The historical city of Nemawar in the state of Madhya Pradesh situated on the banks of the holy river of Narmada is a treasure trove of heritage, art, culture and spirituality. Nemawar or Naabhipura as it used to be known was a famous commercial centre during the Mahabharat era. The kings who ruled over this... Continue Reading →
Patal Bhuvaneshwar Cave, Pithoragarh District, Uttarakhand
“This awesome cave is believed to be as old as earth itself.” – is the first line of the inscription outside the temple summing up the history of the mysterious Patal Bhuvaneshwar Cave situated in the village of Bhuvaneshwar in Pithoragarh district in Dev Bhoomi Uttarakhand. The second line of the inscription runs thus, “It... Continue Reading →
Bhimkund, Bajna Village, Chhatarpur District, Madhya Pradesh
The ancient Bhimkund located near Bajna village in Chhatarpur district in Madhya Pradesh has flummoxed geologists, marine biologists and pretty much anyone with scientific leanings but has captured the hearts of the devout. Also popularly known as Narad Kund or Neel Kund, this unique body of water with its astonishingly vibrant blue hue is believed... Continue Reading →
Kolhapur Jaggery of Maharashtra
Since the 18th century, Maharashtra has been well-known for its extensive jaggery production business, so much so that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj came up with the ingenious idea to establish the first market yard of jaggery to fulfil all its requirements and services. Kolhapur district located in the western part of Maharashtra has been widely accepted... Continue Reading →
Memang Narang of Meghalaya
Meghalaya, famous for its rich and diverse flora and fauna is home to one of the rarest wild Indian orange species called Memang narang that is found only in Garo Hills. This wild orange was discovered by accident in the Nokrek National Park in the West Garo Hills which led to the park being recognized... Continue Reading →
Bangalore Rose Onion of Karnataka
Bangalore rose onion or gulabi eerulli as it known locally is a unique variety of onion that is found only in and around Bangalore in the state of Karnataka. This particular rose onion is exclusively grown for the export market in one of the 16 taluks or districts of Bengaluru urban, Bengaluru rural, Kolar and Chikkaballapur in about 5,000... Continue Reading →
Gupteshwar Cave Temple, Koraput District, Odisha
It has been widely accepted by historians that Lord Rama along with Sita Mata and Lakshmana lived in the picturesque Dandakaranya during His exile, a part of which has been identified as the thick forest area of Koraput district in Odisha. According to legend, it was Lord Rama who stumbled upon this ancient swayambhu (self-manifested)... Continue Reading →
Gupteshwar Mahadev Temple, Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh
The famous Gupteshwar Mahadev temple at Rustampur village on the Indore - Icchapur highway is deemed extremely sacrosanct and draws a large number of devotees every year. This divine temple is in Khandwa which is the legendary Khandava forest area previously known as Khar Dushan that holds immense religious, historical and spiritual significance. Historians... Continue Reading →
Sikkim’s Dalle Khursani – One of the world’s spiciest chillies
Sikkim has built up a rather formidable reputation for its superior organic farming methods and perhaps, this is the reason why the quality of indigenous vegetables, spices and fruits are undisputedly the best. One of the most famous produce of Sikkim is Dalle Khursani. Dalle Khursani is a red hot cherry pepper grown widely in... Continue Reading →
Sikkim Large Cardamom
Large cardamom or bada elaichi is an exotic ancient spice and medicinal herb prized for its complex aroma grown across the Eastern Himalayan region that includes Sikkim, the Darjeeling Hills in West Bengal and Arunachal Pradesh. The crop is believed to have first been cultivated by the indigenous Lepcha tribe who used to collect the large cardamom... Continue Reading →
Assam Karbi Anglong Ginger
The picturesque hilly district of Karbi Anglong is one of the leading ginger producing belts of Assam that is fast gaining importance in both the domestic and international markets for its superior quality organic ginger. More than 30 percent of Karbi Anglong district is a dense tropical forest cover on hills and plains. The district is... Continue Reading →
Mawjymbuin Cave, Mawsynram, Meghalaya
The famous Mawjymbuin cave in Mawsynram village in the state of Meghalaya is nestled in the East Khasi Hills in the picturesque background of lush greenery, steep slopes and stunning waterfalls. This cave holds great geological importance and is a real adventure thrill for nature lovers, historians as well as spiritualists. The star attraction... Continue Reading →
