Aakash Mehrotra's guest appearances

Aakash Mehrotra

The Musafir Stories - India Travel Podcast

Jono Lineen

Lakshmi Sharath

Ayush Khanna

Subhadip Mukherjee

Shivya Nath

Meenakshi Arvind

Kaushal Karkhanis

Riverside Goa

Johann Kuruvilla

Chandroma Ray

Siddharth Keswani

Reshma Narasing

Satyarup Siddhanta

Renuka Walter

Explore Spiti

OwlTail

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Aakash Mehrotra from the blog www.handofcolors.meToday's destination: Pragpur and Garli, Himachal Pradesh!Nearest Airport: Kangra Airport, DHMNearest Railway Station: Raimehtpur, MTPR or Ambh/PathankotPrerequisites -  NAPacking - Pack according to the weather, warm clothes preferableTime of the year - Round the year Length of the itinerary: 2 daysItinerary Highlights: Aakash takes us to the first heritage villages of India, Pragpur and Garli in Himachal Pradesh. We discuss the origin of the village in the 1600s, the origin of the name Pragpur and the connection to the Sood community from Sirhind, Punjab. The villages prospered during the time of the British as the merchants here were instrumental in providing the timber and raw materials for building the summer capital of Shimla. The Beas river in the vicinity, the ample availability of timber and the good weather in the foothills helped the traders set up the operation. The village has a unique identity with an amalgamation of different architectural styles that the traders and merchants were exposed to during their travels. The mansions are inspired by Rajputana architecture, Mughal as well as British architecture and are reminiscent of the mansions of Shekhawati region in Rajasthan. The unique mansions, some of which date back to the 1600-1700s have still been maintained, and the villages were given the heritage village tag in 1997. Some of the unique mansion and havelis in Pragpur and Garli  one should check out include The Judge’s court, Lala Rerumal Haveli, Butel Niwas, Santri ki Kothi, Nalke vali kothi, Melaram ki Kothi, Chateau Garli.If you are in the mood to splurge, the Judge’s court and Chateau Garli are two heritage properties which will give you a wonderful experience living in these mansions. There are also other lodges or serais that are more economical options. In addition to the mansions, one can also enjoy the sights and sounds of Himachal - from the Beas river to the majestic Dauladhar ranges. If one wants to extend the itinerary, other places of interest include a visit to the nearby religious places like the Jwalamukhi temple, Dada Sibba temple for the murals, and the unique Kangra style of art. Visiting the villages during the occasion of Lodi or Nakki ka mela - the wrestling festival that happens in September might be a good option. Links:Aakash’s blog:  https://handofcolors.meLink to blogpost: https://handofcolors.me/2019/06/16/to-the-heritage-villages-of-himachal-pradesh/Twitter: https://twitter.com/aakashmehrotraInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/aakashmehrotra/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/handofcolors/Link to Aakashs’ episode on Nagaland: https://themusafirstories.com/podcasts/tms006-explore-nagaland-with-aakash-mehrotra/Link to Aakashs’ episode on Landour: https://podcasts.apple.com/ng/podcast/71-explore-landour-with-aakash-mehrotra/id1209849464?i=1000456649557 Follow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstories?lang=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/?hl=enwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstories@gmail.comYou can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Aakash Mehrotra from the blog <a href="http://www.handofcolors.me" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">www.handofcolors.me</a>Today's destination: Pragpur and Garli, Himachal Pradesh!Nearest Airport: Kangra Airport, DHMNearest Railway Station: Raimehtpur, MTPR or Ambh/PathankotPrerequisites -  NAPacking - Pack according to the weather, warm clothes preferableTime of the year - Round the year Length of the itinerary: 2 daysItinerary Highlights: Aakash takes us to the first heritage villages of India, Pragpur and Garli in Himachal Pradesh. We discuss the origin of the village in the 1600s, the origin of the name Pragpur and the connection to the Sood community from Sirhind, Punjab. The villages prospered during the time of the British as the merchants here were instrumental in providing the timber and raw materials for building the summer capital of Shimla. The Beas river in the vicinity, the ample availability of timber and the good weather in the foothills helped the traders set up the operation. The village has a unique identity with an amalgamation of different architectural styles that the traders and merchants were exposed to during their travels. The mansions are inspired by Rajputana architecture, Mughal as well as British architecture and are reminiscent of the mansions of Shekhawati region in Rajasthan. The unique mansions, some of which date back to the 1600-1700s have still been maintained, and the villages were given the heritage village tag in 1997. Some of the unique mansion and havelis in Pragpur and Garli  one should check out include The Judge’s court, Lala Rerumal Haveli, Butel Niwas, Santri ki Kothi, Nalke vali kothi, Melaram ki Kothi, Chateau Garli.If you are in the mood to splurge, the Judge’s court and Chateau Garli are two heritage properties which will give you a wonderful experience living in these mansions. There are also other lodges or serais that are more economical options. In addition to the mansions, one can also enjoy the sights and sounds of Himachal - from the Beas river to the majestic Dauladhar ranges. If one wants to extend the itinerary, other places of interest include a visit to the nearby religious places like the Jwalamukhi temple, Dada Sibba temple for the murals, and the unique Kangra style of art. Visiting the villages during the occasion of Lodi or Nakki ka mela - the wrestling festival that happens in September might be a good option. Links:Aakash’s blog:  <a href="https://handofcolors.me" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">https://handofcolors.me</a>Link to blogpost: <a href="https://handofcolors.me/2019/06/16/to-the-heritage-villages-of-himachal-pradesh/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">https://handofcolors.me/2019/06/16/to-the-heritage-villages-of-himachal-pradesh/</a>Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/aakashmehrotra" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/aakashmehrotra</a>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aakashmehrotra/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/aakashmehrotra/</a>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/handofcolors/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/handofcolors/</a>Link to Aakashs’ episode on Nagaland: <a href="https://themusafirstories.com/podcasts/tms006-explore-nagaland-with-aakash-mehrotra/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">https://themusafirstories.com/podcasts/tms006-explore-nagaland-with-aakash-mehrotra/</a>Link to Aakashs’ episode on Landour: <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/ng/podcast/71-explore-landour-with-aakash-mehrotra/id1209849464?i=1000456649557" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasts.apple.com/ng/podcast/71-explore-landour-with-aakash-mehrotra/id1209849464?i=1000456649557</a> Follow the Musafir stories on:Twitter : <a href="https://twitter.com/musafirstories?lang=en" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/musafirstories?lang=en</a>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/</a>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/?hl=en</a>website: <a href="http://www.themusafirstories.com" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">www.themusafirstories.com</a>email: themusafirstories@gmail.comYou can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: <a href="https://ivm.today/android" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">https://ivm.today/android</a> or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.You can check out our website at <a href="http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/</a>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Pragpur with Aakash Mehrotra

