Kolkata is an old soul. It knows everything. She knows when to love when to celebrate when to accept bandh, when to get serious and when to not. Kolkata opens wide arms to strangers. This city is rich in heritage and full of interesting places spread in every corner of the city. Kolkata balances her personal and professional life like a pro. She has her breakdown moments too, but when Kolkata gets up, no one shines like her. She is unconquerable. Kolkata was always called Kolkata in Bengali — derived from the name of one of the three villages said to have become the modern city of Kolkata. But the British called it Calcutta. Wherever you go in Kolkata, you will hear stories of the old days.
At the festival, Durga puja, play Jenga with your emotions. Chatim phooler gandho works like a spell on your mind. Pizza, pasta, and continental become things from different planets, vaat, daal, rui kalia, khashir mangsho,chaltar chutney become things you crave, along with Chinese cuisine. I know I added Chinese to the Bengali cuisine list because chow-min and chilly chicken are very much Bengali. no debate on this topic.
We save money for Durga Puja. Celebrate the festival forgetting all the tension about the future. As a Kolkatans, the 5 days are meant to be enjoyed. This is our birthright. Like adda, gossiping, jhari mara, on Satyajit Roy, Rabindranath, gorer math. Sons and daughters are expected to fly down to Kolkata, even from hell. “Pujoy bari asbi nah, ma durga swargo theke morte baper bari chole alo, tui asbi nah”. This is our “abdar” and we are allowed to be spoiled. And this feels so good, this feels so right.
In today’s apartment culture, we hardly know each other. While taking the same elevator ride, we look at the other person and try to remember “in which floor this person lives?” “have I seen this person?” “Is he eligible for my smile?”. Scenarios changes in Durga Puja. It gives a colorful sun-glass without any lens. We all are people who can feel the drum beats inside our veins 24/7- “dhikki chikki dhikki chikki”. We invite friends, and relatives from outside, ” Tumi Durga Puja dekho ni, Durga pujoy chole aso Kolkatay. Thakar chinta ki, amar bari ache toh”.
The whole city becomes a joint family, a single home. We will hear random people giving you knowledge about when to visit which puja mandap to avoid the crowd. Our “hi”, and “hello” changes to “pujoy kota jama holo”, “Pujoy ki plan”, “Pujoy kolkatay toh”…
Durga Puja is a festival that brings everyone together. Every year, it comes back to remind people of the same lesson. And Kolkata knows this, that’s why she will cherish, welcome, and flourish Durga Puja to the world as her inherited proud symbol.
A little village named Jumbur near Gir in the heart of Gujrat In India. Jambur is 24 km south of Sasan Gir. Actually, this village is called an African village in India. The people who live here, are of African descent but they speak the Gujarati and Hindi languages in daily life. We see many places on the planet whose traditions, culture, and language may not match that of the country. Even though Sierra Leone is a West African country, its official language is Bengali. Because in recognition of the contribution of Bangladeshi peacekeepers in the country’s civil war. Anyway, as soon as you enter this Jambur village in Gujrat it may seem as if you have entered an African city. But the demeanor of the people living here is Indian.
The people living in this village called Siddi People are originally known as Habshis. The locals call this village Siddhi village. They are the direct descendants of the Bantu Tribe of the African Great Lake region. According to history, most of the Siddhi People were brought as slaves by the Portuguese from Southeast Africa to give the Nawab of Junagadh as Present. Over time they settled in India, mainly Gujarat, Karnataka, Hyderabad, and Goa. But most Siddi people started living in this Jambur village in Gujarat. Islam was the common religion for them, many of them embraced the new belief and adapted to the environment here. As per local lore, a long time ago a ship loaded with African slaves came to the port of Gujarat and when those Africans landed they saw the lion of Gir and they thought they reached Africa. But it became a shock for them.
