Episodes

  • GIVEAWAY of Pranav’s book - Expedition to an Alternate Swarajya - Where the subcontinent remained uncolonised!

    https://forms.gle/T72T2w72RMM4Hhye7

    This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to author and content creator, Pranav Gogwekar as he takes us to the coastal town of Vengurla!

    Today's destination: Vengurla, Maharashtra

    Nearest Airport: Goa, Mopa (GOX)

    Nearest Railway Station: Kudal Railway station, KUDL

    Packing: Pack light clothes for humid weather

    Time of the year: Dec-Feb

    Length of the itinerary: 2-3 days

    Itinerary Highlights:

    Pranav starts the conversation with the history of Vengurla, the influence of the colonial powers - Portuguese, Dutch and British, as well as local rulers like Chattrapati Shivaji and the Sawants of Wadi. We also talk about some historic milestones including the impact on the local economy and this being the target of Aurangazeb’s army. We talk about some of the popular beaches - Sagareshwar, Vayangani, Mochemad, Nivti, Bhogwati ; the port, the two lighthouses of Vengurla, Crawford market, the mangroves, the burnt islands of Vengurla, Fruit research centre, temples of Vengurla and the vicinity including Rameshwar, Sateri, Vetoba, Manseshwar. Pranav also talks about some must try foods, including seafood, amboi,ghavan,alni pav, usal and the cocktail.

    Links:

    Link to Pranav’s book: Expedition to an Alternate Swarajya https://www.amazon.in/Expedition-Alternate-Swarajya-Subcontinent-Uncolonised/dp/B0CP3VCCWL

    Link to Pranav’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pranavgogwekar/

    Link to Pranav’s Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@pravyavnav

    Link to episode on Sawantwadi: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6OjyGV4HqBPirul8EjlMr8?si=TEJwmDg1RryHH1RHZ9rRig

    Link to episode on Kolhapur: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4SHkw6h3NVYWcqoEA07bMv?si=xOvaVrSoS_2FHhWPw2rSWg

    Link to episode on Goa roadtrip:

    https://open.spotify.com/episode/5qVIaTJi9aVGkG306w94jW?si=5f0a9314ed764183

    Photo by Krishna Savji on Unsplash

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  • Winners of the GIVEAWAY of Anmol’s book - Wanderings in the Land of Mist - A complete story of Mussoorie! : Arjun Harish & Vijaya Bhat

    This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to founder of Kannur City Heritage Foundation, Muhammed Shihad as he takes us to Kannur!

    Today's destination: Kannur, Kerala

    Nearest Airport: Kannur international airport (CNN)

    Nearest Railway Station: Kannur Railway station, CAN

    Packing: Pack light clothes for humid weather

    Time of the year: Dec-Feb

    Length of the itinerary: 3-4 days

    Itinerary Highlights:

    Shihad talks about the history of Kannur, previously known as Canonore and its significance as a port city. We talk about the Mapilla bay, the origin of its name and the various travellers who visited including Marco Polo, Fahien and Ibn BatutaWe also discuss the St. Angelo fort, the history of all the three colonial powers who rule there and a recent discovery of cannonballs in the premises. Shihad also talks about the St. John’s anglican church which is nearby and the rich archives it holds. Our next stop is the Arakkal museum as we talk about the only muslim sultanate of kerala, their allies, the matrilineal system of succession they follow and much more. Finally we chat about the mouthwatering cuisine of Kannur as well as the cultural festivities like Theyyam.

    Links:

    Whatsapp: +91 8377024979

    Email: [email protected]

    Link to website: www.cityheritage.in

    Link to Kannur City Heritage’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/city_heritage/

    Link to Shihad’s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/explore_with_shihad/

    Photo by s.hri on Unsplash

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  • GIVEAWAY ALERT: Listen to the episode and answer 3 simple questions linked in the URL below: https://forms.gle/V383GKghqBfarsNi6

    This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to columnist and author, Anmol Jain, as we discuss his book Wanderings in the Land of Mist - A complete story of Mussoorie!

    Today's destination: Mussoorie, Uttarakhand

    Nearest Airport: Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun (DED)

    Nearest Railway Station: Dehradun Railway Station, DDN

    Packing: Pack warm clothes

    Time of the year: All year round, except monsoons

    Length of the itinerary: 3-5 days

    Itinerary Highlights:

    Anmol provides an overview of the origins of Mussoorie, the founding fathers and how the town was establishedWe also talk about some of the folklore around Lord Balram and his abode in the Bhadraj hills, as well as the temple that still stands. We talk about Landour, its origins, the convalescent depot, the cantonment and some of its important locations. We then talk about the important personalities of Mussoorie and their connection to Mussoorie, including Capt. YoungSir George EverestJim CorbettGeneral Dyer We talk about Mussoorie’s infamous title of the “Pleasure capital of the Raj”, the wild parties and the separation bells. We talk about the urban legends and haunted stories, including the human oil extractors and dancing mistress. We speak to the evolution of brews and breweries in Mussoorie, including the IPA and VAT 69We close the episode with some remarkable stories that deserve to be in the movies!

    Links:

    Link to buy Anmol’s book:

    https://www.amazon.in/Wanderings-Land-Mist-Complete-Mussoorie-ebook/dp/B0CG6M5L8C

    https://rupapublications.co.in/books/wanderings-in-the-land-of-mist-the-complete-story-of-mussoorie/

    Link to Anmol’s website: https://anmoljain.in/

    Link to Anmol’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anmolj_75/

    Link to episode on Landour: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4jyTU9Q4fQK8AIkB0mBqbM?si=K_qBTWhzRAKbRKlCRbKrRg

    Photo by Soham Kalghatkar on Unsplash

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    website: www.themusafirstories.com

    email: [email protected]

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  • This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to our favorite listener and traveler, Tushar Shukla!