In this episode:#Landour #Uttarakhand #hillstation #mountains #cafes #nature #walks #viewpoints #sunset #woods #heritage #british #colonial #architecture #ruskinbond #books #quaint #northindia This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Aakash Mehrotra from Delhi who talks to us about his childhood connection to the land of Landour, Uttarakhand!Today's destination: Landour, UttarakhandNearest Airport: Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun (DED)Nearest Railway Station: DehradunPrerequisites -  NAPacking -  Lots of books! Carry warm clothes as the hill stations are quite chill.Time of the year -  AprilLength of the itinerary:  3 daysItinerary Highlights:- Aakash talks about his childhood connection to Landour and the charm of this Raj era cantonment sharing some quick tips as to when one can travel.- He also shares titbits about his lodging, Rokeby Manor, a heritage property built in 1840 and one of the early constructions in Landour.- Some more trivia about the history of Landour, it's founders, it's legends and myths.- Aakash also shares stories about Pahadi Wilson, one of the famous residents of Landour and how his story inspired Rudyard Kipling to write the book, The man who became king.- Aakash talks about the famous points in Landour - the Char Dukaan, Sister's bazaar, Emily's kitchen, Landour Bakehouse among others. There are also heritage buildings like Kellog Church and St. Paul's church as well as a private sanctuary - The Jaberkhet wildlife sanctuary.- Finally we discuss about the legend and most famous celebrity of Landour - Ruskin Bond, his early life in Landour, his cottage and the influence of Landour on his works.- We wrap up the episode calling out other famous celebrity connections to Landour!Correction: The author of "The Man who would be King" is Rudyard Kipling and not Ruskin Bond as mentioned in this episode.Links:Link to Aakash's blogpost:https://handofcolors.me/2018/04/01/the-secret-miracles-of-landour/#more-2093https://handofcolors.me/2018/04/17/rokeby-manor-a-colonial-charm/Link to the blog: https://handofcolors.meFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/handofcolors/Twitter: https://twitter.com/aakashmehrotra?lang=enFollow The Musafir Stories onTwitter : https://twitter.com/musafirstories?lang=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/?hl=enwebsite: www.themusafirstories.comemail: themusafirstories@gmail.comitunes -  https://apple.co/2LPtTA3Google podcasts - http://bit.ly/2toY7ljwebsite - http://bit.ly/2xFZqOVSaavn - https://bit.ly/2J5rIqiSpotify - https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVipocketcasts - https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewgcastbox - https://bit.ly/2sqBDQiGaana - http://bit.ly/2NClUYYOvercast - https://bit.ly/2LN9wnfStitcher Radio - https://bit.ly/2JiBbhwaudioBoom - https://bit.ly/2oZZowSTuneIn - https://bit.ly/2xyQH4aRadioPublic - https://bit.ly/2snY9u0iHeartradio - https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8RDeezer - https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode: #Landour #Uttarakhand #hillstation #mountains #cafes #nature #walks #viewpoints #sunset #woods #heritage #british #colonial #architecture #ruskinbond #books #quaint #northindia  This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Aakash Mehrotra from Delhi who talks to us about his childhood connection to the land of Landour, Uttarakhand! Today's destination: Landour, Uttarakhand Nearest Airport: Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun (DED) Nearest Railway Station: Dehradun Prerequisites -  NA Packing -  Lots of books! Carry warm clothes as the hill stations are quite chill. Time of the year -  April Length of the itinerary:  3 days Itinerary Highlights: - Aakash talks about his childhood connection to Landour and the charm of this Raj era cantonment sharing some quick tips as to when one can travel. - He also shares titbits about his lodging, Rokeby Manor, a heritage property built in 1840 and one of the early constructions in Landour. - Some more trivia about the history of Landour, it's founders, it's legends and