The Siddhi Peoples still hold their African unique culture. The Siddi community strictly married themselves, so their genes did not mix with the local Indian people. That is why they are still able to retain their unique African look. They have been living here for so long and have taken Gujarati customs as their tradition. They have almost forgotten their ancestral traditions. But they are trying to keep their few Bantu traditions preserved. They have been practicing their traditional Goma Music and that dance form. And their dance style is still the same as the African dance style. The most interesting thing is that Siddhi People have maintained their African clothing fashion trend even from India. They wear colorful and bright clothes in their daily life. They maintain a unique balance of Indian culture and African culture in their simple life.
One of the great things about travel is that it gives you the eye and time to find out good stories and good kind people all over. Do you remember the Vicks advertisement – Mother, daughter, hostel? No problem, if you don’t, I will help you to remember the heart-touching story. And this love story proves that love has saved humankind.
Today I am sharing with you Gauri’s story. Gauri Sawant adopted a little girl named Gayatri in 2008 when she was just 5 years old after Gayatri’s mother died of AIDS. She is a good human being and a courageous mother who also works as a social activist. Gauri Sawant born Ganesh Sawant adopted her daughter even though it is illegal for transgender people to adopt children. Yes, You read it right, she is transgender. She is beyond your rules, my rules, society’s rules, except love.
Gauri says “Motherhood is beyond gender. Motherhood is a behavior”
Gauri Sawant is a transgender activist from Mumbai. She is the director of Sakshi Char Chowghi which helps transgender and HIV/AIDS patients. She has started an old age home for transgender people called Nani ka Ghar, meaning Grandmother’s Home, where old transgender people will take care of sex workers’ children.
Sawant, left her family at an early age to come to Bombay. While working at an NGO, Gauri came across her daughter, Gayatri. Gayatri had been orphaned in 2001 when her mother died.
The child’s grandmother was going to sell her into slavery when Gauri met her. She decided to adopt her, and since then the two have shared a very close mother-daughter bond. Gauri is the first transgender woman to have made her way into motherhood. According to her, “There’s no gender in being a mother”. Gayatri is now studying to be a doctor and lives in a hostel. Gauri’s inspiring story came to the forefront when Vicks portrayed her journey with Gayatri in an ad that has since its release been watched 1 crore times. She was featured in that Ad by Vicks too.
Gauri breaks orthodox traditions and stereotypes prevented in her country. She is full of life, confident, and above all very loving human being. Her house is full of colleagues who adore her, and whom she has made feel safe. It is not easy to be a Gauri Sawant. I mean, having such a broad mind, modern thoughts, and a simplistic approach to life is tough. We can only talk about it and claim to have all these. But that’s what society needs more, that’s what Gayatris need more. She challenged the norm that parenting is only for married couples or male/ female genders. May she inspire her story and make more humans like her.
Rishikesh is a small town in Uttarakhand and one of the most spiritual places in India. On your Rishikesh trip, this place offers lots of things to do. Over the past few years, Rishikesh has been an important destination for tourists from all over the world. Spiritual seekers from around the world travel to the birthplace of yoga to experience spirituality and authentic ancient Indian culture. Located on the banks of the holy river Ganges in the foothills of the Himalayas, Rishikesh is most famous for being the ‘Yoga Capital of the World’.
If you want to travel somewhere, you have to do something according to the specialty of that place. In this blog, I will share some things about Rishikesh. When you come to Rishikesh, you can enjoy the journey of Rishikesh through these top must-do things. And Of course, let me know by commenting on this blog if you have any new information about Rishikesh.
1. Take A Walk
Take A Walk
Take a walk along the banks of river Ganga from Lakshman Jhula to Ram Jhula Bridge. Although a little crowded, this walking experience is very impeccable. During this walk, you will see colorful wall paintings on various walls across Rishikesh. And it’s impossible to come back without taking pictures of those wall paintings. Besides the graffiti, the beautiful Himalayan range would offer you a great experience for a lifetime. It is impossible to forget the breathtaking view.
2. Sit On The Ghats
Sit On The Ghat
I recommend in the morning but you can choose your own time to sit on the ghats. The architecture of all the Rishikesh ghats is very old. All the ghats of Rishikesh have different types of rituals throughout the day. The feeling of sitting on the banks of an ancient river in an ancient city of India is really worth full. The two famous ghats of Rishikesh are Tribeni and Parmarth. Tribeni Ghat is famous for the confluence of three sacred rivers- Ganga, Jamuna, and Saraswati. As per the documents submitted by the Harayana government in the recent case, around 6000 years ago the Saraswati river disappeared due to tectonic disturbances, impacting its tributaries. But as per popular belief, the river is alive and flowing underground.