    Today's destination: Indore & Ujjain, MP!

    Nearest Airport: Devi Ahilya Bai airport, IDR

    Nearest Railway Station: Ujjain Junction, UJJN

    Packing: Pack according to the weather conditions

    Time of the year: October - Mar

    Length of the itinerary: 3 days

    Itinerary Highlights:

    Tushar starts the conversation outlining the objective of the solo trip along with the points/themes of interest in both the placesPoints of interest covered - Indore:Khajrana Ganeshji temple Chappan Dukaan Gandhi HallLalbagh palace Rajwada palaceKaanch MahalPoints of interest covered - UjjainMahakaalHarsiddhi Mata templeChawkhambaKaal Bhairav temple Shipra river Evening Aarti at Ram ghat Other places in the vicinityOmkareshwarBada TalaavIndira Gandhi tribal art museum

    Links:

    Link to the Thushar’s blog: https://medium.com/@humanprojector83

    Link to Tushar’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paneldaze/

    Link to Tushar’s twitter: https://twitter.com/humanprojector

    Link to the blogpost: https://medium.com/@humanprojector83/the-case-of-the-missing-newspaper-a-3-day-trip-to-indore-ujjain-e6b627c9da0d

    Photo by Meet Gada on Unsplash

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    email: [email protected]

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  • This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to returning guest, listener and traveller, Krishan Insan!

    Today's destination: Mizoram!

    Nearest Airport: Aizawl airport, AJL

    Nearest Railway Station: Bairabi Railway station, BHRB

    Prerequisites: Innerline permit - https://ilp.mizoram.gov.in/

    Packing: Pack according to the weather conditions

    Time of the year: October - April

    Length of the itinerary: 7 days

    Itinerary Highlights:

    Krishan starts off the conversation talking about the objective of the trip, to experience the famous Chapchar Kut festival in Aizawl, to trek the Blue mountain and visit the Castle of Beuno. Detailed itinerary listed below: Day 0: Arrived at Aizawl. Direct flights for Aizawl is available from Delhi/Calcutta/Guwahati Airports.Day 1: We reached the Parade Ground super early for Chapchar Kut Festival and enjoyed the entire Day there. In the evening we went to a Private ChapChar Kut Celebration which was a ticketed entry and spent the evening there and came back at midnight. Day 2: We started for Sangau at 05:10. The first stop was Aizawl City itself, Our next Stop was in Falkawn Village, The Traditions Mizo Village. We spent about 40 Minutes there. Our next stop at Tropic of Cancer, which was after getting a few pictures clicked here, we moved and halted at Hmuifang Tourist Resort. We halted again at the Tourist Lodge in Thenzwal at 10:30 and freshen up and moved further. Then we stopped at Tuirihiau Waterfall at 11:00. We trekked further and took a Indiginious Boat to Reach to Vantawng WaterFall Originating Point. Then we went to Thenzawl Golf Course and finally reached Sangau Tourist Lodge at 19:30. Day 3: Started from Lodge at 05:30. We went upto Thaltlang Village (7KM from Sangau Tourist Lodge). Then we hired a 4X4 Bolero for travel upto Far Pak, 7KM (Forest Rest House) where the foothill starts. The Blue Mountain Trek. We started Hiking from Far Pak Rest House at 07:20 and Reached at Blue Mountain at 09:35. We spend 45 Minutes there and started back at 10:15. Reached back to Far Pak at 12:15.Day 4: We started from Siaha Tourist Lodge for the Castle of Bawinu/Great Canyon of Mizoram. Then we moved to Palak Lake. We spent about an hour there and moved to Phura. Where we stayed Over Night inn Forest Guest House. Day 5: We started our journey back to Langtlai. Day 6: We visited Tuirum Li-Nghasih Lui and reached Aizawl at 20:30. We had Dinner in Aizawl Club. Day 7: In the morning we started at 06:00 for Lalsavunga Park and then We went to Khawpawk Waterfall then we went to Local Market, where I would have preferred to spend more time. Then we moved to Airport See Off I fly to respective locations

    Links:

    Link to the Krishan’s website: https://www.krishanginsan.com/

    Link to Krishan’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/insankg/

    Link to Krishan’s Linkedin: https://in.linkedin.com/in/insankg

    Link to Krishan’s twitter: https://twitter.com/InsanKG

    Krishan’s previous episode on Tripura:

    https://open.spotify.com/episode/57TXGdaPPQCCuJAAtyZDfm?si=JSDsoBSTSZey6WnV9PsTVg

    Photo by DigiLife Siaha on Unsplash

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    email: [email protected]

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  • This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to returning guest, Sahana Kulur from https://vacaywork.com

    Today's destination: Madurai, Tamil Nadu!

    Nearest Airport: Madurai International airport, IXM

    Nearest Railway Station: Madurai Junction, MDU

    Prerequisites: NA

    Packing: Pack according to the weather conditions, summers can be hot.

    Time of the year: October

    Length of the itinerary: 2-4 days

    Itinerary Highlights:

    Sahana starts the episode with some backstories about her travels to Sri Lanka, the inspiration for this trip - from a world famous architect, Geoffery Bawa to the coolest drink in South Inida - JigarThanda. We cover the history and background of Madurai as well as the popular legends about the city and its main attraction, the Meenakshi temple. The points of interest include a visit to Meenakshi Amman temple - the most iconic structure and soul of Madurai Koodal Azagar temple - an experience going to the rooftop of a temple and observing the gopurams up close. Thepakkulam temple - the floating templeTirumalai Nayak Palace - the palace of the Nayaka king and location of some very popular songs from Guru to Bombay. The palace has a museum and a sound and light show as well.Markets of Madurai including the Pudhu Mandapam, Banana market, Sungundi sarees, Madurai Malli or jasmine, the kumkum and the dasara golu or dollsThe cuisine of Madurai includes the variety of idlis and dosas, ragi puttu, Kari dosa, idiyappam, keerai vada, mutton chukka, bun parota, jigar thanda, paruthi paal among others. Other options include a visit to the archaeological site of Keeladi, Vellacheri doll village and a number of jain caves and rock sculpturesWe wrap up the discussion with other points of interest in the vicinity including Chettinad, Tanjavur, Chennai that one can plan for an extended itinerary.

