Inspiring Travel Writing from Raaja Bhasin
Rooted in the western Himalaya, in India, Raaja Bhasin has published over a thousand articles, reviews and stories. His writing includes the critically acclaimed book Simla : The Summer Capital of British India ( Penguin, 1992 ).
He has handled assignments for the Government of Indias Department of Culture, the Indian Institute of Advanced Study, the United Nations Development Programme, Government of India Tourism, Himachal Tourism, BBC, Channel Four and the Oberoi Group of Hotels.
He is on the Heritage Advisory Committee and the Tourism Development Board of Himachal Pradesh and is the Managing Editor of Himachal Tourisms magazine, Monal.
He has handled assignments for the Government of Indias Department of Culture, the Indian Institute of Advanced Study, the United Nations Development Programme, Government of India Tourism, Himachal Tourism, BBC, Channel Four and the Oberoi Group of Hotels.
He is on the Heritage Advisory Committee and the Tourism Development Board of Himachal Pradesh and is the Managing Editor of Himachal Tourisms magazine, Monal.
Articles by Raaja Bhasin
-
Criss-Crossing Around Chindi
|
Raaja Bhasin
|
India
|
Himachal Pradesh
|
Shimla
If one can get past the initial shock and irritation, there is nothing as wonderful as having an eccentric for a guide. And if that eccentric seems to be related to half the population and is on ‘best friend’ terms with the other half,...
-
The Paintings of Dada Siba
|
Raaja Bhasin
|
India
|
Himachal Pradesh
|
Dada Siba
Downstream of the river Beas, on the western extremity of north Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, the village of Dada Siba lies close to the state border with Punjab. Sometime towards the middle of the fifteenth century, the erstwhile princely state...
-
Dewdrops over the Mountains
|
Raaja Bhasin
|
India
|
Himachal Pradesh
|
Spiti Valley
Frothy streams spilling over pans of clawed and mauled rock gave way in moments to walls had been rubbed smooth by the rushing waters of the river Satluj. The Satluj slipped off on its way to the Arabian Sea and its side-stream, the Spiti took over...
-
Vestiges of Human Sacrifice
|
Raaja Bhasin
|
India
|
Himachal Pradesh
|
Kullu
He has a bright yellow scarf wrapped around his head. In one hand he holds aloft a bright yellow flag and in the other, a red one. His eyes are wide open, the expression may well be a combination of excitement and terror – something that one...
-
A Trail of Mountain Paintings
|
Raaja Bhasin
|
India
|
Maharashtra
|
Ajanta
The Indian tradition of painting goes back to the dark caves of Ajanta on the west coast. Here, in the early centuries AD, fresco-secco murals were created on the rock face with the colours of minerals and plants. With interludes or artistic...
-
Following the Trail of Mountain Paintings: an Itinerary
|
Raaja Bhasin
|
India
|
Jammu & Kashmir
|
Ladakh
Day 01 - The starting point towards the painting heartland should be Jammu in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, where you can reach by air, rail or road. Resting by the banks of the river Tawi, this ancient town was one of the places where some...
-
An Introduction to Himachal Pradesh
|
Raaja Bhasin
|
India
|
Himachal Pradesh
Sharp razors of rock barely softened by snow rise as if to slash the skies and in their wide, bold swipes of basalt, gneiss and granite create some of the most dramatic landscapes on Earth. Arguably the world’s grandest mountain system, the...
-
A Morning in Aberdeen, Hong Kong
|
Raaja Bhasin
|
China
|
Hong Kong
|
Hong Kong City
The promenade was unusually deserted. The parking lot was strangely empty too. With no jostling or juggling required, ours was the only cab that swung freely into position. There was no long line waiting for a boat-ride and, for the moment at least...
-
The Monasteries of Spiti
|
Raaja Bhasin
|
India
|
Uttar Pradesh
|
Spiti
The sub-divisions of Lahaul and Spiti combine to form the trans-Himalayan district of Himachal Pradesh. The district headquarters lie at Keylong in Lahaul and the administrative seat of Spiti is at Kaza. Spiti itself is connected to Lahaul by the...
-
At Sati’s Door: Some Places of Hindu Pilgrimage
|
Raaja Bhasin
|
Tibet
|
other areas of Tibet
|
Himalayas
And here I thought that I was tired. The car had decided to put its feet up for a bit and while it had its nap and the men with wrenches and jacks arrived to do what they would, I walked up the slope. With a mug of soup in my hand, I looked down...