

If you think of luxury shopping where you can buy goods from authentic brands, then ICON SIAM is where you would want to first visit. The mall is next to Chao Phraya river. If you would want to taste cuisines from across the world then again this should be your go to place.

ICONSIAM

To reach: There are free river shuttles from Saphan Taksin BTS station which will drop you directly at ICONSIAM. There are also free buses from Krung Thon Buri BTS Station to the mall.

Timing: 10 am to 10 pm

Important notes for shopping
- Have enough cash while shopping. Unless the store sells a product with its tagged price, it will be difficult to swipe your debit/credit card anywhere.
- Learn basic Thai to communicate with people. Few can speak in manageable English but still it is better to learn the below when you are out for shopping
  How much? – Thao Rai?
  Discount – Loht
  Yes – Dai
  No – Mai
Also read: My other posts from Thailand
June 3, 2024
Visit to Bangkok’s Husky Café – Truelove at Neverland

If you are a dog lover and if you are visiting Thailand then this should be one of the offbeat activities that you should engage in. I am not a dog lover myself and in fact I always try to stay away from dogs, but on the other hand my husband loves dogs. I wanted to surprise him by getting him to hug gorgeous Huskies and that’s how we landed at a Siberian Husky Café in Bangkok called Truelove at Neverland. You will never regret visiting Bangkok’s Husky Cafe and in fact you will want to do it every time you visit Bangkok.

How to book tickets?

Getting tickets to this café is on first come first serve basis. You might have to reach the place at least 45 mins to an hour before the entry time for you to stand in queue and reserve a slot.

There are 2 slots in a day. The first one at 12 pm and second one at 3 pm. After 30-40 mins of entering, you will be allowed to play with the dogs for almost an hour.

Note: Children under 15 weren’t allowed inside.

Entrance to the cafe

Did I go on time?

No, I wasn’t aware of the time slots there and it didn’t occur to me to check the slots before I visited. I assumed it to be a regular café with huskies roaming around. To our surprise the day we went they decided to open one more slot at 5.30 pm. We felt so blessed and fortunate for that opportunity.

What’s the ticket price?

The cost of a ticket is 500 Baht. We get to order a drink, a water bottle and disposable shoes.

Since ours was a special case, we were asked to pay only 350 Baht for a ticket.
Note: They accepted only cash.

How did we commute?

We took the metro till the station ‘Ari’ and from there we walked for 1.6 km.

Also read: My Ultimate Guide to Shopping in Bangkok

What to do at the café?

The sole purpose of your visit would be to play with the gorgeous Huskies. The café has husky toys, cakes and drinks as well for which you will have to pay extra.

Inside the cafe

As soon as you enter the café there are 2 different seatings that you will observe. One outside and one inside. They ask you to choose your drink and while you are having it in 30 mins they will show you a video of their dogs. It was a very funny video introducing us to the Dos’ and Don’ts in the play area. I felt that was a very important video for anyone to get an idea of how to behave with the Huskies.

Seating arrangement

Are the dogs healthy?

The dogs are very well maintained. They are very well fed, trained, playful and happy. We were introduced to dogs in batches on 2. Majority of them are Siberian Huskies but there are few other fluffy dogs as well along with them.

The HUSKY Experience

When it was time, the Huskies were released into the play area. We wore our disposable shoes, washed our hands with soap and entered the play area. When all the Huskies were released into the play area they were in excited state and in few minutes their excitement died down. They found their spots to lie down wherever there was air conditioning. Few Huskies were in excited state for a very long time.

‘Me’ keeping my distance with the dog 😛

We were asked to not hug the dogs and wait for them to come to us. Still many weren’t able to control their urge to not hug the friendly fluffy gorgeous creatures roaming around.

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When it was time for the first batch of dogs to rest, another batch of them were released into the play area.

The Photograph

Once the play time was over, we were given an opportunity to click a group picture with the Huskies which were trained to give poses. Though I was scared the moment they put their legs on me I felt their softness cool my anxiousness down.

Group photo 😀

If you are a dog lover who loves to do something different from the usual in Bangkok, then I would suggest you pay a visit to the Bangkok’s Husky Cafe Truelove at Neverland.