I never used to be alone in ghats. Strays, and puppies used to come and play with me. I love animals. If you love them too, then you will be showered by their unconditional love.
3. Experience Authentic Yoga
Hey, If you are in Rishikesh, then you are in the Yoga Capital of the world. So just experience it. This ancient place is the hub of many renowned yoga schools and meditation centers. You can take a yoga retreat program or yoga teacher training for in-depth knowledge of yoga and add a spiritual experience to your journey.
Never miss this colorful Ganga Arati on the Triveni Ghat. Ganga Aarti is an event held every evening on the banks of the river Ganga at Rishikesh, Varanasi, and Haridwar. Lots of people come from different places to witness this Aarti. Be sure to get there early to get a great seat because it’s something you don’t want to miss. It is a view, you can never forget. In front of the river, so many lamps may show you the divine presence.
If you are looking for some adventure sports then Rishikesh is the only perfect destination. As Rishikesh is the adventure capital of India, you will not be disappointed to do any adventure here. If you are a true adventure seeker, activities like river rafting, cliff jumping, and bungee jumping will be on your list. If you want to go river rafting you can go to any booking spot and book river rafting for that day. But if you want to do bungee jumping, you have to take your booking several days in advance. There are also many shops in Rishikesh which can book various adventure sports for you. So add some memorable adventure to your Rishikesh trip.
6. Visit The Beatles Ashram
Beatles Ashram
There are many ashrams in Rishikesh. But Beatles Ashram adds another dimension of importance to the map of Rishikesh. Beatles Ashram is also known as Chaurasi Kutia. It is located on the east bank of the river Ganges. It was a training center for students of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi from 1960 to 1970, who developed the transcendental meditation technique. In the year 1968, The Beatles visited the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Ashram for transcendental meditation. It really put Rishikesh on the map. Then this Chaurasi Kutia ashram became the Beatles Ashram popular with the whole world. Nowadays the ashram is abandoned but it is still an interesting place to visit. Also, this place is very popular for photography.
If you like the jungle, if you like animals, then in no way you should miss the jungle safari of Rajaji National Park. Lots of deer, elephants, and tigers can be seen on the 2 hours jeep safari of Rajaji National Park. There are plenty of counters in Rishikesh Market from where you can book Jeep Safari of Rajaji National Park. In My personal opinion, rather than going to a zoo to see animals in captivity, going on a jungle safari, and seeing them in the open jungle is much more thrilling.
8. Don’t Miss the Cafe With View
The unique natural beauty of Rishikesh is one of the reasons why people from all over the world come to visit. There is nothing more relaxing than grabbing a coffee/ chai or delicious food at one of the many cafes and just taking in the breathtaking scenery. There are many good small and cozy cafes all over Rishikesh. Some of my favorite cafes are Ganga view cafe, Freedom Cafe, and LittleBudha cafe.
Please Note Being a holy city, alcohol and non-vegetarian food are banned in Rishikesh.
Rishikesh may hit differently to different people. I have shared mine. And it is very important to know your side of the story too. There can’t be anything worth sharing your own experience. So here I am, waiting for your comments. So that next time I re-visit Rishikesh I can see the place with a new lens. Share your things-to-do experience.
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Travel documentaries highlight the travel history of the traveler. Also if you are looking for inspiration for your next trip, these travel documentaries will help you undoubtedly to be more knowledgeable. Travel documents make it easier for people to get to know new places and also new cultures. My Favorite Best Travel Documentaries- I have compiled a list of outstanding travel documentaries that you can watch on Netflix, Youtube, and also other OTT platforms. So at this time enjoy your virtual travel.
