Ellora Caves: A great communion of Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain rock-cut architecture

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Inside a Jain Cave in Ellora

Note: You can read my travelogue on the world famous Ajanta Caves here

Having already immersed myself in the spiritual and artistic wonders of the Ajanta Caves, I was all prepared for my next destination. Situated in the north-west of the city of Aurangabad and about 100 kilometres from Ajanta, Ellora is an UNESCO World Heritage Site that represents the epitome of rock-cut architecture in India. Ellora is one of the major tourist attractions in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra and is protected under the Archaeological Survey of India. The site has a total of 34 caves which are essentially structures excavated out of the vertical face of the Charanandri hills. There are 12 Buddhist (caves 1–12), 17 Hindu (caves 13–29) and 5 Jain (caves 30–34) caves. While the Buddhist and Brahmanical group of caves are built by the Rashtrakuta dynasty, the Jain group of caves are built by the Yadavas. As per the estimates, the Buddhist, Hindu and Jain rock-cut temples and viharas and mathas were built between the 5th century and 10th century. The Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain caves, built in proximity, are a testament to the religious harmony and tolerance prevalent at the time.

Ajanta Caves: One of the finest specimens of the Indian rock-cut architecture

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Note: You can read my travelogue on the world famous Ellora Caves here

Travel has always fascinated mankind. It caters both to the senses as well as the intellect. There is no denying that theoretical knowledge is important. But, bookish knowledge can only take us so far in our quest to unravel the mysteries of the world. The following quotation, taken from the Holy Quran, underlines the importance of travel in understanding the world we live in: “Don’t tell me how educated you are, tell me how much you have travelled.” India is a land of such incredible cultural diversity that traveling the entire length and breadth of it is no less remarkable feat than traveling across one whole continent. India’s rich diversity is beautifully summed up by the famous Hindi adage “Kos kos par badle paani, char kos par vani” which says that such is the multifariousness of our country that the taste of water changes after one mile while the language of people changes after four.

Live Lodgycal Drive: Demystifying the Renault Lodgy

In 1984, Renault unleashed the idea of an MPV by delivering the first car in the world that could comfortably accommodate as many as seven people. Three decades later, Renault presents us with the new Lodgy which promises to redefine the benchmark for this category. 

The Renault Lodgy promises a class defining performance with a powerful engine that’s available in two different configurations: 110 PS, which is matted with a first-in-segment 6-speed transmission with gear ratios perfectly matched to the engine’s output with fuel efficiency of 19.98 kmpl, and 85 PS, which is matted with a 5-speed gearbox and delivers a superior fuel efficiency of 21.04 kmpl. 

Renault Live Lodgycal Drive: An enchanting holiday in a Shangri-La-esque haven named Goa

Team Cartoosh

It’s not every day that one is presented with an opportunity to relax in a Shangri-La-esque haven like Goa, far away from the drudgeries of life.  Thanks to Blogadda, one such opportunity did come my way in the summer of 2014 but, alas, I couldn’t grab it owing to a personal exigency. So, I passed it over to my good friend and fellow blogger Shwetabh Mathur (@shwetabh2) who was kind enough to accept it.

A Rendezvous with Padma Shri Santosh Yadav

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A Rendezvous with the Legendary Indian Mountaineer Santosh Yadav

It's not every day that one gets to meet one's childhood idol. And, so, when such a rare opportunity presents itself, it becomes nigh impossible to keep one's anxiety in check. One such opportunity came by a few days back as my childhood dream of meeting the great Indian mountaineer Santosh Yadav was finally realized. I was first introduced to her through my school textbooks. I had dreamt of meeting her ever since. Time slowly passed by but the dream had endured. A part of me knew that sooner or later my dream would come true. And finally it did. As fate would have it, I finally got the opportunity to interact with her in person last week.

My Square: A New Food Experience at Select Citywalk

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The eating experience at Select Citywalk Mall, located in the Saket District Centre, Delhi, has gone up a few notches with the inauguration of a brand new food court named "My Square". 

Travel Tours: 48 Hours Sale

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Grab the most exciting offers, unbelievable holiday deals and great discounts at the “48 Hour Holiday Sale” by Travel Tours. Travel Tours is one of the biggest and most popular websites for booking all inclusive tour packages. It is a Bangalore based travel and tour company that has currently grown to 13 offices across 9 cities in course of time.