    Links:

    Link to the blog post: https://vacaywork.com/madurai-travel-blog/

    Link to Sahana’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sahana.kulur/

    Link to Sahana’s website: https://vacaywork.com

    Sahana’s previous episode on Bijapur:

    https://open.spotify.com/episode/0sfbo4CGkeJJImd1Acx5K1?si=luN1sAtdSo63QvhK_fqTeg

    Photo by Ben Chobot on Unsplash

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    website: www.themusafirstories.com

    email: [email protected]

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  • WINNERS OF THE GIVEAWAY (NAMMA BANGALORE), pls check your email for further instructions.

    Tanushree Tyagi

    Vijay Prakash

    This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to returning guest, Saakshi Rajat - a traveller and co-founder at True Joy Travels, as she takes us to Goa with seniors!∂

    Today's destination: Goa!!

    Nearest Airport: Dabolim Airport, GOI

    Nearest Railway Station: Karmali Railway Station, KRMI

    Prerequisites: NA

    Packing: Pack according to the weather conditions

    Time of the year: July

    Length of the itinerary: 5 days

    Itinerary Highlights:

    Saakshi starts off with an overview of True Joy travels - a luxury travel service company for seniors, their USP and objectives. You can check out more on the social media handles of TJT linked below. We discuss the planning and considerations that go into curating the trip and itinerary for seniors, origin story of TJT. The points of interest include a visit to A heritage walk to Fontainhas - the latin quarter of Old GoaA visit to Basilica of Bom Jesus and Se Cathedral A visit to some popular beachesA trip to Chorao island and Salim Ali bird sanctuaryA boat ride around the mangroves of Chorao islandA visit to a local’s home and cooking sessionA stop at Konkani canteen for goan thalisA visit to a casinoA stop over at fort Aguada and the beachWe wrap up the discussion with upcoming trips and contact info for True Joy Travels

    Links:

    Link to TJT’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truejoytravels/

    Link to Saakshi’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saakshirajat/

    Link to TJT’s YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyk7iRYo0Q3l-NreJMjY94A

    Saakshi’s previous episode on Majuli: https://open.spotify.com/episode/16TwAz8XY5luMwv3yYsO9r?si=3QfbEnXqRRetZ5bjXa8BvA

    Other episodes on Goa:

    Riverside Goa - https://open.spotify.com/episode/0HeHcX8FwaKiDHge99x5NX

    Islands of Goa - https://open.spotify.com/episode/5RDLi8SRHdd14TvngVl61H?si=jz8a856xSR-h8nvYNO7csA

    Susegad Goa - https://open.spotify.com/episode/6SrAaNTHCZfJ4KyuFjY1Tq?si=Nj6tJirJTmyzpCCQ8e-L9A

    Roadtrip to Goa - https://open.spotify.com/episode/5qVIaTJi9aVGkG306w94jW?si=swG6hsIARuiFP5n1e194cw

    Photo by Mohammad Aqhib on Unsplash

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    email: [email protected]

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  • GIVEAWAY ALERT: Answer 3 simple questions in the linked google form and stand a chance to win a copy of Shoba’s book on Bangalore!

    https://forms.gle/3AYKXjBpULeXUJSP7

    This week, The Musafir Stories speaks with a author, columnist and podcaster Shoba Narayan as we talk about her latest book, Namma Bangalore: The soul of a metropolis

    Today's destination: Bengaluru!

    Nearest Airport: Kempegowda International Airport (BLR)

    Nearest Railway Station: KSR Railway station (SBC)

    Prerequisites: NA

    Packing: Pack according to the weather conditions

    Time of the year: NA

    Length of the itinerary: NA

    Itinerary Highlights:

    Shoba opens the episode with an overview of the book, her connection to Bangalore and how the book came about. We talk about the history of Bangalore, including the recent discoveries of hero stones that date the city back to 750-500 BC. We also talk about the myths and legends as well as Bangalore’s earliest trade connections. We dive into the transformation of Bangalore of the 90s from pensioner’s paradise to the pub city of the 00s, some of the iconic drinks and breweries, the drinking culture of Bangalore, as well as the earliest connections to liquor. We talk about the monsoon delicacies and snacks and take a quick stroll down memory lane. Next we cover some iconic neighbourhoods of Bangalore, including Malleshwaram, Shivajinagar and VV Puram. We cap off the episode by talking about the green lungs of Bangalore and closing comments.

    Links:

    Link to buy “Namma Bangalore: The soul of a metropolis”: https://www.amazon.in/NAMMA-BANGALORE-Metropolis-SHOBA-NARAYAN/dp/9357024662

    Link to Shoba’s website: https://shobanarayan.com/books-main-page/namma-bangalore/

    Link to Shoba’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shobanarayan/

    Link to Shoba’s podcast: https://birdpodcast.com/

    Photo Credit: Namma Bangalore: The soul of a metropolis, published by Rupa Publications

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  • This week, The Musafir Stories speaks with a award winning travel writer Varun Suchday as he talks about time spent with the Tribes of Chhattisgarh and Odisha

    Today's destination: Chhattisgarh and Odisha!

