Book Panda/ Travel blogs & book reviews

Mysterious Places in Gujarat! Gujarat is one of the best tourist destinations in India. With its diverse culture and topography, the state has a lot to flaunt to its visitors. The pristine beaches, Rann of Kutch and the mountain ranges are just some of them. Interestingly, there are some spooky places in Gujarat that may give you chills. Let's get to know more about these mysterious places in Gujarat!                                          Tulsi Shyam The anti-gravity road of Tulsi Shyam is located in Gir National Park. This 15o metre stretch is a steep road where the vehicles start moving upward if left in free gear. It is also reported that travellers who tried pouring water on the road found the water flowing upward due to the anti-gravitational pull. Kala Dungar...

“Follow Your Dreams” might be the most well-worn piece of advice in our culture. Inspirational movies allow us to watch people achieve their goals and overcome obstacles because of their strong desire to succeed and the strength of their will, and we believe that it can happen for us too. This focus on dreams is not completely misplaced. It is important for everyone to have a big-picture goal that guides their actions. It might be a dream for the ideal job, or perhaps something deeply personal. People can derive energy, focus, and a sense of meaning and purpose from having significant goals that they strive to achieve.                     It’s important to analyze what that inner voice that talks you out of making changes by giving you all of the reasons why you might fail is saying. You often use those reasons as excuses not to pursue your dreams. Instead, you need to take ...

The Nepali-speaking Indians are fighting for their identity in India under the banner of the Gorkha which puts them at odds with Nepali migrants in northeast India.          REDIRECTED TO BLOGMANIAC PANDA   Shyam Prasad Pokharel, a migrant Nepali coal mine labourer in Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya JUN 05- During the course of my week-long stay in Shillong (and other parts of Meghalaya and Assam) I interacted with many Gorkhas and Nepalis both in their homes and offices. Some of them came to see me at the guest house in Jhalupara where I was staying. Jhalupara neighbourhood resembles most Nepali towns where Narayan Gopal blares at the music kiosk and youths playing Counter Strike video game scream Nepali expletives. A person I was meeting at the guest house called me beforehand to ask an unexpected question: “Do you think you are being followed by the Meghalayan intelligence?” The person had more questions later when we met: Why do ...

After an encounter with this Ind0-African community in Karnataka, India, I learnt that there are many faces of India and that being ‘Indian’ is more then skin deep. I remember the first time I encountered members of the Siddi community on a day trip to Karnataka from Goa last year. I was honestly fascinated. It was genuinely the first time I had seen black people in India. I wasn’t fascinated because of their skin color though, I was fascinated because they were Indian. The fascination I felt myself experiencing towards these individuals somewhat surprised me and made me realize that I hadn’t yet managed to see past my own idea of who an ‘Indian’ was and what an ‘Indian’ looked like. The sheer diversity of India is one of the things I love most about the country. The Siddis (to me) were a fascinating community of people and coming into contact with its members that day kick-started my quest to not only find out more about them but try to understand what exactly b...

There is a corner of Gujarat that will be forever Africa, home to the ebony skinned, woolly-haired Siddi tribe, who speak and dress like Gujaratis but keep alive their ancestry in traditions like the Dhamal dance. The beat of the drums is now frantic, the thunder of pounding feet on the hard, sun-baked ground deafening, the wildly gesticulating hands and black-painted faces are alive with a primitive passion as the Siddi tribesmen perform their traditional dance, the Dhamal. Suddenly, and a little unnervingly, I feel I am in the jungles of East Africa. I take a quick look at Inder, my cameraman, trying to find focus—quite literally. The movements of the dancers are quicksilver and there is no regular pattern. There are half-circles, two dancers in the center, solo star performers, handstands, and somersaults. But, as Inder perseveres, I return from being a spectator to my role of director and look around for my next sequence. I am in a remote corner of Gujarat, shoot...

Let's be honest... we're practically polar opposites. Dear lady of interest;  I refuse to write your name here because at this point you already know who you are. I'm writing this open letter because it's easier for me. For some reason, I feel less nervous in front of hundreds of people than I do one on one. That's mega weird, right? Even if it is, you already know that I'm weird so it's too late to start judging me now. I am not really a mushy, sappy, cutesy-cuddly type of guy. I'm the type of guy who wrestles and horse plays with a girl as a sign of affection. So with that being stated, when it comes to talking about my feelings, I'm not the best at it. I just don't enjoy addressing matters of the heart. That experience got me thinking... maybe I need to work on that. So I am writing this open letter to tell you that I am officially head over heels in like with you. There. I said it. Don't make fun of me. I'm p...

Gentle shores, rocky coastlines and a smooth breeze that gently blows over a state with a culture as rich and diverse as its history – Gujarat is not a destination to be overlooked.                                  About Gujarat Whilst less famous or well-known than its neighbouring states, Gujarat is home to a large network of cultural sights and experiences that showcase the true beauty of this destination. The capital city has been Gandhinagar since 1970, but prior to that it was Ahmedabad . Ahmedabad is Gujarat’s largest and most popular city that was once called home by one of the world’s most famous and inspiring citizens: Mahatma Gandhi. If you’re looking to learn more about Indian culture and heritage, to discover a destination that’s a little lower key than the hottest tourist destinations in India, then...