myths. - Aakash also shares stories about Pahadi Wilson, one of the famous residents of Landour and how his story inspired Rudyard Kipling to write the book, The man who became king. - Aakash talks about the famous points in Landour - the Char Dukaan, Sister's bazaar, Emily's kitchen, Landour Bakehouse among others. There are also heritage buildings like Kellog Church and St. Paul's church as well as a private sanctuary - The Jaberkhet wildlife sanctuary. - Finally we discuss about the legend and most famous celebrity of Landour - Ruskin Bond, his early life in Landour, his cottage and the influence of Landour on his works. - We wrap up the episode calling out other famous celebrity connections to Landour! Correction: The author of "The Man who would be King" is Rudyard Kipling and not Ruskin Bond as mentioned in this episode. Links: Link to Aakash's blogpost: <a href="https://handofcolors.me/2018/04/01/the-secret-miracles-of-landour/#more-2093" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://handofcolors.me/2018/04/01/the-secret-miracles-of-landour/#more-2093</a> <a href="https://handofcolors.me/2018/04/17/rokeby-manor-a-colonial-charm/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://handofcolors.me/2018/04/17/rokeby-manor-a-colonial-charm/</a> Link to the blog: <a href="https://handofcolors.me/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://handofcolors.me</a> Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/handofcolors/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/handofcolors/</a> Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/aakashmehrotra?lang=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/aakashmehrotra?lang=en</a> Follow The Musafir Stories on Twitter : <a href="https://twitter.com/musafirstories?lang=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/musafirstories?lang=en</a> Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/themusafirstories/</a> Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/?hl=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/musafirstoriespodcast/?hl=en</a> website: <a href="http://www.themusafirstories.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.themusafirstories.com</a> email: <a href="mailto:themusafirstories@gmail.com">themusafirstories@gmail.com</a> itunes -  <a href="https://apple.co/2LPtTA3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://apple.co/2LPtTA3</a> Google podcasts - <a href="http://bit.ly/2toY7lj" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/2toY7lj</a> website - <a href="http://bit.ly/2xFZqOV" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/2xFZqOV</a> Saavn - <a href="https://bit.ly/2J5rIqi" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://bit.ly/2J5rIqi</a> Spotify - <a href="https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVi" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://spoti.fi/2HLPSVi</a> pocketcasts - <a href="https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://bit.ly/2xu3Ewg</a> castbox - <a href="https://bit.ly/2sqBDQi" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://bit.ly/2sqBDQi</a> Gaana - <a href="http://bit.ly/2NClUYY" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/2NClUYY</a> Overcast - <a href="https://bit.ly/2LN9wnf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://bit.ly/2LN9wnf</a> Stitcher Radio - <a href="https://bit.ly/2JiBbhw" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://bit.ly/2JiBbhw</a> audioBoom - <a href="https://bit.ly/2oZZowS" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://bit.ly/2oZZowS</a> TuneIn - <a href="https://bit.ly/2xyQH4a" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://bit.ly/2xyQH4a</a> RadioPublic - <a href="https://bit.ly/2snY9u0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://bit.ly/2snY9u0</a> iHeartradio - <a href="https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8R" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://ihr.fm/2xvOG8R</a> Deezer - <a href="https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://bit.ly/2L7GmOo</a> See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

