Tree Hugging at Six Senses Vana, India Today in the West “Tree Hugger” often used as a flippant insult for enviromental campaigners , but it stems from a story of stunning defiance and vicious bloodshed. In 1730, a reported 363 Bishnoi people in India sacrificed their lives to stop their trees from being cut down, inadvertently laying the foundation for a strategy of peaceful resistance that has come to be used the world over. Chipko means “hug” in Hindi and a Chipko movement of activists in 1970s and ‘80s India saved their forests by calling attention to the deep interdependence between humans and the natural world. Villagers including many women began to organise themselves in small groups, starting in 1973, taking up local causes with the authorities, to stand up against commercial logging operations that threatened their livelihoods. Vana means forest and @sixsensesvana is set in a dense Sal forest just outside Dehradun, a refuge for all beings, people, plants, birds, butterflies, and the odd monkey. The reserve is set within India’s lush and leafy Mussoorie region, close to Rishikesh, the birthplace of yoga, and north of Dehradun on the approach to the Himalayas. It’s designed as a place to practice Ayurveda, yoga, and Tibetan Medicine all integrated alongside the latest complementary therapies for complete detoxification of body and mind. With @priya_priyambada ————————————————————— #india #Dehradun #incredibleindia @incredibleindia #sixsenses @sixsenses #yoga #yogaretreat #wellnessretreat #ad

Poole time @sixsensesfortbarwara ! Fort Barwara had its beginnings in 1332, with the main walls constructed in 1394 by the Chauhans. The 700-year-old fort’s restoration took more than a decade, incorporating two palaces and two temples within the walled fort. Now it has 48 one-bedroom suites designed in a contemporary Rajasthani style. The 5.5 acre fort is encompassed by thick rock walls that reach as tall as 20 feet high. Situated in Sawai Madhopur, the city of Royals it was built by the Indian Rajput Chauhans. During World War II, Raja Mansingh King of Amber of the Mughals along with Jaipur State Armed Forces fought alongside the British using the fort. Situated opposite the town of Chauth ka Barwara Mandir and a short distance from Ranthambhore National Park which is famous for its wild tigers. ————————————————————— #india #jaipur #sixsenses @sixsenses #fortress #fortbarwara #incredibleindia @incredibleindia

Built in 1156 by King Rawal Jaisal, Jaisalmer Fort dominates the countryside in the far northwestern corner of Rajasthan, near the border of India and Pakistan Also known as the Golden Fort, it is one of the largest fully preserved fortified cities in the world and is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Jaisalmer Fort is the world’s largest living fort since a significant population residing within its walls. Some 2,000 to 4,000 descendants of the castle’s earliest inhabitants continue to live inside its fortified walls, rent-free, as their ancestors were given the land by local kings in return for their services to the kingdom. The sandstone citadel stands guard atop a triangular hill, complete with three layers of walls, four imposing gates and 99 turrets 📸 @pranali_lifeisbeautiful ——————————— #india #rajasthan #Jaiselmer #incredibleindia @incredibleindia #jaiselmerfort #goldenfort

Health and Healing in the Himalayan Foothills of India Set in a dense Sal forest just outside Dehradun, @SixSensesVana is a refuge for all beings, people, plants, birds, butterflies, and the odd monkey. From the moment you arrive, when your forehead is dotted with crimson, and you don your loose-fitting kurta pajamas, to the moment you leave, and your wrist is tied with a red-string blessing, this soothing space serves as a leveler, where you can come as you are and connect to each other and nature without hindrance. Vana means forest, and indeed it is tucked away amid an organic kitchen and herb gardens in a sal-tree reserve within India’s lush and leafy Mussoorie region. Close to Rishikesh, the birthplace of yoga, and north of Dehradun on the approach to the Himalayas, this is a place to rediscover one’s own path. Traditional practices such as Ayurveda, yoga, and Tibetan Medicine are integrated alongside the latest complementary therapies into a daily routine, nudging guests gently along their path to vitality. For complete detoxification of body and mind, the Ayurvedic Panchakarma retreats welcome guests for up to a month. Named after the forest it takes refuge in, Six Senses Vana aims to protect and nurture, providing space to discover and flourish. ————————————————————— #india #Dehradun #incredibleindia @incredibleindia #sixsenses @sixsenses #yoga #yogaretreat #wellnessretreat #ad

