India’s monsoon the new frontier for travellers seeking the unique

India’s monsoon the new frontier for travellers seeking the unique

It may seem counterintuitive to consider taking a vacation where it’s pouring rain, yet for an increasing number of travellers, this is exactly why they don the dungarees and make their way to the annual monsoon in India.

Instead of sun-drenched beaches and steamy nights (though there’s still plenty of both), travellers are flocking to see rivers of rushing water, spectacular waterfalls, and colourful festivals. Add to that stunning water-scoured views and the irrepressibly friendly nature of Indian folk, and you’ve got a recipe for a very different holiday.

While there are a wealth of different experiences to discover, we’ve selected the very best.

The monsoon in India: Dudhsagar Falls – Goa

Dudhsagar

Come July, the Dudhsagar Falls – located on the Mandovi River on the border of Goa and the neighbouring state of Karnataka – reaches a crescendo as thousands of tonnes of water flow over the falls in a cacophonic cascade.
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Five of the best Indian festivals

Five of the best Indian festivals

Have you ever travelled to India? If you’re thinking about an Indian sojourn, then it makes sense to align your trip with some of the best Indian festivals.

Hinduism is India’s predominant religion and is called ‘the eternal tradition’ by scholars, who believe it to be the world’s oldest religion with no single founder. Thousands of years of history, myth, ritual and tradition combine to produce some of the most spectacular celebrations on earth.

Holi

Holi is Hinduism’s spring festival of colour – a celebration of good over evil signified by the start of spring and a day to meet others in love, laughter, fun, and to forgive transgressions.

Over a full night and a day – starting on the evening of Purnima in Hindu month of Phalgun – participants gather to perform rituals then as day dawns to run through the streets throwing brightly coloured powders at each other no matter if it’s a friend or stranger.
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Exploring Jaipur, India’s Pink City

Exploring Jaipur, India’s Pink City

Once the seat of the Maharajas of Rajasthan, Jaipur is a city purpose-built to display royal grandeur.

Situated on the edge of the Thar Desert, Jaipur is much more than a fantastic example of Indian Vastu shastra architecture. The city’s wide streets and interconnecting boulevards play host to a blend of desert heritage, colourful tradition and fiery cuisine.

India’s Pink City

Jaipur’s moniker as India’s Pink City isn’t a metaphor for a desert sunset (though that’s worth checking out on its own). In 1876, to celebrate a visit by the then Prince of Wales, many of the city’s old buildings were painted a pinkish terracotta – the colour of warmth and welcome. The net effect is astonishing and makes Jaipur one of the most photo-friendly tourist destinations in all India.

A city of palaces and forts

Generations of Rajasthani Maharajas and their families called Jaipur home, and in the finest tradition of royalty, many decided to construct their take on palatial grandeur.
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Culinary India – a food lover’s journey

Culinary India – a food lover’s journey

India may be known for the heat and spice of its cuisine, but what’s not commonly understood is how flavours, textures and tastes change region by region. With Karma Royal Resorts and Karma Retreats in the north and south of the country, let us take you on the briefest of culinary journeys…

Jaipur and Rajasthan

India’s northwest is known for heat – both on and off the plate! The desert and arid vistas of Rajasthan have imbued the region’s cuisine with a heat all their own. No visit to Jaipur, Rajasthan’s capital, would be complete without sampling Laal Maas – a fiery slow-cooked lamb stewed with hot red chilies and whole spices.

Another famous Rajasthani dish is Ker Sangri, a local berry stewed with the hardiest of desert beans, sangri. Historically in times of drought sangri was a staple; the long bean thrives where other vegetables fail.
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