Also read: My other posts from Thailand

May 19, 2024
Pelling – Exclusive Travel Guide to Offbeat Travel in Sikkim
Sikkim is blessed with abundance of mother nature and is right on the lap of the mighty Himalayas. The beauty of Himalayas from the North-Eastern India state of Sikkim, will sweep you off your feet making you want more. In the recent times Sikkim has got a lot of attention and tourists are flocking to East Sikkim while the district of West Sikkim continues to remain offbeat and best kept secret of the organic state. My travel guide to ‘Pelling – Exclusive Travel Guide to Offbeat Travel in Sikkim’ is about Pelling in West Sikkim and it is going to give you a picture of my travel journey in this charming state.

Divine Lake

Permits to visit West Sikkim

Protected Area Permit (PAP)

If you are an Indian national, then you would not require PAP unless you are going for treks like Goecha La and Dzongri. Your trekking company/homestay owner can help you get the permit.

Restricted Area Permit (RAP)

If you are a foreigner, (excluding people from Pakistan, China, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Nigeria) you are eligible to get a RAP to visit Sikkim, excluding the areas that share border with China (Tibet) and Nepal.

FYI: Permits doesn’t apply to Bhutanese 🙂

You can check on the details related to PAP and RAP before you plan your travel to Sikkim.

Prayer wheels all the way

How to reach Pelling?

You will have to first reach Siliguri from Bagdogra airport or New Jalpaiguri Junction railway station(NJP). There are shared auto rickshaws and cabs available for the same. Once you reach Siliguri you can find shared cabs to go to Jorethong till 3 PM. On reaching Jorethong, you will get shared cabs to Geyzing (Gyalshing), Pelling and Yuksom. If you aren’t getting a cab to directly go to Pelling or Yuksom then reach Geyzing (transport hub) from where you will again find shared transport.

If you want to travel to West Sikkim from Darjeeling or Gangtok, you will find shared cabs for the same.

Pelling bus stop to board bus to Siliguri

Additional Details
- Click here to check about the bus availability
- Click here to get a complete picture of commute, to and within Sikkim and Darjeeling by Solobackpacker 🙂
- Click here to get a list of Government Authorised Travel Agents in Sikkim
  Note: I have contacts of drivers with whom we explored Sikkim, if anyone is interested
Prayer wheels and flags at Khecheopalri lake

When to visit?

You can visit West Sikkim all around the year, but you need to be extra careful during monsoons because of the frequent landslides.

What to wear?

Since the temperature ranges between 10 – 28° C you can wear any comfortable clothing. Evenings can get cold for which you will be needing a jacket. If you are visiting monasteries in West Sikkim, it might require you to be mindful on the type of clothing you are planning to wear.

Food in Sikkim

The Sikkimese cuisine is an amalgamation of Tibetan and Nepalese cuisine along with the native Sikkimese cuisine. Majority of Sikkimese are meat eaters though you get Vegetarian options as well to eat. Sikkim is an organic state, and you will find homestay owners having plots behind their houses where they grow their own organic food.

If you want to try the local food then choose momos, thukpa, kinema, gundruk, phagshapa, chhurpi soup, sinki, dhindo, gya kho, sha phaley and the local beer called chang.

Where did I stay in West Sikkim?

I had stayed at Udaan Olive Hotel & Spa in Pelling for 2 days since it was during the Covid period. In normal times I would have preferred one of the many homestays in Pelling/Geyzing/Darap/Yuksom to stay with the locals.

Places to visit and things to do in Pelling

Khecheopalri (Khechuperi) Lake

It is one of the sacred lakes for Buddhists in Sikkim. You will have to remove your footwear before entering the footpath surrounding the lake. The lake is said to be more than 3500 years old and one that will fulfil your wishes?

View of the holy Khecheopalri lake

You will also find people selling fish feed and make sure you buy them. It was fun feeding the fishes there and watch them play.

Fishes at the lake

Kanchenjunga Waterfalls

The waterfall is said to have its stream originating from Mt. Kanchenjunga and hence the name. It is located at 24 km from Pelling and 10 km from Yuksom. You can find people engaging in zipline and other such fun activities.

