Indian Roadie Preferred Cafe in Udaipur, Rajasthan

Udaipur had once been land of Sisodia Rajputs. Being part of Mewar region, certain expectations regarding the cuisine of Udaipur is reasonable. Udaipur used to make one of the best kitchens for the Royal Monarchs. The city still serves the finest food to its dwellers and tourists. If one is planning to visit this beautiful city of lakes, there is no need to worry about meals, since the city has numerous restaurants. Many a restaurants dish up various cuisines, so there is no need ponder about what to eat.

Influenced by Vaishnavism, Udaipur cuisine is debarred of non-vegetarian dishes. Udaipur is famous for its Dal-Baati-Churma, Gatte-Ki-Sabzi, Kachori and Mirchi Bada. Meals are usually comprised of lentils, vegetables and a fantastic variety of spices. Lentil curries, yoghurt soups with deep fried breads and chilli fritters make the favorite feast. Ocra, dried mango and Sangri (beans) go together with most of the meals.

However, this is not a constraint for people who love non-vegetarian food as there are many restaurants that serve non-vegetarian food. People, who are not very keen to try the cuisine of Udaipur, there are plenty of restaurants that dole out special cuisines ranging from Chinese and Thai to Intercontinental and Italian food. If fast food is the choice, one can find variety of patties, pastries, sandwiches, pizzas, Indian chat etc to satisfy the taste buds.

Udaipur has many eateries that serve thali (platter) and one can enjoy the unlimited servings of a selection of Rajasthani dishes including chapattis, daals, vegetables, rice, sweets and many more. Among the various restaurants, Ambrai is a nice restaurant to relax near the Pichhola Lake. Natraj and Bawarchi are other popular restaurants that serve Rajasthani cuisine. Paratha Hut is famous for its lip-smacking parathas (breads).

The following is an indicative list of restaurants in Udaipur:

Rajasthani and Indian
Anupama Restaurant, Delhigate
Berry's Restaurant, Chetak Circle
Gangaur Restaurant, Chetak Circle
Hariyali Restaurant, R.M.V.Road
Jai Restaurant, Kailash Colony
Sheeshmahal, Bapu Bazaar
Shilpi Restaurant, Near Shilp Gram
Trivedi Upahar Grih, Near Udaipur Hotel, Surajpole
Khana Khazana Restaurant, Sahelion ki Bari
Bawarchi, Delhi Gate
Natraj, Near Railway Station

Multicuisine
Vatika Restaurant, Gulab Bagh Road
Chicken Centre, Shakti Nagar
Abhinandan Hotel, Durga Nursery Road
Lake Palace Hotel, Pichola Lake
Lake View Roof Top Restaurant, Jagdish Chowk
Parkview, Opp.Town Hall
Restaurant El Parador, Ambamata Road
Roof Top Palace View Restaurant, Lake Palace Road
Sun Set Roof Top Restaurant, Opposite Chandpole
Anand Bhawan Hotel, Fateh Sagar Road
Paratha Hut, Lake Palace Road

Fast Food
Berry's, Chetak Circle
Bawarchi Fast Food & Restaurant, Delhigate
Wimpy Restaurant, Near Udiyapole
Wood Land Restaurant, Rani Road

Coffee Shops
Shivam Cafe, Jagdish Chowk
Agrawal Cafe, Sector 4
Mayur Cafe, Opp. Jagdish Temple
Purohit Cafe, Anand Plaza, Near Ayad Bridge
Cafe Edelweiss

Bars
Apollo Beer Bar, Fateh Pura
Chirag Restaurant & Bar, Gulab Bagh Road
Quality Restaurant, Chetak Circle
R.T.D.C. Kajri Tourist Bunglow, Shastri Circle
Rangat Bar (Green View Hotel), Gulab Bagh Road
Shilpi Restaurant, Shilpgram 

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Drive For Taste Buds  

Travel For Taste Buds 

Indian Roadie Drive For Food 

Indian Roadie Travel For Food 

Foodie Roadie India 

Indian Roadie Preferred Hospital in Udaipur, Rajasthan

Udaipur has number of hospitals that provide all general medical facilities. All the hospitals have adequate instruments and machines to serve the medical requirements of people. The doctors of Udaipur are qualified and experienced. The chemist shops are open for 24 hours to fulfill the demands of an urgent situation. Udaipur hospitals provide ambulance facility for 24*7. For emergency, hospitals have adequate arrangements of doctors. The list of several Hospitals in Udaipur is as follows:

Maharana Bhopal General Hospital
Phone: 2528811-19

J.K. Hospital & Research Centre
Bhupalpura
Phone: 2418544

Jagrati Orthopedic Hospital
Hospital Road
Phone: 2529234

Kalptaru Hospital
Hiran Magri
Phone: 2588543

Raj Lithotripsy Hospital
Sevashram Chowraha
Phone: 2412770

Samar Hospital & Research Centre
Durga Nursery Road
Phone: 2410865

Sanjeevani Nursing Home
Sevashram Chowraha
Phone: 2412770

Saraswati Hospital & Medical Research Centre
University Road
Phone: 2414325

Shah Clinic
New Ashwani Bazar
Phone: 2529600

Shreyas Children & Maternity Hospital
Fateh Pura
Phone: 2560861

Shriram Hospital & Research Centre
Maduvan
Phone: 2528431

Triveni Hospital
Fatehpura
Phone: 2560449, 2527804

Udaipur Hospital Pvt. Ltd
Kamlawadi
Phone: 2420322

(Source: http://www.udaipur.org.uk)

Cenotaphs of Mewar rulers at Ahar in Rajasthan

Cenotaphs of Mewar Rulers at Ahar in Rajasthan.
Ahar is a small town in Udaipur district of Rajasthan which is located at a distance of 3 kms from the city of Udaipur.
The place is famous for being the cremation ground of the rulers of Mewar.
The cenotaph of Maharana Sangram Singh is a major attraction that has fifty-six pillars in its porch. It possess octagonal dome in its centre with the support of eight small pillars. In 1734, Maharana Sangram Singh was cremated here with his twenty-one wives.

Photo: @nomade_par_nature on IG

Roadtrip to Sindhudurg Fort from Navi Mumbai and Pune via Kolhapur

Located off the coast of Maharashtra, the Sindhudurg Fort is an ancient fortress occupying an islet in the Arabian Sea. This imposing construction is spread over an area of 48 acres, with its massive walls standing tall against the crashing waves of the sea. The main entrance of the fort is hidden away in such a manner that no one can identify it from the outside. The Sindhudurg Fort is a tangible example of the Maratha foresight and resourcefulness. Not only is this mighty fort a historically significant attraction, but the natural beauty of the surrounding landscape makes it a popular tourist spot. Protruding right from the midst of the mighty Arabian Sea, this fort makes up for a delightfully charming sight. Its rich historical background only adds to the experience of this place.

Built by none other than Chhatrapati Shivaji, the construction of Sindhudurg Fort utilizes the natural protection of the surrounding rocks to their advantage. With its solid walls and conspicuous gateways, this fort is a fascinating piece of history which makes it a favourite tourist spot. Perhaps one of the reasons why this magnificent fort has managed to stand the test of time would be its unique and unyielding construction style. The foundation of the mighty building was laid down in the lead, and the natural protection provided by the surrounding rocks acted as an impregnable barrier against any enemy forces. Sindhudurg Fort also has 42 bastions, which still stand tall and is surrounded by several smaller forts such as the Padmagad, Rajkot and Sarjekot Fort. A small temple dedicated to the Chhatrapati also finds a place within the bounds of the fort.

The strength of Sindhudurg Fort lies in its unshakable engineering, which utilised indigenous materials to the best of their properties. The main material used to build the fort was sand that was brought from Gujarat, while the foundation of the fort was laid down in hundreds of kilograms of lead. The complex of the fort is spread over a massive area of 48 acres and has a 3-kilometre long boulevard.

The walls of the Sindhudurg Fort stand 30 feet high and 12 feet thick, making it practically impossible scale. The main entrance is impossible to detect from the outside, which was further a deterrent to any invaders. One of the most peculiar yet intriguing details of Sindhhudurg Fort is its zig-zag walls, which house a number of pillars and bastions. As many as 23 Hindu and Muslim families still inhabit the bounds of the fort and a unique painting of Chhatrapati Shivaji without his iconic moustache is safely kept here as well.