    Nearest Airport: Maa Danteshwari Airport, Jagdalpur (JGB)

    Nearest Railway Station: Jagdalpur Train Station (JDB)

    Prerequisites: NA

    Packing: Pack according to the weather conditions

    Time of the year: Oct-Feb

    Length of the itinerary: 7 days

    Itinerary Highlights:

    Varun takes us on a one of a kind journey to the hinterland of tribal India as he shares his experience spending time with the tribes of Chhattisgarh and Odisha. Varun spent a month living and interacting with tribes such as Muriaa, Maria, Halba, Gond, Dhurva,, Praja and Bonda. The topics covered during the episode includeCultural and religious practicesConcept of Dowry in some tribes, hunting and eating practices, forest to table way of lifeGuru maayis and the dying form of travelling songs Haats or tribal markets, things bought and sold in such marketsFestivals of the tribes Ant chutney and local brews like SalfiCock fights and controversiesPlaces of interest - Jagdalpur, Bastar, Kanger valley national park, Chitrakoot falls, Thirathgarh falls, Dholkal trek, Kotpad, Koraput, Deomali Hills, Bonda Ghati, Dantewada.

    Links:

    Link to Varun’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thirdworldstoryteller/

    Link to Varun’s blog: www.windsoftravel.com

    Link to Varun’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WindsofTravel

    Photo by AMIT MAHATO on Unsplash

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    website: www.themusafirstories.com

    email: [email protected]

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  • This week, The Musafir Stories speaks with a returning guest, Ayush Kumar, a solo traveller and listener who takes us to the spiritual city of Udupi!

    Today's destination: Udupi, Karnataka!

    Nearest Airport: Mangalore International airport (IXE)

    Nearest Railway Station: Udupi Railway Station (UD)

    Prerequisites: NA

    Packing: Good walking shoes and rain gear, dress appropriately while visiting temples

    Time of the year: Nov-Feb

    Length of the itinerary: 3-6 days

    Itinerary Highlights:

    Returning guest Ayush Kumar covers a comprehensive itinerary of Udupi and the places of interest in the vicinity. The itinerary can be split across religious/spiritual places, culture, nature and food. Ayush also covers the experience of travelling on the Green Route (Bangalore-Mangalore), covering the western ghatsThe places of interest covered during the podcast includeUdupi Sri Krishna temple, its origins and significanceKanakana Kindi at the Sri Krishna temple complexExperience with the temple prasada and lunchAnanteshwara templeVaranga Jain BasadiKamala shile cave temple Brahmi Durga Parmeshwari temple Pajaka Local festivals including Bhoota kola, yakshagan and Kambala Manipal and places of interest including the Hasta Shilpa museum, Manipal museum of AnatomyPopular beaches include Padukere beach, Kodi Bengera or Delta beach. Treks around the western ghats, home ot Agumbe, the city with the second most rainfallExploring the unique cuisine or the region

    Links:

    Link to Ayush’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soul.traveller.kumar/

    Ayush’s other episodes on The Musafir Stories

    Coonoor - https://spotify.link/r1Vd63sWaEb

    Puri - https://spotify.link/UjpVQquWaEb

    Bhubaneshwar - https://spotify.link/6G5zvXvWaEb

    Photo by Alka Jha on Unsplash

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    website: www.themusafirstories.com

    email: [email protected]

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  • GIVEAWAY ALERT!

    Stand a chance to win Nomads of India merchandise - follow our stories on Instagram for more details!

    This week, The Musafir Stories speaks with Vatsal Nandu, a traveller and founder of travel community Nomads of India as he takes us to the breathtaking Zanskar and Suru Valley!

    Today's destination: Zanskar and Suru Valley, Ladakh!

    Nearest Airport: Srinagar International airport (SXR)

    Nearest Railway Station: Jammu Railway Station (JAT)

    Prerequisites: NA

    Packing: Good walking shoes, camping gear if needed, AMS medication, warm clothes

    Time of the year: May-Oct

    Length of the itinerary: 12 days

    Itinerary Highlights:

    Vatsal shares his experience travelling and hitchhiking across the Zanskar and Suru valley.The journey starts off at Kargil and Vatsal boards a bus to Sanku. Here he explores Kartse Khar ruins and the Maitreya Buddha Statue. He also makes a trip to Parkachik and Panikhar to get a view of the Nun Kun peaks. This covers the Suru valley leg of the journey. Other options include Rangdum monastery, Drang Drung glacier Next stop is Padum, which is the administrative capital of Zanskar. From here, Vatsal makes trips to Purney and treks to Phugtal monastery, Gonbo Rongjon, Stongdae Monastery, Karsha Monastery, Zangla palace and Shilla waterfall and Sani lake and monastery. This covers the Zanskar leg of the itinerary. Vatsal also talks about the hospitality of the locals, some options for food and boarding as well as challenges and adventures of travelling solo.

    Links:

    Link to NOI’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nomadsofindia/

    Link to NOI’s facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/nomadsofindia

    Link to the website: https://nomadsofindia.com/

    Link to the blog post: https://nomadsofindia.com/travel-guides/zanskar-valley-ultimate-travel-guide/

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    website: www.themusafirstories.com

    email: [email protected]

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  • This week, The Musafir Stories speaks with Prasenjit Sharma from Six Degree Adventures as we explore Nagaland on foot!

