Sorry ladies, Puri’s Jaga Akhadas are strictly for ‘men only’: offbeat at Jagannath Rath Yatra

By Nivi Shrivastava In Odisha, the coastal city of Puri is famous for its flamboyant religious heritage for centuries. This June, the world-famous Puri Rath Yatra (also known as Gundicha Yatra) begins on June 20th, and the 600-yr-old ‘Festival Of Chariots’ is set to commence the divine journey of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra & Subhadra. The…

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Experience Azerbaijan’s food, culture and nature in pocket-friendly travel budget

By Nivi Shrivastava “Salam! Welcome to Baku, is it your first time in Azerbaijan?” greeted our curious guide Chinara, a mild-mannered Azeri with bright eyes and thick eyebrows, who had come to receive us at the Heydar Aliyev International Airport with her colleague Leila, a slender light-haired representative from the Tourism Board. Our gracious, 28-year-old…

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Falling in love with Azerbaijan, a perfect blend of Asia and Europe

By Nivi Shrivastava The beautiful nation of Azerbaijan is an exceptional destination for many reasons; famous for its transcontinental location between the Asian and European continents, exotic geography, and confluences of cultures make it a versatile nation for travellers. Located by the coastline of the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan shares its borders with Armenia, Iran, Georgia, and Russia, and draws…

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