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India.com
a day ago
- India.com
Top 5 Must-See Scenic Road Trips Near Mysuru This Rainy Season
Mysuru serves as the cultural headquarters of Karnataka state while attracting visitors with its royal palaces along with traditional culture. Surpassing its busy downtown sits an extensive collection of picturesque sites which unfolds their beauty exclusively during monsoon. This destination provides perfect conditions for road trips because of its combination of green landscapes and waterfall wonders and misty mountains and tranquil lakes. During the rainy season Mysuru visitors can discover seven spectacular places for long-distance drives that will enchant them. 1. B.R. Hills (Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary) Distance from Mysuru: ~85 km Travel Time: ~2 hours The Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary rests inside the Western Ghats area which attracts nature enthusiasts from all over. Throughout the monsoon season the sanctuary turns into an enchanting natural park filled with dense forest areas and jumping streams which support a wide variety of wildlife species. Photography fans would enjoy taking pictures of the mist-swathed hills as their background. Jungle safari tours within the sanctuary allow guests to observe elephants along with leopards and deer while tribal villages can also be visited by the public. On the way to B.R. Hills passengers can enjoy scenic views that combine winding roads and coffee plantations alongside distant valley vistas. The historic Biligiri Ranga Swamy Temple stands tall on one of the regional hills where you can discover a sacred atmosphere during your trip. 2. Ooty via Bandipur National Park Distance from Mysuru: ~140 km (via Bandipur) Travel Time: ~3.5 hours Ooty delivers a relaxing combination of outdoor enjoyment while you reach your destination through Bandipur National Park. When driving through Bandipur keep alert because you might encounter tigers along with sloth bears and different bird varieties. During the monsoon season the deciduous forests acquire their vibrant emerald hue making the park especially lovely. Visitors can reach Ooty to experience its status as 'Queen of Hill Stations' through enjoying tea gardens followed by visits to Botanical Gardens and Doddabetta Peak. Travelers who take the path between Bandipur and Ooty will encounter additional chances to see Indian biodiversity within the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve. 3. Coorg (Kodagu District) Distance from Mysuru: ~120 km Travel Time: ~3 hours Coorg exists as one of India's most renowned regions which residents label 'Scotland of India' due to its characteristic hills, coffee fields and spice-growing lands. Throughout the monsoonal season Coorg transforms into an enchanting destination because of its saturated topography that includes strong waterfall cascades such as Abbey Falls and Iruppu Falls. The road between Mysuru and Coorg passes mountain curves alongside magnificent tree rows and agricultural fields. The town offers locals a chance to try traditional fare such as pandi curry and akki roti in addition to allowing visitors to breathe fresh air as they enjoy the picturesque views. Experienced travelers can engage in trekking or river rafting at the plantation homes which provide tranquil relaxation experiences to visitors. 4. Nagarhole National Park (Rajiv Gandhi National Park) Distance from Mysuru: ~90 km Travel Time: ~2 hours The Nagarhole National Park exists near Mysuru and belongs to the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve as it holds numerous species of plants and animals. The monsoon season increases the visual appeal of this forested territory which attracts nature lovers and photographers who must experience this destination in their lives. The wildlife sanctuary allows visitors to explore its herds of elephants together with spotted deer and bison attracted to water holes by jeep safari. The Kabini River presents an enchanting sight within Nagarhole National Park during the rainy season because it mirrors both forest vegetation and sky reflections. 5. Shivanasamudra Falls and Cauvery River Cruise Distance from Mysuru: ~80 km Travel Time: ~2 hours During the monsoon season Shivanasamudra Falls reaches its highest water volume point because it is situated on the Cauvery River banks. The waterfall spans across two sections known as Gaganachukki and Barachukki while producing an immense rumbling sound as it falls from rocky terrain. The next stop after waterfall appreciation should be a peaceful Cauvery River Cruise experience through natural surroundings at the nearby boat departure point. The scenic areas around the destination showcase numerous temples and archaeological sites which enhance cultural value to your journey. The multi-day journey works wonderfully to satisfy travelers traveling individually or traveling as a family. Conclusion Mysuru city offers its best natural attractions during the monsoon season. Various road trips providing experiences for all interests exist so travelers of every type can find something they enjoy. Every place listed throughout the discussion displays Karnataka's rich cultural heritage while presenting its wide range of ecological environments. You should prepare your travel gear and fill your car with gas to embark on memorable visits along scenic pathways near Mysuru.
