Birding in Ganeshgudi - malabar whistling thrush

The school boy was planning to have a nice warm bath when we spotted him in the little tub

Skywatch Friday - Entry to ancient Warangal Fort

Warangal Fort is a settlement in old Warangal town in Andhra Pradesh. The capital of the Kakatiya dynasty more than 1000 years ago, Warangal is filled with beautiful sculptures, some of them in absolute ruins. However you can find the Kirti Toranas or the gateways, which are tall pillars that mark the cardinal directions around the fort area. You can read my story on Warangal here in Yahoo.

For more beautiful skies around the world, visit Skywatch 

Travel Tuesday - Paintings in Orchha

Orchha - A painting in Laxmi Narayan temple , a monument that hardly looks like a temple. The paintings here take your breath away. See these murals and you can see the Europeans and the local rulers having a discussion over beer or wine or whatever alcoholic beverage they are having.

The 500th post - Travel Writing is simple hard work

It is the 500th post on Backpacker and  I would like to start by thanking you all for reading, appreciating, criticizing and commenting on the blog. Backpacker started more than seven years ago as a platform where I could keep my passion for travel writing alive. I have been a freelancer since I was 18 years old and I have been working with the media since then. As the demands of the profession grew, writing took a backseat. And since it was easier to write travelogues than feature stories, I decided to start a travel blog. Ironically, I eventually quit my media job , that too a high paying one to travel and write . But then I realized travel writing does not pay . Not even a 10 % of a good corporate salary. But it meant a whole new world out there - one of opportunities and discoveries.

In the last several years, I have been asked several questions on how to be a travel writer, what are the opportunities out there, how does one begin and whether it will pay . Let me start answering some of these questions, starting with the last 

1. Does travel writing pay ?

The answer is no. If you are looking at a fat salary at the end of the month or for the travels to be sponsored, believe me travel writing is not for you. But if you have the passion to travel and you have a flair for writing, then you must give it a shot. Most magazines and newspapers have a standard rate for a freelancer and as you keep writing, you can slowly start paying off your bills. Even today, almost 90 % of my trips are self funded, but for a few . The invites are very few and there are many contenders out there, so if you do not get freebies , do not bother. Invest in your trips wisely and it may eventually pay off.

2. How do I become a travel writer ?

Now there is no magic formula out here. Editors do not look for me, I look for them. I search for emails on the net, find contacts from magazines and keep sending briefs. Many a time there is no response. The silence may be discouraging, but there are so many magazines out there.

I would suggest that everyone starts with a travel blog first. Then write for other blogs and magazines, who may not have the resources to pay , but will promote you. Build your confidence and your portfolio. Share your stories openly. Do not get cowed down by lack of responses from editors .

Secondly, read the magazine and see the kind of briefs that they want. Some are very keen on an angle or a style. If it does not work for you, do not send briefs to such magazines. For example, I am not a luxury traveller - so if I have to write for a luxury magazine, I will not be able to do a great job of it.

Finally, do not expect friends and well wishers to share every contact off their list with you. Some do, others are uncomfortable doing it as they would have probably struggled for years getting those contacts. I personally do not have a problem sharing, but some of the editors that I work with do . So, many a time, I ask them first before sharing their contacts with you. The best way is to read the magazines or surf the net and find the submissions guidelines or the contact details. Sometimes pick up the phone and call the editorial team and ask them for their email.

3.Opportunities out there for a travel writer
A good travel writer needs to have a personalised style, a niche area of expertise, a passion for travel and writing and a sense of observation. If you can take great photographs then it is an added advantage. Online is a great place to look for opportunities. Blogs, websites, newsletters - everyone has a travel section. Guide books - both online and offline are available. Start somewhere and slowly build your repertoire.

4. What kind of travel stories should I write ?
Well, this largely depends on the publication and your personal interests, but here are some tips to remember. Personalised narratives are always interesting, but people do not want to hear every bit of your trip. Show more and tell less. Let your experiences take your reader along with you on the journey, to the destination .

 I personally like to add local flavour in my stories- conversations with people, sights and sounds, a peek into the culture, food if that interests you - these are always a welcome break than just sightseeing spots. Trivia and history are nice, but I prefer stories - they give a nice feel to the piece.. The mood and tone of the story is important too   -if you can write in a humourous style, then no editor can refuse your story. Position yourself in the story - are you a narrator, a guide, a road tripper, an adventurer ? What would you like to share with your reader ?  Add a sense of discovery in your journeys or let the reader know that you are a lazy traveller, lounging in the chair watching the sun set .

Do not bombard the reader with too many adjectives..there are better ways to describe a place . You can also be a guide and show your expertise and tell the reader where he must go or what he or she must not do. Lists are a great way of showing off your understanding of the destination.And always ask yourself the most important question - Does the reader need to know every detail of my trip ? Maybe some of them are plain irrelevant. The destination can never be shadowed by you .

5.So where do I now begin ?
The first step is to travel. Have a journal and keep notes..it may be something you saw or heard. If you are not into photography, have a digital camera to quickly take pictures and write down short notes on the same. Get your facts right - names,places, distances, routes, whatever you want to share. Write down whatever you feel, what you liked and even what you do not like. And make your observations as well.

