History – Page 2 – An Indian Bureaucrat's Diary

Travel India Kodaikanal – the Gift of the Forest

Kodaikanal The Tamil word Kodaikanal which means ‘Gift of the Forest’ aptly describes this quaint, little, hill station. No other name could describe this place better! Nestling deep amidst thick forests, Kodaikanal is a unique hill station where you would… Read more ›

February 22, 2008 6 Comments

Binoy Gupta

Forests, Hill Stations, History, Lakes and Waterfalls, Nature, Travel India

boating, forest, hill station, india, kodaikanal, lake

Thanjavur – the most magnificent temple of India

Thanjavur The most magnificent temple in India Thanjavur (or Tanjore) is a small town in South India. It has more than 74 temples. But it is famous for the imposing Brihadeshwar Temple – the grandest and most magnificent temple in… Read more ›

February 22, 2008 8 Comments

Binoy Gupta

Culture, History, Temples and Pilgrimage, Travel India

brihadeshwar temple, india travel, tanjavur, thanjavur

Travel India Ranthambore – the land of the Tiger

An Amalgam of Antiquity and Nature How about a vacation under the shadows of one of the oldest fort in India – with tigers for company at breakfast and tea ? Ranthambore is the place I selected. History The magnificent… Read more ›

February 22, 2008 3 Comments

Binoy Gupta

Forests, Hill Stations, History, national parks, Nature, Palaces and Forts, Travel India, Wildlife

indian tiger, national park, rajput, ranthambore, ranthambore fort, ranthambore tiger, tiger

Travel India Yercaud – Lake amidst the Forests

Misnamed the Poor Man’s Ooty The coffee is not an indigenous plant. Where did it came from? Coffee was introduced into Yercaud from Arabia in the 1920s by Mr. M. D. Cockburn, then Collector of Salem. Yercaud is a small… Read more ›

February 22, 2008 8 Comments

Binoy Gupta

Food, Forests, Hill Stations, History, Lakes and Waterfalls, Travel India

coffee, hill station, hill station india, india, ooty, yercaud

Aihole, Badami and Pattadakal – cradle of Chalukyan Architecture

Aihole, Badami and Pattadakal The Chalukyan Temple Architecture WHO designed the first Hindu temples? Who constructed them? Where were they built? What were they made of? Why did successive rulers make them more and more magnificent? These are some interesting… Read more ›

February 22, 2008 7 Comments

Binoy Gupta

History, Temples and Pilgrimage, Travel India

aihole, Architecture, badami, chalukya, History, india, pattadakal, south india temple, temple

Travel India Goa – the land of the sun, sand and feni

Goa The Old Portugese Settlement Goa is a dream world of fun, frolic and leizure – rolling stretches of silver sands, wonderful golden beaches and waving palm trees.

February 22, 2008 4 Comments

Binoy Gupta

Adventure Sports, Cities, History, Islands and Beaches, Nature, Spices, Travel India, Wildlife

beach, feni, fort, goa, sand, sea, spice garden, sun, vacation

Travel India Lonavala and Khandala

The most popular week end get aways from Mumbai Lonavala and Khandala are two twin hill stations in Maharashtra eight kilometres from each other. They are just over a hundred kilometres from Mumbai (Bombay). The National Highway No. 4… Read more ›

February 22, 2008 18 Comments

Binoy Gupta

Caves, Forests, Hill Stations, History, Lakes and Waterfalls, Travel India

hill station, india, khandala, lonavala, vacation, waterfall, weekend, weekend getaway

Tirupati – Lord of Seven Hills

Tirupati Abode of Lord Venkateswara The temple of Lord Venkateswara, Lord of the Seven Hills, in Tirumala, commonly called Tirupati, is the richest and most revered temple in India. It is located amidst picturesque surroundings – 860 metres above sea… Read more ›

February 22, 2008 4 Comments

Binoy Gupta

History, Nature, Temples and Pilgrimage, Travel India

india, richest temple, tirumala, tirupati, tirupati temple, venkateswara

Belur and Halebid – Unique Temples

Belur & Halebid A must-see for all students of architecture, history and fine arts I have visited numerous temples in India. But the temples of Belur and Halebid built by the Hoysala kings are unique.

February 22, 2008 10 Comments

Binoy Gupta

History, Temples and Pilgrimage, Travel India

belur, halebid, hoysala, india, pilgrimage, south india, temple

Travel India Elephanta Caves

The World Heritage Site nearest to Mumbai The Elephanta Caves contain the most striking collection of rock-art statues, sculptures and reliefs panels in India. They contain the most exquisite works of art skillfully hewn out of basaltic mountains. They are… Read more ›

February 16, 2008 8 Comments

Binoy Gupta

Architecture, Caves, Forests, History, Travel India, World Heritagae

Caves, elephanta, elephanta caves, ellora, mumbai, world heritage

Varanasi

Oldest living City in the World Varanasi (also called Benares) is the oldest living city in the world. I lived and worked in Varanasi for two years, but that was over 25 years ago. After that, I have visited Varanasi… Read more ›

February 13, 2008 9 Comments

Binoy Gupta

Architecture, History, Lakes and Waterfalls, Temples and Pilgrimage, Travel India

banaras, banares, benares, ganga, ganges, holy, pilgrimage, temple, varanasi

Calcutta (Kolkata)

a mixture of the old British Raj and modern India Calcutta has given four Nobel laureates to the world – Ronald Ross, Rabindranath Tagore, Mother Teresa and Amartya Sen. I had my entire schooling and college education in this city.… Read more ›

February 9, 2008 7 Comments

Binoy Gupta

Architecture, Cities, History, Travel India

british raj, calcutta, ganges, kolkata, mother teresa, rabindranath tagore

Share the life time experiences of a retired Indian Bureaucrat relating to travel and nature

Category Archives: History

Categories

Archive

Travel India Kodaikanal – the Gift of the Forest

Thanjavur – the most magnificent temple of India

Travel India Ranthambore – the land of the Tiger

Travel India Yercaud – Lake amidst the Forests

Aihole, Badami and Pattadakal – cradle of Chalukyan Architecture

Travel India Goa – the land of the sun, sand and feni

Travel India Lonavala and Khandala

Tirupati – Lord of Seven Hills

Belur and Halebid – Unique Temples

Travel India Elephanta Caves

Varanasi

Calcutta (Kolkata)