Pallivasal in Idukki district of Kerela

A small Roman Catholic church nestled among the hills and tea gardens, which is in a secluded place just 10 mins walking from the Attukad Waterfall in the small village named Pallivasal in Idukki district of Kerela.

During my visit I could just find one person who is from the same village; his name was Jo. Wasn't that great in his English but however I could make out he was saying been visiting this church for 11 years now daily twice, once early morning and his second visit is around late evening when actually we both were there at the church at the same time 5.30 pm.

360-degree view of the amazing place

Roman Catholic Church

Fathima Matha Church

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Part V | Time-lapse Video | Drive | Phuntsholing to Paro | Bhutan

This is the ‘Last’ of 'Five' series Time-lapse video of drive to Paro from Phuntsholing, Bhutan

Start of Time-lapse: Paro Town, Paro Gewog, Paro - Thimpu Highway

End of Time-lapse: View Point Lodge, Taktsang, Paro Gewog

Date of Journey - 15.August.2018

Duration of video - 00:45

We start for our final touch down to the final destination which was the View Point Lodge located opposite to the Taktsang Resort on the road Taktsang road.

The sun was shining down into its twilight as the time was around 4:00 - 4.15 pm as we start leaving the Paro township and drove through the outskirts of Paro town.

In our 8 kms trip we stopped twice in-between to take running school kids who wanted the lift to the next village. Both groups were school going students returning back home after eventful day at school as per the quick chats we had in the short trip.

Finally reached the View Point Lodge booked via Airbnb however the room allotted '304' had no view at all. Though the room and the furniture provided wasn’t bad but this room didn’t do at all the justice to the name of the homestay; it had a small parking space view.

After a discussion with owner of the property and on request he spoke to his family and friends. He finally fixed me up at a decent hotel in the middle of the Paro city, Hotel Phunsum with a fantastic view of the Paro valley.

While getting dropped to that particular hotel; I saw a sublime ‘Rainbow’ which I actually was telling to myself last day or that day morning before entering Bhutan that it’s been quite sometime I saw a ‘Rainbow’. And finally I did!!

(This video doesn’t have the Rainbow view)

Background Score Credits: Lonesome avenue - the 126ers

Part IV | Time-lapse Video | Drive | Phuntsholing to Paro | Bhutan

This is the ‘Fourth’ of 'Five' series Time-lapse video of drive to Paro from Phuntsholing, Bhutan

Start of Time-lapse: Chuzom Bridge, Paro Gewog, Paro - Thimpu Highway End of Time-lapse: Paro Town, Paro Gewog, Paro - Thimpu Highway Date of Journey - 15.August.2018 Duration of video - 02:19 We started after a short pit stop break from the Chuzom Bridge at around 3:00 in the afternoon. The sun rays were directly falling on the windshield giving a good view of the distant mountains graded out in heavy greyish colour clouds. As we cross the 00:50 sec mark in the video the outskirts of Paro and traditional style houses, SUV foreign vehicles, small & big road side shops and buildings are started to be seen. Airport of Bhutan is also situated at Paro just 5 kms before the city and one of the passenger did get down at north of Paro airport. The rest of the two passengers got down at in the main Paro Town near the taxi stand. Pema; the driver enquired from the locals near the Bharat Petroleum Pump about my location of homestay. After some enquiry he came to know that the homestay / lodge is on the Taktsang Road, which is another 8 kms away from the Paro city. Strangely this homestay (View Point Lodge), which I had booked via Airbnb didn’t had this properly listed on Google Maps. Background Score Credits: Tibet - HOVATOFF

Part III | Time-lapse Video | Drive | Phuntsholing to Paro | Bhutan

This is the ‘Third’ of 'Five' series Time-lapse video of drive to Paro from Phuntsholing, Bhutan

Start of Time-lapse: Sirupa Chu (River) - River Bridge, Bunakha, Chukha District, Phuntsholing - Thimpu Highway End of Time-lapse: Chuzom Bridge, Paro Gewog, Paro - Thimpu Highway Date of Journey - 15.August.2018 Duration of video - 02:13 I kept moving closer to my destination and the sunshine was a good omen to things to come in the next couple of days; with my Taktsang Monastery (Tiger Nest Trek) planned for the next day on 16th August 2018. As the driver continued to drive very skilfully tackling each of the curves as he have taken millions of trips on this road at normal speed of 40-50 km/hr; I started initiate talks with the driver and my fellow co-passengers, till that time they were speaking in their local language ‘Dzongkha’. The drivers name was Puma Wangchuk who was a native of Phuntsholing town who told me he generally stays in Paro overnight and next day he would again take passengers from the taxi stand of Paro and return back by evening to his home. Usually makes 3 - 4 such trips in a week. The general charge for one way trip is 650/- ngultrum per passenger and in a trip he can take 4 total passengers as per the allowed limit. The other three passengers who were sitting in the back seat were also Bhutanese; one of them with whom I had pretty interesting discussions who was working in the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, Bhutan Government. He did ask me if the videos which I am making; will I put them on YouTube? As we continued talking in mix of English, Hindi and Nepalese; we crossed Chukha Dzongkhag (District) and entered into Paro Gewog traveling via - Bunakha, Chapcha and taking the next stop at Chuzom, at which three roads divert. (This part of the video ends) The straight road goes to Thimpu, capital of Bhutan which is 30 kms. Crossing the bridge and taking left would take us to Haa (another beautiful valley of Bhutan) 78 kms from the bridge. Paro was on to the right and driving the vehicle towards Paro; we stopped our vehicle on my request to capture some photographs and rejuvenate my old memories at this mystical place. In the next part of the video we reach Paro Town which is just 25 kms from Chuzom Bridge. It takes 45 minutes generally to cover however in my time-lapse video we will cover that trip in 02:18 mins. Background Score Credits: Vacation Uke - ALBIS

