Our religious trip from Ludhiana till Chamunda Devi

We had planned our religious trip from Ludhiana till Chamunda Devi. It was indeed a fantastic trip. I am glad it came out well.
We first started from Delhi at 3pm after completing our tasks for the day. We had planned our trip in such a way that we get to rest overnight in Ludhiana while going and coming back. One has an option to halt at Chandigarh also, but since we had our friends and relatives in Ludhiana, we chose the same for our halts.

We reached. Ludhiana around 9pm with three halts on the way. Next morning we started at 10am and reached Chintpurni Mata around 1pm. It being a long weekend, there was huge rush. Since there was parking problem and roads being rough, we decided to park our vehicle on a stand and hired a mini van till Bhawan complex. After Darshan, we moved ahead for another one and a half hours towards Jwala Ji.


There also, we took an auto till Bhawan complex and returned. We had parked our car at the stand. It was a very comfortable journey. By the time we started from Jwala Ji, it was already 5.30 pm. We then started for Kangra Devi and it was quite dark when we reached Kangra. On the way, we saw the confluence of two rivers- Bener river and Majhi river.

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Nidhi KM

Chef Emiliano Di Stefano rejoins Prego , Westin Gurgaon

Prego is one of the famous Italian restaurant in Gurgaon. Its the 'go to' restaurant !!  With good ambiance and service, Prego keeps its bar always high. I went to this restaurant to interact with Chef Emiliano Di Stefano who has rejoined as the Expat Italian Chef De Cuisine at The Westin Gurgaon.
Chef Emiliano has got this own Italian style of preparing and presenting dishes. Chef has got a strong hold on Italian cuisine and knows Indian palette well. Chef's immense experience combined with his passion helps him curate dishes suiting guests preferences. Chef had turned Prego as number one Italian restaurant in Gurgaon and now brings back richer understanding of authentic Italian cuisine. 
[caption id="attachment_10748" align="alignnone" width="669"] Viharin.com-Chef Emiliano Di Stefano[/caption]
I had Bel focaccia Asparagus which had bell peppers, zucchini cheese, rocolla leaves, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella cheese. These were stuffed in the base made of flour and yeast. The disdh was healthy and fresh due to presence of such vegetables. The cheese was appropriately used. Then I had asparagus soup. It was lip smacking. I loved the colour, texture and taste of the soup. Presence of crispy pistachios made it more healthy and delectable. Soul was soothing on the stomach and satiated my taste buds.

Then I had Gnocchi Di Ricotta E Ruclla Alla Sorrentina. It was irresistible and I relished it. It had crunchy vegetables, spaghetti Bronte pistachio pesto. I specially liked eggplant roasted thins.

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Nidhi KM

Celebrate Independence Day @ Shangri-La’s - Eros Hotel, New Delhi

This Independence Day being a long weekend time, staycations are trending.  People simply want to get pampered and taken care of. When the pampering is done by experts and well known like experts from Shangri-La’s - Eros Hotel, its an icing on the cake!
[caption id="attachment_10733" align="alignnone" width="440"] Shangri-La’s - Eros Hotel[/caption]

The Independence Day Staycation package at Shangri-La’s - Eros Hotel, New Delhi

Complimentary buffet breakfast at TAMRA
24-hour complimentary Wi-Fi and Internet access
15% discount on food and soft beverage across all the outlets
15% discount at CHI, The Spa
Early check-in, at 10am, and late check-out, until 4pm, subject to availability
A maximum of 2 children (under the age 6) eat free at TAMRA

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Tijara Fort, Alwar- Rajasthan a royal affair

As you know India is full of palaces and forts. Each fort has a tale to tell. I alwats get fascinated by forts, palaces and the lifestyle of people in those eras. Tijara Fort is of 19th century and the name itself gives an idea of carvings and beautifully designed interiors!
[caption id="attachment_10711" align="alignnone" width="750"] Tijara Fort (all photos credits - Vikrant Kapur)[/caption]

Tijara Fort was built by Maharaja Balwant Singh with the expertise from Kabul and Delhi architects. The fort is on the hilltop in Alwar. There is a touch of both Rajput and Afghan style construction and interiors. Being on the hilltop, views from windows are stunning!
[caption id="attachment_10712" align="alignnone" width="749"]

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Symmetrical corridor[/caption]

At this junction of my life, I am quite interested in religious tourism. Since a few days back, we were planning to visit Mcleod Ganj. Recently I learnt that there are four famous temples enroute Ludhiana to Mcleod Ganj. This recent knowledge of mine made me eager to first hand witness these temples about which I have been hearing since my childhood days. These famous temples are Chintapurni, Kangra Devi, Jwala ji and Chamunda Devi.
[caption id="attachment_10699" align="alignnone" width="417"] Chamunda Devi temple amongst temples enroute Ludhiana to McLeod Ganj[/caption]
One can easily take two days to visit all the temples. Each temple has its own significance of existence as per Hindu Mythology. So, here you go...

Famous Goddess temples enroute Ludhiana to Mcleod Ganj , Himachal Pradesh

Chintapurni Temple
Significance of Chintapurni temple. This temple is in Una district of Himachal Pradesh is it is interpreted as the severed headed of Sati fell here when Lord Vishnu severed the burning body of Sati into 51 pieces so that Lord Shiva would calm down and stop his Tandav dance. The pieces were scattered over various places in the Indian subcontinent. It is one of the most important 51 Shakti Peeth ( origin of divine power). This temple is 127 km away from Ludhiana
Kangra Devi
Kangra Devi is the spot where when Vishnu divided the body of Satti into 51 parts with his chakra Sati's left breast fell at this spot. It is said that the original temple was built by Pandavas at the time of MahaBharat.
Kangra Devi is about 80 km away from Chintapurni. It takes about one hour and 45 minutes to reach

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Lead yourself to be affliction free this Independence Day @ Atmantan Wellnes Resort

Offlate, there is a new wave to become healthy. Internet is full of images of healthy food, tips to become healthier, exercises, nutrition, how much to sleep, yoga, need of fresh air and so much more! Come a long weekend, everyone wants to rush out of towns and cities to destress and rejuvenate.

Atmantan Wellness Resort

I got to know about this wellness centre in Pune amidst Sahyadri mountains near Mulshi lake! Atmantan wellness centre is the luxurious wellness resort that helps you to become healthier. You are assessed for your health and then guided through lifestyle, exercises, therapies and nutrition. The authorities tell you about the resonance of mind, body and soul with nature and nutrition. 

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Five must experience waterfalls of India that would refresh you

India is a beautiful country bestowed with mountains, hills, rivers, lakes, seas, desserts, forests and more! Every time I visit any part of India, I always feel the insufficiency of time. I am a nature lover. So, wherever we see a spring or a little fall, we stop by to experience the same. These little springs and falls are very refreshing specially if they fall on the way. Waterfalls are nature's gift to earth to enjoy the tiny droplets and the spectacular views around it. I have been crazy about waterfalls since childhood. Waterfalls in India provide stunning views and refreshing aura. I am listing below few waterfalls of India that are a must experience. 

Must experience waterfalls of India

Whenever we went to Mussoorie, we loved going to Kempty falls. Kempty falls is a huge waterfall that lures tourists visiting Mussoorie. It is a must visit when in Mussoorie. There are many stairs from the road to reach the falls but all the effort is worth once you are at falls. There are entertainment areas, food joints at the falls to spednd a full day.
[caption id="attachment_10681" align="alignnone" width="669"] Kempty falls[/caption]
Doodhsagar falls in Goa is a delight to eyes. The vast spread and milky waters makes it a perfect place to spend hours at length.

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Nidhi KM