Once you are back home, create a small brief on your trip. Make a pitch to a few publications and wait for their responses. Then do some research and ensure your facts are right. If you do not hear from a publication, fret not. Become your own editor and start posting your experiences. Share photographs and promote your posts .Once you are done, restart the process all over again. Your journey as a travel writer begins now..

So, there you are..ready to look at the world with new eyes and to share your experiences. All the best and if you have further questions, please do not hesitate to ask me .

OK..here are some giveaways for this post as well. I will be giving away five postcards and will be happy to post them to you if you can send me your addresses in the comments section. Here is a catch though..You need to guess where I am headed next. And the five who get it right get a postcard from me from that destination . A clue - I am flying overseas.

Its been four months or more since I travelled anywhere, especially after I was hospitalised . I am not yet out of the woods though. It is a painful condition that needs treatment for a while and this probably maybe my last trip of the year, as I will be focussing on getting completely well by the end of the year .But then, that's a long way to go and I have a holiday in between..so get guessing and I will see you around..

Travel Tuesday - Locals in Cambodia

No matter how far we go from our country and culture, some sights are very familiar. I saw these locals in Cambodia coming for a weekend outing to Kulen Mountain, a spiritual place , also a picnic spot for them.It could be a scene taken out of anywhere in India.

India through my eyes - Drying appalams or papads on the doorstep

Kalladaikurichi appalam or papad is quite famous and popular in my village . Here is a typical sight of a lady drying them before you can fry or roast them .

Birding in US - The brown pelican

We had just come back from the whale watching cruise in Monterey when we saw the pelican perched close by. He was so still that we were wondering if it was " real " after all. I just wished I had spent more time birding in the USA

To me the birds have always been the symbol of Independence Day..so happy 4th July to folks out there 

India through my eyes - Guardian Gods

While driving in and around my village Kallidaikurichi in down South Tirunelveli, I chanced upon a temple in Ambasamudram where these Guardian Gods were housed. I learnt from family and some friends on Facebook that the deity was referred to as Vandimaricha Amman. It is near the Agasthiyar Temple

Ayyanars are also referred to as Guardian Gods and here is a post on them.

Offbeat India - Vattakottai

A Dutch naval officer leads an army against an Indian king, only to be defeated by him. The story however does not end there. The king, impressed by the foreigner hires him and makes him a commander in his own army . The Dutch officer then trains the Indian army, builds forts and even helps them defeat their local and international rivals in war.

You would probably read about these kinds of stories only in India, even if it is set more than 300 years ago. This story, which may seem more common in multinational companies today was set in the 18^thcentury when kings and queens ruled over India and the Europeans were knocking at their doors to establish trade and to eventually take over power.  I am speaking of the stories relating to the Travancore � Dutch wars that were set in the 18^th century. The king is Travancore Maharaja Marthanda Varma and the Dutch naval officer is Eustachious De Lannoy who was with the Dutch East India Company before switching loyalties.

It is a beautiful day with perfect cotton candy clouds floating over the clear blue sky. The seas surrounding us is calm as it gently caresses the shore. A lone tree stands , its dead branches almost touching the sky. In the distant horizon, we can see windmills dancing to the tune of the breeze. I am at Vattakottai, a circular sea fort built on the coast near Kanyakumari, by De Lannoy for Marthanda Varma.  Standing from the ramparts, I look out into the picturesque view of the Western Ghats encircling the oceans � the Bay of Bengal on one side and the Arabian Sea on the other.

Vattakottai was one of our destinations  as  part of the heritage Naanjil Naadu tour where we explored the monuments left behind by various dynasties in and around Kanyakumari and Nagercoil.  The Venad kings started their reign over Travancore from this region before moving  base . Even today the ancient Padmanabha palace ringed in by the Western Ghats stands as the testimony to the origins of the dynasty. It is believed that the ruler Marthanda Varma dedicated his kingdom to his family deity Padmanabha and Padmanabhapuram lost its significance when the capital was eventually shifted from here to Trivandrum in the 18^thcentury .

As we enter the granite fort, the outer walls greet us with the symbol of two elephants with a conch shell, but the fort itself is neither imposing nor formidable. It just seems like another nondescript hidden destination that lets the eye gaze at some of the most beautiful vistas around.  It was believed that one can see the Padmanabhapuram palace from here, but all I can see is a fabric of blue � the sky and the sea seems to merge.  The coconut trees grace the shore, as some parts of the wall jut out into the sea . And as many folk lores say, a tunnel was supposed to have been built here too , but one wonders where ,  as the fort seemed isolated , surrounded by waters.  

A huge open courtyard, probably a parade ground leads us to a flight of steps with a ramp. We look down from the walls , built at a height of almost 25 feet and the sea greets us.  The British apparently destroyed the fort in a much later battle , but today, Vattakottai stands in memory of the Dutch commander who had served and trained the Indian army under the Travancore kings.

Starting July, I am starting a new series called Offbeat India. It will include stories, photo-posts, my columns - Inside Story published in The Hindu among other posts. This was published in my column in The Hindu Metro Plus recently. 

Sunday Snapshot - Munnar and its mist

 

The monsoons, the mist and Munnar - what a combination ...Looking to book hotels in Munnar, I found several choices from resorts to homestays to even tree houses. I was searching for cheaper options and found that there are several budget hotels in Munnar  . Hotels in Munnar usually go full in summer as the temperature here is much cooler than the rest of Kerala. I eventually stayed in a beautiful tree house.