The Guardian
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Cheng Lei: ‘I'm catching up on four years. I missed my children so much'
'That is a crotch shot!' says Cheng Lei, laughing at my phone's screensaver. I tell her it's a picture of my legs but she's sceptical and laughs even more. You could be forgiven for expecting Cheng, 49, to be serious and sombre: the journalist spent two years and three months in prison in China for an absurd crime. Detained as a spy and kept in isolation for months, she was constantly watched by guards, and did not hear the voices of her two children for years. But she displays a quick wit, a devilish sense of humour and a relaxed laugh. She switches between analysing the rise of the Ministry of State Security under President Xi Jinping, to laughing about how the ladies in her cell would share a book about male yoga. Let's just say it was not for the poses. It's the second day of winter, and the morning sun is warming Melbourne's Botanical Gardens. We're strolling past rows of camellias and rhododendrons. Cheng says she picked this spot because of the colour. 'Look at where we are' she says as tears well in her eyes. It's been 19 months since she was released from prison and returned to Australia, thanks to intensive and high level diplomatic efforts by Australia during a period of worsening relations with China. She is still adjusting. 'I compare it to being a newborn, so every sensation is very intense,' she says. 'It's almost too much, but in a good way.' Cheng's book about her time in prison, Cheng Lei: A Memoir of Freedom, is frank and – like her – funny, describing everything from the excruciating boredom and psychological torture she experienced in prison, to her secret orgasms (turns out, prison does not kill your libido). No topic is left off the table. Between jokes about menstruation and constipation, Cheng offers her readers a rare glimpse of the secret world of China's state control. 'It gives you an insight into how they think about espionage, about state security,' she says. 'It's about how insecure they are.' In prison Cheng and other inmates slept on a piece of wood, the toilet walls were made of glass, and there was no caps for toothpaste tubes. Everything was grey. She recalls making a birthday sign for another prisoner, but even this was frowned upon by the guards. Prisoners were only meant to use pencils once a month to write letters home. 'We were underground, effectively in a coffin. And so tightly guarded,' she says. A lot of the time, she was trying to escape boredom. She would ask the guards and her family and friends for new books – books that she could savour, that were long. So desperate was she for reading material she devoured a 700-page book on interest rates and even gave Einstein's Theory of Relativity a crack. 'I read enough to realise I didn't understand it,' she says. Now, as she walks slowly through the gardens, she wipes away tears as she lists what she missed. Nature is something she keeps returning to. How much she still loves hearing Australian bird songs, and how, when she returned to Australia, going to the beach was one of the first things she wanted to do with her children, now 16 and 13. In prison, there were times she forced herself not to think about her children because it became too much to bear. When she was given her prison sentence, she immediately calculated how old her children would be when she was released. She missed her daughter's first day of high school, and cheering on her son at soccer. Missing them was more suffocating than her small cell. 'I didn't know if I'd ever see them again,' she says. 'They had to go … all that time not sure when I'd be back.' So when Cheng stepped off the plane she immediately went back into 'mum mode', she says. 'I'm catching up on four years,' she says. 'I just missed them so much.' Cheng was born in China, but at the age of 10 her family migrated to Australia. She wanted to study journalism, but her father persuaded her to do commerce – there was no way Australian media companies would hire a Chinese reporter he said, half-joking that the popular and long-serving SBS TV presenter Lee Lin Chin wasn't retiring any time soon. But unfulfilled, she ended up doing an internship at the Chinese state media company CCTV, before heading to Singapore and then back to the rebranded state network CGTN in 2012. Her life in Beijing was big and fast, she was a glamorous TV presenter, her show watched by millions. She interviewed everyone from the Australian ambassador to China, Geoff Raby, to David Beckham. She visited embassies and rubbed shoulders with China's elite. On 13 August 2020 she went to work thinking she was going to meet her boss about a new show proposal but instead walked into a meeting room filled with 20 people. 