    Today's destination: Nagaland

    Nearest Airport: Dimapur airport (DMU)

    Nearest Railway Station: Dimapur Railway station (DMV)

    Prerequisites - Inner line permit, will be arranged by Six Degree Adventures

    Packing - Good walking shoes, water to stay hydrated, warm clothing

    Time of the year - Sept - Mar

    Length of the itinerary: 8 days

    Itinerary Highlights:

    In this unique episode focused on rural tourism, Prasenjit talks about the flagship Nagaland on foot tour that spans a series of villages in this jewel of North East India. The trip focuses on exploring villages, ways of life, culture, traditions of each village and tribe, all while also enjoying the bountiful natural resources that the region is blessed with. The trip begins in Dimapur where the group flies into, from here, the group sets off on the journey spanning 5-6 villages listed belowKiruphema village is the first pitstop, where the group spends the first evening, spending in bonding exercises and learning about their local hostsKhonoma is the next village on the itinerary and is one of the more populous villages - it is also known for the vicinity to the capital Kohima. It is also reknown as Asia’s first green village and the group gets to learn about the shifting cultivation practised by the villagers. The team also visits the tragopan wildlife sanctuary on the way to this village. The team also gets the opportunity to do a number of village walks, visit the Khonoma fort as well as learn more about the history of the region. We also discuss the concept of Morungs of the community center for the youth of the village. The group’s next destination is Dzuleke - renown for its streams and rainbow trout. The group also gets to interact with the Angami and Zeling tribe while travelling through this region. The group also covers other villages like Poilwa and Benreu. People do have the option to visit Kohima on request if there is interest. There are also extended options of covering the Hornbill festival and the Dzuku valley trek during the month of December.

    Links:

    Link to Six Degree Adventure’s website: https://www.sixdegreeadventures.com/

    Link to Six Degree Adventure’s Instagram - https://instagram.com/sixdegreeadventures?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

    Other episodes on Nagaland:

    Nagaland with Aakash Mehrotra - https://spotify.link/JPbQwGKoqDb

    Headhunters of Nagaland with Ila Reddy - https://spotify.link/MRCGS5MoqDb

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    website: www.themusafirstories.com

    email: [email protected]

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  • This week, The Musafir Stories speaks with Vishnu Menon, a traveller and a student of History, as he takes us to Old Delhi aka Shahjahanabad!

    Today's destination: Old Delhi!

    Nearest Airport: Indira Gandhi International airport (DEL)

    Nearest Railway Station: New Delhi Railway station (NDLS)

    Prerequisites - NA

    Packing - Good walking shoes, water to stay hydrated, umbrella, shades

    Time of the year - Oct, Feb, Mar

    Length of the itinerary: 3-5 days

    Itinerary Highlights:

    Vishnu starts by covering the history and background of the 7 cities of Delhi, and why it was so important over the yearsWe focus our discussion on Shahjanabad or current day Old Delhi, Delhi 6. 1. Lal Kot / Qila Rai Pithora - settled by the Tomars and the Rajputs, including Prithviraj Chauhan2. Siri - In 1192, Mohammad Ghori defeated Prithviraj, and left the region to his slave and commander, Qutbuddin Aibak, who built the city of Siri, which was also used and consolidated by the Khilji dynasty. 3. Tughlaqabad - 4. Jahanpanah - Ghiyassudin Tughlaq’s impressive fort-city, which can still be visited, was cursed from the start, and his successor Mohammad bin Tughlaq fortified the walls of Qila Rai Pithora and Siri, and encapsulated them into a new city: Jahanpanah5. Firozabad/ Feroz Shah Kotla - His successor, Feroz Shah Tughlaq, was the first to build a fort along the Yamuna, recognized as the fifth city of Delhi. Feroz Shah’s city was humongous by the standards of the day, extending from the Northern Ridge (where the other Ashokan Pillar stands) to Hauz Khas6. Shergarh - Then, Sher Shah Suri, upon defeating Humayun in 1540, returned to Indrapat, a purportedly ancient village, and built his city, Shergarh, at the same site.7. Dinpanah - Humayun came to power in 1555, and added to that, building the Purana Qila as his city, Dinpanah.Shah Jahan’s great-grandfather, Humayun, too, had built a capital city there—Dinpanah, which later came to be called the Purana Qila or ‘Old Fort’. 8. Shahjahanabad - Shahjahan was the next Mughal to reign from Delhi, and gave it the most recent historical city,Shahjahanabad. Northward along the Yamuna, it had fourteen gates, and enjoyed the Golden Era of Mughal rule. It continued to serve as the Mughal capital until the end of the dynasty in 1857, in the decades before which it saw a brilliant cultural renaissance, a time of high etiquette, courtly graces and flourishing literary and music culture.We talk about the main structures around which Shahjahanabad is structured - Red Fort and Jama MasjidWe also speak about the different developments that came up between and around these structures including Chandni Chowk, mosques, temples, markets, food streets, nature and much more.

    “Link to episode on Mangalore with Sampath Menon” - https://open.spotify.com/episode/1vVloNSFG0deaMUzzSuhUk?si=ia9whfB6Q4ePm7ZgKt5F8Q

    Links:

    Link to Vishnu’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charithra.sanchari/

    Photo by Sergio Capuzzimati on Unsplash

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  • GIVEAWAY ALERT: Listen to the episode and answer 3 simple questions on our Instagram ( @musafirstoriespodcast ) https://forms.gle/aP35sfqcDkFLgczo7 to win some cool Madras Inherited Merch!

    This week, The Musafir Stories speaks with Trustee and Head of Operations at Madras Inherited (https://www.madrasinherited.in)

    Today's destination: George Town, Chennai!

    Nearest Airport: Chennai International Airport (MAA)

    Nearest Railway Station: Chennai Central Railway station (MAS)

    Prerequisites - Wake up early!

