British Coin Puzzle
' A small twenty pence British coin was making me go mad ... '

A Dime A Dozen Part 1 : Author's Warning Note (Preface)
' With a total of 12 articles it is a 'dozen a dime' presentation that transports you free-of-cost to various destinations ... '

Borobudur Buddhist Temple - World's Largest Buddhist Shrine
' Borobudur Buddhist Temple complex in Indonesia is considered the world's biggest Buddhist Shrin ... '

Hand Fans
' Better be prepared, I thought wisely and started searching for hand fans ... '

A century-old coin - The British Halfpenny of 1925
'A hundred-year-old coin is not a big deal in numismatic world ... '

Thiruvalangadu :: Where Shiva Defeated Kali in Dance Contest
' Maha Shivrathri Special – February 15 2026 ... '

Radio Licence !
' The system of Broadcast Receiver's License (BRL) for radio got implemented in 1928 ... '

5 British monarchs of India & 4 coins
' luckily I had the coins of four British monarchs though five had ruled over India ... '

Last Journey : Poem
' Saint Pattinathaar was born in the 14th century in a rich merchant family in Tamil Nadu ... '

Vishnu Temples of Guwahati
' are situated just across Guwahati City on northern bank of River Brahmaputra ... '

Christmas Stamps
' "Three Kings" or "Three Wise Men" or "Magi" from the Nativity story ... '

Discovery of New Zealand
' 18th December – Discovery of New Zealand in 1642 ... '

Four Teapoys from Four Corners
' December 8 - 14: All-India Handicrafts Week ... '

Saluting Indian Navy through Stamps
' Indian Navy Day is celebrated on 4th December every year to commemorate Indian Navy's achievements .... '

Sankaradeva Kalakshetra, the Repository of Assamese Culture
' The Cultural Complex of 'Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra' (SSK) was set up in 1998 ..... '

Brigadier Rajinder Singh - Saviour of Kashmir
' Independent India's 1st Gallantry Awardee ..... '

Vithalbhai Patel, another illustrious Patel
' 22nd October – Death Anniversary of Vithalbhai Patel ..... '

Vande Mataram to Vande Bharat
' It is believed that the idea of Vande Mataram struck Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in 1876 ..... '

Stamps, the eternal educators
' 10th October - National Postal Day ..... '

Longevity - Boon or Bane ?
' 1st October - International Day of the Older Persons ..... '

Dirgheswari Temple, where Mahishasura's head is lying
' If you want to see the head of Mahishasura that was severed by Goddess Durga ..... '

Japan's Surrender in Andaman Islands
' 3 years 6 months & 13 days nightmarish rule of the Japanese ..... '

Vietnam's Story in Stamps
' 2nd Sept 2025 – Vietnam's 80th National Day ..... '

Egypt's Last King
' I have only one postal stamp from Egypt, the land of Pharaohs, Pyramids, Mummies & Sphinx ..... '

The VIPs I Shot - with my camera!
' World Photographic Day (on 19th August) ..... '

'Krishna Temple' of Patan, Nepal
' Patan, also known as Lalitpur, is 5 km south-east of Kathmandu, Nepal's capital ..... '

Austrialian Stamps on Aborigial Art
' 9 August - International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples ..... '

The 'Circular Stamp' on Burundi's 'Mwami'
' The Republic of Burundi is in the Great Lakes region of East Africa ..... '

Ambubachi Mela at Maa Kamakhya in Guwahati
' Assam's Ambubachi Mela : June 22-26, 2025 ..... '

Namphakey Buddhist Monastery - A Thai Tradition in Assam
' established in 1850, when Tai Phake people moved to Naharkatia, near Dibrugarh in eastern Assam ..... '

Thiruvarur Temple Rath Yatra, India's Biggest Rath
' Weighing 300+ tonnes and measuring a total height of 96 feet ..... '

A Bungalow for Brahmaputra
' How can the mighty Brahmaputra River be contained within a Bungalow! ..... '

Maharishi Karve - A man to be remembered on Women's Day
' strived for widows' upliftment - remarriage, education ..... '

Poondi Lake - Chennai's Thirst Quencher
' The Poondi dam was declared open on June 14, 1944 ..... '

Sivasagar's Shiva Dol
' Sivasagar was the capital of the mighty Ahom rulers of Assam for 600 years ..... '