'I am informing you on behalf of the Beijing State Security Bureau that you are being investigated for supplying state secrets to foreign organisations,' one of them said. They took her to her apartment, where they went through her rooms, confiscating all her electronic devices. Cheng says she was 'naive' – she knew she had done nothing wrong, and thought she would be released in two or three days. After almost a year in prison, Cheng was charged with espionage, but her crime was innocuous: sending a private text message, eight words long, seven minutes too soon. She had allegedly broken a media embargo on a speech by the Chinese Premier by texting Bloomberg journalist, and then friend, Haze Fan, that there would be 'No growth target. GDP. 9 Min jobs target'. Breaking a media embargo in Australia would merit, at most, a verbal slap from the boss and being dropped from a media list. It would be a shitty day at work, and you might need a whinge and a wine on the way home. But it wouldn't be a life-changing crime. The original document Cheng had been given did not have an embargoed time on it. A year later, the prosecutor told security officials gathering evidence against her that they had to have proof it was embargoed for the case to go ahead. 'So they got the classification bureau to do up a document. Which they did, because they're all on the same side, and the state must win at all costs.' In China, national security trials are often conducted in secret, with sentences announced sometimes months after the trial. The conviction rate is more than 99%. Months after her arrest, she was charged, and told how long her sentence would be two weeks before her trial was due to finish. Her friend Haze was also imprisoned, and Cheng could hear her down the corridor. By then, agents had combed through their 60,000 texts and interrogated her for hours on end about their friendship. She began to wonder if their friendship had been a dangerous transaction. Had she been used? 'Honestly, I went through a lot of anger. But then also wished she was in my cell, because she was more fun to talk to. She did suffer, and I want to talk to her, because I want some form of closure, and I want to find out what happened to her.' Cheng says her arrest was more diplomatic pawn-playing than serious criminal conduct. 'If it wasn't [the embargo] they would have found something else,' she says. Now, after 19 months back at home, Cheng is a presenter on Sky News. In China, she is still hounded online by trolls, and state police have used a picture of her for an advertisement recruiting people to work for them breaking spies. Cheng is reflective. For her whole life she has straddled two cultures and two countries, and she is now defined by having been caught in the middle of frosty relations between the two. But in prison, with endless time, she taught herself how to change her thoughts. 'There was a time I was in solitude in a really hot cell. I switched my thinking from 'Oh my gosh, this is horrible! Even my hair feels like it's on fire', to I imagine I love the heat. 'I was like, OK, I'm going to make chips. We got these horrible steamed potatoes and I would flatten them between bits of plastic packaging and then lay them out in the sun and check them every hour. It didn't really work, they were still a bit chewy. 'But it was something new and something fun.' She now spends less time on Instagram and more time thinking about the people she loves. If someone honks at her, or she gets a traffic fine, she doesn't feel the stress she might once have. She shrugs and moves on. 'I love that I got to a space where I can see adversity for what it is. It's just a counterpoint,' she says. 'You never feel happy if you're happy all the time. Each annoyance is a chance to adapt.' Cheng Lei: A Memoir of Freedom is out now through HarperCollins
India.com
4 days ago
- India.com
Top Weekend Getaway Spots Near Scenic Road Trips From Mysuru