Since the fort is situated on an island, the only way to reach it is by the means of ferries which are quite easily available from the Malvan coast. The ferry takes about INR 50 for a round trip and 15 minuted to reach this attraction.




Indian Roadie Preferred Route, Motoring Route, Driving Route, Best Route for road trip from 

Navi Mumbai (Panvel) to Sindhudurg 

(NaviMumbai_Sindhudurg), 

Pune (Katraj bus depot) to Sindhudurg

(Pune to Sindhudurg): 

Panvel ---- Lonavla ---- Pune ---- Khed ---- Satara ---- Kasegaon ---- Peth ---- Kolhapur ---- Asgaon ---- Shenavade ---- Gaganbawda ---- Vaibhabwadi ---- Talere ---- Shirgaon ---- Salshi ---- Sindhudurg 

Distances: 

Navi Mumbai (Panvel) to Sindhudurg 

(Panvel_Sindhudurg) = 460 kms. 
Pune (Katraj Bus Depot) - Sindhudurg 

(Pune_Sindhudurg) = 340 kms. 

Ganapati Bappa Morya - Ganesh idol visarjan (immersion) in Mumbai in end-August 2017

Ganesh utsav, the largest festival for Mumbaikars in Maharashtra ended with the 'visarjan' (immersion) of the idol of Lord Ganesha in the Arabian Sea bordering Mumbai towards the end of August 2017.
The incessant rains could not mellow the mood of revellers.

Ganesh utsav is a 'must see' for all across the world.
However, on the day of the immersion almost all the major throughfares in Mumbai city are out of bounds for vehicular traffic. Be prepared for that.

Imphal to Kolkata in a bicycle to promote greenery

Philem Rohan, a model by profession, cycled 1600 kms from Imphal to Kolkata to spread awareness about pollution.
He left Imphal on 19th March 2018 and reached Kolkata in a little less than 3 weeks.

Asif dies after crashing into rear of stationery truck near Dankuni toll plaza (Kolkata outskirts) on 2018-05-06 morning

Momentary road rage and distraction snubs out another life on NH19 (Durgapur Expressway), near Dankuni Toll Plaza, outskirts of Kolkata on Sunday, 2018-05-06 early morning.

It's lack of modesty, cognitive powers & education which results in all these.
I'd like to add that a B.Tech, MBA, BBA, MCA degree stashed away in the almirah is not proof of being educated always.
Those pieces of certificates are the real cause of unfounded ego.
Their parents, grandparents, in-laws, near relatives, neighbours pump up their ego to such dizzying heights, that they start believing that they can literally walk through a concrete wall or gain access to the stars & the moon.
They have this air of knowing everything under the sun & moon.
They don't want to hear no for an answer!

When & how will this procession of death stop?
Collective involvement is the pressing need of the hour.

Road plus boat trip to Kapilmuni's Ashram, Gangasagar, West Bengal

Pradip Bala was at Kapilmuni's Ashram, Gangasagar, WestBengal.
During 'Sankranti' in mid-January every year, lakhs of devotees from across India throng the island for a holy dip at the confluence of Hooghly River and Bay of Bengal.
As of now there's no last mile direct road connectivity of the island to the rest of the country.
Very rare photos which are bound to impress a lot of roadies.
Gangasagar is a 'must visit' atleast once in a lifetime for all Hindus across the world.

Photo: Pradip Bala.
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#IndianRoadie #GlobalRoadie #ShetravelsIndia #BackpackingIndiaOnRoad
#TravelPhotography

E-bike rental service in Digha, West Bengal w.e.f. March 2018

With effect from March 2018, visitors to Digha in West Bengal has the option of moving around in electric bikes.

Something paranormal spotted in Kuldhara, a haunted and deserted village in Rajasthan, India

Indian Roadie follower Neeraj Pandey from Gurgaon, loves driving around India, a huge and fascinating country in his small Maruti car.
During his solo road trip to Rajasthan in August 2016, he clicked a photo at Kuldhara, infamously known as a deserted and haunted village.
He claims that there was no one around for miles when the photo was clicked. However, when he looked at the photo later, he spotted the paranormal, wherein he saw a group of people in a huddle!

