Indian folk art: Bhil

Bhil art is possibly the oldest form of tribal expression in India. On the contemporary art scene, though, it's been a late starter, having been overshadowed by other forms which, perhaps, got promoted better. Renowned Bhil artists like Bhuri Devi were discovered a few decades ago but despite them being hailed by aficionados internationally, their popularity was restricted to a small audience. The reason the art remains delightfully folkish even as it now begins enjoying the spotlight.

For the record

To an untrained eye Bhil can be confused for Gond, both art forms using near-similar metaphor. But look a little keenly — you don’t need to peer too hard — and you'll realise the marked differences between the two figurative styles.  

With the sort of urban exposure it's received, Gond has refined itself. What’s clearly visible at first glance are the contours in Gond paintings, which are very well defined. For instance, if the paws of a cat are to be shown, these will resemble the actual shape. In a Bhil painting, on the other hand, they will be just an impression.

In-filling the motif is a very prominent aspect of both forms. Bhils use only dots in all colours and these can be scattered or drawn in neat formation, almost similar to aborigine art. In contrast each Gond artist has evolved a signature filling pattern — dot, dash, round etc — and these are almost-always in the colour black. Furthermore, the art of the Gonds is usually proportionate while the Bhils have an unrestrictive, almost naïve, style.

Continental connection

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“Bhil, Gond, Rathwa are tribes found in the neighbourhood of western Madhya Pradesh and Eastern Gujarat. Their culture and customs have similar basis which gets reflected in the paintings of each of these communities. It's the approach that differs,” says Mamta Sharma, senior manager, Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Limited (Trifed), Ministry of Tribal Affairs. "Quite intriguingly, the similarity of form found in these tribal paintings is noticeable in aboriginal art too. A few seasons back we had held an exhibition of Gond and aborigine art from Australia; it was hard to tell them apart," she avers, bringing the focus back once again to the ongoing debate on how best to explain the parallel connection between two art forms indigenous to two separate continents. Throwing light on this a recent anthropological research suggests that during the great migration particular genetic groups reached Australia via the Gond region in India. It is probable these groups picked up the art form here and took it with them to where they finally settled and developed it into what's today known as aborigine art.

Published in Deccan Herald, Oct 2014 

Harmandar Sahib: Gur Ram Das rakho sarnaee

Hum Avagun Bharae Ek Gun Nahee Amrit Shaad Bikhai Bikh Khaee ||
I am overflowing with negativity; I have no personal value and self-esteem and I keep drowning myself in poisonous thoughts and actions.

Maya Moh Bharam Pai Bhoolae Sut Dhara Sio Preet Lagaee ||
I am attached to materialism and delusion; I am clinging to my children and spouse.

Ik utam Panth Sunio Gur Sangat Tehey Milanth Jam Tras Mittaee ||
I have come to know the most exalted Path of all, is the conscious dialogue between seekers of the Truth, where those seeking to awaken inner light gather. In this company may I remove 
my fear of death.

Ik Ardas Bhaat Keerat Kee, Gur Ram Das Rakho Sarnaee ||4||58||

Keerat the poet offers this one prayer: 

O Guru Ram Das, Save me! Take me into Your Sanctuary! ||4||58||

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMkIwRlmEco


This shabad or hymn is from the Bhaat Baani or verses of bards (www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Bhatts). Some compositions from the Bani are recited every morning at Harmandar Sahib and are known as Swaiye. The term originated from a popular form of poetry used by the Bhaats called 'Swaiya Chhand', which gave their verses a very distinctive musical style (www.discoversikhism.com/sikhs/bhatts_bards). 
Also called Bhaattan de Swaiye, these are recited in turn by a group of sevadars after the arrival of the Guru Granth Sahib to the sanctum sanctorum, and whilst the holy granth is being adorned with poshak or rumalla (covers) in preparation for prakash or opening of the granth for the daily hukumnama. 
Hukumnama  originates from two Persian words hukum, meaning command or order, and namah, meaning letter. In the Sikh tradition, it is now used to refer to the first shabad read during prakash and is considered the guru's order for the day.  
The one accompanying this photo essay has been composed by Bhaat Keerat. It's the last Swaiya and is recited in chorus, the congregation also joining in. 

Amritsar with Chef Vikas Khanna

It’s not everyday that a Michelin-starred restaurant chef takes you on a food trail. So when an opportunity like that comes along what do you do? Quite simply, grab it and grub around. That’s what I did last week along with a motley lot.