Kutwar, Madhya Pradesh – The birthplace of Daanveer Karna
Daanveer Karna, undisputedly the most generous and large-hearted man who has ever walked this earth and whose unwavering loyalty and friendship to Duryodhana will be remembered for ages to come is believed to have been born in Kutwar in Madhya Pradesh. Kutwar also known as Kuntalpur in Morena district of Madhya Pradesh on the banks... Continue Reading →
Krem Puri, Laitsohum Village, Mawsynram, East Khasi Hills District, Meghalaya
Meghalaya (Abode of the clouds), known for its abundant exotic flora and fauna is home to many complex cave systems underneath its hills. There are about an estimated 1,650 caves and cave locations in Meghalaya alone of which only about 1,000 have been either explored partially or wholly. Official records say that Meghalaya has about... Continue Reading →
Tripura Queen Pineapple
The beautiful hilly North eastern state of Tripura is said to derive its name from the Goddess of the State, Shree Tripurasundari. Though Tripura was famous in the late 1800s to early 1900s for its aromatic tea, it has now gained universal recognition for its wide range of exotic subtropical and tropical fruits and vegetables.... Continue Reading →
Khasi Mandarin of Meghalaya
Commonly called ‘The King of Oranges’ and ‘pride of Meghalaya’, the renowned Khasi Mandarin of Meghalaya has bagged one of the coveted positions in the world’s first food atlas. The North eastern state of Meghalaya is considered to be one of the richest biodiversity hotspots of the world and known for its exotic flora and... Continue Reading →
Kachai Lemon of Manipur
The exotic Kachai Champra or Kachai lemon commonly known as the ‘pride of Manipur’ is found only in the remote village of Kachai in the Ukhrul district in the North eastern state of Manipur. This village is the highest producer of lemon in Manipur and one may wonder, what makes this lemon so striking? ... Continue Reading →
Bharthari Caves, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh
The ancient city of Ujjain or Ujjayini as it was known is steeped in history, culture, art, music and literature. This heritage city is home to some of the greatest writers ever to have walked this earth. One of those literary geniuses is Raja Bharthari, an eminent scholar of religion and ethics. Raja Bharthari was... Continue Reading →
Caves at Jambuvanti, Ranavav, Gujarat
The supremely sacrosanct Jambavant cave or Jambuvant ki gufa located in Ranavav in Porbandar district is one of the most historical places in Gujarat. This beautiful ancient cave which is on the Panchadwaraka path is the resting place of Chiranjeevi Jambavan who had the rare opportunity to not only witness the divine Kurma avatar of Lord... Continue Reading →
Bavka Shiva Temple, Dahod, Gujarat
The ancient Shiva temple in the remote village of Bavka in Dahod district in Gujarat is popularly known as the 'Khajuraho of Gujarat'. This absolutely stunning temple that stands on a small hill near Hirlav lake in ruins was probably one of the most spectacular temples built in the Solanki era (or the Chaulukya dynasty... Continue Reading →
Mahabaleshwar Strawberry of Maharashtra
Mahabaleshwar, an idyllic summer getaway for the Bombay province during the British Raj was formally introduced to the English strawberries in the 1920s. This delectable red fruit called the Australian strawberry grown by the British in their gardens was looked upon by locals with great curiosity who were clueless about their taste and just intrigued... Continue Reading →
Devanahalli Pomello of Karnataka
Bablimas or chakota or chakotara is probably coming from this word called pampa limāsu or from pamplemousse (in French) which means big citrus. The origin however of the more commonly used term of pomelo is unknown. As such, pomelo is loosely associated with grapefruit and though the Devanahalli pomello shares a deep historic ancestry with the grapefruit, it succeeds in creating its own unique... Continue Reading →
Bhalia Wheat of Gujarat
Locals say that Bhalia wheat that is largely cultivated in Bhal region of Gujarat derives its name from the Sanskrit word bhalah meaning forehead suggestive of the flatness of this region like one's forehead. As bizarre as that may sound, the land is indeed extremely flat with barely any change in landscape or any sort of... Continue Reading →
Praacheena Pandeshwar Temple and Karna Temple, Hastinapur
Hastinapur (City of elephants) in the state of Uttar Pradesh is one of the most significant places of history, culture, heritage, spirituality, knowledge and wisdom in the world. This ancient city was the capital of the Kuru kingdom of the Kauravas and it was here that the seeds were sown for the unimaginable carnage witnessed... Continue Reading →