Virtual walks with Roobaroo in 2020

 

With all travel plans suddenly cancelled and ‘stay indoors’ being the mantra, virtual walks were a saving grace in 2020, especially as we were still trying to figure out ways to deal with our wanderlust. When Roobaroo walks started their virtual tours, I jumped at the opportunity for some virtual travel in the North of the country and started with Varanasi.

Virtual Varanasi

One of the most interesting tours I have attended – one interspersed with the sounds of Varanasi – prayers, boatmen’s songs, the local dialect of Hindi, the natter at an adda, About the weavers of the city and the delight of kachoris and tea. The intrigue of the oldest living city of the world enveloping the viewer in this audio-visual treat. All the talks were informative but having spent a few days in Varanasi earlier made this walk both nostalgic and entertaining.

 

 

Virtual Doon Valley

From the Doon valley walk, I remember the hypnotic stories of ghosts that all good hill towns have and will surely visit this place and spend some time soaking in the atmosphere I have heard about.

 

 

In both the tour photos, I am an ‘S’ as my device would not allow the camera to come on swiftly. Not sharing those here as I have not sought permission from others to do so.

 

Virtual Lucknow

I did the Lucknow tour next. Another city I have been to a couple of times, wandered around a bit, eaten some great biryani and equally good vegetarian food. Done some shopping. Attended a wedding. But haven’t really explored the many layers of this historical place.

My Uncles. Anant and Vithal, grew up here and my grandparents often referred to Lucknowi Tehzeeb when they told us about their time in Lucknow so this was a way to learn more about this city, taking in a whiff of its old world charm.

 

 

Virtual Taj

The virtual tour of the ‘Taj Like Never Before’ was just that. Now this is another town that you read about in history books and that I have visited. I have stayed in Agra, eaten at the local dhabas and visited the Taj Mahal and the red fort and been to Fatehpur Sikri, But the talk lived upto its name and this was a visit like never before, deep into the heart of the monuments of this place and their significance; the old and the new jostling side by side.

 

 

Virtual Amritsar

The last walk I did in this series as the lock downs across the country were slowly easing off that year was Amritsar on 20 December. I am not sur why I don’t have a ticket like for the other walks. As you can se they have become lovely mementoes of these virtual visits. The devotional music and the virtual journey through a town steeped in food, culture and religion was a soothing, peaceful journey that was a balm to our souls ravaged by the trials of the pandemic that had the world in its clutches. I remember the warmth of the entire group and the positive note that we were all wanting that year to end on.

Kudos to the Roobaroo team for putting these virtual walks together to share the richness of some of our curious cities and providing an escape route from the ‘stay at home’ routine.