List Of My 9 Best Travel Documentaries
Salt Of The Earth
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Sebastiao Salgado, a Brazilian photojournalist, spent 40 years on his travel documentaries. He captures some group of unknown people in South America, Africa, and Central Europe and the results are compelling. He portrayed the painful lives of those groups of people through documentaries. As well as this Oscar-nominated 2014 documentary has been highly acclaimed all over the world. This is one of the best travel documentaries I have watched.
The magical Andes resembles a virtual tour of the royal Andes Mountains in South America. The Spanish documentary features a unique story of five characters who share a deep love of nature and also mountains. This six-part docu-series clearly showcases the landscape of the region and the ever-changing lives of the people who live there.
Dark Tourist- The Travel series explores Dark Tourism. Presenter journalist David Ferrier travel to many shady places of the world. And he mainly focuses on that area of travel, known as dark tourism, in this docuseries. The series is also a wild ride that depicts bizarre tourist traps and unsociable things. This is one of the most unique Netflix travel documentaries.
Watch it for exciting travel documentaries. As well as gritty traveling, and the proper technique devised before pulling off such endeavors. 80 Degree South is an assimilation of the memorable journey undertaken by Jeff while recreating the epic tour pulled off by Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins during their road trip in 1968. Jeff’s journey was also more adventurous as he chose to surf, sail, and climb before finally making it to Chile.
Two people running through the coasts and ghats of South India, driving one of the lightest vehicles, making it a spectacular sight. Hit The Road is one of the most interesting travel documentaries. Recognized by Lonely Planet as one of the best travel documentaries of 2012, this film is a story of two friends participating in a rickshaw rally from Chennai to Mumbai spanning 12 days also covering over 2000 km. Yes, as well as they had to suffer plenty of breakdowns along the way.
You can watch this documentary on Epic Tv App
Children of the Snow Land
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This multi-award-winning film follows young people making a long and emotional trek back to their homes in the mountain villages of the Himalayas. Children of the Snow Land is a 2017 Nepalese English feature documentary film directed by Zara Balfour, and Marcus Stephenson. Also, The documentary has won Best Documentary at the Victoria Film Festival and London Independent Film Festival.
Baraka, also known as one of the best travel documentaries of all time, is a non-narrative documentary of a kaleidoscopic retreat with various hymns of nature and its impact on different cultures. From the cacophonic mantras of hundreds of monks assembled for a cosmic sacrifice to the frantic slaps of the whole village, the documentary highlights the phenomena of nature and how it forms the core of different cultures.
For some, climbing the world’s highest mountains is a lifelong achievement. For Nepali mountaineer Nirmal “Nims” Purja, the new Netflix documentary film 14 Picks, Nothing is Impossible is going to be a good season to climb in all of them. Purja also sets a goal – which he calls “project possible” – to climb 14 peaks (more than 8,000 meters high) in a single mountaineering season. This is one of the absolutely stunning mountain-based travel documentaries.
Travel Docu-series, Tales by Light, is full of moving portraits, panoramic imagery, live music, and also philosophical narratives for exploring the natural world through various photographers and filmmakers. As well as it has unseen footage from unique angles.
Yes, I know Travel is an amazing thing. Now is the time to stay at home and explore the world within your own thoughts. Traveling is now a little restricted for all because of the pandemic situation. Yet many travelers are traveling to different places. And I’m sure those traveling now, are following all the safety rules for their trip to keep them and others safe. Most people like to travel but do not want to, during this epidemic time. But they are using their travel-hungry minds for travel in various ways while staying in the house. Traveling is vast like an ocean. There are different ways we can gain knowledge from travel.
Reading books or travel magazines are perfect to learn more about traveling from home. Many travelers around the world have their own personal blogs, and by reading them you can learn a lot of amazing things about your next trip, from their experiences. So through Google and YouTube videos, you can take a tour of your favorite destination or location. When your mind is open then you can go anywhere you like. Connect with relatives and friends and take a download of their stories. There are many ways, but I have noted very few here. Find your way of travel.
2: WatchTravel Documentary
Documentaries have the power to educate. The documentary film is an in-depth and informative resource that makes our travels much more knowledgeable. There are many good travel-related documentaries around the world. Which is very helpful to know about world travel. It is easily available on Netflix, Amazon, YouTube, or different OTT platforms. I will share some amazing documentary names –
Encounters at the end of the world, Mountain, Woodstock, Tawai A voice from the forest, Children of the snow land.