The chef in question was Vikas Khanna, the occasion was the launch of his new book Amritsar: Flavours of the Golden City (Roli Books), and the venue, quite appropriately, was his hometown and the food capital of Punjab: Amritsar.

The book is not merely a recipe guide but an ode to his beloved city and the people who shaped who he is today. A celebrity chef, the face of India in New York where he’s the executive chef at Junoon, a popular television host/guest/judge, cookbook(s) writer, documentary film-maker… Vikas Khanna dons many a hat and does so with utmost ease. He resides in America but wears Made in India on his sleeve. A proud Punjabi, he’s as much at home in Manhattan as he is on the streets he took us to, happily posing with whoever came by for a photo-op, praising nondescript cooks for their excellent skills, generously hugging dhaba-owners he had known since childhood and making them swell with pride on being credited for being a part of his evolution. 

Winsome, self-deprecating and modest to a fault, he's almost unbelievable. These are qualities that have endeared him to the masses giving him near-rockstar status. The cynic journo in me felt he skillfully plays to the gallery; perhaps an art he had mastered like his art of cooking. That aside, there's no taking away his accomplishments. In a world of 'pop-up' celebrities he stands among the achievers. Take a bow Vikas Khanna, you have walked the miles and there are many more to go.   

STOP PRESS: Oct 1, 2014: 

"Junoon is graced with FOURTH Michelin star in a row. A huge thank you to all of YOU and big congrats to the entire devoted team of Junoon who worked diligently for this honor."

 – www.facebook.com/VikasKhannaGroup

Also see: amritsar food trail

Amritsar food trail

Clockwise from top left: Emblematically Amritsar... milkman with valtohi or brass milk-can; jalebi at Katra Ahluwalia;the authentic Amritsari kulcha; gulab jamun at Sharma Sweet Shop off Lawrence Road;Rana's fruit cream stall at Lohgarh Road; just-can't-be-missed kesar lassi at Ahuja Milk Bhandar in Dhab Khatikan; batter-coated Amritsari fried fish; peethi-poori at Kanha Sweets on Lawrence Road; and aloo tikki

There’s a popular Punjabi idiom: Tthid naa payayieen rotian te sabay gallan khotiyaan… If there’s no food in the stomach, everything looks fake. Somehow in Amritsar nothing ever looks fake; there’s always something in the stomach here! 

Amritsar is a city where food is passion. Who would know it better than local boy chef Vikas Khanna. ”If you ask anyone in Amritsar, ‘Kithon aa rahe ho… where are you coming from?’ chances are the person will say, ‘Main roti kha ke aa rehan haan…I’ve just had lunch and come’. For us Ambarsaris food reigns supreme,” he says in a matter of fact way as we begin the food trail organised as part of the launch of his new book, Amritsar: Flavours of a Golden City. Later, amiable Balraj Kang, District Tourist Officer, gives us his take on his city. “Adha Amritsar khaan vich mast rehnda hai, adha pakaan vich… half the city is busy in eating the other half in cooking.” 

In a city like that how could we stay away from food for too long. Let’s get on to the tastes we savoured at spots that were the chef’s personal picks. Most were established names, some dating back almost 90 years. Recipes from some of these eateries feature in his book too. 

Our first stop was for an appetizing breakfast consisting of peethi-poori, chhole, aloo launji, gur kara and lassi. The pooris were the piece de resistance. Mini footballs these, their size made most of us feel we wouldn’t go beyond one. But one bite and we couldn’t stop at one. Crisp and flavourful these looked deceptively oil-free! Of the accompaniments, the aloo launji was the tangy surprise. The sweetness of sugar had been blended delightfully with the sourness of tamarind to create this wonderful potato curry worthy of repeats.       