    Packing - Good walking shoes, water to stay hydrated, umbrella, shades

    Time of the year - Round the year

    Length of the itinerary: 2-3 hours

    Itinerary Highlights:

    Ashmitha Athreya is Trustee and Head of Operations at Madras Inherited - The vision for Madras Inherited streams from a larger vision for Heritage Awareness, Preservation and Conservation in the city. The walk focuses on getting to the origins of George Town, the first British colonial settlement that was set up around Fort St. George. The walk includes pit stops at various historically and architecturally significant landmarks. The first stop is at Parry’s corner, also known as Dare House - Ashmitha shares the history of the welshman after whom this building is named and some interesting insights on the architecture style known as Artdeco. The next turn is on to the NSC Bose road or Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose road that was also called China Bazaar road in the past. Some important buildings include TNSC bank, LIC building, SBI building that are built in the art deco style of architecture. If one is interested, they could venture out further to check out some of the narrow market lanes of George Town - for paper/stationery, textiles, fireworks, flowers etc. Our next pit stop is Armenian St where one can find the historic Armenian church and discuss its importance. We next stop at what was formerly the Binny & Co headquarters. The building no longer remains and all that is left is a humongous parking lot which is used for shooting movies including the likes of Hey Ram and Guru. Other important structures include YMIA - Young Mens Indian Assn and Gokhale hall. Ashmitha talks of the two Beach Roads of George Town - Rajaji Salai and Kamaraj Salai - or North beach road and South beach road. The North Beach road has no longer access to the beach as the sea has receded. We make a stop at the General Post office - one of the most beautiful structures in the city and we discuss the social implications of the GPO and its Indo Saracenic architectural styleYou can check out other walks offered by Madras Inherited on their website - (https://www.madrasinherited.in)

    Links:

    Link to the website:

    https://www.madrasinherited.in

    Link to Madras Inherited’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madrasinherited/

    Link to Madras Inherited’s Twitter:https://twitter.com/MInherited

    Photo by Febin Roy on Unsplash

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    website: www.themusafirstories.com

    email: [email protected]

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  • This week, The Musafir Stories speaks with lawyer and a hobbyist blogger - Juhi Gupta who blogs at www.forumhopping.wordpress.com

    Today's destination: Meghalaya, the abode of clouds!

    Nearest Airport: Shillong (SHL)

    Nearest Railway Station: Guwahati Railway station (GHY)

    Prerequisites - Inner line permit may be required, pls check with relevant authorities.

    Packing - Good walking shoes, rain gear, waterproof gear, trekking/hiking gear

    Time of the year - All year round

    Length of the itinerary: 8 days

    Itinerary Highlights:

    Juhi starts by sharing some insights into the state of Meghalaya, what it is known for and why she decided to visit.

    An overview of Chalo Hoppo and their USP - https://chalohoppo.com/

    Juhi starts her journey from Guwahati and makes the first stop at Shillong. A quick overview of preparation, group size as well as other requirements

    The first stop is the popular Umiam lake, a man made lake that offers serene views as well as opportunities for boating. The team also make a quick stop at the Dylan café, dedicated to American artist Bob Dylan

    Below are the places covered over the next few days

    Mawlyngbna

    Mawsynram

    Umkhakoi lake

    Split Rock

    Laitlum canyons

    Pynter village

    Shnompdeng village

    Umngot river

    Bangladesh border

    Root bridges - Mawkyrnot, the longest root bridge

    Cherrapunji/ Sohra

    Wei sodong waterfall

    Arwah caves

    Mawphlang sacred forests

    Other places to visit - Nongriat root bridge, Nokhalakhai waterfalls, David Scott trail

    Links:

    Link to the blog:

    https://forumhopping.wordpress.com/

    Link to blogpost:

    https://forumhopping.wordpress.com/2023/02/19/meghalaya-part-i/

    https://forumhopping.wordpress.com/2023/03/18/meghalaya-part-2/

    Link to Forumhopping’s’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forumhopping/

    Link to other episodes on Meghalaya

    Lost in the Caves of Meghalaya: https://open.spotify.com/episode/509JER1Ulg7ZbtZWp72HKM?si=nIh8kQqyQDCivOPaaOtqNw

    A ride to Meghalaya:

    https://open.spotify.com/episode/1pTqG2aejXX5TJdolpD7Kr?si=zr9LmjKTT06goHlqtu81Qw

    Photo by Amit Jain on Unsplash

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  • This week, The Musafir Stories speaks with Anuj Haribhakti, a long time listener and avid traveller as we speak about the only place in the world where Asiatic lions live, Gir National Park!

    Today's destination: Gir National Park, Gujarat

    Nearest Airport: Rajkot Airport (RAJ)

    Nearest Railway Station: Junagadh Railway Station (JND)

    Prerequisites - Book for permits to safaris 2-3 months in advance and lodging.

    Packing - According to the weather, sunscreen, hats, bug repellent

    Time of the year - September - Feb

    Length of the itinerary: 4-5 days

    Itinerary Highlights:

    Anuj talks about the USP of the Gir national park, home to the world’s only Asiatic lion population.

    We discuss how excessive hunting by the Royal families and British officers and human movement had made this a critically endangered species in the early 1900s. We also discuss how the State government and other stakeholders have been able to turn the situation around in the early 2000s.

    Anuj discusses the importance of booking the safaris and lodging in advance (2-3 months before the trip) as well as the best times for sighting.

    Finally Anuj shares his experience sighting over 20 lions in his 4 days at the Gir National park. This ranges from fully grown males, to a young couple and mother and cubs. He also discusses the nearby Devaliya sanctuary where lions and leopards are kept in closed environment.

    We also touch upon places in the vicinity that one could include as a part of an extended itinerary - including Sasan Gir, Swaminath temple, Diu and Junagadh.

    Link to Anuj’s Instagram:

    https://www.instagram.com/anujph/

    Photo by Lenstravelier on Unsplash

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    website: http://www.themusafirstories.com

    email: [email protected]

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  • This week, The Musafir Stories speaks with Sahana Kulur, an educator, architect, traveler and blogger at http://www.vacaywork.com as she takes us to the erstwhile capital of the Adil Shahi sultanate - Bijapur!