Nowadays travel vlogging is a very trendy thing. The complete travel story of any traveler is recorded in their vlogging. Vlogging has become a big trend followed by many travelers who go to new places, explore the subtleties of the destination and offer tips and tricks to help fellow travelers.
4: Discover Hidden Places
Indian ancient city
Discovering is always knowledgeable things. When we are on the road, we like to see the main attractions of that place. Places are hidden because of a lack of awareness (you don’t know they’re there) or access. Every place has some hidden places except the main places or attractions. It could be a new place, a new village, a new restaurant where normal people are rarely gone. Discover such hidden places before heading to the next destination.
It’s good to be prepared for an emergency or minor injury. If you suddenly need medical attention But if there is no hospital or doctor available in the area then we have to take care of our own injuries with basic first aid. There are many first aid courses online that we can take in our free time from home.
6: Have A Workout/ Yoga
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Workouts and yoga are important not only for traveling but this is very important for our healthy living. So we always need to know some freehand workout or yoga that even if we can your trip, we can take our time and do it for our healthy lifestyle.
Without music is a bit of a hassle for me when traveling. The music of your phone or iPad gives you the best company on any long journey. While at home you collect your best amazing travel music which will become your next best travel companion.
8: Learn A Language
Learning a new language is a great idea. The language there is different when we want to go somewhere outside our country. So if we can learn the basics of the language of that country in advance, So traveling there becomes a bit easier for us. Google Translator can help us learn the language in this case.
We can’t say travel gear is just packing clothes and luggage. Different travel gear is needed in different places. Gear like shoes, accessories, anything, and everything that might be necessary for traveling and staying at a place. For example, travel insurance, electronics gear, photography gear, hygiene essentials, explorations, safety essentials, etc which help make a trip perfect.
Write your own travel experience as an article or blog. Writing a travelogue is to take the reader to a new place. When done well, it can even inspire others to explore, experience new things, and gain an appreciation for different cultures. So start your amazing travel experience through your writing.
The long-distance train journey is like a movie to me. Lots of people, lots of characters, lots of places, lots of small incidents & crazy sounds in a journey make a train journey very memorable. Once upon a time, people used to travel the country on foot or in bullock carts. At that time travel meant a pilgrimage or to a relative’s house. With the invention of the train, travel gets its speed and people get their frequency. The train is an affordable medium for people to travel all around. The biggest advantage of a train journey is the space which gives added comfort to the journey. As the train crosses different stations, and different places travelers get to experience different cultures.
Train windows are pieces of the open world. If you want to go far away by train, the train window is the only big thing to pass the time. Through that window, every moment the scene in front of your eyes is changing. The best thing is that you get to see different people and their mundane life. To me, this window of the train is an open book. Every moment we have to learn something new as the train leaves the city, village, river, and moves towards its destination.
This is the most interesting part of a train journey to see different kinds of people. The different attitudes and actions of different people are very much seen in the train journey. Sometimes when family members travel together, they make the train cube their own home. Then you find one person for sure who roam around and see others for their entertainment. It’s their favorite time pass. Different vendors from different stations get on the train from time to time and each has a different style of selling their items. The interesting thing for me is the tea sellers of different stations. Their call, pronunciation change at different stations.
Gone – without a ticket. You can’t dare to go without a ticket. However, one of my friend’s fathers used to work for railways. He used to get passes for his two sons. I used to use one of those passes while traveling. There was always a throbbing feeling in my chest. And I used to fear if get to inquire about my father’s name. Their surname is Goswami, mine Ghosh. People may lie about their own name, but there is a dilemma in their mind to lie about their father’s name. Of course, I never caught traveling like that. But once or twice my friends were caught by the ticket checker. They used to make them wait on the platform for long hours. Lastly, make them pay a sum of 100\200 Rs. I don’t know what is the punishment now, or how much the bribe rate has gone up.