Kanchenjunga waterfalls

Rimbi

The village of Rimbi is known for its waterfalls, oranges, homemade wine, and other organic produces. It is about 14 km from Pelling. When we entered the village, we were told by the locals about the different vegetables that they grow. There were women selling homemade wines made out of ginger, cherry, orange, grapes, apple, and many other fruits. When we went close to the stream we spent time with the locals, getting to know them, their food, language, culture, and all about the homemade wine.

Rimbi River

Wine tasting with the locals

Oranges FTW 🙂

Read also: Exclusive Guide to Nathula Pass, Tsomgo Lake and Baba Mandir

Darap

Darap is a village with 300+ families of the Limboo community who practice organic farming and sell their produce in the markets of nearby towns. It is about 10 km from Pelling and 4 km from the village Rimbi. Darap has held the attention of trekkers in the recent times along with Yuksom which is the base for the most famous Goecha La trek which takes you close to Mt. Kanchenjunga.

Darap Valley

Pelling Skywalk

The 137 ft Chenrezig Buddha statue along with its Pelling skywalk is one of the recent attractions in Pelling. The site was opened for tourists in 2018 with India’s first skywalk at 7200 ft above sea level. I spent about 2 hours at this place which was serene and peaceful.

Chenrezig Statue

Chenrezig Skywalk

Rabdentse Ruins

History says that Yuksom was the first capital of the Sikkim Kingdom followed by Rabdentse as the capital for about 150 years in the 17^th and 18^th centuries. The Gurkha Army had invaded Sikkim and destroyed the capital city of the Sikkim Kingdom.

You can find the ruins of the palace in Rabdentse which is currently located at Geyzing. This is a place for history buffs. There was no entry fee and to reach to ruins you will have to walk for almost a km.

Rabdentse Ruins

Pema Yangtse Monastery

It is said to be one of the oldest monasteries in Sikkim. Rabdentse ruins can be viewed from here and it holds a lot of history. Unfortunately, I was not able to visit this monastery due to the covid travel restrictions for tourists. The Cham dance festival happens in this monastery in the month of February every year.

There are few other places in West Sikkim like Rinchenpong, Okhrey, Uttarey, Dentam and Tashiding which are still in my bucket list for my next Sikkim trip.

White flags are Buddhist prayer flags for the soul that has parted from its body to rest in peace

Sikkim bewitches the soul and always has something to offer to ones who search for it.

Tips to be a responsible traveller
- Carry your own water bottle, tumblers/mugs when you travel
- Avoid buying bottled water in shops, instead you can fill water from the homestay/hotel where you stay. You will also find fresh water from the mountains/waterfalls which can be used for drinking
- Do not carry wet tissues because they are non-biodegradable, instead carry small towels and hand kerchiefs
- Use menstrual cups or cloth napkins in the place of sanitary napkins during your periods. Chemical based sanitary napkins are non-biodegradable and take at least 500 years to decompose, after releasing toxins into the soil
- Reduce, Re-use and Recycle to protect Mother Earth
Wearing rented ornaments at Kanchenjunga falls

You can read more of my travel stories from Sikkim.
July 10, 2022
Srinagar – A Travel Guide to Kashmir’s capital
Kashmir is a place that has always fascinated me in pictures and stories since childhood. When the time came to explore Kashmir, I was all set with my bags packed days before the journey started. We landed at Srinagar on a sunny afternoon in the month of July where even the sun was setting after 8 pm. I knew that my Kashmir exploration expedition can’t get any better, getting longer days to roam around the city. This post “Srinagar – A Travel Guide to Kashmir’s capital” talks about things to do in Srinagar in 3 days.

Nishat Garden in Srinagar

Where to stay?

I stayed near Dal Gate, Raj Bagh, and in a boat house in Dal Lake. Few of my friends stayed near Lal Chowk and Nigeen lake. Hotel Suggestions
Hotel Rose Petal
Lee Heritage
Walisons Hotel
The Shelter Heritage A Boutique Hotel and Hostel ( it is quite far from touristy places within the city)

Boat House Suggestions

Luxury Inn Badyari Palace Houseboat
Goona Palace Houseboat (The only issue I had when I stayed here was, after I rated the houseboat an 8 on Booking.com, the owner called me and asked me to change it to 10 which I obviously didn’t do.)
- View from our boat house
- Our room in the house boat
Where to eat?