Here’s where:

Kanha Sweets, Lawrence Road

Taste-o-meter: 9/10

The chef had warned us to keep space for his favourite flat gulab jamun available next door. The lot of us arrived at the hole in the wall to be met by Sharmaji, who was busy stirring milk in his gigantic kadhai. The chef presented him with his new book, showering praises on his fare. Cameras buzzed and questions flew but Sharmaji remained unmoved by all the attention; his focus was purely on the milk. To which chef Khanna said, “This is passion! At this moment the man does not care who we are. His only concern is the milk which needs his top priority. A newbie chef would have rushed for a photo-op with me, but not him. He is totally involved. And that’s the first lesson for success in any profession.” 
Here’s where: 
Sharma Sweet House, Off Lawrence Road

Taste-o-meter: 7.5/10

Post the morning food session we proceeded for a heritage walk. Having burnt a few calories and sweated suitably under a blazing noon sun we were ready for another tryst with taste. It was time for lassi at one of the most popular places in town. Looking at the size of the glass, like most others in the group, I asked for the quantity to be reduced to one-third. No sooner than had we gulped it down that we were asking for refills. It was the best I had ever had. The kesar lassi gets my top vote. I tasted the masala paneer too, and relished its melt-in the-mouth texture. I got some packed for home and blissfully it survived the heat and dust.  

Here’s where:

Ahuja Milk Bhandar, Dhab Khatikan

Taste-o-meter: 9/10

This is one place our group missed visiting. But it should definitely be on the list of anyone coming into Amritsar. Maqbool Road’s kulcha-wala Sardarji is a legend and his stuffed kulcha is truly “all-India fames”, as his board once said before it was corrected to “Famous”!  Now there is no board, I hear. He ain’t in need of any. The Sardarji consistently gets his kulcha right and is known to shut shop, a true-blue roadside eatery, as soon as his kneaded flour gets over, which could be as soon as 3 pm. So…

Right click on image to see
published version

The test of a perfect kulcha lies in its crackle: once it’s out of the tandoor and on to your plate (glazed with a tempting dollop of butter) all you need to do is hold it in your hand and lightly crush it. If it gives a crackling sound you’ve got an ace, if not, another address needs to be tried. In flavour it should be flaky, crisp and moist. Besides the dough mix and the low-fire  tandoor that gives it its distinct flavour, it’s also the gheou (ghee) that does the trick. Nothing succeeds like ghee and it’s not for nothing they say in these parts of the country: Sau daaroo tey ek gheou... Despite a hundred medicines, nothing can match the value of desi ghee. 

Here’s where:

Kulchawala, Maqbool Road

Taste-o-meter: 9.5/10
* I will also recommend the stuffed kulcha served at Holiday Inn, Amritsar (www.ihg.com), where I stayed. It was a winner in all respects. Once I had tasted it, everything else on the buffet ceased to exist.   

Our evening raid began on a snacky note with papdi-chat, aloo-tikki, bhel etc. The place was the popular Brijwasi Chat on Cooper Road. I found the stuff here below par, the aloo tikki being the only redeeming item. This joint gets my thumbs down.

Soon it was time for some kukad-shukad, meat te machhi. Though locals have a lot of personal favourites for tandoori chicken, keema naan and Amritsari fish, these neighbours are popular spots.   

Here’s where (on Majitha Road):  

Beera Chicken House

Taste-o-meter: 8/10

Makhan Fish

Taste-o-meter: 7.5/10

Prepared in a wooden balti 

We had eaten, actually seen, enough fare for a day. By the time we reached the fruit  cream stalls it was around 10 pm and we were quite satiated. The genial Balraj Singh insisted on us trying out this “different stuff”. How different  could good ol’ fruit cream be? Oh! It surely was. Another one-of-its-kind of Amritsar. It was not the fruit cream I had grown up eating at the Army messes. Nor was it the kind Grandpa liked Granny to make when he had his buddies over. It was, as Balraj ji said, “different”. And delicious. A nutty fruit cream, stuffed as it was with nuts, cashews most, and no banana (as most glow-signs in the vicinity mentioned), it was delicately sweet, lightly creamy and had a crunch in every bite. It was prepared the way the old-style balti-ice cream was, and magically, despite it being whisked pure cream, one never felt that unsavoury hint of milk-fat sticking to the palate. 
Here’s where:

Rana (fruit cream), Lohgarh Road

Taste-o-meter: 9.5/10

The trip was on an invitation by Roli Books and Punjab Heritage & Tourism Promotion Board 

BBC Good FOOD India: Malopolska

Eat like a local 
Malopolska
From artisan cheese to home-brewed liquor, it is all about the good life in this southern Polish region

In a picturesque pocket of Poland lies the sparkling region of Malopolska. A mosaic of quaint villages, Renaissance towns, lavish palaces, towering castles, rich forests, the alpine Tatra mountains and the fertile Vistula valley, so complete is it in itself that it’s often called Little Poland. A mix of diverse geography and rich history is found on its platters that are always served with cheer.