Karnataka can be explored through Mysuru (formerly Mysore) which stands out because of its regal heritages along with various cultural events and splendid royal architecture. The south Indian location of Mysuru provides several excellent road routes for visiting during weekend escapes. Travelers enjoy these road journeys because they provide peaceful landscapes which enable them to experience different cultural elements and traditional customs. Seven amazing road journeys starting from Mysuru offer unique memories to all travelers. 1. Coorg Coorg serves as the well-known hill station Kodagu where visitors can experience its verdant scenes and mountain fog combined with coffee plantation landscapes. The destination offers perfect conditions for people who enjoy nature and exciting adventures. People visiting this region can explore Abbey Falls alongside Raja's Seat and Dubare Elephant Camp. The beautiful climate of Coorg as well as its peaceful surroundings make it an exceptional weekend destination. The local food of Coorg includes pork curry pandi and akki roti that you must experience during your visit. 2. Ooty The hill station of Ooty in Tamil Nadu maintains easy access from Mysuru as it stands as a prominent South Indian mountain resort. The town of Ooty enriches tourists through its extensive tea plantation fields and dense forests which surround peaceful lakes. Attractions such as Botanical Gardens, Ooty Lake, and Doddabetta Peak offer ample opportunities for relaxation and exploration. World Heritage Site status belongs to the Nilgiri Mountain Railway which provides a charming historic train experience during your journey. 3. Bandipur National Park People who love to observe wildlife in their natural habitat should place Bandipur National Park at the top of their travel destinations. The Western Ghats foothills embrace this conservation region which belongs to the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. Guests who explore Bandipur National Park can spot tigers apart from elephants and leopards as well as many species of birds within its dense forest landscapes. Mysuru residents can reach this park within a short time along with all the wildlife opportunities and make it their weekend retreat. 4. Wayanad The region of Wayanad within Kerala presents itself as a complete natural treasure for exploration. All kinds of travelers will find something captivating in Wayanad as it features the combination of Soochipara and Meenmutty waterfalls together with the historical Edakkal caves. Travelers interested in trekking can explore the Chembra Peak area whereas tourists who desire peace will enjoy Pookode Lake or Kuruva Island tribal culture viewing. Tourists enjoy visiting this area because it provides cool weather together with phenomenal scenic views. 5. Srirangapatna & Shivanasamudra Falls For residents of Mysuru interested in close day trips they should explore the areas that include Srirangapatna and Shivanasamudra Falls. Srirangapatna, once the capital of Tipu Sultan, boasts historical landmarks like Tipu's Summer Palace, Daria Daulat Bagh, and Gumbaz. The historical hydroelectric power station of Shivanasamudra Falls shows two waterfalls called Barachukki and Gaganachukki which enchant their viewers. History and spirituality and natural attractiveness form a perfect blend at these two sites. 6. Hogenakkal Falls The Tamil Nadu-Karnataka border waterfall Hogenakkal Falls resembles Niagara Falls because of its remarkable waterfalls. Visitors to Hogenakkal can experience coracle boat rides followed by natural pool bathing while receiving traditional Ayurvedic massages from local masseurs in this area which is situated among forested territory with rocky surroundings. Hogenakkal Falls presents its most breathtaking appearance during monsoons because the Cauvery river exceeds its normal levels. 7. Chikmagalur Chikmagalur sits within the Western Ghats mountain range and mainly represents breathtaking views and abundant coffee plantation scenery. Travelers seeking peace in addition to photographers and trekkers find this place appealing. The primary destinations in Chikmagalur include Mullayanagiri Peak which holds the title of the highest peak in Karnataka together with Baba Budangiri and Hebbe Falls and Belur-Halebid temples. The experience includes traveling through coffee plantations to witness the complete coffee production process alongside drinking aromatic beverages in the pristine rural setting. Conclusion The strategic position of Mysuru enables visitors to reach various magnificent locations in South India's region without any problems. The travel routes offer diverse opportunities that match the preferences of every visitor including explorers and those who require rest and cultural experiences. Every location in these sites brings its own special appeal which transforms every trip into a precious memory. Mysuru residents can achieve a relaxing weekend away by heading out into the world.