Celebrating the Wangala Festival in Meghalaya's Garo Hills

In October, I put on magic shoes and travelled to Tura, in the Garo Hills of Meghalaya, to celebrate Wangala aka the Hundred Drums Festival. A celebration of the annual crop harvest and the charming way of life in the northeastern Himalayas, Wangala sees the coming together of tribal groups to pay ode to their chief divinity, the Sun god.

People young and old dress in their colorful garments and do'me 

People young and old dress in their colorful garments and do'me (feathered headgear) and dance to music played on long, oval-shaped drums; one of the grandest fiestas for the folks of Meghalaya.

Thanking the tribal gods

The Nokhma (village chief, centre) takes part in the thanksgiving rituals

The Wangala begins with Rugala, a ceremony in which thanks is given to seek communion with the tribal god Misi-Saaljong. The Garo people depend on agro-economy and don’t use any agricultural products before thanking the god of fertility. The Nokhma (chief of the village) takes part in every rite and ritual of the ceremony.

Melodies from buffalo horns

Buffalo horn turned traditional flute

Since the time music and dancing found a place on earth, they have become a way of life for the tribal Garo people. At Wangala, they perform the Katta Doka (talking in a sing-song voice), Ajea, Dani Doka (describing Wangala in songs), Chambil Mesaa and the Pomelo Dance. The indigenous songs sung by the ladies are known as Ahaiya, in which they exchange views and ideas, and express love and gratitude towards their neighbours. What stands out among instruments like flutes, drums, gongs and nagatik, is the melody of ancient flutes made from buffalo horns.

Dancing inspired from wagtails

Wagtail-inspired dance

Believe it or not,  the Wangala dance is inspired by the wagtail bird! The musical instruments imitate sounds the wind makes when it blows through bamboo holes and rustles the leaves of aromatic plants, while the Garo women folk gesture and clap.

To the beat of 100 drums

Hundred drums and music

A group of 30 dancers with ten drums form a contingent, and come together as a whopping 300 dancers with hundred drums (hence the name Hundred Drums Festival). The Hundred Drum dance is held on the last day, with women and men dressed in their traditional attires. The dancers and drummers sing, play, sway, make music and celebrate in one grand ritual.

Making merry with home-brewed rice beer

Wangala festivities

Preparations for the Wangala festival take place well in advance, starting with the collection of various local foods. Locally home-brewed rice beer is an integral part of the ceremony, both for locals and as an offering to outsiders attending the festival. What better way to make merry the way the locals do?

VLog:

Rendezvous at Khanna Village in Mori, Uttarkashi

Khanna is a small village of total 40-50 Households in Mori block of Uttarkashi district with around 30 families living at present. This village is tucked away in north west part of Govind Pashu VIhar National Park and Sanctuary. To reach to this destination, its takes 2-3 hours drive to reach from Mori. The village in on the Daula - Jakha road and people have to get down at Doni to reach to this village. From Doni its another 1 hour walking where one has to cross a river and then start a uphill climb for 30-40 minutes to reach to this village.

Village of Khanna has total 30 - 40 households

As you reach the village you one can have the first glimpses of the village temple and a tremendous view of the Rupin River flowing below followed by it which will certainly freshen you up and the tiredness of climbing up will go away.

 

Village Temple will greet you at the entrance of village

View of River Rupin flowing

The village has no electricity and people are using solar powered setups for their electricity needs. This village was effected during the 2013 Uttarkashi Disaster with landslides coming from top of the mountains destroyed their semi-pacca houses. As informed by Sarpanch of the village Smt. Gyan Mala Devi, many families of the village has received the compensation under the Uttrakhand Disaster Recovery Project. There is only one school near Khanna where all the children go for studies. PS Khanna school located in Doni was established in 1989 however till now this school has classes till 5th Standard only. Most of the locals living here depend on local vegetation including fruits and vegetables. All the families have their farms on top of the cliff which is another 2 hours walking from the village. We rather choose not to go ahead and stop at the village itself.

Sunil Singh is student of PS Khanna School

The temperature through the year is pleasant with winters a bit chilly and occasional snowfall in the months of December-January are common. As the evening was setting in the chillness in the air could be felt. The Sarpanch of the village and her family were a little bit concerned that we would be returning the same day to Mori as the sun was already started going down.

So without much of delay we started our dissent which is much easier than climbing up. We could reach to our vehicle parked at Doni by 6.00 pm and were back to Mori by 9.00 pm.