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I went to Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, India, for the first time in 1994. I was fascinated by the Bhool Bhulaiya in Bara Imambara. I got lost in its seemingly endless, interconnected labyrinth of tunnels and enjoyed discovering all the nooks and crannies, with their little windows that looked out to streets teeming with rickshaws and ice-cream vendors. I also especially enjoyed the famous kulfi at Prakash Kulfi in the busy streets of Animabad, a stone’s throw away from Hazratgunj, a shopper’s paradise and the capital and largest city of India’s Uttar Pradesh. 

Thereafter, Lucknow meant a life-sized puzzle and kulfi by the plateful and that is perhaps how my parents lured me there year after year. They had both gone to college in Lucknow and would revisit friends almost every year. After a while though, I had had enough and vowed never to go to Lucknow. I felt like I had seen everything I had to see and knew all the alleys like the back of my hands. I would argue with my father, who seems to have left a little bit of himself back in the busy, noisy city, every time he’d suggest visiting Lucknow. But I ended up in Lucknow many times later in life and each time, I discovered something that would sort of lure me back again. 

It’s a city that has everything, from beautiful historical sights to wonderful eateries and shopping options. I like the Rumi Darwaza, and go there every time I’m in Lucknow. The gateway, built in 1784, is 60 feet tall and is located between the Bara Imambara and the Chota Imambara. Earlier it used to mark the entrance to Old Lucknow but now it’s just a nice spot to take in the surroundings. 

Shopping at Aminabad is another highlight of Lucknow. It’s a busy area with many roadside eateries, random stalls, and vendors selling everything from sunglasses and kitchen wares to leather bags and belts. Clothes with chikankari work, a type of hand embroidery done on sheer fabrics like muslin and georgette, is the speciality of this market. It’s also a good place to get home decor items like rugs, cushion covers, bedsheets, etc. at reasonable prices.

The good thing about Lucknow is that it makes for a quick escape. You can reach Lucknow from the border town of Rupaidiha near Nepalgunj. You can fly to Nepalgunj from Kathmandu and take a rickshaw or taxi to the border and then hire a private vehicle there to take you to Lucknow. The fare is around InRs 3,000 and you will reach Lucknow in around four hours. The road is smooth, making the trip hassle free. 

You will have to go through a rigorous checking at the border point. The authorities stationed there are sometimes downright hostile and handle your baggage roughly, poking and probing through your things. The best thing to do is to keep quiet and let them do their jobs. I’ve seen people argue with them and they have been held back. But in the last few years, their behavior has gotten better. They only seem to check your bags if something looks suspicious. The last few times, we have been allowed to pass without having to open our luggages. But everything is totally dependent on their moods so you actually never know. 

However, this is the only annoying aspect of the journey. Everything else is smooth, easy, and economical. You can also take a taxi to Ayodhya directly from Rupaidiha. The journey takes around four hours too. This time, we went to Ayodhya from Rupaidiha and then took another taxi from Ayodhya to Lucknow after spending three days in Ayodhya. The fares were cheaper on inDrive compared to randomly booking a taxi or asking the hotel for the service. Ayodhya to Lucknow is roughly around a two-hour drive. But if you are planning to go to Ayodhya any time soon, I’d recommend you wait a couple of years. 

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Ayodhya is a city that’s being built. Think Kathmandu during the Melamchi project. Everything is under construction so the city has a dusty aura. Even the famous Ram Mandir is being built and only a small section is accessible at the moment. There are restaurants and hotels being constructed as well. Every hotel has a few rooms up and running while the rest is being made. No matter where you stay, you’re going to be up till late and up early because of noisy construction. I would have enjoyed my trip a lot more had I gone a few years down the line.

Having said that, Ayodhya wasn’t disappointing. There’s not much to do yet except temple visits but I guess that’s the whole point of the city anyway. We visited the Ram Janmabhoomi that many Hindus believe to be the birthplace of Lord Ram. It gets crowded during the day so make sure you go early or in the evenings. We went around 9:30 am and we came out of the temple premises a little over an hour later when it was just starting to get busy. 

Though this temple was the reason we went to Ayodhya in the first place, the other temples were far more interesting. We met a local who told us if we didn’t go to Kanak Bhawan our trip to Ayodhya would be incomplete. “We believe this is the place where God comes to rest,” he said. And indeed, the vibe at Kanak Bhawan and other temples like the Hanuman Garhi Mandir was calming and spiritual. We even sat through a bhajan session at Kanak Bhawan and it was a meditative experience unlike any other. 

There are many vegetarian eateries that open early for breakfast in the temple area. The food is fresh and delicious. We had our fill of idlis and dosas. Every place would be packed and we would have to struggle to find a table but our order came quickly and the food was worth the hassle. There are a lot of stalls and stores selling clothes and curios but make sure you haggle if you shop at these places. Most of the vendors will give you what you want for half the quoted price. 

Another thing you must do in Ayodhya is visit the Lata Mangeshkar chowk. It’s a hard to miss place since you might have to pass through it to get to the temples but make sure you get off there and stroll around. A huge sculpture of a sitar takes center stage at the chowk and it’s surrounded by murals of various scenes of the Ramayana. You can easily spend a few hours just looking at all the fabulous art. 

All in all, Ayodhya and Lucknow make for good short trips that you might want to consider when you don’t have the luxury of a long holiday but still want to go somewhere exciting. If you want to go to both these places then you should plan a week long trip. But if you want to visit only one place at a time, three days for Ayodhya and four days for Lucknow should be enough.

