“In a gentle way, you can shake the world” - Mahatma Gandhi

We celebrated the 152nd birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation, we remember his above words and apply it in our small way to help preserve our planet. Through our small but sure “shakes” within the industry, we hope to be able to change the way people travel and make it greener and more sustainable.

With the thought of sustainability, one cannot forget about preserving their traditions and heritage and what better way to showcase them than through our festivals. With the coming of autumn, and the tell-tale nip in the air, the heart is full of hope and joy as the festivals are here!

For Bengalis autumn is equivalent to happiness as their “Ma” (mother) comes home with her children at this time. This is how homely the festivities for the Durga Puja are in Bengal and for Bengalis. In north India, people observed Navratri and Ram Lilas or plays were organised locally to retell the epic tale of Lord Rama and his victory over the demon king Ravana. At the end of the festivities, huge effigies of the demon king and his allies were burnt with much fanfare.

The Great India Festival Season continues in India with Diwali, the festival of lights which will be celebrated on 4th of November. Diwali is traditionally seen as a time of renewal, prosperity, and growth. People clean their homes and decorate it with candles, earthen lamps, and lights. The tradition of lighting clay lamps in the house goes back many centuries. This festival signifies the victory of light over darkness and heralds good fortune.

There is much celebration not just for the festivals but also for the announcement of India finally opening her international borders. With travel back on the cards for some of you across the world, we hope you get to travel soon to see the colourful India immersed in the festivities.

In the meanwhile, wishing you all a happy and prosperous festive season!

See you soon!

Team Destination Knowledge Centre

Hear from Seema Srivastava, born in Varanasi and bred in Delhi, why she loves Durga Puja even though she is not a Bengali

Duration : 139 seconds

Feel free to get in touch with us to hear Seema Srivastava’s interesting experience of Durga Puja.

After the relaxation of the lockdown restrictions and brief research on liveable and green breathing spaces in Delhi NCR, I stumbled upon an interesting village and a sacred forest called 'Mangar Bani' located midway between Gurgaon and Faridabad. It is equidistant from prime spots of the nearby cities - Delhi (Qutab Minar), Gurgaon (HUDA City Centre Metro Station), and Faridabad (Faridabad New Town Railway Station), about 20 kms from each of these spots.

Legend has it that several centuries ago, an ascetic came to meditate in a cave inside this forest and before attaining 'samadhi' (renouncing the world) he announced to his devotees and the villagers that a curse would befall upon anyone who fells a tree or kills any living being in this forest. Thereafter the dwellers of Mangar village started guarding the forest religiously and not a single tree is cut and no animal (wild or domesticated) is killed in this forest. The forest of Mangar Bani is said to protected by the spirit of this hermit called 'Gudariya Das Baba' who also has a temple dedicated to him in the forest.

The biologists who have studied this forest found it to be a 'High-Biodiversity Zone' since it is the last remaining natural 'Tropical Forest' in the Aravali Range. The forest now has 30 native tree species thriving along with the 100 native shrubs and herbs; a healthy count of wild animals that include leopard, hyena, Nilgai, and jackal; and 219 species of birds of which over 50 are migratory and 5 nationally endangered raptor species.

In the recent times, Mangar Bani and its surroundings have gained popularity due to the discovery of pre-historic cave paintings in caves nestled amidst a maze of quartzite rocks in the Aravali Hills. The existence of cave paintings came to light in May 2021 when an environmental activist, Sunil Harsana, belonging to the village spotted them. The fact-finding team then set up by the Directorate of Archaeology & Museums, Government of Haryana encountered cave paintings comprising images of human figurines, animals, foliage, and geometric shapes. Some have paled over time but others that are still very visible need to be preserved and studied in detail. The team later announced that the paintings of Mangar Bani caves are yet to be dated but at least some of them possibly belong to the Upper Palaeolithic period.

Owing to this historic discovery and thrilling adventure activities in the vicinity, several farms (some of them organic) have come up in Mangar village and its outskirts. ‘The Lalit Mangar’, offering 35 luxurious suites with excellent views of Mangar Bani Valley is worth mentioning. If you are looking for an out of the ordinary experience when Delhi, you can consider a visit to Mangar Bani – a verdant and beautiful forest grove with captivating natural ambience!