While Western world civilizations from the Mayans to the Norse predict the end of the world in this century, our eastern roots urge us to look at every death as a rebirth, every misstep as a step in a new direction, every end as a new beginning. In a year where the world precariously draws on hope as it crawls out of the vortex of recession, perhaps the lesson should be not to grasp those things that are without, but those things that are within. Pause – to imbibe the scent of the forest floor. [image: forest walks…
Let your life lightly dance on the edges of Time like dew on the tip of a leaf. – Rabindranath Tagore The Girls from Guwhati… One of the first things I learnt from our hosts in Guwahati (the capital of Assam) was the words Lahi Lahi, which signifies a slow pace of life. Guwahati was our gateway to the North East of India and Papori, a native of Assam, and her sister became not only our hosts but baptized us in the ways of the North East. Papori’s sister fed us a sumptuous meal of local delicacies at…
“We gonna run run run To the cities of the future Take what we can and bring it back homeSo take me down to the cities of the future Everybody’s happy and I feel at home” – Lyrics: Cities of the Future – Infected Mushroom One only has to touch down in India at any major gateway (and some not so major ones) to know that things have taken a step up since the last century. India’s new airports are no longer just functional points of entry where you can get your passport stamped – but at the same time…
“Only when you drink from the river of silence, shall you indeed sing. And when you have reached the mountain-top, then you shall begin to climb. And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance.” – Khalil Gibran Music Makes Us Smile! In the far reaches of Ladakh’s outdoors, one hears…the Indus and the Zanskar dribbling over pebbly riverbeds, the wind whisper and howl alternatively through the crevices in the Transhimalaya, and the bird song. Soft, incessant tweets that rent the air with symphonies so sweet, they move grown men to tears. But if you move…
Jodhpur: Beyond the pale in the Blue City The whole experience was wonderful, stimulating and very exciting! Travel Scope did a great job in making all the arrangements and we would definitely recommend this trip to our friends! Nancy Schapiro and Gerald Portnoy There is a stark strength to Jodhpur. The city stands as the last frontier – coexisting with the sand-dunes of the Thar Desert. A walk through the marketplace, Jodhpur Perhaps it’s the muscle of Meherangarh Fort which towers protectively over the skyline. Or the sprawling handsomeness of Umaid Bhawan Palace, whose dome is a landmark for miles…
Initiation to yoga The word ‘Yoga’ is derived from ‘Yuj’ which simply means to unify or to join. Hence yoga is defined as ‘union’ i.e. union of the individual self with the cosmic self. In more comprehensive terms yoga denotes the techniques that lead to harmony between the inner self and its external environment, between thought and action, between the world and individual. For the diligent follower, Yoga offers simple tools that allows the seeker to attain and maintain a healthy body and when internalized also a healthy mind and a healthy attitude. Besides holistic health, yoga also facilitates the…
Moments of Epiphany: Bombay/ Mumbai – The City of Dreams Mumbai skyline Each destination was interesting and exciting – something new to experience! From outstanding services and attention to detail, our itinerary was perfect. The transfer services and airport representatives were greatly helpful, as were the calls from Praveen. Harsh took us to areas of Mumbai unseen by most. His knowledge and enthusiasm, his warmth are outstanding! We can’t wait to plan our next trip and are glad to be working with Travel Scope. Herbert and Ellen Mayer As a tribute to the recent award won by Travel Scope from…
“Itmenaan Estate was one of the most enjoyable highlights of the trip! We loved being out in the countryside, hiking the hills, observing the rural life, and visiting with the villagers. The view from the lodging was just beautiful, especially the last morning, which dawned clear with a magnificent view of the snow-capped Himalayas. We were the only guests and felt like queens–six staff attending to our needs and serving us delicious food. The Manager, Pujan was terrific. This was our third custom journey and we found them all to be terrific – very well-planned and executed; great itineraries, and…
It has been 6 years since Travel Scope has been promoting the Uthralikkavu Pooram Festival celebrated annually in the small town of Wadakancherry in Central Kerala. It’s a festival that is much smaller in scale compared to the other Poorams but being smaller and practically unknown makes it an intimate experience for our clients. The involvement of the maternal side of my family in organizing this trip adds special privileges to our guests who come from as far as USA, Australia, and Europe. Having missed the festival last year, I was eager to get back this year to be a…
The Satpura National Park includes the highest, least explored peaks of central India and harbors a unique range of wildlife, flora and fauna that include species, some of which are only found in the Western Himalayas or the Western Ghats. With a rugged terrain consisting of sandstone peaks, narrow gorges, ravines and dense forests it has of the finest tiger habitats in India. Material things have their place in our lives. We could enjoy a movie, have a great meal, purchase a new mobile phone or buy new pair of shoes. But with time technology, fashion, food, and everything else…