The Herald Scotland
6 days ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
'Do we want Edinburgh as a Harry Potter theme park?'
Regularly ranking among the world's best cities, boasting postcard-worthy views around virtually every corner, and hosting the globe's largest performing arts festival, The Fringe - alongside increasingly bustling Christmas markets - the city has become a year-round tourist destination for culture vultures, influencers, history buffs, and Harry Potter fans alike. This supports tens of thousands of jobs, stimulates significant investment in business and keeps Edinburgh squarely on the global map. But for the local population, especially in the city centre where the majority of visitors congregate, it often means overcrowded streets, an escalating cost of living and strained infrastructure. Balancing the mass tourism driving what some call Edinburgh's 'Disneyfication' - or perhaps more accurately, its Potterfication - with the needs of residents remains a key challenge for the city. The introduction of the UK's first Transient Visitor Levy (TVL), or 'tourist tax', comes as a direct response to these pressures. However, it is unlikely to be a silver bullet. In the second of an exclusive two-part interview for The Herald's series looking at the Future of Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh Council's leader Jane Meagher and chief executive Paul Lawrence reflected on the impact of tourism and opportunities of the forthcoming visitor levy. Councillor Meagher acknowledged there are a 'whole lot of issues relating to the city centre' as a result of Edinburgh's strong visitor economy. 'One concern is about managing what kind of city centre we want this to be,' she said, adding: 'Do we want it to be a Harry Potter theme park or do we want it to be a living city centre where people live and work? Read more from our Future of Edinburgh series: 'That's where things like the visitor levy come in. Clearly, one of the aims of the visitor levy is to make the visitor experience more sustainable. 'What that means is providing visitors with a reason to move outwith the city centre and go and visit Lauriston Castle, Craigmillar Castle, go and visit the other World Heritage Site out at Queensferry and take advantage of the shorefront that people can enjoy. 'What tends to happen is some people congregate around the Royal Mile to the exclusion of even places like the Botanical Gardens, so part of the visitor levy is going to be to make what we're packaging as sustainable. 'In other words, not concentrating on the middle of the city. 'As well as thinking about the city centre we need to bear in mind there are areas outwith the city centre that will become in their own right visitor venues. The Granton Gasholder is a recent excellent example of that park and its attractions.' The proliferation of city centre gift shops, sometimes dubbed 'tartan tat' retailers, is a hot button issue for locals in Edinburgh who complain about a lack of essential amenities like grocery stores in the centre of town. On this point, Meagher said: 'I think there's an overprovision of certain types of shop. I have friends, some of whom live at the foot of the Royal Mile, and it is quite difficult to find corner shops. I think we need a better mix.' Mr Lawrence agreed there are 'too many of a certain kind of retail offer in certain places' and said it was 'clear to see' this needed rebalancing. However, the council's chief officer contended Edinburgh has 'the best blend of restaurants, pubs and shops in the UK by a mile'. He said: 'A lot of places suffer from only having chain pubs, restaurants and so on. We have a thriving independent sector, which through the visitor levy we also want to support. So if you look at the diversity as a whole, walk from here to Leith, and in Leith Walk we have one of the most exciting streets in the UK. I think the mix compared to others is spectacular. 'If you're on the Royal Mile you can be at a Lidl on Nicolson Street in five minutes, that's not the case in most places. 'But are there pockets where there are over concentrations of a certain kind of provision? Of course there are.' This issue was debated in the City Chambers last year after a councillor said the number of gift shops on the Royal Mile in council-owned commercial units had become "embarrassing,' and complained the capital's 'window on the world has a See You Jimmy Hat in it'. Lawrence said: 'If we own something then we can decide who to lease it to. So, for example, if we want to ensure that some of our properties are used for charitable or social purposes we can, but the council has a policy of no concessionary lets on our property estate because our property estate cross-subsidies some of the council's core services, so there is a consequence. 