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Showing posts from April, 2012

Rural India - Heart of India

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If you " Want Real - Go Rural " in India. While visiting the Pink city of Rajasthan - Jaipur, I thought of exploring the rural side of Incredible India. I had options like Mandawa, Mehnsar, Fetehpur, Khuri etc. However, I opted for Samode, a small village situated about 40kms from Jaipur which gave me an earthy feeling of rural Rajasthan. Presenting the true image of arduous life of desert people, Samode is known for its royal palaces, historical monuments and cultural heritage - factors that can delight even the most skeptical traveller. Venturing through the dusty, narrow road from Jaipur to Samode in a car, I started my bumpy journey to experience the incredible diversity and charm of "Marwari" hospitality. Views like groups of sheep, cows and buffaloes being herd by local people dressed in their colourful ethnic wear, people working in the farms; cattle herding, women from ethnic community carrying water in pots on their heads were common on the way. Home a

Machu Picchu

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A breathtaking 8,000 feet above sea level, veiled in cloud atop the mountainous columns of the Urubamba Valley, Machu Picchu is one of the most impressive historical sites in the Americas. Spared by the conquistadores and their plundering that destroyed most other Inca sites, Machu Picchu is unique in its dramatic mountaintop setting and in its excellent state of preservation. Remaining hidden for centuries until it was rediscovered by an American explorer in 1911, the “lost” city of Machu Picchu was a secret local treasure for centuries. The Incas began construction around 1430 but the city was soon abandoned as the empire began to crumble, immediately before the arrival of the conquistadores. Machu Picchu’s original purpose remains a topic of speculation; theories range from a high security prison to a sacred temple (due to its precise astronomical alignment). The site is one of the best remaining examples of the outstanding Inca architecture and stonemasonry. The city was crafted f