'Vande Bharat' Dream
' I travelled by the superfast Vande Bharat (VB, for short) Express ..... '

Saurashtrian Tamils
' how can a Saurashtrian be a Tamil or a Tamil be a Saurashtrian? ..... '

Republic Day Titbits
' On 26th January 2025, India completes 75 years as a Republic nation ..... '

The Brass Beauties
' the antique brass utensils were occupying 1/4th space of our showcase ..... '

40 Years & 04 Stations - Part IV (Madras/Chennai)
' The rest of my 30 years of service was spent in the Madras office of PIB ..... '

40 Years & 04 Stations - Part III (Gangtok, Sikkim)
' Gangtok, Sikkim's cute capital town, was my 3rd station of posting ..... '

40 Years & 04 Stations - Part II (Cuttack, Orissa)
' Cuttack in Orissa (now Odisha) was my second place of posting out of four stations ..... '

Assam Handicrafts - Rhino and much more!
' Xorai /Horai is one of Assam's traditional & auspicious cultural symbols ..... '

40 Years & 04 Stations - Part I
' The first station was Port Blair (1978-80), then not more than a sleepy village ..... '

The Three 'Great Living Chola Temples'
' Chola Temples in Thanjavur, Gangaikondacholapuram and Darasuram ..... '

Press Information Bureau (PIB), the silent service provider
' Press Information Bureau (PIB), a Government of India department, is 100 ..... '

A kid's question - 'What is your title?'
' As the saying goes, 'What is in a name/title?' ..... '

Komagata Maru
' The 3000-ton SS Komagata Maru, a Japan registered ship, was chartered by Gurdit Singh Sirhali from Hong Kong ..... '

Puri Temple Kitchen - A sneak peek
' We saw the two wells within the kitchen area that are called Ganga & Yamuna ..... '

Japan's Rupee & Cent Currencies!
' Yen note, a Cent note & a Rupee Note - all three Notes issued by the Japanese Government ..... '

Fancy Bazaar, the commercial hub of N-E
' Fancy Bazaar! You go to Fancy Bazaar, you will get anything and everything ..... '

Eye Donation - You can see even after your death!
' Eye Donation Fortnight :: August 25 - September 08 ..... '

Doul Govinda Mandir, Guwahati
' Dedicated to Lord Krishna, this Vaishnavite temple is just across Guwahati City on northern bank of River Brahmaputra ..... '

19th August is World Photo Day
' It was on 19th August 1839 that the French Academy of Sciences gifted the 'Daguerreotype' process ..... '

Memories of a National Memorial
' Independence Day Special :The Sunday of 11th February 1979 was not a lazy Sunday ..... '

Konark Elephants
' August 12 is World Elephant Day ..... '

Life in a Tea Estate
' Assam and Tea are inseparable! ..... '

Tiger was not our national animal until 1973!
' It was the Lion that was our national animal up to April 1973 ..... '

Haats (Weekly Markets) of Guwahati
' The first haat that I visited in Guwahati during the present stay was the Uzan Bazaar ..... '

Gamcha, the Assamese Scarf
' Gamcha, the rectangular cotton cloth, is also spelt gamchha, gamucha, gamosa or gamus ..... '

Gateway of Assam
' this small and beautiful Gateway that is 140 years old ..... '

Umananda Island - World's smallest inhabited river island !
' With a total area of just 0.11 square kilometers, Umananda Island is an inselberg ..... '

Saraighat Bridge - An Expedition
' Saraighat Bridge in Assam is the first ever bridge over the mighty Brahmaputra River ..... '

Xorai - Assam's cultural symbol
' The Xorai or Horai has been in use since ages in both religious and social functions ..... '

Gliding over Brahmaputra India's first and longest river ropeway
' It took around 10 minutes to cross the 1.8 km distance between South Guwahati (the city) & North Guwahati ..... '

Matchbox marketing mantra
' A small matchbox taught me a marketing mantra in Assam ..... '

The Taj Mahal that bans Lovers !
' at the mini Taj replica in Thiruvarur Town in Tamil Nadu ..... '

Election Duty
' found the election duty exciting; keeping in touch with our Headquarters in New Delhi ..... '

The Drummer from Odisha
' a beautiful replica of such a lady drummer statue in the Sun Temple ..... '

Water, water everywhere ...
' Fresh water is indeed liquid gold that every drop counts ..... '