(Photo & content credit: Neeraj Pandey)

Must do, see, visit, eat in Amritsar, Punjab

Golden Temple, Amritsar





Jalianwala Bagh




Durgiana Mandir



Durgiana Temple, also known as Lakshmi Narayan Temple, Durga Tirath and Sitla Mandir, is a premier temple situated in the city of Amritsar, Punjab. Though a Hindu temple, its architecture is similar to the Golden Temple.

Wagah Border



The lowering of the flags ceremony at the Wagah border is a daily military practice that the security forces of India (Border Security Force, BSF) and Pakistan (Pakistan Rangers) have jointly followed since 1959. The drill is characterized by elaborate and rapid dancelike steps.

Best places to eat in Amritsar:
1. Kesar da Dhaba, Amritsar (Palak Paneer).
2. Bharawan da Dhaba, Town Hall, Amritsar (Non-veg).

Drive to Tal Chappar, Rajasthan

Vinay Subramanyam drove to Tal Chappar from Jaipur in 2017.
Sudipto Roy drove to Tal Chappar from Kolkata via Delhi and Jaipur.
Both have confirmed Road was very good.
The Havelis of Shekhawati are famous at Fatehpur and Mandawa.



Tal Chappar is actually a stunning black buck sanctuary known for very interesting species of birds and mammals such as the laggar falcon, imperial eagles, desert cats, desert foxes, spotted creeper and many more. It's also known for the salt pan.

The best place to stay is the fairly large forest rest house at Tal Chappar itself. However, during the peak winter season, the place gets sold out. There are a couple of homestays, too.

Route (about 250 kms each way):
Option 1: Jaipur - Sikar - Laxmangarh - Fatehpur - Ratangarh - Tal Chappar.
Option 2: Jaipur - Laxmangarh - Salasar - Sujangarh - Tal Chappar.

Drive to Bidar, Karnataka

Places of interest in Bidar:
- Shri Jharni Narasimha Cave Temple
- Bahmani Tombs
- Chaukhandi of Hazrat Khalil Ullah
- Papnash Mahadev Temple
- Gurudwara Sri Nanak Jhira Sahib
- Bidar Fort
- The Madrasa of Mahmud Gawan
- Barid Shahi Park
- Chowbara Clock Tower
- 108 Feet Statue Of Basaveshwara


Bidar Fort:
The present-day Bidar fort was rebuilt using red laterite stone around the old fort in 1428 by Ahmed Shah Bahmani. Constructed on the edge of the plateau, Bidar fort has a haphazard rhombus-shaped layout. There are over 30 monuments inside the fort.

The major attractions inside the fort are:

- Bidar Fort Museum
- Rangin Mahal
- Solah Khamba Mosque
- Tarkash Mahal
- Gagan Mahal
Diwan-i-Aam
Diwan-i-Khas/ Takht Mahal
Gunpowder Room
Shahi Matbakh
Naubat Khana
Bomma Gondeshwara Tank

With a 55 km long wall, the fort has a unique triple moat with depth of 30 feet. There are 37 bastions on the fort wall with The Munda Burj being the most prominent one. The fort has seven gates:

Gate 1: The Mandu Darwaza, the main gate
Gate 2: The Kalmadgi Darwaza,
Gate 5 – The Delhi Darwaza,
Gate 6 – The Kalyani Darwaza,
Gate 7 – The Carnatic Darwaza,
Gates 3 and 4 are without a name.
The ingeniously designed Mandu Darwaza has its entrance through a well defended underground tunnel.

Drivers of taxis, autos, e-rickshaws can use private driving licence

The government at the centre has done away with the requirement of a commercial licence for driving taxis, threewheelers, e-rickshaws and two-wheelers (food delivery, etc), allowing drivers to use their private licences for the same. However, the mandate for a commercial driving licence remains in force for trucks, buses and other heavy commercial vehicles.

The road transport ministry issued an advisory on 2018-04-16 to the state governments to follow this norm in order to comply with a Supreme Court order of July 2017.

