Blog

Rajasthan has long been a favourite destination within India, and it continues to remain so. Most first visits to the sub-continent are not complete without a visit to the iconic Taj Mahal, India’s capital Delhi, and the pink city of Jaipur. The recent introduction of balloon flights in Rajasthan now allows visitors to experience some well known sights from a completely new perspective.

In June this year one of the rarest astronomical events in our universe will occur, a transit of Venus, when the planet passes directly between Earth and the Sun. 

My first contact with India was over 70 years ago when, as a 14 years old schoolboy, I was evacuated with hundreds of others to join our parents working in India, Calcutta in our case, the Raj capital until 1912. A committee of 'Burra Sahibs' rapidly formed a war-time school to cope with this influx, naed the New School, Calcutta and Darjeeling, aka Harrow on the Hoogly.

 India has an immense road network, with a vivid array of sights, sounds and smells. From creaking oxen carts to buzzing ‘auto-rickshaws’, brightly decorated trucks to flash modern cars, and bustling markets to new, shiny shopping arcades – the variety is endless. And what better way to experience it than by travelling on these roads yourself?

Directly reflecting the nation’s booming economy, India’s roads have been changing at a frantic pace over the past decade, with many narrow single tracks being replaced by dual-carriageways, and new roads appearing where there was previously nothing but barren land. But no matter how smooth the road may be, there is always an adventure out there!

Tonight (BBC2) the BBC's 'Natural World - Tiger Dynasty' continues to follow Baghani, as the tigress adapts to her new home in Sariska National Park, after being relocated from Ranthambore.

Sariska is about 5 hours drive from Delhi near Alwar, which has an Aman Resort. Sariska itself has Sariska Palace, which was the most popular place to stay, including for our clients, when the names Sariska and Ranthambore were usually uttered in the same breadth, as names synonymous with tiger havens. The number of tigers started declining, in both parks but more so in Sariska due to environmental factors as well as poaching.

Republic Day commemorates the Indian Constitution which was officially sanctioned three years after Independence back in 1947. It is celebrated throughout the country and most especially in the capital, Delhi. 

The great parade includes military personnel, camels and horses, and the showcasing of India's advanced arsenal. There is a fly-past and aerial manoeuvres by the Indian Air Force. 

More good news for Burma. The European Union is now in the process of reviewing sanctions against Myanmar to encourage signs of reform initiated by the nominally civilian government following decades of military rule.

Author David Abram reminiscences about his first taste of Holi, India’s vibrant spring festival. 

One of the great things about India, at least from a first-time visitor’s point of view, is the regularity with which you’re confronted by the unexpected, or inexplicable. Sometimes these little novelties can come in the form of pleasant surprises. Sometimes they’re frustrating. And sometimes, India can seem just plain surreal.

Soon after getting off the boat we walked as fast as we could towards the camp to distance ourselves from the boat. 

About 150 meters into our walk we saw about 30 wild boar feeding in the shallows. Alongside were a herd of sambar, about 10 and 4 Fawns. Leopard pug marks, presumably female, heading in the opposite direction. Lots of bear scat and diggings. 

A visit to the office from C-3PO, George Lucas’ much loved shiny gold robot from Star Wars aka Anthony Daniels, definitely raised the mood, pulse and ‘midichlorian’ levels of the TransIndus team yesterday.