Valiant Women
' women springing up from stone images to valiantly fight against elephants ..... '

Feathers of different birds flock together!
' my quirky collections is a set of feathers that I have been collecting since my childhood ..... '

Gandhiji's Three Monkeys
' it was a gift from a Japanese monk named Nishidatsu Fuji ..... '

Arjun Tapas - A classic tourist attraction
' The Seven Pagodas, the 7th century monuments in Mahabalipuram (60 kms south of Chennai) ..... '

The conflict between Animal & Human Welfare
' this conflict is raging in our cities and towns ..... '

Hanuman
' The Hanuman temple in Namakkal is perhaps one of oldest temples (5th century) ..... '

Ramanujan, the Maths Wizard
' 22 December is National Mathematics Day ..... '

Managing Michaung
' The Michaung (pronounced Migjaum) Cyclone was playing truant with Chennai for about a week..... '

Naval Chronicles from the Past
' Exactly 100 years back, a welfare fund was created for the men of Indian army & marine force.... '

Mirik Memories
' Mirik is almost equidistance from the Darjeeling Hills & the Siliguri Plains .... '

Volcanoes of India
' isolated standalone volcanic islands situated in Andaman Sea .... '

A book & a story for the kids
' The book - A picture storybook that enchanted me as a kid continues to mesmerize .... '

The Sentinelese, World's Lonely Tribe
' As one sails from Chennai to Port Blair, the first landmass one comes across is North Sentinel Island .... '

Kolkata, the Roshogolla City
' Kolkata for me is Roshogolla City; not City of Joy nor City of Hope but City of Roshogolla! .... '

Maa Durga !
' The Navarathri (Nine Night) festival, as Durga Puja is known in South India .... '

A misty meeting with a Governor
' His Excellency the Governor of Sikkim, Shri T.V. Rajeswar! .... '

A post from the past
' A humble postcard from the past had caused all that excitement .... '

Lal Bahadur Shastri - Some Highlights
' 2nd Oct. 2023 - Lal Bahadur Shastri's 119th birth anniversary .... '

Marina by Night
' Marina Beach and Madras City are inseparable .... '

Two Murals from Two Corners
'darshan of two murals of Ganapathi (in Keralam) & Tsog gi dag po or Mar po ( in Tibetan Buddhism in Sikkim) .... '

Elephants in a Seed
'I am the proud owner of elephants within a seed .... '

Krishna Leela
'As I was approaching the Shri Guruvayur Temple '

Onam Fever
S Balakrishnan- ' August 29 - Onam Festival of Kerala ....'

Clicking the first roll
S Balakrishnan- ' 19th August 2023 - World Photo(graphy) Day ....'

The 'Uppu' (Salt) Satyagraham by Rajaji, 1930
S Balakrishnan- ' it was Vedaranyam march by Rajaji on the eastern coast to break the Salt Law ....'

The Tribes of Odisha
S Balakrishnan- ' August 9 is International Day of the World's Indigenous People ....'

The Crow (that demands biscuits)
S Balakrishnan- ' We have a routine visitor - a black crow that demands biscuits! ....'

Japan captures the Andamans!
S Balakrishnan- ' March 23 1942 - a different 'sun' rose over the horizon of the Andaman ....'

A jolly intro to Tamil Nadu
S Balakrishnan- ' Tamil Nadu is both modern and traditional ....'

Cuttack Days
S Balakrishnan- ' Life in Cuttack 40 years ago in 1983 was simple ....'

Camp @ Gudalur
S Balakrishnan- ' hilly District in Tamil Nadu is also named after the mountains as The Nilgiris District ....'

Sun Temple, floodlit
S Balakrishnan- ' the Sun Temple at Konark in Kalinga of the yore (Orissa)....'

Jagannath mural in a T.N. Temple!
S Balakrishnan- ' Kanchipuram (some 70 kms from Chennai) is a holy city with hundreds of temples ....'

Viper Island, the precursor to Cellular Jail
S Balakrishnan- ' Viper Island is a tiny, puny island in South Andamans ....'

Stone (age) implements
S Balakrishnan- ' The batter for idly and dosa is a combination of soaked para boiled rice & black gram (urad dhal) ....'

How an atheist Nehru accepted handing over of power from a religious head
S Balakrishnan- ' golden sceptre studded with jewels & adorned with a Nandhi cost Rs. 15,000 in 1947....'