There was an intense desire to travel at an early age. I wish I could get out of the house and go somewhere but I didn’t have money then. Going abroad was unimaginable. I used to go around with twenty rupees and twenty-five rupees. Because of my friend and the train pass I got an added wing to my desire.
The advantage of that pass was that the cost of the ticket got saved, and as far as the pass was concerned, one can get off at any station beforehand. I used to drop off my luggage at a station and deposit it in the locker. Then I used to wander around freely, and come to the station at night and sleep in waiting rooms. The hotel cost used to be saved. That’s how I used to roam when I was in college.
But now when I think about it, it seems much better than today’s planned and luxurious travel. Then maybe there was trouble and a friend who would get on the train and say, I forgot to bring my wallet. Everything was done on purpose to save the little pocket money. As a result, two people had to travel on one person’s money. And in the end, it was cool.
Sometimes a day is just for you. Do you believe that? I believe and I feel sometimes a day is designed just for me. And of course, I am the designer for that day. So tell yourself today is my day and love yourself. When we leave our city and travel to another unknown place, those days are almost planned for us. When we travel, we planned what we will do all day, what we will see, and what we will eat. Someone has either instructed us or we have been influenced by someone. Normally most of the time we get influenced by different travel destinations on social media and spend lots of time in such a way. If you get up in the morning and cancel all your plans & schedule and you decide to spend the day on your own, that time is basically your day. One good today is better than two tomorrow.
We love ourselves the most in any given situation. But we tend to believe being well means, being well with our family and loved ones around us. Sometimes while looking after a loved one’s comfort we tend to forget our own comfort. Loving yourself means doing what you love. Eating junk, roaming around with no plan, or going to a new place and sleeping all day in a new room, a new bed in a new atmosphere. Go alone on a date with yourself. Ask yourself and spend a day or two as you like. Be adventurous or just lazing around. Don’t forget your daily dose of self-love, even if it makes you a little selfish, trust me don’t feel guilty, you totally deserve it.
This one day I just did nothing. I woke up in the morning and went to the roof to have tea and my car was supposed to come. I had been fully planning for the whole day. But all of a sudden I saw the weather there and it seemed like I was going to spend the whole day with this Weather. I canceled my car and plan and decided to stay on the roof today. Suddenly someone started giving me company. He is Bagiraa, the pet dog of the Hostel. It seemed to me then that the decision to cancel everything today and sit there was the best. Believe me, I was sitting on the roof from morning till evening. No phone calls, no meetings, no rush to get around, I was far from everything that day. I realized that there is more joy in sitting quietly.
I always like to spend time with animals. wherever I travel, always they join me. They walk along, they also sometimes guide the roads. Dogs never like the concept of “loneliness. That’s why when I was sitting alone, Bagiraa joined to give me company. Playing with dogs or cats, and spending time with them is great for your mental health and healing. That day Bagiraa sat with me quietly and looked at the sky all the time. I was responsible for taking care of Bagiaa that day. We spend a good time together. Our happy hormones made the day special.
I don’t know what is your plan. You will understand best what it is and what you want. Your day doesn’t have to mean or can mean drinking, partying, and socializing. Also, Your time can be a night alone, getting lost in a book or music, a deep conversation, a walk, just sleeping, just eating, playing with animals, or simply doing nothing. Find your best leisure and go for it. Lastly What you do today can improve all your tomorrow.
Bir is known as the paragliding capital of India. There are plenty of places to travel to in India for adventure. Some are famous for bungee jumping, and river rafting. Some are famous for scuba diving. And then there is Bir, famous in India for paragliding. People from all over the world come to India to enjoy these adventures. Paragliding in India has become one of the leading adventure activities in the world for several years. The best and safest destination for paragliding in India is Bir Town in Himachal Pradesh.
Bir and Billing are small villages located about 14km apart in Kangra valley in Himachal Pradesh. Bir is always famous for its natural beauty and Tibetan culture. Billing is popular for its adventure sports. Billing is a paragliding take-off point, which offers panoramic views of the world’s second-highest, 8,000 feet high, valley below. The landing place is in the field west of Bir Chaugan. In the backdrop of the blue sky of the Bir these paragliders fly all the time with colorful wings. There is another name for Bir “Parindo Ke Nagari” ( City Of Birds). Bir is called the paragliding capital in India. In 2015 the paragliding World cup was held in Himachal Pradesh at Bir Billing villages for the first time.