I found veg restaurants near Dal Gate and almost all the hotels and houseboats provided vegetarian food when asked for. Kashmir is heaven for non-vegetarians. ?
Tip: When you are in Kashmir, kahwa is something that you wouldn’t want to miss.
Ahdoos restaurant was suggested to me by many but unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to visit.
- Kahwa and coconut biscuit
- Kashmiri Pulao
How to commute?

I commuted using an auto rickshaw within the city and took cabs when I wanted to visit Pahalgam and Gulmarg.
We spent around Rs. 2200 to roam Srinagar in an auto-rickshaw for 2 days. I felt it was worth it because the auto-rickshaw driver used to wait for hours patiently while we visited places.

Ayub Bhai is the one who helped us roam around in Srinagar

Weather in Srinagar

April to September – Summer – 16° to 35° C
October to March – Winter – 0° to 15° C
Due to Srinagar’s natural location, there is no definite monsoon season. The rains are unpredictable.

I visited Srinagar in July and August 2021, and it was relatively hot during the days and pleasant during the evenings. It even rained heavily for a day or two during my trip.

Clothes to wear

In Summer
Jeans, trousers, t-shirts, scarf/shawl, woollens (for the evening), umbrella, raincoat
Note: I can’t stress how important it is to carry scarf/shawl because it is mandatory for women to wear it when entering mosques in Srinagar.

In Winter
Thermals, jeans, full sleeve sweaters, woollen socks, cap, jackets, shawls and mufflers or neck warmers.
Note: You can buy pheran (Kashmiri attire) and wear it anywhere in Kashmir?

Places to visit (Places I visited)

Dal Lake

A whole day can be spent in the Dal lake itself when you are at leisure. There are many things to do in the lake, one of which is the hour long shikara ride during sunset. A shikara can accommodate 4+1 people.
- Commute
- Dal lake in the morning
At around 5am, there is a floating vegetable market that can be visited and it will be available only during that time. There is a floating market where you can find multiple shops on the lake, taking a shikara is the only way to reach the market.

Vendor selling veggies at Dal Lake

Nehru park with restaurant, coffee shop and library

There is a library/book store, coffee shop, restaurant and garden in the middle of the lake, very close to Ghat 13. You can spend hours at the library reading or purchasing books. Don’t forget to visit the Floating Post Office near Ghat 13 😀
In front of the only floating post office in India
- Fancy shopping at Dal?
- Floating shops at Dal
- Floating food stall
Mughal Gardens

There are umpteen number of gardens in Kashmir which are stunningly beautiful. All the gardens are built in Iranian style and architecture, built in the 1600s. I visited only the most famous ones during my visit. You will notice families with kids picnicking in the gardens.

Shalimar Bagh

Timings: 9.30 am – 6.30 to 8 pm (closing time varies)
Ticket: Rs.24/- (Adult) and Rs.12/- (Child)
Note: The garden closing time depends on when the sun sets. In July the sunset was at 8 pm and hence we were in the gardens till 8 pm.

I visited Pari Mahal, Chashme Shahi, Nishat Bagh and Shalimar Bagh.
Click here to read my blog post on my experience at these Mughal Gardens in detail.

Shankaracharya Temple

It is said that Adi Shankaracharya wrote the most famous “Saundarya Lahari” when he was here. We climbed around 250 steps to reach the shrine. The temple was constructed at various phases by various kings.

Bird’s eye view of Srinagar while descending from the hills of Sankaracharyar temple

This is the place where we got a bird’s eye view of the entire city of Srinagar which was stunningly beautiful. Unfortunately, we weren’t allowed to take phones or cameras since the Indian Army was stationed at the temple. There was thorough checking before we were allowed to enter the temple premises. We had to hand over our phones and cameras to the Indian Army.

Zeeshta Devi Mandir

This temple was on the Pari Mahal road but on the other side of the hill. There was a small temple with guest rooms to stay. There was nothing else there apart from that. We stayed there for 5-10 mins and returned.

Jamia Masjid

This is the biggest mosque in Kashmir valley, located in downtown Srinagar. The mosque was constructed and renovated in different centuries by different kings. It has also been subject to damage by fire during Aurangazeb’s reign.