'Both as a property owner, as a licensing authority and a planning authority we have a lot of policies that dig into these issues, and like most things there's always a balance involved in all of this.' Another ongoing challenge for the authority is reducing traffic levels while increasing pedestrian space to handle heavy footfall. Questions persist over how the council plans to meet its target to cut car kilometres driven in the city by 30% by 2030, especially after the Scottish Government recently ditched its less ambitious target of 20%. Meanwhile, plans to remove through traffic from key city centre roads including the North and South Bridges and The Mound were delayed last year due to a lack of funding from the Scottish Government. The Royal Mile (Image: Colin Mearns) At the time, former transport convener Scott Arthur said it was 'not just as simple as putting planters in,' while senior officer Gareth Barwell added it was 'very hard to go cheap and nasty' in a World Heritage Site'. However, the slow progress to make the centre of Edinburgh more pedestrian friendly and less congested has made some question how committed the council is to implementing changes. Lawrence highlighted the closures of the Old Town's Cockburn Street and Victoria Street to through traffic 'at little or no cost because we have not done large scale new street designs'. He said: 'We've simply said you can't drive your car down there anymore and some people have agreed with that and some people have disagreed with that. 'There's somewhere like George Street, potentially the finest street in Edinburgh, one of the finest streets in the UK, where I don't think that approach would be right. 'We have a scheme from Meadows to George Street which would improve the public realm significantly. We're under a lot of pressure, and understandably so, from organisations like Living Streets to improve the pavement experience both in the city centre and elsewhere. 'In a World Heritage centre, that has to be done right. And that's not cheap. 'There are some times when we can take a relatively low intervention approach, if I can call it that. There are others where we need substantive street redesign from building line to building line. We have to do that respectfully to the heritage of the city. We've inherited some of the most spectacular street designs in Europe and we can't ignore that.' Read more: Meagher added: 'Edinburgh is one of the easiest places to walk around as opposed to any other ways of getting around the city, but there's no doubt - I mean look at Princes Street, the pavements on Princes Street are in a shocking state.' The council chiefs said a potential £50m a year generated by the visitor levy - a 5% charge on overnight stays capped at five nights from July 2026 - will fund essential improvements to pedestrian spaces including the neglected Princes Street. 'We now have the opportunity with the visitor levy before us,' Lawrence said, 'we are working to bring forward proposals via the new Visitor Levy Forum to elected members later in the year on the first tranche of visitor levy investment. 'Those issues of the quality of the public realm in the city centre, whether it's from a day to day point of view - so graffiti removal and so on - or more substantive works like the quality of Princes Street, we are working hard on those to bring them to members later in the year to be considered, only considered because there's a lot of claims on that money, to be considered as first priority.' Meagher said: 'That £50m anticipated from the visitor levy has been spent many, many times over in people's imaginations. But I think it would be hard not to justify something to be done on Princes Street on things like improved lighting. 'We need to think long-term and have some sort of staged, strategic approach to the use of the visitor levy, rather than a whole random collection of one-off pieces of investment. We also need to see that over the years it's going to be spent in a strategic way.' Read more on the Future of Edinburgh: Lawrence stressed his team of officers 'will be looking for a balance between the city centre and other parts of the city in the visitor levy proposals'. He said: 'If we say it should all be spent on one square mile we know what the political reaction would be. What we are working on is basically everything we have heard from communities and elected members and others over the years to go 'what does a balanced package of investment look like so we can hopefully get political support for that later in the year?'. Public toilets are a good example.' Addressing the soaring cost of performing at Edinburgh's world-famous festivals could also be aided by TVL money, he added. 'If you talk to folk in the festival communities, they do talk about affordability both for audiences and performers as a challenge. So we need to work with them to go 'what interventions can help with that affordability challenge'. 'People have said for 40 years it's incredibly expensive to put on a show in Edinburgh and all the rest of it. People still come, but there's lots of other cities catching up with us and we need to stay ahead of the pack. If affordability is a challenge to people coming here, then what interventions might address that in the right way? 'The conversation we want to have with the festival community, in particular, is not just whether it's expensive, but how that relates to the programmes they want to put on. Jane Meagher has been City of Edinburgh Council's leader since December 2024 (Image: Gordon Terris) 'If you want more international performers to come for the Fringe or the International Festival then how do we create packages? So it's based on their development ambitions and their programme ideas, not just a kind of blanket approach. 'Affordability is clearly a challenge, but what are our shared ambitions and therefore what is the right intervention to make? 'That's why we're having those conversations which is why it's going to take time to bring forward proposals. 'Whether members want to spend the money on paving Princes Street or somewhere else, we will put forward a menu of choices later in the year.'
