Stargazing In Ladakh
Outlook Traveller|October 2021
Cleaning the dust off the DSLR was all worth it. This ride to go stargazing in Ladakh had many inspirational and joyous moments
Rishad Sam Mehta
Stargazing In Ladakh

I am gripped my camera passionately after three years of ignoring it in favor of my iPhone. Travels in these three years took me to beautiful places that have generated a plethora of photographs, all with the convenience of a device that sits in my pocket and fits in my palm.

But today, I needed the talents of my trusty old Nikon D700. Its 3.5 kg weight and brick-like size felt familiar even after a separation of three years. Even in pitch darkness, my fingers could easily find buttons and dials, and more importantly, I had muscle memory about the combinations of these two to pull up menus and adjust parameters. It is a good thing because at that moment of time light is the polluting evil.

This evening definitely cannot be titled ‘the sound of silence’, because there is excited chatter around me in a multitude of languages. But the mantra of the evening is certainly the first line from the said song, “Hello darkness, my old friend”.

Ten of us from places as varying as Ludhiana to Poona to Chitradurga are stood in darkness, bent over our tripod-mounted cameras in the midst of the Zanskar Himalayas waiting for the star of the show to make an appearance. The time of year chosen is perfect with the moon setting soon after the sun and the clouds have obliged by staying away. Soon from behind the crest of high mountains she makes an appearance — that celestial diva; the Milky Way.

Denne historien er fra October 2021-utgaven av Outlook Traveller.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra October 2021-utgaven av Outlook Traveller.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA OUTLOOK TRAVELLERSe alt
Chutneys For Every Season
Outlook Traveller

Chutneys For Every Season

GROWING UP IN JHARKHAND, I've always been enchanted by the state's culinary landscape. Here, the local cuisine never fails to surprise with its depth and variety.

time-read
3 mins  |
August - September 2024
BADGE OF HONOUR
Outlook Traveller

BADGE OF HONOUR

IN THE DYNAMIC LANDSCAPE of tourism, where greenwashing often taints sustainability, certifications can help distinguish between genuine efforts and marketing gimmicks. Green certification systems encourage businesses to enhance their environmental credentials.

time-read
1 min  |
August - September 2024
WHEELS OF TIME
Outlook Traveller

WHEELS OF TIME

IN 1947, TRAINS CARRYING REFUGEES ACROSS THE BORDER WERE SYMBOLIC OF THE TUMULT OF THE PARTITION.

time-read
4 mins  |
August - September 2024
RAILS OF THE Raj
Outlook Traveller

RAILS OF THE Raj

FROM ITS CONCEPTION TO ITS ROLE IN THE NATION'S HISTORY, THE BRITISH INDIAN RAILWAYS IS A PHENOMENON MARKED AS MUCH BY MARVEL AS AVARICE

time-read
3 mins  |
August - September 2024
THE RHYTHM OF BOLLYWOOD
Outlook Traveller

THE RHYTHM OF BOLLYWOOD

FROM THE RAILROAD THRILLER MISS FRONTIER MAIL 1936) TO SHAH RUKH KHAN DANCING ON A TRAIN IN DIL SE' 1998), TRAINS HAVE GIVEN UNFORGETTABLE SONG SEQUENCES TO MANY HINDI FILMS

time-read
4 mins  |
August - September 2024
MEMORY'S OASIS
Outlook Traveller

MEMORY'S OASIS

REMEMBRANCES OF GROWING UP IN SEALDAH RAILWAY OFFICERS COLONY IN KOLKATA

time-read
4 mins  |
August - September 2024
A FAREWELL × TO FLAVOURS
Outlook Traveller

A FAREWELL × TO FLAVOURS

FROM CUTLETS AND RAILWAY MUTTON CURRY IN DINING CARS TO THE UNREMARKABLE FARE AVAILABLE TODAY, THE JOURNEY OF FOOD ON THE INDIAN RAILWAY IS FASCINATING

time-read
3 mins  |
August - September 2024
HERITAGE ON THE TRACKS
Outlook Traveller

HERITAGE ON THE TRACKS

THE ICONIC DARJEELING HIMALAYAN RAILWAY, FONDLY CALLED THE TOY TRAIN,' HAS HELD ITS UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE STATUS SINCE 1999

time-read
4 mins  |
August - September 2024
HIDDEN LIVES
Outlook Traveller

HIDDEN LIVES

SPANNING 65,000 KILOMETRES THROUGH DENSELY POPULATED INDIA, THE RAILWAYS ARE A BACKDROP TO COUNTLESS STORIES. 'THE UNRESERVED' BY FILMMAKER SAMARTH MAHAJAN CAPTURES A FEW

time-read
4 mins  |
August - September 2024
JOURNEYS WITHIN AND WITHOUT
Outlook Traveller

JOURNEYS WITHIN AND WITHOUT

FOR IMTIAZ ALI, TRAIN JOURNEYS ARE TRANSFORMATIVE, OFFERING GLIMPSES OF INDIA'S DIVERSE SOCIETY AND ITS MANY CULTURES AND RELIGIONS

time-read
5 mins  |
August - September 2024