There are many ways to go to the paragliding capital, I mean Bir Billing village. I go from Kolkata to Delhi and plan the rest to go from Delhi to Himachal mainly Bir. From Delhi and Chandigarh, you can reach Bir by Volvo bus or by car.
Delhi to Bir 489 kilometers. Time Take 11 to 12 hrs. There are various overnight buses ( Private and Government) operating from Delhi to Bir. Manju ka Tilla and Kashmeri gate from these two bus stand you will get a bus to Bir. Bus ranges from 1200 to 1400 depending upon the luxury and season.
Chandigarh to Bir is 289 kilometers. You can get a direct bus from Chandigarh ISBT to Bir. Time takes 7hrs by Car or bus. Bus cost around 1000 Rs.
The nearest airport Kangra Airport is 68 kilometers away from Bir town. The time takes 2 to 3 hours by car or bus. But to reach Kangra Airport, you need to go via Delhi Airport.
From Dharamsala and Mecloadganj you can easily reach Bir colony by hiring a car or taking a local bus. It will take 6 to 7 hrs. So what are you waiting for, enjoy your memorable flight in the paragliding capital of India.
Please Note Bir to Billing is 15Km & the time takes 40 minutesby car.
Bir Paragliding Information
Bir and Billing is the safest paragliding site in India. This is the place where India gets the opportunity of the International Paragliding World Cup. All amenities here meet international standards. You will always have a license holder paraglider with you whenever you paraglide. So don’t worry about your smooth landing. Some risks involved with adventure sports. To deal with this, experience rescue teams trained on-site to deal with any unforeseen accidents. The Bir Billing Paragliding adventure starts at Billing where you’ll be at approximately 7,600 feet above the ground. Expect to be in the air for 15 to 30 minutes after which you’ll land at Bir which is 4,300 feet above sea level.
Timing
You cannot paraglide when the region receives rainfall, usually from July to September. Otherwise, paragliding is done here all the time for the rest of the year. The best month is October till mid-December. This time you will see a gorgeous view of the Dhuladhar ranges with clear skies.
You can go paragliding anytime from 7 am in the morning to 6 pm. But people prefer paragliding at sunset. There is only one reason, the sky and the surrounding environment look so beautiful at this time. Many times while paragliding, you have to wait a long time at the take-off point for clear weather.
Don’t need to book online. When you get in Bir, you will find lots of operators in the Tibetian colony bazaar area, who book paragliding and other activities all day long. There are also lots of paragliding instructor information in the hotel or hostel where you will be staying. Call them to book your time and enjoy.
Price
The cost of paragliding in Bir is INR 1800 to 2500. The flight journey time is 15 to 25 minutes. This price including
Bir to Billing transportation (15Km) and video photography. Some people can do 45 minutes of paragliding if they want, in which case the charges become INR 4000.
Please Note There is another still photographer on the landing site. When someone is landing the photographer clicks a lot of your landing pictures. And then sells them 200 Rs for all pictures. But it’s up to you whether you want to buy those pictures or not.
Age & Weight
There is a certain weight limit for paragliding, which is that you have to weigh between 15 kg and 95 kg. If your weight is between 95 kg and 115 kg, then you too can fly, but you have to pay a fee of 500 rupees. Children under the age of 18 will also need parental consent to fly.
Safety Precaution
Always Choo’s license holder and experienced paragliding instructor.
Wear something warm when you go paragliding.
You need sports shoes that fit properly. During takeoff and landing time you need to be running so good shoes will help you.
Avoid carrying too many things. You will be dropped off at another point after you land, so carry just what you need.
Don’t eat heavy food before paragliding.
Don’t panic in the air. Be a team player do as your instructor say and enjoy the thrill in the air.
