I had an opportunity to visit this beautiful fairy-tale town called Colmar in France. It is without a shadow of doubt the most beautiful town I've ever been to. It's located in the heart of Alsace where French and German cultures seamlessly greet each other. 

It was in 2023, visit was part of our weekend trip to France. The trip was with my colleagues at Mercedes-Benz. 

It was an amazing experience overall. We only had a few hours of evening to explore Colmar. We effectively made use of those in exploring the little Venice with canal and timbered houses decorated with flowers on either side of the canal. I also got a glimpse of Eglise St Martin from outside. It was a medieval marvel illustrating Gothic architecture.

Last day of Mahakumbh - once in a lifetime spectacle.

A visit to Arail ghat for holy dip.

Experienced a huge crowd.

The Mahakumbh, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, has descended upon my hometown. Millions of pilgrims from across the globe are converging here to partake in this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

It's Makar Sankranti today. According to Hindu tradition, Makar Sankranti is considered an auspicious occasion for ritual bathing in sacred waters. More than 30 million people are projected to bathe in the holy rivers of Ganga and Yamuna at Tirtharaj Prayag. The Mahakumbh is much more than the largest religious gathering in the world. It's a testament to the enduring power of spirituality in India. The largest temporary city in the world is prepared for this occasion. On the most auspicious days during the Kumbh Mela, Prayagraj, the host city, becomes the most populous city in the country with more than 20 million people temporarily residing within the city and the designated areas allocated for Kumbh Mela.

The event depicts the immense diversity of India as you get to see its multiple colors at one single place, with people flocking to the city of Triveni Sangam from all corners of the country. People from overseas also attend this gathering in humongous numbers. They are often left awe-stuck with the sheer scale and spectacle of this event. Many research scholars pay a visit to this city to study the management of such a large scale which involves the Government. You see a sea of humanity driven by purpose and faith towards the holy rivers with the area being devoid of any vehicular movement. A sight that is unparalleled on Earth. The Mahakumbh is a conglomeration of diverse personalities among which the Naga Sadhus stand out. These monks have embodied a unique blend of asceticism, spiritual devotion and an unconventional lifestyle. We can learn a lot of things from these enigmatic figures such as self-control, discipline, renunciation, simplicity, inner strength, peace and much more.

Your Mahakumbh experience might be incomplete if you miss the night view. At night, it transforms into a celestial spectacle. Just imagine gazing at the stars, but not into the empty vastness of space, but spread across the banks of sacred rivers. I've been addicted to watching the drone views covering Mahakumbh area.

Prayagraj, a city steeped in history and spirituality, is witnessing a dramatic transformation of its sacred riverbanks thanks to the advent of Mahakumbh festival. Once characterized by a mere handful of concrete ghats, the city's waterfront is now adorned with a flourishing array of over 15 well-constructed, spacious ghats, a testament to the meticulous preparations underway for the upcoming Mahakumbh Mela on the banks of holy rivers Ganga and Yamuna.

For centuries, the ghats of Prayagraj have held immense importance in Hinduism, as the confluence point of holy rivers is considered one of the holiest places for bathing. However, despite their significance, the city's ghat infrastructure remained relatively limited, with only a few prominent concrete structures serving the needs of millions.

The ongoing Mahakumbh 2025, has spurred a remarkable revitalization of the city's riverfront. Recognizing the need for enhanced infrastructure to accommodate the influx of pilgrims, the authorities embarked on an ambitious project to construct numerous new ghats and upgrade existing ones. The result is seen with the emergence of prominent ghats in the city like Arail, Kali Maa Ghat, Prayagraj's own Dasaswamedh ghat and many more.

The results are nothing short of transformative. Where once there were stretches of sandy or uneven banks, there now stand gleaming, well-designed and spacious ghats. These new additions are not just functional, but they are also aesthetically pleasing, blending seamlessly with the city's historical landscape. Wide, stepped platforms offer ample space for pilgrims to perform their rituals, while thoughtfully designed lighting illuminates the ghats at night, creating a mesmerizing spectacle.

The city of Prayagraj has also witnessed the construction of river-side roads alongside the holy rivers of Ganga and Yamuna. These roads facilitate easy access to the Mahakumbh region and immensely improve connectivity between the sectors. Multiple parks have been developed near the rivers which exemplify the beauty of the city.

Shree Shanker Viman Mandapam is a famous temple near Sangam Area, Prayag. If you've seen drone reels from Mahakumbh 2025, chances are you have seen this Dravidian style temple in Prayag. Exact origin history of this temple might be a subject to debate. But, the modern temple architecture finds its roots from 1970s. The temple used to provide iconic views of Sangam area during Mahakumbh. 

Now Mahakumbh is over, the temple draws much less crowd in comparison and offers a serene environment for spiritual experiences. The temple has three floors and is dedicated to multiple deities.

This gallery contains my captures from my multiple visit to this temple both during the day and night. There are pictures taken from bridge as well. Lighting of this temple in evening is mesmerising with multiple changing colours.

What can be explored in a day when you are in Hyderabad?

Too short to explore?

What things to see. And why only a single day?

A one day trip to Jabalpur in which I covered ghats of Bhedaghat, balancing rocks, few popular temples of Jabalpur city and an abandoned palace in ruins.

It was when I was returning back from Bangalore to my home. On my way, did take multiple stops at Hyderabad and Jabalpur. It was when I was stuck in a 300KM traffic jam (apparently one of the longest traffic jams in recorder human history) on my way back to Prayag. Because of this extended traffic jam, it was advised to visit some nearby place and then wait for further notifications about the traffic situation. I headed to Bhedaghat first, got an accommodation and started my itinerary. First, I planned to visit the Dhuandhar falls, I followed it by taking a ropeway ride across the waterfall. There was also a Jeep ride which would take you to the valley where you can see the marble rocks of Bhedaghat. It also had a guide which would inform us about the movie shoots done there.

I have been fortunate enough to visit Mercedes-Benz museum multiple times. Heck, there has been times when I used to visit everyday after office hours. It is a paradise for a photographer and car lover.

This is collection of some of the pictures I took during the visits.

I visited this small town called Banda which is famous for Kalinjar fort.

It was a stop I took on my way to Jhansi and Gwalior