    Today's destination: Bijapur or Vijayapura, Karnataka

    Nearest Airport: Goa International Airport (GOI)

    Nearest Railway Station: Vijayapura/Bijapur Station (BJP)

    Prerequisites - N/A

    Packing - Good walking shoes, carry extra water as it can get hot during the day, sunglasses and caps/hats

    Time of the year - September - Feb

    Length of the itinerary: 2 days

    Itinerary Highlights:

    We start the conversation with a quick chat about the very diverse and interesting history and backstory of the Adil Shahi sultanate and its origins - on how a young prince from Turkey was sold to a merchant and eventually ended up in the Deccan region after growing up in Persia.

    Set up by Yusuf Adil Shah, the Adil Shahi sultanate broke away from the Bahamani Sultanate after constant conflicts with the Vijayanagara empire. Bijapur served as the capital of the Adil Shahi sultanate.

    The Gol Gumbaz is the most prominent landmark of the capital and is the mausoleum of Mohammed Adil Shah who ruled in the 17th century. It is also the second largest dome in the world without any reinforcement, second only to St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. It is also the biggest domed structure in India and is currently on the tentative list of UNESCO world heritage sites.

    Sahana shares her experience of visiting the Gol Gumbaz at sunrise, the views from the terrace, the optical illusion and the famous whispering gallery.

    Next up, we make a pitstop at Jama masjid, one of mosques in the vicinity with quaint architecture and interesting stories from the siege of Aurangazeb in 1686.

    One of the other interesting monuments is the unfinished Baara Kaman or the 12 arches. It was kicked off by the son of Ali Adil Shah II, but was never completed as he was killed before its completion. It is believed that the construction was stopped by his father fearing that the structure could eclipse the Gol Gumbaz.

    Another monument of interest is the Ibrahim Rouza built as a mausoleum for Ibrahim Adil Shah and his wife. It consists of a beautiful structure along with a mosque.

    One of the more recent hindu structures of Bijapur or Vijaypura is the Shiva statue at the Shivagiri park. It is one of the largest Shiva statues in India and was inaugurated in 2006.

    The other pit stops include a visit to the popular Khaanavali restaurants of North Karnataka that are prominent in the Jowar belt of the state. Sahana talks about Jowar rottis, brinjal curries as well as a variety of other mouth watering dishes from the state.

    Finally we end the trip with a visit to the Shastri market for pulses and spices, one of the biggest markets in Bijapur and some of its popular offerings.

    Some other monuments that could not be covered on the podcast include Asar Mahal, Gagan Mahal to name a few. For a detailed travel guide, please check out Sahana’s article on the blog - https://vacaywork.com/bijapur-travel-guide/

    Links:

    Link to Sahana’’s Instagram:

    https://www.instagram.com/sahana.kulur

    Link to blog post:

    https://vacaywork.com/bijapur-travel-guide/

    Link to website:

    https://vacaywork.com/

    Photo by Sahana Kulur

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    website: http://www.themusafirstories.com

    email: [email protected]

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  • This week, The Musafir Stories speaks with Krishan Insan, a traveller and clean energy professional as he takes us to this lesser known gem of the North East - Tripura!

    Today's destination: Tripura

    Nearest Airport: Agartala Airport (IXA)

    Nearest Railway Station: Udaipur Tripura Train station (UDPU)

    Prerequisites - N/A

    Packing - Good walking shoes for pandal hopping!

    Time of the year - Durga Pujo (October)

    Length of the itinerary: 5 days

    Itinerary Highlights:

    We start off the episode starting with the premise of Krishan’s trip, the geographical orientation as well as access to the third smallest state in India.

    Krishan talks about the background of Durga Pujo, the 10 days of celebration, the significant Bengali influence as well as the variety of pandals that one could visit. The stops during the 5 day itinerary include

    Ujjainta palace and museum

    Heritage park

    Albert Ikka memorial

    Integrated Agartala checkpost (Bangladesh border)

    More pandal hopping in the evenings

    Bengali cuisine, sweets, and pushkas!

    Jampui hills, Betlingchip

    Tripura’s cleanest village, Vanghmun

    Unakoti

    Madarhaat

    Chabimura

    Neer mahal

    Celebrating dashami and pandal hopping

    Links:

    Link to Krishan’s instagram

    https://www.instagram.com/insankg/

    Link to Krishan’s Twitter:

    https://twitter.com/InsanKG

    Photo by PREYAS PATEL on Unsplash

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    website: http://www.themusafirstories.com

    email: [email protected]

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  • This week, The Musafir Stories speaks with Saloni Prasad, curator at the Surat Heritage Project as she talks about the story of Surat, through a fascinating heritage walk!

    Today's destination: Surat

    Nearest Airport: Surat International Airport (STV)

    Nearest Railway Station: Surat Station (ST)

    Prerequisites: N/A

    Packing: Good walking shoes, carry extra water as it can get hot during the day in the summers

    Time of the year: Round the year, check Instagram for details

    Length of the itinerary: 2-3 hours

    Itinerary Highlights:

