JUHU BEACH, MUMBAI

Since childhood, I have been visiting the Juhu beach and even now, I still do. I simply get fascinated by the beauty of this place and its surroundings. This beach is truely a place worth visiting. Juhu beach is my most favourite place to visit in Mumbai. This place is known for its scenic beauty of the waves hitting the shore, people playing with the water, the cool fresh air and most importantly , the food here. 

I have simply fallen in love with this place.  Everytime  I visit this place, I realise that life is beautiful. I never get bored of coming here. I simply love the food here. I always have pav bhaji and other chaat items here along with falooda or milkshakes .  Juhu beach is the best place in Mumbai to have some amazing street food, may it be  north Indian or South Indian dishes. A long brisk walk along the beach side is enough to make me happy and boost my mood. I feel very blessed and lucky that  this beach is located in Mumbai where travelling can be economical and I can get to explore and feel the beauty of a seaside even in this congested city where open spaces, gardens and natural surroundings are being destroyed to make roads, and human settlements. 

This beach shall always have a special place in  my heart. I still remember the first time I came here, I loved the food so much that I had a stomach upset the next day. But still, I was happy.

                                                            BANDSTAND, BANDRA (WEST).

This is one of my favourite places to visit in Mumbai. Bandra Bandstand is not just a place. It is an emotion for me. I am in love with this place. Bandstand is a sea face  which consists of many cafes, restaurants, hotels and most importantly, homes of Bollywood celebs. I always enjoy taking a brisk walk here with the cool air coming from the waves of the sea. Seeing the sea waves coming to the shore is truely a beautiful sight to see. This area always gives me positive vibes and makes me feel good . I love the calmness of this place . I have visited this place many times and still, I never get bored. It is so refreshing to take a walk here. After I visit this place , all my stress goes away.  I have realised that it is not always materialistic pleasures that can give you happiness. A stroll on the beach is one of the priceless and simple things that can make you happy.

                                                                    RUNWAL ANTHURIUM, MULUND WEST

I used to live in Runwal Anthurium which is a posh residential complex in Mulund west. I was so happy to live in this place. To see the breathe-taking view of the sunrise and sunset and the hustle and bustle of the city from the window and balcony of my house seemed like I was in Manali where I could see the snow-capped peaks from the balcony or window of my hotel room. It was no less than a dream come true to get a flat like this. Seeing this view after I used to wake up in the morning was a perfect way to start the day. The building has a gym, a swimming pool, a turf, a small garden and a beautiful podium filled with trees, plants and flowers of all kinds. Although I don't live here anymore, the memories of this place are always fresh in my mind. I fell in love with life after I started living here. I enjoyed being in Runwal Anthurium and these days were the best days of my life which I will never forget.

                                               View of the city from my 6th floor house in Runwal Anthurium                      

             

                                                      VASANT GARDEN/ CYPRESS, MULUND WEST

Vasant garden also known as Cypress is my favourite place to relax and rejuvenate myself. It is surrounded by the hills, buildings and greenery which makes it a beautiful place to visit. What I love about this place is the clean fresh air that comes from the hills and the restaurants and cafes here which make it a top spot for enjoyment. My house is located very close to the Vasant garden. I visit the garden everyday either in the morning or at night. 

Earlier , this place was to be a good trekking spot but unfortunately it is closed now. I remember my childhood days where I used to come with friends and family members to this place for trekking. We always had a gala time .  We used to climb up the hills to the topmost point and click many photos of the view of the city from the peak, and trust me, that was one of the best moments of our lives. We also used to carry snacks with us which we relished after a hard climb to the topmost point. There is also a waterfall which is an attractive sight to see in the rainy season. After trekking, we used to sit in the Vasant garden and relax. We then used to have juice from Karthik juice centre, which is the most popular place here.

The view of the lush green hills from the garden brings peace to my soul. As you can see in the pictures, it is such a beautiful place that it  releases all our stress and gives us a much needed break from the chaotic city life. People of all age groups, religions and communities come to this place for   outings . This is the most popular area in Mulund after R mall and Nirmal lifestyle. I feel happy and proud that I get to visit this place everyday which calms  my mind and refreshes me instantly. This garden has been very well kept . You can get to spot trees, flowers, birds of all kinds here. This area starts to get crowded from the evenings as people come here to spend time with friends, family after a tiring day's work.  Visiting this garden soothens my soul. Cypress is the pride of Mulund.

                                                                  WINDFLOWER RESORT, MYSORE

Recently, I along with my cousins went to Windflower resort which is located at Mysore in Karnataka state. It was a beautiful place which had amazing, luxurious rooms, good restaurants and was surrounded completely in the lap of nature. It felt like home to me. It was a perfect place for spending time with family. It is very close to the Mysore zoo. We stayed there for 2 days and those 2 days felt like we had spent 2 months of peace. 

What I liked most about the resort was the  superb view of the mountains, lake, the trees   from the balcony of my room. It was a beautiful place away from the noise and chaos of the cities. Waking up to the view of the sunrise,  hearing the chirping sound of the birds and enjoying the cool air at night was like a dream come true for me. I always dreamt about living in a place where I could see the sunrise and sunset and feel the cool breeze of   the trees, flowers and bushes and coming here made me feel that. I saw many swans, flamingoes and peacocks in the grassy lands in the resort. There was an open space where we played cricket and badminton.  There was also an indoor games centre. I can never forget the delicious food that we had in the restaurant. There were all varieties of foodstuffs there. Thankfully, the IPL too was going on and we saw an interesting match from our air conditioned rooms. 