Toorji’s Step Well The Jodhpur Stepwell Toorji Ka Jhalra, or “Toorji’s Step Well” is one of the city’s most impressive wells and a relic of Jodhpur’s architectural history. Built in the 1740s, submerged for decades, its recent restoration uncovered over 200 hundred feet of hand carved treasure. It was built in Jodhpurby a Queen, Maharaja Abhay Singh’s Consort, continuing an age old tradition that Royal women would build public water works. The steps follow the fluctuating water table down to provide easy all-year round access and when cleaned up, it was revealed to include intricate carvings of dancing elephants, medieval lions and cow water-spouts, as well as niches housing deities long gone. The well’s original system consisted of a Persian Wheel driven by a pair of bullocks circling the platform on top, which drew water up to two different access levels and a separate tank. Today the daily maintenance of the well is purely through volunteers, the water is clean as there’s plenty of fish swimming around the tank and local kids using it as a pool to jump in to! ————————————————————— #india #rajasthan #jaiselmer #incredibleindia @incredibleindia #desert #thardesert

🇦🇲 NAGORNO-KARABKH GUIDE Pt.3 🇦🇿 When you approach the Republic of Artsakh’s capital of Stepanakert, known in Azerbaijan as Khankendi, one monument stands out. Called “We Are Our Mountains” by Sarghis Baghdasaryan, the sculpture is known locally as “Granny and Grandpa.” The beauty of it is that it doesn’t speak to any nationality or political point of view - it simply represents the people of an ancient region which has been lived in for centuries by different ethnicities, at different times. Sadly the region now is back in conflict with hundred of civilians dead these last 2 weeks. During the 1988-94 war, estimates suggest over 700,000 Azerbaijanis were displaced, as were 400,000 Armenians, with thousands dead on both sides. Incidents like the Sumgait pogrom and the Khojaly Massacre only entrenched the hatred. When presented as “state vs state,” the most nationalistic voices get heard the most, led by people brought up on one-sided truths from their government and media. And the grievances go back generations. Personally, I love both the rich countries on each side of the conflict. But I think patriotism and nationalism are medieval ways of thinking in the year 2023. And history shows that neither leads to anything positive, only continuations of the cycle. Let’s hope that the people of the region can find peace without major displacements once again. —————— #armenia #Հայաստան #azerbaijan #Azərbaycan #nagornokarabakh #artsakh #Արցախ #qarabağ #Stepanakert #Karabakh #карабах #Caucasus #Ստեփանակերտ #Xankəndi

🇦🇲 NAGORNO-KARABKH GUIDE Pt.2 🇦🇿 Nagorno-Karabakh is the heart of the Republic of Artsakh, and has just been restored back to Azerbaijan, leaving the Armenian citizens scrambling to escape their homes. Today I’ll share its complex history. In antiquity Artsakh was part of the Kingdom of Armenia (321BC to 428AD). Following the emergence of Islam and the Arab conquests of the 7th Century, it became an Armenian protectorate - the Kingdom of Artsakh (11th-13th Centuries). Artsakh remained an Armenian autonomous province during Mongol and Persian rule, became the Principality of Khachen (1261–1603), and eventually was handed to Russia by Persia in 1813 after their war. Russia added it to their Elisabethpol Governorate (managed from modern day Ganja in Azerbaijan), at which point the population remained over 90% Armenian. Azerbaijan was founded in 1918 as the world’s first democratic Muslim-majority state. 2 years later it joined the Soviet Union. The leader of the USSR Joseph Stalin essentially created the current conflict in 1923, when he formally established the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast, and controversially added it to their Soviet Azerbaijan Republic. That left the Armenian population on the wrong side of the border once Armenia and Azerbaijan became independent countries in 1991. A 1991 referendum saw 99.98% vote for independence from Azerbaijan. When rejected, skirmishes intensified in to war, including atrocities like the Khojaly Massacre of hundreds of fleeing Azerbaijani civilians by Armenians forces in 1992. 4 UN Resolutions in 1993 called on Armenia to respect Azerbaijan’s borders and to withdraw from Artsakh, in particular from the town of Agdam (pic 5), which was destroyed to discourage Azerbaijanis from returning. A ceasefire began in 1994. 99.7% of the population remained ethnic Armenian until this week, when the swift operation by Azerbaijan to reclaim the entire territory looks like it will displace tens of thousands of civilians. #armenia #Հայաստան #azerbaijan #Azərbaycan #nagornokarabakh #artsakh #Արցախ #qarabağ #Stepanakert #Karabakh #карабах #Caucasus #Ստեփանակերտ #Xankəndi