Mt. Khangchendzonga and me
S Balakrishnan- ' Mt. Dzonga (as Mt. Khangchendzonga is fondly called by Sikkimese) ...'

May 21 - International Tea Day :: Jimli
S Balakrishnan- ' I was told in Assam that Jimli means the tender leaf shoot of tea plant...'

Landing in Sikkim, 1983
S Balakrishnan- ' As a first timer to the Himalayan State of Sikkim maybe I was as nervous as Armstrong was ...'

Curtain Story
S Balakrishnan- ' I never thought that changing the window curtain could be such a complicated issue ...'

Singiri Kona, the solitude Narasimha Temple
S Balakrishnan- ' Singiri Kona is tucked in a 'corner' (hence Kona) in Chittor District in Andhra ...'

Ancestral houses - Burden or blessing ?
S Balakrishnan- 'The ancestral houses are a century and more old and hence fit to be called 'heritage building' ...'

Pamban Railway Bridge : India's first & only rail sea bridge
S Balakrishnan- ' situated in Tamil Nadu, connects Rameshwaram in Pamban Island with mainland India ...'

Jain Golden Temple, Ajmer
S Balakrishnan- ' Jain Golden Temple that is situated in Ajmer City, Rajasthan ...'

Sattriya Dance: Assam's classical dance
S Balakrishnan- ' The Majulii island in Assam is not only geographically unique but also culturally... '

In the Kingdom of Nepal in 1986
S Balakrishnan- ' my historic trip to Nepal began on Saturday the 4th January 1986... '

Lakes of Rajasthan
S Balakrishnan- ' I would consider Lake Pichola in Udaipur the most mesmerizing ...'

Mangrove, the magical tree
S Balakrishnan- ' The mangroves play an important role in reducing damage to the coast by wind, wave & floods ...'

Yogini Temple of Hirapur, Odisha
S Balakrishnan- ' The 64 Yogini Temple in Hirapur, though a small one, is special in many ways ...'

Elephanta Caves
S Balakrishnan- ' The Elephanta Island near Mumbai, I presumed till this moment, was named so after its shape ....'

Phone pe Panchayat
S Balakrishnan- ' as I was travelling in a bus from the temple town of Kanchipuram back to Chennai ....'

Ekambareswarar Temple, Kanchipuram
S Balakrishnan- ' Kanchipuram, or Kanchi in short, is one of India's seven sacred moksha sthals ....'

Feasting on films
S Balakrishnan- ' 20th Chennai International Film Festival (CIFF) - 15th to 22nd December 2022 ....'

Couch surfing !
S Balakrishnan- ' It is a jargon of the Travel & Tourism Sector, meaning 'surfing/searching for a couch/bed' ....'

Thirukkural, the universal scripture
S Balakrishnan- ' considered as the Universal Scripture as it instructs the path for a righteous life ....'

The 108 Divya Desam Temples
S Balakrishnan- ' these 108 Vaishnavite shrines are revered as the most sacred Vaishnavite shrines ....'

Octave 2023 : The North Eastern cultural event in Chennai
S Balakrishnan- ' Chennaite gets a chance to experience & enjoy the colourful culture ofthe North East....'

Limestone Cave of Andamans
S Balakrishnan- ' explore the Limestone Cave of Baratang Island which is 100 kms off Port Blair ....'

Qutb Minar - A slave king's legacy
S Balakrishnan- ' with a height of 72.5m/237.86 ft., this is the tallest brick minaret in the world! ....'

The Jarawas of Andamans
S Balakrishnan- ' As the bus moved ahead, a group of Jarawa people - women and boys - boarded the bus ....'

Hero Stones
S Balakrishnan- ' The practice of erecting hero stones had been in vogue in Tamil Nadu since 3rd/4th BCE ....'

Yak & Yeti Hotel
S Balakrishnan- ' I landed up at Phodang's Yak & Yeti Hotel on 10th December 1985 from Singhik ....'

Taj Mahal - The white wonder
S Balakrishnan- ' The Taj Mahal is a tomb built in memory of Mumtaz Mahal ....'

Pulicat Lagoon, Flamingos' haven
S Balakrishnan- ' Pulicat Lake is a brackish water lagoon, second largest in India after Chilika Lake in Odisha ....'

Howrah Bridge - A bridge without nuts & bolts!
S Balakrishnan- ' to see it & walk on it at least once in the lifetime is everyone's dream....'

