Bangalore - Mysore - Hyderabad

Hi guys,

I know I still have to write about Peru, which seemed like decades ago, but I just can't help myself - I have to fill you in on my latest adventures in India. On 11th April 2007, i took a vacation from my vacation.

Having completed a 1 week Part 1 Art of Living course in Mumbai, I decided to do the part 2 course at the main Ashram in Bangalore (photo). The course was 4 days from 12th Apr-15th Apr. It was an interesting and personal experience. The Art of Living courses focus on breathing techniques and meditation to take you deep within yourself. I strongly recommend these courses to anyone who wants to reconnect with themselves. I think we spend a lot of time trying to meet new people and please others and less time with ourselves. These courses are a great way to go back to the most important things in our life. If anyone wants to know more about it, I will be happy to share.

After Bangalore I headed to Mysore where I spent some time practicing yoga, chillin' out with new friends and just relaxing. Mysore is a quaint Indian city - probably a few decades behind metropolitan cities such as Mumbai and Delhi- but that's what makes it so charming. The pace of life is slow and it's a great place to relax. When you go there, I strongly recommend visiting the Mysore palace (see photo). It is absolutely stunning. Take a tour inside and then watch it light up on a Sunday night. It's completely magical. Jaganmohan Palace is an art gallery with some great paintings and also fantastic old furniture. I recommend getting a guide to explain the paintings as some of them have to be viewed in a specific way to be truly appreciated. You will find a lot of yoga shala's here and many students come to stay for 2-3 months and practice yoga with some of the best yoga teachers in the world. I really enjoyed the friendly and welcoming attitude of the locals and overseas travellers here. I visited a very nice ayurvedic resort called the windflower and got some great massage treatments, etc...what can i say - it's a tough life...lol. I want to say thanks to Mikey, Pramod and Ajay for making this visit memorable.

Ok, now we come to, what i would unexpectedly call one of my favourite cities in India- Hyderabad. I show up after an excruciating 16 hr bus ride (thank god for the travel sickness tablets I had got from Brazil - at least that's what i hope i was taking - since the label is completely in Portuguese). I had organised my stay for 4 days only - afterall what did I know of Hyderabad - I was just there to attend my friend Parikshit's wedding. All I can say is 4 days is simply not enough. This city has the best of both worlds- the old and new. Old Hyderabad is full of amazing Mogul architecture like 'Char Minar'. There are beautiful mosques scattered throughout the city. New areas such as Secunderabad, Banjara Hills have posh modern buildings and the latest fashion, lifestyle and comforts. The mansions would rival any Beverley Hills mansion. This is one of the rare cities which has successfully managed to amalgamate the old and new. I was lucky to be welcomed with open arms by Parikshit, Rajesh and their families. Rajesh (a friend who was the cinematographer of my short film) spent all his time making my experience of Hyderabad an amazing one. To get to the point - one of the greatest highlights of any historical place I have visited in the world lies right here in Hyderabad. It's a place I had never heard of and most locals don't bother visiting - and it is the place i would recommend everyone to visit if they have any interest in Indian history. If you have 2 reasons only to come to India - let them be the Taj Mahal in Agra, and Golconda Fort in Hyderabad.

Golconda fort looks like any old fort, but the tourism board of this state have managed to make it an "experience". I went to the light and sound show- which i was expecting to be like a tackier version of a light show i saw in las Vegas (if that is possible). I don't want to give away too much, but this show is the best gift the State government is giving to the people of India and the world. This light and sound show transported me to 16th century India and the reign of emperors for generations. I was there while one emperor did everything for the prosperity of his kingdown while his son got him assasinated. Generations after, I was there when a son of an emperor fell in love with a common girl and changed the course of the city. I was there when classical music, dance and art took birth in this city. You just have to go there yourself. It is a moving and powerful experience.

I also went to these amazing tombs called Qutub Shahi tombs (photo). This place is very picturesque with about 15 taj mahal-like tombs among gardens. Ofcourse they are much smaller than the Taj Mahal, but still the size of a good 4-5 storey building. Another highlight is the Salarjung museum - make sure you give yourself 2 days and a pair of comfortable walking shoes if you want to appreciate this spectactular cluster of relics from the past.

Anyway, I am back in bustling Mumbai now. Will write more later. Love you all! Jag.

Congratulations to Sashi and Clarence!

I just wanted to say Congratulations to one of my closest friends, Sashi and the love of her life, Clarence. They both recently got married and unfortunately I was out of the country and couldn't attend. Here are a couple of my favourite photos from the event thanks to Marshie. I love you guys. Have an exciting and happy married life!

London- Oxford, a little "trip".

Myself, Shilpa and Amrita went to explore Oxford, a beautiful uni town with amazing architecture. We went away for the weekend (a few weeks ago - will fill exact date in later). It made me want to go back to Uni. We stayed over at a B& B in a really quiet countryside town called Morton in Marsh and overall had a very lazy weekend eating scones with jam and clotted cream....yummmm!

We had to catch a train from Oxford to Morton in Marsh and we were running late. I was the only one carrying a small suitcase which made the loudest sound as the wheels rolled along the ground. So we ran - and we ran - and I fell. I fell with all my might from dragging the mini suitcase behind me and tripping over. My sunglasses flew somewhere and i was sprawled on the footpath with a grazed elbow and bruised thigh reminding me of my year 9 ski trip...This would have been a hilarious sight. But Shilpa and Amrita were too kind to laugh. I asked them later in a bar "how did you know i had fallen since you both were running infront of me...was it because of the big "thud"? Amrita replied "actually it was because there was sudden silence and your suitcase wheels could no longer be heard"...lol. We reached the station finally and saw our train on the opposite platform. We watched as it passed....hmm...