Jama Masjid Srinagar

The masjid has a magnificent courtyard with 350+ pillars. It was massive. I had never been to a mosque that was as big as Jamia Masjid. It can accommodate 30,000+ people at once. During festivals, people from all over the world are said to visit this masjid.

Walking inside Jama Masjid premises

Hazratbal Dargah

This is one of the most famous Dargahs in the world. According to local beliefs, the Shrine houses the sacred hair of Prophet Muhammad’s beard. When I visited Hazaratbal which was also on the banks of Dal Lake, it was a Friday and there were many women praying in the outer hall.

Hazratbal Shrine

Gurudwara Chati Pat Shahi

This is one of the most revered Sikh pilgrimage sites in Kashmir.

Gurudwara

Shah-E-Hamdan

I hadn’t seen a mosque that is as vivacious as Shah-E-Hamdan. I still remember the vivid colors, wall paintings, pigeons and wonderful people when I think of it. It was located on the banks of River Jhelum.

Shah-E-Hamdan

Happy me at Shah-E-Hamdan

Shopping in Srinagar

Kashmir is known for its carpets, woollens, pashmina shawls, saffron, dry fruits, spices, rajma, woodwork, crafts and much more.

I have a habit of collecting souvenirs at whichever place I go, and I found a one stop shop called Kashmir Art Centre which had everything I had in my mind to buy.
Note: You will find many shopkeepers selling items in Dal Lake at a premium to tourists. Most often it’s a rip off and the products may not even be genuine.
- My one-stop place
- Woolen wear
- Kashmiri wooden crafts
There are many markets in Srinagar like Lal Chowk, Residency Road, Badshah Chowk, Polo View Market and Raghunath Bazaar.

Kashmir means a lot of things to me, and Srinagar was a place which I felt it welcomed everyone who respected and accepted the place, people and their livelihood.
Click here to read my other travel tales from Kashmir.

Soaking into the beauty of the lake
October 22, 2021
Belum Caves – Guide to India’s Second Longest Caves

A trip to Gandikota doesn’t end without visiting India’s second longest caves called Belum Caves. We spent our Saturday evening in Gandikota and started around 9 am from there the next day, to visit the Belum Caves. It is around 310 kms from both Bangalore and Hyderabad. The cave opens for general public around 10.30 am and it’s usually crowded during the weekends. Belum caves is an interesting place for anyone interested in archeology and history.

Petrichor accompanied me once I entered the caves

Entry fee: Rs.50/-

Belum Caves map

Instructions before entering the Caves

Fascinating facts of the Caves

The caves were first noticed in 1880s when it was British India and around 100 years after that a group of German Archeologists headed by Herbert Daniel Gebauer explored the caves, which went on for about 2 years. The cave had remnants of 4500BC, and it was a river cave system formed over thousands of years by the constant flow of underground water from the now-disappeared river called Chitravati. It was also found that the caves were occupied by Buddhist and Jain monks around 1000 years ago. Few artifacts found in the caves during the cave exploration are now kept at the museum in Ananthapur.

Belum Caves entrance

The top view once entered inside the caves

A good place for meditation when there isn’t crowd

The cave reaches its deepest point at a place called Paatalaganga(literally translating to underground ganga) which is a perennial stream that disappears into the depths of Earth.

The Unique Experience at the Caves

It started with us climbing down the stairs to enter the caves. I was able to sense the smell of petrichor once we entered the caves. There were several pathways with interesting patterns of water streams on limestone which will leave you captivated. The then flowing water had carved the caves beautifully. The river cave system fascinated me so much that I felt the need of being able to time travel to see how the structure was formed.

How beautifully has the then flowing water carved these caves!

Maintenance of the Belum caves

The caves are well maintained by the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC). The caves can easily get hot and humid, so there are vents even at the lowest of points in the caves. There are also colorful lights inside the caves which might make you wonder if you are on film sets.

Colorful lights

Vents inside the caves

Carrying water bottles becomes a must when you are caving. If you carry any kind of food, you will be asked to keep it outside before entering the caves.
The cave length is supposed to be around 3kms, but general public can visit only till 1.5 kms of it. There is also a Buddha statue that you can visit within the Belum caves premises.

Before entering one of the pathways

Now, tell me how exciting can visiting Belum Caves be? 🙂

Also read: Gandikota – Guide to the Grand Canyon of India

January 10, 2020