Hearty, unfussy and infused with natural flavours and colours, the strength of Małopolska cuisine lies in using fresh ingredients. Meals are centered around sour or cream-enriched soups and stews (Bigos or Hunter’s Stew is considered the national dish); a selection of breads; braised, cured or roasted meats; pickled vegetables and fruity desserts. Cooking owes it tastes to root vegetables as well as mild spices, particularly marjoram, caraway, dill and poppy seeds. A remarkable variety of kielbasa or sausages (lisiecka is considered culinary perfection), smoked or fresh, spice up the fare. When paired with home-brewed traditional Polish vodka, beer or fruit wines, these are perfect accompaniments for ‘Na Zdrowie’ or raising a toast.  

Quintessentially, ingredients from the fields and forests go into the pans, are cooked with love and relished together by the family. Every meal is a celebration, and endearingly, despite winds of change, like in India, babka (granny) nostalgia is evoked when conversation veers around food. Almost anyone you meet will have their favourite babka recipes to share. It’s no wonder then that one of the most-loved yeast cakes across Poland is simply called ‘Babka’.

The day’s main repast is obiad or dinner and it’s eaten anytime between 12 noon and 4 pm. If it is later than that it’s obiadokolacja or ‘lunchsupper’. In between there’s drugie sniadanie or second breakfast. A leisurely obiad is usually a three-course affair, and  favourites mains include kaczka z jablkami (baked duck with apples and cranberry sauce), kotlet schabowy (breaded pork cutlet) and golabki (cabbage leaves stuffed with a meat and rice). Freshwater fish as trout or salmon are enjoyed too.    

The trade in Baltic amber and salt — from its mines of Wieliczka and Bochnia — particularly enriched Malopolska with assorted culinary customs, one of these was the dumpling that’s now the Polish favourite pierogi. Each region has its version and Malopolska is famed for the classic Pierogi Ruskie that’s simply filled with potato, onion and cheese. It can be a snack or meal in itself. Never steamed (“that’s Chinese”, you are told), these half-moons are always boiled and garnished with a sprinkling of fried onions or browned breadcrumbs, chives and sour cream. Some do prefer it fried.

One of its cousin is the tiny uszka, Polish for 'little ears', that’s prepared with wild mushrooms. These are eaten dunked into the traditional barszcz, a ruby-red complexioned beetroot sour soup. Each season packs pierogi with different stuffing. Summer menus especially offer a variety of fruit fillings, from strawberries and cherries to forest blueberries and orchard-fresh apples. Traditionally, the rolled-out dough is cut into circles using a glass tumbler and whether its star-hotels or farmer homes, everyone adheres to that age-old custom. The singular is pierog, but rarely used, for you can’t just eat one.

Flavoursome soups and wholegrain breads are table regulars and often both use a common ingredient: rye flour. Sour soups are a Slavic tradition, and of the appetizing Zurek it’s said, there are as many recipes as there are homes in Poland. What they all agree on, however, is its homemade sourdough starter zakwas prepared with fermented rye flour. Zurek is often called 'yesterday's menu soup' as a whole lot of raw leftovers are tossed in along with fresh biala kielbasa or white sausage, garlic and mushrooms. Commercially always served in an arresting bread bowl, it’s a lightly tart, creamy-textured soup. An optional sliced hard-boiled egg in it is a treat to the eyes and palate.

Malopolska’s cuisine remains incomplete without the mention of the scenic highlands of Podhale, in the Tatra foothills of the Carpathian Mountain. This is the region that produces the distinct spindle-shaped oscypek, a smoked sheep-milk cheese. Every Tatran worth his cheese will definitely have it on the kitchen shelves, and a grilled oscypek is as gourmet as it gets. Over the years, the cylindrical golka, made with cow's milk, the sour and nutty tasting sheep-milk bundz and the soft, pungent bryndza cheese have gained in reputation.

The celebrated culinary traditions of the Austro-Hungarian Empire have had an enormous influence on Malopolska as has Jewish cooking. So along with strudel, schnitzel, gingerbread and torte, the holiszki as golabki, latkes as placki ziemniaczane or potato pancake etc have also become a part of its repertoire. Borrowing from the French is noticeable too, especially in the all-time-favourite kremowka. This is flavoured creme patissiere between two layers of puff-pastry and, interestingly, has become part of a neo-legend. In 1999, during a trip back home to Wadowice, near Krakow, Pope John Paul II mentioned being fond of it. Overnight the dessert got re-branded ‘kremowka papieska’ or ‘papal cream cake’.  