🇦🇲 NAGORNO-KARABKH GUIDE Pt.1 🇦🇿 Many of you may have seen the name “Nagorno-Karabakh” in the news, and struggle to understand where it is, what’s happening or why. I was lucky to visit and explore a few years back and of course it’s very sad to hear of the many deaths and humanitarian crisis going on right now. So I’ll try to shine some light on this little known region over a few posts. The Caucasus has historically been a diverse region, with 50 ethnic groups that today live the recognised countries of Russia, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. During the Soviet Period though, many groups ended up living in countries that were not their own as new borders were drawn - and several sought independence. 4 such regions remain post-Soviet “frozen conflict” zones, living in de-facto independent states within the borders of other countries; South Ossetia and Abkhazia within Georgia, Transnistria in Moldova which I just went to and posted about last month… … and the Republic of Artsakh (known in Russian as Nagorno-Karabakh) in Azerbaijan. These four partially-recognised states have actually formed a Commonwealth of Unrecognized States, and some are recognised by several UN members. The first picture here is the “Gates of Artsakh,” a monument near Zabux, on the southern road out of Nagorno-Karabakh near the Armenian border. —————— #armenia #Հայաստան #azerbaijan #Azərbaycan #nagornokarabakh #artsakh #Արցախ #qarabağ #Stepanakert #Karabakh #карабах #Caucasus #Ստեփանակերտ #Xankəndi

Finally at the Taj ! I may have visited 171 countries and territories, but there are still some iconic places I haven’t visited. I did finaly make it to the Taj Mahal though during my third trip exploring India! So what is it really like? Well, it does indeed change its appearance as the light hits it at different times of the day, and there is not much to see inside, but it’s also not as crowded as it appears since it sits in a wide and beautifully cultivated garden complex. So you needn’t get up super early to beat the crowds - even though the lines and entranceway may be packed, once inside you can find a quiet spot with ease. What major world site have you not yet visited and want to make it to? ————————————————————— #india #incredibleindia @incredibleindia #tajmahal #agra

Exploring the walls and gardens of an ancient fort in Barwara, Rajasthan. This historical gem is @sixsensesfortbarwara, which had its beginnings in 1332, with the main walls constructed in 1394 by the Chauhans. The 700-year-old fort’s restoration took more than a decade, incorporating two palaces and two temples within the walled fort. Now it has 48 one-bedroom suites designed in a contemporary Rajasthani style. The 5.5 acre fort is encompassed by thick rock walls that reach as tall as 20 feet high. Situated in Sawai Madhopur, the city of Royals it was built by the Indian Rajput Chauhans. During World War II, Raja Mansingh King of Amber of the Mughals along with Jaipur State Armed Forces fought alongside the British using the fort. Situated opposite the town of Chauth ka Barwara Mandir and a short distance from Ranthambhore National Park which is famous for its wild tigers. ————————————————————— #india #jaipur #sixsenses @sixsenses #fortress #fortbarwara #incredibleindia @incredibleindia

I wonder if the architects of this 700-year-old fort could ever imagine what it would be become today! This historical gem is @sixsensesfortbarwara, which had its beginnings in 1332, with the main walls constructed in 1394 by the Chauhans. The 700-year-old fort’s restoration took more than a decade, incorporating two palaces and two temples within the walled fort. Now it has 48 one-bedroom suites designed in a contemporary Rajasthani style. The 5.5 acre fort is encompassed by thick rock walls that reach as tall as 20 feet high. Situated in Sawai Madhopur, the city of Royals it was built by the Indian Rajput Chauhans. During World War II, Raja Mansingh King of Amber of the Mughals along with Jaipur State Armed Forces fought alongside the British using the fort. Situated opposite the town of Chauth ka Barwara Mandir and a short distance from Ranthambhore National Park which is famous for its wild tigers. ————————————————————— #india #jaipur #sixsenses @sixsenses #fortress #fortbarwara #incredibleindia @incredibleindia

More from the historical architectural gem that is @sixsensesfortbarwara! Fort Barwara had its beginnings in 1332, with the main walls constructed in 1394 by the Chauhans. The 700-year-old fort’s restoration took more than a decade, incorporating two palaces and two temples within the walled fort. Now it has 48 one-bedroom suites designed in a contemporary Rajasthani style. The 5.5 acre fort is encompassed by thick rock walls that reach as tall as 20 feet high. Situated in Sawai Madhopur, the city of Royals it was built by the Indian Rajput Chauhans. During World War II, Raja Mansingh King of Amber of the Mughals along with Jaipur State Armed Forces fought alongside the British using the fort. Situated opposite the town of Chauth ka Barwara Mandir and a short distance from Ranthambhore National Park which is famous for its wild tigers. ————————————————————— #india #jaipur #sixsenses @sixsenses #fortress #fortbarwara #incredibleindia @incredibleindia