You can have your solo paragliding experience here. But for that, you have to do a month’s course at the paragliding institute here. And only if they give you a certificate after taking the exam then you can fly solo. Lots of tourists from India go there for about a month only to learn paragliding. The government operates a national paragliding institute with training facilities for domestic and international pilots. So fly solo in the paragliding capital of India.
Please Note– The local police can take a fine of up to 1000 RS for not wearing musk.So wear your mask.
One of my favorite parts about traveling is meeting new people or friends. I would love to say that stranger thing! I prefer to mingle with people than visit historic monuments. No matter how much we travel alone, we get connected with some people somewhere during that journey. Meeting someone for the first time is very exciting for me. And my personal travel experiences taught me that strangers are much more helpful and polite. As we travel, we see changes in the environment, culture, and people in different places. And we will never know about their culture and tradition unless we mix with them.
I have made great connections with different people at different times in different places, including Nagaland,Pondicherry, Sikkim, and Assam, on my nearly one-and-a-half-year journey. Later I may not have had any direct contact with them, but I still feel that emotion when we met first. I can meet you on my next travel?
One afternoon I was waiting at the bus stand in Guwahati to catch a bus to Jorhat at night. Due to travel, I was exhausted, and I fell asleep. The shop where I came to have tea was owned by an Assamese woman. She offered me a cup of tea with some warm concern “did not you sleep last night? Please have it, we will feel better”. More than the tea, her kind words charged me up. Then I told her my travel details, she kept quiet and said “do you want to sleep? There is a room next to my shop where you sleep and rest”. Before I would say yes or no, she told me “don’t worry, it is a clean bed”. I wanted to sleep so I took the offer. When I woke up after two or three hours, she smiled and made me a very good evening snack. She asked me to wait there until my bus arrives. I thanked her, paid for my meal, and headed toward my bus. But she stopped me. She handed me a small packet. The kind woman said “it is your dinner with bread and vegetables.
It’s a simple incident. When I reached Majuli Island in the morning, I needed to go to the toilet badly. I asked some people about the location of the washroom. They showed me a place, but I could not go with my heavy backpack. They were strangers to me, and my bags were stranger things to them. But still, I had no option but to believe them at that moment. In there, I was worried about my backpack, as it had all my important documents and money. I regretted my decision, but when I came out, I found them guarding my belongings. I was so relaxed. They ordered tea for me. It seems that believing in people might be a little difficult, but sometimes we have no choice but to trust strangers, who might give us a lifetime memory to cherish.
Facebook Friend In Jorhat
Social media friend Dipak at Jorhat
In Jorhat, I met my social media friend. When I was in Nagaland through my Facebook profile I got connected with some locals from Jorhat. I had a conversation with a gentleman named Deepak. He lived with his family in Jorhat. Deepak assured me that he would arrange an auto for me from the Jorhat bus stand to Majuli ferry ghat. Early morning I reached the Jorhat bus stand, Deepak called at the same time as the bus arrived. And I saw him waiting for me in an auto-rickshaw. He came to pick me up because his auto driver was late for the day. By profession, he was the staff of a government school there. Deepak gave me a lot of information about Jorhat. We had breakfast together and he dropped me off at the ferry ghat to go to Majuli. I have very little time with Deepak but unforgettable.
The world is full of good people. And in Nagaland, the fact was no different. Before traveling to Nagaland, many people warned me about Nagaland. Their culture, eating, and drinking habit does not match with people like us. But the experience that I had is completely different. In Nagaland, I spent time with a beautiful Naga family. And their whole family helped me tremendously to get around Nagaland and took care of my other things.
As I was touring the Hornbill Festival, I met some young Naga people. And in a short time, they became very close friends. We went out together, sang songs and ate different foods. For the remaining four days I stayed with those new friends at their home in Kohima. They gave me tours in their car to different places in Nagaland. In my last 4 days in Nagaland, they never let me feel that I am not in my own house. And the warmest thing was that they cooked various famous dishes of Nagaland in their home and fed me.
Solo Travel is always fantastic when you meet strangers on your way. The fastest way to make a friend for life is to travel with a stranger. And these things it’s called stranger things.