Though most Malopolska foodstuff has reached department stores there is nothing quite like tasting it in its place of origin, the original way.

 Click here to read complete piece and recipes of 

1 Barszcz Czysty Czerwony

2 Placki Ziemniaczane

3 Pierogi ruskie

4Traditional Polish piernik

Published in BBC Good Food India, September 2014  

Section: eat away

Hotel Review: Park Plaza, Zirakpur

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India Today Travel Plus, Sept 2014

                                                                                  
Other reads at:  http://indiatoday.intoday.in/author/Brinda-Suri/1.html

Zindagi channel: Airwaves of change

Still from Pakistani TV series Zindagi Gulzar Hai which aired on channel Zindagi, taking viewers on a cross-border soap sojourn

Doing the once unthinkable, a new channel beams Pakistani serials directly to Indian homes and finds an enthusiastic following for its slick productions

“How many Indian fans are watching Zindagi Gulzar Hai (ZGH) across the border?” is a question posted on the Facebook page of the serial, which ranks amongst the all-time hits on Pakistan television.
Rajat Chhabra was one of those Indians who watched it and wanted to share his feedback: “Fan from India! Really a mesmerising, fantastic show. Great story. Superb acting. Fabulous cast! What Indian TV shows can’t express in thousands of episodes, they did it in 26! Hats off! May you make more like these. Good work!” What Chhabra perhaps didn’t expect was the gushing response to his comment from fans on the other side of the LOC — within 24 hours over 1,650 would like his post and 121 would comment on it. And Chhabra was not the only one who replied to the poser — 5,850 others did too, besides the 91,540 who ‘liked’ the question.
If numbers tell a story, this is the narrative of an India-Pakistan connect, courtesy Zindagi. A general entertainment channel from Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL), Zindagi is the first of its kind, exclusively broadcasting content from Pakistan. Going by initial reports, Zee has pulled off a coup of sorts.
Read on: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/features/blink/watch/airwaves-of-change/article6224294.ece

(Published in BLink on July 18, 2014)

Hotel Review: The Khyber Himalayan Resort

Spa...licious

White luxury in Gulmarg

Snowflakes playfully twirl outside my window. They seem akin to little artists at work and it’s mesmerising seeing them paint the landscape white. I’m watching this poetry in motion from a room filled with the subtle fragrance of essential oils.

The capable hands of a massage therapist are gently easing the knots in my body. She’s been diligently at work, and the almond firming paste scrub I’ve opted for promises to leave me sparkling. Sparkle or not, I’m immersed in the twin pleasures of spa and snowfall in this wellness wing with a view at a hotel in Gulmarg. It seems surreal.

Has the thought of a stimulating spa therapy amidst snow-clad mountains been your idea of indulgence? Think no further and head to Gulmarg, in the alluring Kashmir valley, to fulfil this cherished desire. What’s more, you can still make a quick dash and return refreshed, for though the summer winds have started heating up the country, here snow is still cladding the hills ice-cream white and regaling visitors.

Many firsts
Of Kashmir it’s said, if you have seen it once you’ve not seen it all. Every season has its own colours. In spring, almond and cherry trees are laden with dainty pink or white flowers, myriad wild blossoms as well as cultivated lavender colour the vistas in summer, and come autumn the chinars begin turning auburn while the saffron fields become lilac. Finally arrives winter and dresses it all in regal white.

That is when Gulmarg too takes on a new hue. The name of the town literally means meadow (or marg from the Persian tern margh) of flowers (gul). Snow erases that meaning, as it softly but scintillatingly goes about its business of texturing the alpine town all white. This is the time skiers descend from around the world to glide down its perfect powder-snow slopes. Tourists also rush in to build the mandatory snowman, excitedly fire snowballs at each other, go snowboarding and enjoy being shoved around on sledges or speeding on snow-scooters. I’m doing neither. Rejuvenation is my only agenda.

Snow and more 

It’s still snowing when I walk out from the spa, the almond scrub having worked its magic on me. I plan to soak in the outside from the warm interiors of the aesthetically-designed chaikash, the tea lounge, and settle myself near the window with a steaming hot cup of fragrant kahwa. Other guests have the same idea and soon there is quite a crowd in raptures over what they are witnessing. Enthusiasm at viewing a fairy-tale setting prompts comparisons with foreign locales and conversation gets peppered with star destinations from around the world.