71: Landour with Aakash Mehrotra

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Aakash Mehrotra from the blog Hand of Colors. Today's destination: Nagaland Nearest domestic airport: Dimapur Airport (DMU) Nearest Railway Station is Dimapur (DMV) Prerequisities - Inner line permit, see links section below Packing - warm clothes, gloves Time of the year - December as you get to see the Hornbill festival. Preferable to do a festival calendar check before you plan. Length of the itinerary: 10 days Itinerary Highlights:  Aakash speaks about his experience covering the Hornbill festival which takes place in Kisama, which is about 15kms from the capital Kohima. Bus services are available The Hornbill festival is a celebration held every year from 1st - 10th December, in Nagaland. It is also refered to as the festival of festivals as different Naga tribes come together and showcase their cultural heritage through this festival.  One can see the display of different Naga cultures, their food, their traditional attire, dance forms, fight forms and much more. Along with these there is a variety  of competitions right from food, to music to literary events.  If you are brave enough you can also participate in the chilli eating competition and get a flavor of the bhut jolokia or ghost pepper, one of the hottest chillis in India.  In terms of lodging Kisama has some decent homestays where you can lodge during the festival, but they are very limited in number. - Another option is to stay in Kohima, the capital of Nagaland, which is just 12kms from Kisama while you are at the festival. For other smaller villages, it is better to work with a local travel agent to arrange accommodation.  By choosing to stay in Kohima, you can also experience the beautiful night markets during the festival as well as a flavor of local food, music and shopping.  For transportation, public transport like buses and shared taxis are available but frequency is limited. Cabs are your best bet to get about the city/towns.  Aakash also speaks about his next pit stop, Khanoma, which is one of few green villages in Nagaland ie a village which is completely self sustainable and has given up hunting in order to avoid any imbalances in the natural topography Aakash then travels to Mon - the final frontier of India. He shares his experiences in the village of Longwa, which is one of the final villages in Mon before the Myanmar border.  Longwa is a village of of the head-hunters, warriors and tribes infamous for cutting off the head of their opponents in war.  An amazing story with the cheiftain of the Longwa village ensues (spoiler alert! There is opium and Assam rifles in the story too!) From Longwa, Aakash makes a pit stop at Chuchuyimlang - a village in Mokokchung District which has been converted to a heritage village by the Nagaland Tourism board.  As far as food is concerned, most of the Naga cuisine is water based, low or no oil base. Food is mostly boiled and not fried and organic. Sweet potatoes and rice beer are the popular choices among tourists as well.  Listen to some amazing stories of experiences with the locals! From drinking rice beer to how the Nagas fooled the British into believing they had guns during the Naga wars!  Links: Link to Aakash's blog Hand of colors: handofcolors.me/ Inner line permit: www.mdoner.gov.in/content/inner-line-permit More about the Guest:  Aakash Mehrotra is a business consultant and social researcher in the Digital Finance domain focusing on Digital Finance, Livelihoods, Financial Inclusion. Along with this Aakash is a travel writer who blogs under the name Hand of Colors. Aakash's work has been featured in several leading publications such as The Hindu and The Tribune. email: trulyakash@gmail.com  facebook:www.facebook.com/handofcolors/  Twitter: aakashmehrotra Intro &amp; Outro Stock media provided by Joey Stebanuk/Pond5See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Aakash Mehrotra from the blog Hand of Colors. Today's destination: Nagaland Nearest domestic airport: Dimapur Airport (DMU) Nearest Railway Station is Dimapur (DMV) Prerequisities - Inner line permit, see links section below Packing - warm clothes, gloves Time of the year - December as you get to see the Hornbill festival. Preferable to do a festival calendar check before you plan. Length of the itinerary: 10 days Itinerary Highlights: <ul> <li>Aakash speaks about his experience covering the Hornbill festival which takes place in Kisama, which is about 15kms from the capital Kohima. Bus services are available</li> <li>The Hornbill festival is a celebration held every year from 1st - 10th December, in Nagaland. It is also refered to as the festival of festivals as different Naga tribes come together and showcase their cultural heritage through this festival. </li> <li>One can see the display of different Naga cultures, their food, their traditional attire, dance forms, fight forms and much more. Along with these there is a variety of competitions right from food, to music to literary events. </li> <li>If you are brave enough you can also participate in the chilli eating competition and get a flavor of the bhut jolokia or ghost pepper, one of the hottest chillis in India. </li> <li>In terms of lodging Kisama has some decent homestays where you can lodge during the festival, but they are very limited in number. - Another option is to stay in Kohima, the capital of Nagaland, which is just 12kms from Kisama while you are at the festival. For other smaller villages, it is better to work with a local travel agent to arrange accommodation. </li> <li>By choosing to stay in Kohima, you can also experience the beautiful night markets during the festival as well as a flavor of local food, music and shopping. </li> <li>For transportation, public transport like buses and shared taxis are available but frequency is limited. Cabs are your best bet to get about the city/towns. </li> <li>Aakash also speaks about his next pit stop, Khanoma, which is one of few green villages in Nagaland ie a village which is completely self sustainable and has given up hunting in order to avoid any imbalances in the natural topography</li> <li>Aakash then travels to Mon - the final frontier of India. He shares his experiences in the village of Longwa, which is one of the final villages in Mon before the Myanmar border. </li> <li>Longwa is a village of of the head-hunters, warriors and tribes infamous for cutting off the head of their opponents in war. </li> <li>An amazing story with the cheiftain of the Longwa village ensues (spoiler alert! There is opium and Assam rifles in the story too!)</li> <li>From Longwa, Aakash makes a pit stop at Chuchuyimlang - a village in Mokokchung District which has been converted to a heritage village by the Nagaland Tourism board. </li> <li>As far as food is concerned, most of the Naga cuisine is water based, low or no oil base. Food is mostly boiled and not fried and organic. Sweet potatoes and rice beer are the popular choices among tourists as well. </li> <li>Listen to some amazing stories of experiences with the locals! From drinking rice beer to how the Nagas fooled the British into believing they had guns during the Naga wars!</li> </ul> Links: Link to Aakash's blog Hand of colors: <a href="http://handofcolors.me/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">handofcolors.me/</a> Inner line permit: <a href="http://www.mdoner.gov.in/content/inner-line-permit" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.mdoner.gov.in/content/inner-line-permit</a> More about the Guest: Aakash Mehrotra is a business consultant and social researcher in the Digital Finance domain focusing on Digital Finance, Livelihoods, Financial Inclusion. Along with this Aakash is a travel writer who blogs under the name Hand of Colors. Aakash's work has been featured in several leading publications such as The Hindu and The Tribune. email: trulyakash@gmail.com facebook:<a href="http://www.facebook.com/handofcolors/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.facebook.com/handofcolors/</a> Twitter: aakashmehrotra Intro &amp; Outro Stock media provided by Joey Stebanuk/Pond5See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.