Yanesh Tyagi

  A slow morning in Pallivasal, wrapped in sunlight and silence. The forest behind me felt alive, breathing its quiet wisdom into the day. Pallivasal, Idukki Pallivasal, Idukki — the hidden green cradle between Munnar and Vattavada. A place where the hills whisper and time moves gently. Pallivasal is more than a green patch hidden in the folds of Idukki. It carries a quiet but significant place in Kerala’s history. Pallivasal was the site of Kerala’s first hydroelectric power station , built in the late 1930s during the erstwhile Travancore kingdom. But Pallivasal is not defined by industry alone. Long before these modern feats, it was a region of dense shola forests and tribal settlements. Communities like the Muthuvan people lived in harmony with the land, moving with the rhythm of seasons, cultivating small patches of hill slopes, and protecting sacred groves. Many of the forest trails we walk today were originally their paths. Pallivasal, Idukki — A Quiet Moment from December...

  Standing here on NH-1 , with the milestone to Nimmu beside me, I feel as if I am pausing inside a living textbook of Himalayan history. The cold desert wind carries a silence that is not empty, it is layered with centuries of movement — traders, monks, armies, caravans, explorers, and now, modern travelers like me who come searching for something deeper than just scenic beauty. Nimmu , just eight kilometers from where I am sitting, is not just a village. It has been a strategic and cultural node on ancient trans-Himalayan routes for hundreds of years. This stretch of NH-1, which looks barren and still today, once connected Ladakh to Kashmir, Central Asia, Baltistan, and Tibet . Caravans would stop at Nimmu before making the dangerous climb toward Leh or crossing the Zanskar river. The landscape would have looked just as stark then, but life here was shaped by movement, trade, and diplomacy. Behind me rise the brown, layered mountains of Ladakh, carved by wind and time. They look...

Ah, the courtroom of the Mysore Palace – where grandeur doesn’t just whisper; it roars in pastel hues and gilded elegance! 🌟 This hall is a symphony of architectural brilliance, blending Indo-Saracenic, Hindu, Mughal, and Gothic styles into one visual feast. The towering pillars, painted in mint green, gold, and soft pink, look like candy sticks crafted for royalty. Each column is crowned with intricate carvings, floral patterns, and embellishments that could keep an art historian busy for days. Look up, and you’ll see ceilings adorned with elaborate circular motifs, each telling its own silent story. Chandeliers hang like celestial stars, frozen in time. The archways are scalloped and layered, creating a sense of endless depth, like a portal into another world – one where kings held court, poets recited verses, and politics played out in hushed tones beneath these grand arches. The polished marble floor reflects the magnificence above, doubling the splendor like a magic mirror. And ...

 

 Vattavada, Munnar, Kerala India   These were the good old days. The days before pandemic hit us and change our lives for forever. Those were the days when people were not afraid of other people and there was no social distancing but social grouping.

  Dal Fry and Roti @Ramada, Egmore, Chennai - Yanesh Tyagi's Memoir Well, you might be wondering what is this? Well, this is Dal Fry and Roti (Chapati) - that I am having for my dinner. Why? Why this? You may ask. The thing is that when you have spent months traveling, you look for simple, nutritious and homely food. And Dal Fry was the best option for a North Indian guy like me. The taste is good - I have taken a bite after snapping the pic. The cook has done a good job. Probably I should call the cook and give him/her my compliment.