High-range telescopes, guitars, bonfires, sightings of the deep sky and luminous alpine meadows, which locals call bugyals—India’s first-ever astronomical village, Benital, in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand is a palimpsest of your childhood dreams stretched across blue nights.
After local authorities zeroed in on this village to curate a stargazing experience for proper enthusiasts in early 2021, astronomy outfit Starscapes Experiences, founded by Ramashish Ray and Paul Savio, eventually came aboard to develop Benital as India’s first astro-village.
“The choice of Benital is apt because it ranks very low in terms of light pollution,” says Ramashish Ray, founder and product head, Starscapes Experiences. “During the recce, we also realised that it is one of the rare bugyals that is easily accessible by road.”
Alongside a team of seasoned astronomers and trekkers, equipped with solar lights and the most advanced telescopes—the inauguration event for the astro-village at a chilly two degrees is a spirited ode to humanity’s perpetual childlike curiosity to see the past and present coalescing in the mysterious skies.
TOUCH THE SKY
Denne historien er fra January - February 2022-utgaven av National Geographic Traveller India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra January - February 2022-utgaven av National Geographic Traveller India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Best Of The World 2023
Travel inspiration is everywhere. The question is where to go next. Here's our annual list of enlightened destinations for the year aheadplaces filled with wonder, rewarding to travellers of all ages, and supportive of local communities and ecosystems. Framed by five categories (Community, Nature, Culture, Family, Adventure), these destinations are under the radar, ahead of the curve, and ready for you to start exploring.
Α ΗΟΜΕ IN THE HILLS
Skyview by Empyrean is a onestop destination for adventure and leisure in Jammu
ENTER THE PICTURE POSTCARD
A stylish luxury hotel in Thimphu's northern outskirts is where illustrious Bhutanese and travellers alike are finding their happy place
48 Hours : Seattle Leads The Way
The jewel of the Pacific Northwest is one of America’s greenest and grooviest culture capitals
BIG BINGE: DUBAI FOR THE JET-SETTING GOURMAND
Delightful degustation menus, French brasseries with art-inspired menus and Japanese diners excelling at nostalgia—the Dubai Food Festival 2022 justified the city’s status as one of the world’s premier food capitals
CULTURE COOL - UNDER THE EMIRATI SUN
Home to one of the world’s grandest mosques, an exciting emerging arts district on Saadiyat Island and an entertainment hub promising genuine thrills, Abu Dhabi has arrived in the league of extraordinary family destinations
ONLY IN OTTAWA
ACTIVE ADVENTURES, BUZZY BREWERIES AND NEIGHBOURHOODS THRIVING WITH BARS AND BOUTIQUES— CANADA'S BIJOU CAPITAL HAS PLENTY TO DISCOVER BEYOND THE HALLS OF PARLIAMENT
OF FRENCH FINESSE
QUENELLE DE BROCHET IS A REGIONAL LEGACY DISH HAILING FROM LYON. THE OVAL, POACHED PIKE DUMPLINGS ARE BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN INVENTED BY A PASTRY CHEF TO REGULATE FISH OVERPOPULATION
Coorg: A WILD ROAST
Back in another timber den of Karnataka, native wildlife and humble stories surprise Suhas Dwarkanath as he sips on a bold cup of robusta.
DIVING INTO RAS AL KHAIMAH
THE U.A.E'S NORTHERNMOST EMIRATE IS ALL ABOUT ENJOYING NATURAL TREASURES, FROM SOARING OVER THE AL-HAJAR MOUNTAINS ON THE WORLD'S LONGEST ZIPLINE TO PERUSING PRECIOUS PEARLS BY THE SEASHORE