India.com
02-05-2025
- India.com
Mother's Day 2025: Top 5 Hill Stations In India To Surprise Your Mom With Relaxing Vacation
photoDetails english 2894643 Updated:May 02, 2025, 04:46 PM IST 1 / 7 Mother's Day is more than just flowers and breakfast in bed — it's about celebrating the woman who's been your strength through every season. This year, why not go the extra mile — literally — and treat her to a peaceful, refreshing hill station getaway? Whether she loves scenic views, cool breezes, or a quiet escape from daily life, these handpicked Indian hill stations make for the perfect Mother's Day 2025 surprise vacation. Munnar, Kerala – Tea Gardens & Tranquility 2 / 7 Why It's Perfect for Mom: Munnar's lush green tea estates, misty mornings, and calm energy offer a soul-soothing break. If your mom loves nature and slow-paced travel, this is a dream destination. Things to Do: Visit tea plantations and sip fresh brews Relax at Ayurvedic spas Enjoy views at Echo Point and Mattupetty Dam Ideal For: Nature-loving moms who enjoy peaceful walks and natural beauty. Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh – Mountains and Mindfulness 3 / 7 Why It's Perfect for Mom: Nestled in the Dhauladhar range, Dharamshala offers a mix of spiritual calm and scenic charm. It's ideal if your mom appreciates Himalayan views and quiet cafes. Things to Do: Attend a meditation session at Namgyal Monastery Explore McLeod Ganj Visit Bhagsu Waterfall and local Tibetan markets Ideal For: Moms seeking inner peace, mountain views, and meaningful experiences. Ooty, Tamil Nadu – Queen of the Nilgiris 4 / 7 Why It's Perfect for Mom: Ooty's charming blend of colonial heritage, cool weather, and flower-filled gardens is great for moms who enjoy beauty and nostalgia. Things to Do: Take a ride on the Nilgiri Mountain Railway Visit the Botanical Gardens Stroll around Ooty Lake or shop for handmade chocolates Ideal For: Moms who love old-world charm, flowers, and easy exploration. Gangtok, Sikkim – Serenity in the East 5 / 7 Why It's Perfect for Mom: Gangtok is clean, calm, and filled with cultural flavor. The stunning views of Mt. Kanchenjunga and peaceful monasteries make it a hidden gem. Things to Do: Take a ropeway ride over the city Visit Rumtek Monastery and Tashi View Point Try local Sikkimese cuisine Ideal For: Moms who love mountain views, culture, and serene settings. Mussoorie, Uttarakhand – The Classic Escape 6 / 7 Why It's Perfect for Mom: Mussoorie is a timeless hill station with colonial charm and cozy cafes. It's perfect for a short and sweet getaway with cool air and warm hospitality. Things to Do: Walk along Camel's Back Road Visit Kempty Falls Enjoy coffee with a view at local hilltop cafes Ideal For: Moms who enjoy shopping, scenic strolls, and lively local experiences. 7 / 7 No matter where you take her, the best gift is your time. Plan little surprises — a handwritten note, a picnic with her favorite snacks, or a spa appointment — to make the trip extra memorable. This Mother's Day 2025, give her the gift of rest, nature, and quality time. She deserves it.
