Banaras, the quintessential spiritual city of India, can be a shock to the first-time visitor. Crowded and noisy, slow traffic, beggars and vagabonds, meandering bulls and cows, overarching religiousness–you want to escape even before you have settled in. But then, it's not easy to grab the essence of one of the world's oldest living cities. As wrote Mark Twain in 1897, "Banares is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend, and looks twice as old as all of

GOLDEN CHARIOT IS BACK ON TRACK For all the train lovers, the Golden Chariot—the first and only luxury train of South India—will start functioning again this March. The luxury train service that will take its first journey after a gap of two years will operate on March 22, courtesy of Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC). According to media reports, the revival and operation of the train is part of a 10-year agreement with the government of Karnataka VISTARA

JAIPUR CERTIFIED AS WORLD HERITAGE SITE BY UNESCO Jaipur was certified as a World Heritage site by UNESCO Director, General Audrey Azoulay, at a mega event held at the historic Albert Hall in the Pink City on 5thFeb 2020. Azoulay presented the World Heritage City certificate to Minister of Urban Development Shanti Dhariwal. While speaking at the event, Azoulay said, "UNESCO will collaborate with Rajasthan Government's Tourism department to develop Western Rajasthan for touris

Usually when we suggest an escape to the vineyards in India, people think we are joking and subsequently surprised that we really are enthusiastic about promoting the wine regions of the country, in particular, Nashik. Nashik wines are really coming in to their own and well worth visiting, especially if you’re planning to be in Mumbai, the City of Dreams” as it’s an easy getaway. The region currently have 29 wineries, many of them considered “world class” and Nashik is known

HIMACHAL GETS 1ST HYATT HOTEL WITH HYATT REGENCY DHARAMSHALA Hyatt Hotels has announced the opening of its first mountain resort property in India at Dharmshala, Hyatt Regency Dharamshala Resort features 80 guest accommodations including of 4 private villas, 3 Suites, 17 Club rooms. All the resort guest rooms are spacious, offering fresh Himalayan air and signature views of either lush garden amid Deodar forest or the magnificent snow-capped Dhauladhar range. TAJ TIRUPATI The

It’s over a year ago that same sex relationships became legal in India, though families and society are still conservative about the idea. The doors may have been unlocked, though they still need to open… Section 377 had been put in to place by the British in 1861 and it hung over like a dark cloud, installing fear in to many who felt coming out would ruin their lives by giving them a criminal record and intense social shaming. Millions of Indians who had before been deemed