    We start off the walk by talking about the history and golden era of Surat - a port town on the banks of river Tapi or Tapti. Although Surat has existed for a long time, the documented history seems to suggest important structures being built around the 14th century. The first stop of the walk is the Surat castle or Surat fort, indicating that Surat was once a walled city and is believed to have been built during the time of Gujarat Sultanate in the 16th century by a Turkish governor/general turned associate of the ruler, Khudavand Khan. The remaining structure is now a museum and has several interesting galleries, including a gallery of archives, textiles, pictures, and woodwork among others. From the Surat fort, we move to Andrew’s library, built over 200 years ago during the British rule of the city and is a functional library. Close to the library is the CNI church or Anglican church, one of the oldest churches in the city built in the 1800s. The banks of the river Tapi are in the vicinity and one can walk here to experience the ghats of Surat. We also speak of the first warehouse of the British in India that was built in this region, although the warehouse/factory doesn’t exist anymore but is a marker of an important landmark in Indian history. We also talk briefly about the battle of Swally which is not too far away from here - one of the first battles between the Portuguese and the British forces fighting on the side of the Moguls. Another iconic event that perhaps does have long-lasting repercussions similar to the battle of Plassey. We speak about the Ghanta ovara, custom house and mint house and how a day in the ancient port city would’ve looked like. The next stop is the Mughalsarai, which is currently the office of the SMC or Surat Municipal Corporation. The original building was built as a travel lodge or musafir khana - primarily used as a hostel for pilgrims who would board ships to Mecca. This was built by Jahanara, the eldest daughter of Shah Jahan. The final stop is the tomb of Khudavand Khan, the man who built the Surat Fort - we talk about his origins in Turkey, how he ended up in Surat and what one can see at the tomb. We also discuss the unmissable local street food of Surat as well as the various communities that have made Surat so cosmopolitan. We end the episode discussing some other interesting walks offered by the Surat Heritage project, including walks in Rander, Swally, Dumas, and British and Dutch cemeteries among others.

    Links:

    Link to Surat Heritage Project’s Instagram:

    https://www.instagram.com/surat.heritage.project/

    Link to Saloni’s Instagram:

    https://www.instagram.com/the.turquoise.ink

    Link to website:

    https://www.suratheritage.com/

    Photo by VD Photography on Unsplash

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    website: www.themusafirstories.com

    email: [email protected]

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  • This week, The Musafir Stories speaks with Ila Reddy, a returning guest and listener as she takes us to the ancient kingdoms of Newar.

    Today's destination: Nepal

    Nearest Airport: Tribhuvan International Airport, KTM

    Nearest Railway Station: N/A

    Prerequisites: N/A

    Packing: Pack according to the season

    Time of the year: September - Feb

    Length of the itinerary: 9 days

    Itinerary Highlights:

    Ila takes us overseas as we discover the Newari capitals of Nepal - Patan, Bhaktapur along with other places like Panauti and Bharatpur! Historically, the Nepal valley and adjoining areas made up a confederation known as the Nepal Mandala. Until the 15th century, Bhaktapur was its capital, when two other capitals, Kathmandu and Lalitpur (Patan), were established. The trip was done with the Community Homestay Network (CHN). The Community Homestay Network (CHN) is a social enterprise that supports a network of homestays run by local women and families across Nepal. Their homestay model provides hosts with an additional source of income and the opportunity to meet travelers from around the world, while travelers get a taste of the local way of life. The best part is that 80% of the revenue goes directly to the community and is used for family and household expenses, education, personal development, community activities, and community developmentWe begin the journey by flying into Kathmandu and making our way to Patan/Lalitpur, one of the ancient cities of the Newari kingdom. The Durbar Square is one of the iconic locations of Patan that is made up of a number of temples and provides a view into the wonderful architecture of the region. The prominent temples of Patan Durbar Square include:: Krishna Temple, Royal Palace Patan, Jagannarayan Temple, Keshav Narayan Temple, Char Naarayan Temple, Golden Temple and others. On the east side of the square looms the impressive Ancient Royal Palace, which dates back to the late 1600s. With its red-brick walls, tiered rooftop pavilions and latticed window screens, the palace is a shining example of traditional Nepalese architecture.The next stop is the Golden Temple Also known as Kwa Bahal and Hiranyavarna Mahavihara, this Buddhist monastery takes its English name from the beautiful golden metalwork which adorns its façade. We also speak of the rich traditional food from Nepal - including local candy, thalis, daal and sabzi. The next pitstop is Bharatpur - to experience the life of the Tharu community that lives around the Chitwan national park. Besides the rhinos and mustard fields, the experience is all about the time spent with the community, sampling their way of life, food and celebrations! Ila makes a short trip back to Patan again, which they used as their base camp. In this leg, Ila covers the Paubha painting workshop which she was a part of. The painting is native to Nepal and is similar to the Tibetan Thangka paintings and involves detailing of Hindu mythological figures and deities and Mandalas. Paubha painting is treated as a form of meditation by its practitioners, and mastering the pattern of even a single leaf, wave, or cloud can take weeks.The next stop from Patan is Bhaktapur, another of the capitals of the Valley. Bhaktapur, the "City of Devotees," is also known for Newar traditions, food, and artisans, and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in NepalThe Bhaktapur Durbar Square - is similar to the one in Patan, except that the temples are more massive. There are several smaller squares or chowks and the one with pottery shops was particularly beautiful. Like Patan, the area is best explored on foot and the local mitho doi (similar to Bengali mishti doi, or sweet curd) is a must-try!Ila moves to Panuati after spending time in Bhaktapur - Panauti is a historical city in Nepal, originally it was a small state given by King Bhupatindra Malla as a dowry to his sister. Ila explores a few temples, walked around the market and alleys, and even made a day trip to Namobuddha Monastery, located atop a hill and offering exceptional views of the snow peaks.The final stop is a quick return to Patan where Ila takes part in a Ranjana lippi workshop, the traditional script of the Newari people as well as a quick visit to Kathmandu to visit the Pashupatinath temple and a sound bath meditation!

    Links:

    Link to Ila’s substack:

    https://ilareddy.substack.com/

    Link to blog posts:

    https://ilareddy.substack.com/p/nepal-part1

    https://ilareddy.substack.com/p/nepal-part2

    Link to Community Homestay network:

    https://www.communityhomestay.com/

    Link to Ila’s episode on Nagaland:

    Ep. 110: Headhunters of Nagaland with Ila Reddy The ...Applehttps://podcasts.apple.com › podcast › ep-110-headhu...

    Photo by binaya_photography on Unsplash

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