Pulicat, the coastal trading centre since the 1st century
S Balakrishnan- ' Some 50 kms from Chennai, Pulicat's original Tamil name is Pazhaverkadu....'

The Ticker @ Teleprinter
S Balakrishnan- ' Stylishly called Ticker, teleprinter (TP for short) is fighting to survive in this modern world ....'

Ajo Garpo, Sikkim's unique stone carver
S Balakrishnan- ' an interesting insight into the life & art work of the unique stone carver of Sikkim ....'

Cauvery flows, thanks to a crow!
S Balakrishnan- ' How could a humble crow be the cause for the grand Cauvery River to flow? ....'

The age-old art of Chola bronze statues
S Balakrishnan- ' The art of creating bronze statues in Tamil Nadu follows a hoary tradition ....'

Onam and the legend behind it
S Balakrishnan- ' Religious legends apart, Onam is a great occasion to visit Kerala ....'

Ganesh collection
S Balakrishnan- ' Lord Ganesh is the favourite god of children..unique elephant head with big ears & pot belly ....'

Chennai, a city with four lighthouses
S Balakrishnan- ' Madras (Chennai) grew along with the East India Company of the English ....'

My first colour film roll
S Balakrishnan- ' The first colour roll that I bought from Fotomatics Studio was Agfa; it cost 70 rupees....'

Chatham Saw Mill - Asia's oldest and largest
S Balakrishnan- ' is situated in a tiny island called Chatham in Andaman & Nicobar Union Territory ....'

Mara Prabhu - Lord of the trees
S Balakrishnan- ' The devotees of Lord Guruvayurappan worship Lord Maraprabhu, the Lord of the Trees ....'

Elephant army of Lord Guruvayurappan
S Balakrishnan- ' Open from 9 am to 5 pm, the Punnathur Elephant Camp, maintained by Guruvayur Devaswom ....'

Iih - The lone foot traveller from Nepal
S Balakrishnan- ' This youth crisscrossed his own country to reach every nook & corner of that Himalayan Kingdom ....'

Odisha File
S Balakrishnan- ' Odisha has a hoary heritage, dating back to B.C. period ....'

Float Festival of Tamil Nadu Temples
S Balakrishnan- ' The temple tank where the float festival is held is appropriately called theppakulam....'

Labour Day (May Day) - Chennai's Connection
S Balakrishnan- ' A Red Salute to Chennai's Singaravelar & Statue of Labour, Triumph of Labour, on this May Day ....'

Four Churches in one compound
S Balakrishnan- ' The 4-in-1 Church complex is in Poonthamallee town , a western suburb of Chennai ....'

Jackfruit, the giant of fruits
S Balakrishnan- ' Jackfruit is the State Fruit of Tamil Nadu and Kerala states ....'

Patwon ki Haveli of Jaisalmer
S Balakrishnan- ' The Havelis of Jaisalmer are one of the topmost attractions of the Desert City ....'

"Bumchu", the Kumbh Mela of Sikkim
S Balakrishnan- ' on the 17th & 18th of March 2022 at Tashiding Monastery, West Sikkim ....'

Fashion statement from the past
S Balakrishnan- ' I came across this sculpture panel at the Odisha State Museum in Bhubaneswar ....'

A Shiva temple that is 1000 years ancient
S Balakrishnan- ' Gangaikondacholeeswaram Temple stands gracefully awaiting a grand celebration on turning 1000 years ....'

The Marina beach of Chennai
S Balakrishnan- ' It is the pride o Chennai or Tamil Nadu - longest beach in India ....'

The Grand Anicut Dam, India's oldest at 2000 years!
S Balakrishnan- ' built in the 2nd century (150 AD) across River Cauvery near Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu ....'

Konark's Saturday Fair
S Balakrishnan- ' Saturdays draw more people to Konark in Odisha ....'

Khecheopalri Lake, where birds keep a watch !
S Balakrishnan- ' Khecheopalri Lake is one among 534 lakes that dot tiny Himalayan State of Sikkim ....'

Republic Day recollections
S Balakrishnan- ' I usually settle down before the TV for the live telecast ....'

Padmanabha Swamy Temple, world's richest Hindu Temple
S Balakrishnan- ' at the age-old City of Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala ....'