I became healthier both physically and mentally, after coming to this place. What I was thankful was that I got to breathe some fresh and clean air which otherwise we won't get in the cities. Also, I fell in love with the weather there which was so soothing and pleasing. It was the month of May but still it was very cool and we not at all felt as if it was the  summer season.  We stayed there for 2 days. On day 2, we had a healthy breakfast and clicked many photos amidst the lush greenery of the place. The resort was very well kept and maintained. The reception of the resort made us feel as if we had come to a 5 star hotel. I was so glad that I visited this place. We created many memories. I didn't feel like going home at all after coming here. This place totally healed me of all my worries and tensions. Since I am a nature lover, I was happy that I got to spend time with nature.  I returned home with memorable and amazing memories of this place.

                                                          GOVARDHAN ECOVILLAGE

One of the finest and most peaceful places I have been to in my life is Govardhan Ecovillage which is located at Palghar, Maharashtra. I was so much in peace here that I almost felt like I was in heaven.  Since I am a nature lover, this place totally made me happy. I stayed at this ashram for 2 days and it was worth visiting. Govardhan Ecovillage is the perfect hideout to get away from the hustle and bustle and chaotic city life and spend time with nature. I felt totally at ease with the divine vibes here.  

What I liked about this place was that I got to play and spend time with  domestic animals. I fed the cows and donkeys, clicked photos with the horses, and also played with the fishes. The cafes and the food here was awesome and nutritious. I went to this place with my building friends. The rooms where we stayed were very comfortable and homely. The chirping sound of the birds and the cool breeze from the  trees were so soothing. I have been used to the traffic snarls, noise and pollution of the cities, so visiting this ashram was the perfect place to get some clean air and forget the chaos of the city life. The chants  of Lord Ram and Krishna totally healed me and brought a new sense of hope and life in me. People of all age groups come here to soak in the divine presence of God and to rejuvinate themselves. What I like the most about this place is that it is situated in the heart of nature. 

I had a delicious plate of pav bhaji in the best restaurant of this place. I stayed in this ashram for 2 days with my friends. We had an enjoyable time playing with the animals, swimming and exploring each part of Govardhan ecovillage.  We felt that our decision  and idea of visiting this place was totally right and justified. Do have a look at some of the photos of this beautiful place . Make sure that you visit this ashram atleast once in your life to feel the presence of the almighty and to enjoy the beauty of nature.

                                                                     NIGDI, PUNE

Nigdi is a small town in the area between Dehu road and Chinchwad in Pune city . It is known very well for the Bhakti Shakti garden which is a very famous landmark and is visited by one and all. There are stalls serving mouth watering food, toys , games and many more. But this place which I am talking about is also a well known tourist spot and you must surely visit it. It is called as Durga Tekdi (mountain) which is blessed and provided with enormous and abundant natural beauty which will definately steal your heart and leave you impressed. It is located near Appu Ghar which is an amusement park, and lies in the area which is called Siddhivinayak Nagari. 

Remember, when was the last time you fell in love with nature? Or when did you realise that life is beautiful? To understand this , visit the Durga tekdi  atleast once in a lifetime!It is a perfect place for trekking, mountaineering and exploring. People of all age groups visit this place . It is basically a hill which consists of gardens, a lake, a temple and a play area for children. It is so beautiful that you will fall in love with this place in your  first sight  itself. You will find swans, peacocks and ducks in the lake area. Sometime, monkeys do come here and you have to be careful and ensure that the monkeys don't take away your belongings such as mobile phones or wallets. There is a beautiful temple where you can offer your prayers . The best part about Durga tekdi is its gardens, which consists of many trees, different types of plants, flowers, and shrubs. Since there are many trees, the weather becomes cool and it also offers shade from the scorching hot sun. This place is no less than heaven. This hill is open for tourists from 5am to 5:30 pm. 

The view from the top of the mountain, ie the peak, is wonderful. You can see the whole view of Pune city. Also it is a great place to click photos with family and friends. A trek to this place will leave you refreshed, mentally as well as physically. Here are some of the photos of this beautiful place. Do visit this place to remind yourself about the beauty of nature and the importance to preserve our environment.

                                                                  MYSORE ZOO, KARNATAKA, INDIA

Mysore is one of the most beautiful places in Karnataka. It has become an important centre of trade, commerce and tourism after Bangalore and Mangalore. I visited the Mysore Zoo and it created a special place in my heart. It is one among  the best zoos in India and it is a place worth visiting for every animal lover.

The Mysore zoo is very clean, and well maintained. It is covered with lush greenery, trees and plants from all sides which are sure to impress visitors. I visited this zoo in May 2022. The climate was very cool inspite of it being the summer season. I saw all kinds of animals and birds there such as lions, tigers, hippos, gorillas,  giraffs, zebras, flamingoes, peacocks and snakes. I learnt a lot and felt proud that India has such a rich culture of wildlife and nature. The zoo was full of people from all age groups. Children especially had a hearty time seeing the animals. I clicked many photographs of the place. It was fun seeing the animals and watching everything that they were doing. 

The zoo was filled with all kinds of trees which apparently made the weather pleasant and also added to the beauty of the place. I spent nearly two hours there and at the end of the day, I was happy that I visited the zoo. It gave me a different feeling. I was relaxed and pleased.  I realised that spending time with animals is one of the best recreation activities one can do. The atmosphere in the zoo was full of life, happiness and joy. I felt that visiting a zoo can be more entertaining and soothing than watching a film in a cinema hall. I thoroughly enjoyed this visit. The zoo closes at around 5:30 pm.  After we came out, we had a delicious cup of tea and snacks.. At the end of the day, I realized that we did the right thing of visiting the zoo. It was a lovely evening spending time with nature and animals. I got to learn a lot. You too try to visit the zoo whenever you are in Mysore and I am sure you will have no regrets.