Lumbini, the birthplace of Sakyamuni Buddha and a UNESCO World Heritage Sites, is a sacred sanctuary for Buddhists and spiritual seekers worldwide. Beyond its religious roots, the Greater Lumbini Area offers an array of unique experiences through history, archaeology and natural beauty. Yet, this treasure trove struggles to reach its full potential as a global destination.

Today, countries like Thailand, Bhutan, and Srilanka attract hundreds of thousands of Buddhist pilgrims and tourists, while Lumbini sees just about 1m visitors a year. The challenges lie in infrastructure. Although there has been a surge in hotels across Lumbini, the region still falls short in offering comprehensive facilities beyond basic stay. Modern tourists not only want to visit the birthplace of Buddha but also, they seek for extended stays enriched with engaging activities, better facilities, and a well-rounded experience.

Lumbini and its surrounding areas are home to ruins dating back as far as the 11th century BCE to the 3rd century CE, alongside other sites such as Tilaurakot, Kudan, Gotihawa, Niglihawa, Araurakot, Sagarhawa, and Ramagrama. These sites hold profound connections to the life of the Buddhas and the evolution of Buddhism. Additionally, the region is remarkable for being the birthplace of the three Buddhas of Bhadrakalpa—Kanakamuni, Krakuchhanda, and Gautama Buddha. However, the lack of accessible information and proper guidance for tourists diminishes the potential of these historical and spiritual places.

There is an urgent need for effective marketing campaigns to highlight the essence of Lumbini and its sites. Many visitors remain unaware of the rich stories and spiritual significance behind the monuments scattered across the region. Developing meditation retreats, promoting outdoor activities, and offering cultural immersion programs could transform Lumbini into a holistic tourism center.

We cannot afford to wait for another ‘Visit Nepal’ campaign to spotlight Lumbini’s potential. It’s essential to focus now on establishing Lumbini as a truly iconic destination.

At his courtyard in Ihbahal, Krishna Maharjan, 55, is busy preparing molasses ahead of the upcoming Maghe Sankranti festival. For decades, he has been giving continuity to this traditional practice, preserving a cherished custom of his community.

Maghe Sankranti, a vibrant festival celebrated across Nepal, marks the beginning of the winter solstice and the transition of the sun into Capricorn. The day holds immense cultural and spiritual significance, particularly among the Hindu and Buddhist communities of the Tarai and hilly regions. It’s a time marked by family gatherings, feasts, and rituals symbolizing the triumph of light over darkness.

One of the festival’s most anticipated aspects is the preparation of ‘chaku’, a traditional sweet made from molasses, sesame seeds, and ghee. The sweet is known for its rich taste and high nutritional value. It’s often consumed alongside ‘til’ (sesame seeds) and ‘gud’ (jaggery) during Maghe Sankranti. 

The process of making chaku involves boiling sugarcane juice to extract molasses, which is then carefully heated and mixed with sesame seeds and ghee. The mixture is poured onto a flat surface to cool, then cut into small pieces.

Although the results are sweet, the process of making molasses is long and labor-intensive.

“Not many people have the time to make it themselves. You need a lot of patience for it. It’s becoming difficult to find the skill required to prepare the treat,” says Maharjan. “This occupation is not just a business but also a traditional and cultural heritage,” he adds. According to him, this is the only chaku-making establishment in Lalitpur Metropolitan City. “As this tradition is on the verge of extinction, everyone should work to promote and preserve it, as it is an integral part of our culture.”

Maghe Sankranti is also a time for ritual baths, temple visits, and prayers for health, prosperity, and spiritual well-being. As families celebrate, the air fills with the sweet aroma of freshly made molasses, making the festival a joyful occasion for all.

In a dazzling display of colors and culture, Pokhara has come alive with the first-ever International Balloon Festival, organized by Nepal Balloon Pvt Ltd. The festival, held across a 3-kilometer stretch from Lauruk to Chankhapur in Pame, marks a significant milestone in Nepal’s adventure tourism sector. With participation from 30 commercial balloon companies across the globe, the event coincides with Christmas and New Year, offering locals and visitors an unforgettable experience of soaring over the picturesque Pokhara valley.

President of Nepal Balloon, Bikram Bade, shared that the festival aims to position Nepal as a global adventure tourism destination while revitalizing the tourism industry post-covid. Mayor Dhanraj Acharya expressed similar enthusiasm, emphasizing the importance of such events in enriching Pokhara’s tourism calendar.

Visitors can witness stunning morning, afternoon, and evening flights led by professional pilots, including renowned Dutch pilot Pieter Kooistra, who is making his Nepal debut. Each flight offers breathtaking views of the Annapurna, Machhapuchhre, and Dhaulagiri ranges, with balloon rides lasting approximately 40 minutes.

Kooistra has completed 3,000 hot air balloon flights. Describing his experience on his first flight in Nepal, he expressed his happiness to be in Pokhara, as he told ApEx. He also mentioned that if the weather is perfect, flying around Pokhara would be a lovely experience, with the stunning mountain ranges.

The festival isn’t just about flights. Night balloon glows, 20-minute daily fireworks displays, balloon races, and cultural performances enrich the experience. Attendees can enjoy food stalls, live music, DJ sets, and even night camps.