Sunset, the most memorable!
S Balakrishnan- ' The black & white Sunset photo from Parsons Pygmalion Point @ Indira Point....'

Horses - some tidbits
S Balakrishnan- ' horses have had a great impact on our social and religious life....'

Muktesvara, the gem of an Odisha Temple
S Balakrishnan- ' Every inch of it is carved delicately with floral & arabesque motifs...'

Hooray! I have snorkeled & I am alive!
S Balakrishnan- ' But my wife insisted that snorkeling was a once in a lifetime chance...'

World Heritage Sites in India
S Balakrishnan- ' The Tentative List of India is quite varied, unique and interesting ...'

Taj by night!
S Balakrishnan- ' more so when it glows in the natural pearly light of the full moon...'

Deepavali - childhood reminiscences
S Balakrishnan- ' one-day Deepavali of its bright & colourful celebration with fireworks ...'

Mount Manipur alias Mt Harriet in Andamans
S Balakrishnan- ' Mt. Harriet is the highest peak in the South Andaman Group of Islands at 1,966 ft...'

Three Durgas - Micro, Small & Medium
S Balakrishnan- ' A Durga image is part of the architectural style...'

Gandhi Account
S Balakrishnan- ' In Tamil there is this sarcastic phrase "Gandhi Account (Kanakku)" ...'

Hindi Pakhavaada (Fortnight) Tamasha!
S Balakrishnan- ' A simpleton was eager to taste Hindi Pakhavaada, mistaking it for crispy pakora snacks variety ...'

In search of roots
S Balakrishnan- ' I am just an ordinary man in search of roots of my family ...'

Kannappa Naayanaar - World's 1st Eye Donor!
S Balakrishnan- ' the recipient was none other than Lord Shiva Himself ! ...'

Freedom fighter's mail
S Balakrishnan- ' at the declaration ceremony of Cellular Jail as National Memorial ...'

The Elephant
S Balakrishnan- ' Let us treat the elephants humanely and preserve Nature's link ...'

Typing Divas
S Balakrishnan- ' In that private commercial institute in the Nanganallur suburb of Madras (now Chennai) ...'

International Friendship Day - 1st Sunday of August
S Balakrishnan- ' International Friendship Day observed on the 1 st Sunday of August ...'

Man on the moon - A reminiscence
S Balakrishnan- ' Man's first dramatic venture on the lunar surface ended at 1.54 pm EDT, July 21 ...'

Thermometer Bird !
S Balakrishnan- ' of visiting that Island's southern point, Parson's Pygmalion Point ...'

The Three Men at Land's End
S Balakrishnan- ' lighthouse at Parsons Pygmalion Point in Southern Bay of India's southernmost in Great Nicobar Island ...'

Mud volcanoes of Andamans
S Balakrishnan- ' The mud volcanoes are tiny, yes, but unique & found only in Andamans in whole of India ...'

Rajiv Memorial @ Sriperumbudur
S Balakrishnan- ' Sriperumbudur is not far from Chennai where I have been living even earlier from 1991 ...'

Lal Market of Gangtok
S Balakrishnan- ' when villagers from near & far Gangtok would arrive in their colourful traditional attire ...'

A train load of memories
S Balakrishnan- ' As children we used to travel by train from Madurai/Thirunelveli to our native village...'

Michelangelo in my drawing room
S Balakrishnan- ' What really matters is not money or size but attitude, love for arts, I console myself...'

Myanmar Memories
S Balakrishnan- ' Tamu is Myanmar border town on the Indo-Myanmar border, 120 km from Imphal ...'

Majuli - India's 1st & only river island district
S Balakrishnan- ' Majuli is said to be the oldest & largest inhabited mid river island of the world...'

The unique 63 Saints Festival
S Balakrishnan- ' The Saivaite 'Shri Kapaleeswarar Temple' of Mylapore locality in Chennai ...'

Solophok Shivalaya in Sikkim
S Balakrishnan- ' pilgrimage trekking to a Shiva temple at Solophok in Sikkim ...'

Hogenakkal - India's Niagara
S Balakrishnan- ' At Hogenakkal, River Cauvery drops down the Deccan plateau from a height of 66 feet ...'

St Mary's Church : The first Anglican Church east of Suez
S Balakrishnan - ' The 339-year-old St. Mary's Church in Chennai is not only India's first but also of Asia's ...'

The Holi(y) invasion
S Balakrishnan - ' Holi festival is not celebrated in South India ...'