All that comes to a hush when a foreign traveller, who’s returned from a successful ski outing, zealously announces, “Gulmarg is incomparable!” Everyone tunes into his ode to the town and they feel quite pleased on being at the right place at the right time. Some guests corroborate what he says about the region’s beauty with their own stunning experiences of visiting Mt Apharwat Peak (13,780 ft) that’s connected to Gulmarg via the Gondola or cable car, which reportedly is the highest and longest in Asia.

The cable car is one of the biggest attractions of Gulmarg and tourists have the option of taking a ride up to the first stage, Kongdoori, or going further — almost up above the world — to Apharwat, the second and final level. Apart from the breathtaking views at the summit, it’s known for the 1.5-km trek to the frozen Alpather Lake, something that’s for the adventurous alone.

I’m charmed by Gulmarg. It’s small and beautiful. And complete. It has always been recognised as the winter capital of India. In summers, it’s a golfing haven with its century-old golf club boasting of the longest course in the country. Its newest attribute, the all-weather spa, has ensured it’s become a wellness destination too.

Factfile:

Getting here: Daily flights from all metros to Srinagar (65 km/2 hrs from Gulmarg)  

Stay: The Khyber (www.khyberhotels.com)

Activities: Ride in the cable car, hiking, golf 

Must eat/drink: Kehwa, Gushtaba (meat balls in curd curry), haak (aromatic local spinach)

Published in Deccan Herald

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/404045/archives.php

ANANDPUR SAHIB, Punjab

  It's a city robed in white. It looks pristine and true to its name, blissful

ANANDPUR SAHIB torpidly sprawls in the foothills of the Shivalik range. The green of the indigenous kikar provides a painterly contrast to the white structures and the almost-always clear blue skies. In between this mosaic, the Sutlej River meanders through, en route her long journey to reunite with the great Indus.

It was here, over 300 years ago, when Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth guru of the Sikhs, founded the Khalsa brotherhood. Ever since, the town has been an important pilgrimage site for the community, with Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib—one of the five temporal seats of the Sikhs—and over 40 gurudwaras drawing the faithful. On festivals, especially Holla Mohalla (March) and Vaisakhi (April), when the turnout is colossal, its labyrinthine lanes become a riot of colour and exuberance fills the air. It’s a quiet, bucolic town offering uncharted trails for hiking, over 150 bird calls to identify, a non-touristy farm life to experience, voluntary service at the langar, and indulgence in simple pleasures of picnicking by the crystal clear waters of the canals.

In recent times the Virast-e-Khalsa, a museum dedicated to Sikh history has become the town’s big draw. In a landscape replete with white arches and domes, its stainless steel-sandstone architecture and the dramatic silhouette it forms, evoke awe. Open through the week except Monday, the audio-visual presentations are remarkable and a detailed tour takes about two hours on agile feet. Entry is free.

Around town, the Shaktipeeth Naina Devi in Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh, is an enjoyable 22 km uphill drive. There’s also the option of reaching it by cable car and getting a chance to admire the panoramic view of the undulating terrain with terraced fields and exclaiming at the spectacular cobalt blue water of the Gobind Sagar reservoir as it steadily comes into sight from amidst the folds of the hills. This truly is a sight to behold.

The other magnet, 33 km away, is the “New temple of resurgent India”, the Bhakra Dam. One of the highest straight gravity dams in the world, this engineering marvel stirs a sense of pride while the scenic beauty around it is worth capturing on the lens. Though photography is not permitted, this will remain an everlasting frame for the mind’s eye as will the blissful white of Anandpur Sahib.

Getting there: 

Road: Connected with Delhi (320 appx km/ 6 hrs) via NH 1 and Chandigarh (85 km/1.5 hrs) via NH 21. Route: Delhi-Ambala-Banur-Kharar-Ropar-Anandpur Sahib 

 Train: Una Janshatabdi (12057) via Chandigarh. Departure New Delhi 14:35, Arrival 20:58           Himachal Express (14553) via Ropar. Departure Delhi 22:15 Arrival 06:11    

 Stay: Kisan Haveli (01887-232650/670)

 Shop: Knick-knacks from the various colourful stalls around the gurdwaras 

Published April 2014, India Today Travel Plus 

Other reads at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/author/Brinda-Suri/1.html

Wieliczka Salt Mine, Poland

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Indian folk art: Kawad kahani

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Published Jan 2014