Ministry officials said this is likely to increase employment opportunities for lakhs of drivers.

Till recently, getting a commercial licence was necessary to drive any transport vehicle. Usually, people needed to wait a year after obtaining a private driving licence for a commercial one. “This will end a lot of corruption involved in obtaining transport or commercial licences,” said a ministry official.

Source: The Times of India, Kolkata edition dated 2018-04-19.

Subho Nobo Borsho 1425 (Happy Bengali New Year)

This is Deep Banerjee (Founder - #IndianRoadie, #GlobalRoadie, #ShetravelsIndia, #BackpackingIndiaOnRoad, #Marketingpundit, #MarketingGyanology, #CarrotNStick, #KeepStrongStayHappy, #EducationAndCareerPundit, #RottenEnglish, #LaughAloud, #HowIndiaTravels, #HowWorldTravels) wishing Subho Nobo Borsho 1425 (Happy Bengali New Year) to all my friends, relatives, well wishers and their dear ones.
Keep strong. Stay happy.

The look of homes across Kerala, India as you drive around the state

Homes across Kerala, India have a very different look and feel than the rest of India.
This home seen in the attached photo was clicked from a moving bus by @foxonfeet (on IG) while traveling from Kochi to Munnar.

JOIN the Facebook 'groups' #IndianRoadie, #BackpackingIndiaOnRoad, #ShetravelsIndia, #GlobalRoadie for all your queries about India and please invite your friends to join, too.

India is a representation of everything beautiful that one can crave to see around the world.
Traveling by road is the best, safest & most economical option for wanderlust expatriates and Indians to get the true essence of India.

Who are the expatriates visiting India and willing to be my car travel buddy?

As a corporate marketing strategist and visiting faculty at b-schools pan-India, I gather out of the box marketing inspirations while driving around this huge and fascinating country with expatriate travel buddies in my own VW car.
Let's drive entire India or a part of it (and even Bhutan, Nepal) together in my own car absolutely hassle free and as travel buddies in total safety, comfort, flexibility and affordable cost.

However, this friendly offer/ invitation to expatriates worldwide should not be misconstrued as a business proposition.
Interested? I am all ears. Please revert to roadieindian@gmail.com or WhatsApp +91 82408 49300.

Fuel for motorized fishing boats being ferried in bullock carts in Rameshwaram in Tamilnadu, India

Bullock carts with plastic jerry cans filling up fuel from an Indianoil filling station at Rameshwaram in Tamilnadu, India for onward transportation to far flung remote fishing villages to fuel motorized fishing boats in mid 2017.

Photo: Navtej Singh (@nattysingh on IG)

It's not a simple fill it, shut it, forget it for a large chunk of the Indian populace whose life would come to a grinding halt without regular supplies of petrol, diesel or kerosene.
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#IndianRoadie #GlobalRoadie #ShetravelsIndia #BackpackingIndiaOnRoad #HowIndiaTravels

Road trip to Mallickaa Resort, Tajpur, West Bengal by Debashis Goswami in April 2018

Tajpur Sea Beach in East Midnapore district, barely 185 kms from Kolkata (Victoria Memorial), is a popular beach location in West Bengal.

Debashis Goswami, a resident of Kolkata drove down to Tajpur with wife and children and spent a lovely weekend at Mallickaa Resort in early April 2018.

The resort comprising of a couple of air-conditioned cottages within an unbelievably large landed property of 33 bighas is full of greenery, has innumerable fruit bearing trees, well manicured garden and a huge pond where large number of ducks swim around.
The sun-kissed beach of the Bay of Bengal is just about 300 mtrs/ 5 minutes walking distance from the cottages.

Tariff: Rs2300 per day for an air-conditioned cottage. Cost of food is extra.
Contact person: Chandan Mondal (+91 96095 95667).

Route to Tajpur Sea Beach from Kolkata:
From Kolkata drive on NH16 upto Kolaghat. Turn left and drive to Nandakumar. The road ahead (RA) leads to Haldia, while the road on right (ROR) will take you to Kanthi and onwards to Digha.
On the Kanthi (Contai) to Digha Road, cross Chaulkhola and then a road on left (ROL) from Balisai to reach Tajpur.