Bioscope show
S Balakrishnan - ' The place was the remote Tashiding Monastery in far-off West Sikkim ...'

Gatekeeper's management mantra
S Balakrishnan - ' Big Temple of Thanjavur was raised more than 1,000 years ago by the Chola King Rajaraja ...'

The Chola Pass & Chola Range in Sikkim - Why named 'Chola'?
S Balakrishnan - ' It is to be noted that the mountain range is called Chola Range, not Cho La range ...'

Sikandra, where Akbar the Great rests
S Balakrishnan - ' Akbar was the grandson of Babur who founded the Moghul Empire in India ...'

Bali Jatra - Odisha's maritime heritage
S Balakrishnan - ' full moon day of Kartik month, to commemorate Kalinga's maritime history ...'

Mishing tribe of Assam
S Balakrishnan - ' They are historically known as Miri ...'

Lingaraja Temple - Abode of the Lord of Three Worlds
S Balakrishnan - ' Lingaraja temple's origin is as mysterious as the occupant Himself!.... '

Indira Gandhi's one-minute function
S Balakrishnan- ' Coming back to 1983, the event was to rename existing Gangtok-Nathula Road as Jawaharlal Nehru Marg.. '

The Last Emperor - Loka, the great Andamanese king
S Balakrishnan- ' ...Adi Basera (Tribal Guest House) in Port Blair, Andamans... '

Gandhi Memorial Museum, Madurai
S Balakrishnan- ' Gandhiji visited the Temple City of Madurai five times during his lifetime '

A trip to Indira Point: Down memory lane, 37 years back :: Part 2
S Balakrishnan- 2 part series on a trip to Indira Point

A trip to Indira Point: Down memory lane, 37 years back :: Part 1
S Balakrishnan- 2 part series on a trip to Indira Point

The Buddhist connection of Hajo in Assam
S Balakrishnan- ' Hajo, 24 kms from Guwahati in Assam, a quite little spot... '

Manipur, the land & the people
S Balakrishnan- 'Some images of Manipur will forever remain etched in my memory... '

Sanamahism and Seven :: Part 2
S Balakrishnan- 2 part series on Sanamahism & Seven

Sanamahism and Seven :: Part 1
S Balakrishnan- 2 part series on Sanamahism & Seven

Moreh and Yongchak :: Part 2
S Balakrishnan- 2 part series on Moreh and Yongchak

Moreh and Yongchak :: Part 1
S Balakrishnan- 2 part series on Moreh and Yongchak

Meitei meets Madrasi ! :: Part 2
S Balakrishnan- 2 part series

Meitei meets Madrasi ! :: Part 1
S Balakrishnan- 2 part series

Tamu, window to Myanmar
S Balakrishnan- 'The town is a neatly arranged habitation in the north-west Sagaing Region of Myanmar '

Bishnupur - In search of an old Mandir :: Part 3
S Balakrishnan- 3 part series on an old Mandir at Bishnupur

Bishnupur - In search of an old Mandir :: Part 2
S Balakrishnan- 3 part series on an old Mandir at Bishnupur

Bishnupur - In search of an old Mandir :: Part 1
S Balakrishnan- 3 part series on an old Mandir at Bishnupur

Koro & Krishna - The young & old faces of Manipur :: Part 2
S Balakrishnan- 2 part series on 'The young & old faces of Manipur '

Koro & Krishna - The young & old faces of Manipur :: Part 1
S Balakrishnan- 2 part series on 'The young & old faces of Manipur '

Loktak, the lake of disappointment :: Part 2
S Balakrishnan- 2 part series on a trip to Loktak..

Loktak, the lake of disappointment :: Part 1
S Balakrishnan- 2 part series on a trip to Loktak..

In search of handicrafts
S Balakrishnan- ' handicrafts, Panthoibi and Paona Bazaar! .. '

Magical Manipur - Ima Market
S Balakrishnan- ' ...for me Manipur meant Ima Market and Ima Market meant Manipur .. '

Magical Manipur-II: Krishna, our friend, philosopher & guide
S Balakrishnan- ' Ultimately he turned out to be like Lord Krishna to Partha (Arjun) .. '

Magical Manipur-Part I: Thagatchari (Thank you), Manipur!
S Balakrishnan- ' In total, our stay in Manipur was pure bliss of the highest order .. '