Reboot Escorted Tours

27/04/2024

Discover the rich architectural heritage of Turkey through a seminar conducted by Architect Samar Ramachandra.

Explore beyond the greatest Byzantine monuments, the Hagia Sophia, and understand why it is relevant to our lives even today.

Sat, 11th of May 2024
7.30pm to 9.00pm
Samar Ramachandra Associates' Studio

Entry free.
Message Chetna at 98498 07677 to attend.

01/03/2024

Bishnupur, West Bengal (6/6)

A small town, just 200 kms from Kolkata, holds so much wonder and promise for the art, architectural and rural landscape seeker.

How to reach: The easiest way, perhaps, to reach Bishnupur would be to take the train, an hire totos to roam around there. We took a big Tempo Traveller and regretted the decision when it couldn't traverse many narrow lanes in town! (That's why recce trips are important!)

Where to stay: Bishnupur has a well laid out tourism facility by the Govt of West Bengal, and then there's also the Annapurna Hotel, where we had stayed. Nice, clean hotel with a very happy, helpful staff.

Local travel: the best way would be to walk down to most of the temples and sights, or take totos if you're doing temple hopping.

Sights: Bishnupur is home to some of Bengal's most beautiful terracotta temples. In addition, one can visit the potters village of Panchmura; walk the lanes and buy much of the craft made locally (Baluchari sarees, conch shell products, dokra, Dasabtar cards, etc). If you're lucky, you might catch some festival (the Bishnupur Music Festival was on, while we were there) at the time of your visit.

Most temples open at 6.00am and that's the perfect time to visit them. Beautiful sunlight as the sun rises, and almost zero crowds.

No of days: highly recommend a minimum of 2 nights (which was our duration and we managed to pack in a lot during that time).

In pictures
1. Road to Bishnupur
2. Lane in Bishnupur
3. Hotel Annapurna
4. Walking to Shyam Rai Temple early morning.
5. A milestone in Bishnupur
6. Our tempo traveller - never again!
7. Bishnupur Music Festival at Jor Mandir Temples
8. Bishnupur Music Festival at Jor Mandir Temples

27/02/2024

Santiniketan, West Bengal (1/3)

She is our own, the darling of our hearts,
Santiniketan.
In the shadows of her trees we meet
in the freedom of her open sky.
Our dreams are rocked in her arms.
Her face is a fresh wonder of love every
time we see her,
for she is our own, the darling of our
hearts.
— Rabindranath Tagore

An idyllic town near Bolpur, with rural landscapes, quaint dwellings, thinly populated and a sense of quietude in the air, Santiniketan is food for the soul. There is no rush to run out and conquer it all, just an air of calm and a slow pace that we so need.

Initially the name of the home called Shantiniketan, built by Debendranath, the entire area later was known by the same name. Rabindranath Tagore established the Visva Bharati, a university that today brings students from world over making it a university town. The university offers many diverse courses ranging from humanities, sciences, artistic, cultural, linguistic etc. all adding to its being a hub of cultural and artistic sensibilities.

Many festivals are celebrated in Shantiniketan, especially the Basanta Utsav during Holi welcoming the arrival of spring.

21/01/2024

Taste of Bengal: the people

What's an event without people?

People who support you, either in the planning, the ex*****on, ideas. People who enable you by coming for the experience, or to encourage you, or just because they know you're trying to so something that matters to all of us.

How food is just symbolic of how we can reach out and understand each other and live with awareness and humanity ....

Glimpses of some of the people who came together to make magic at this Bengali sit down dinner, before we to travel to Bengal.

Catering: Sarkar's Kitchen .hyd
Photography and Menu Design: Sania Sharfunnisa
Flowers: Fiora
Servers: Samar, Sourav .sahib and Nida
Kitchen team: Zainab, .aqeel Sarita and Chetna

21/01/2024

Taste of Bengal: the people

What's an event wihtout people?

People who support you, either in the planning, the ex*****on, ideas. People who enable you by coming for the experience, or to encourage you, or just because they know you're trying to so something that matters to all of us.

How food is just symbolic of how we can reach out and understand each other and live with awareness and humanity ....

Glimpses of some of the people who came together to make magic at this Bengali sit down dinner, before we to travel to Bengal.

Catering: Sarkar's Kitchen .hyd
Photography and Menu Design: Sania Sharfunnisa
Flowers: Fiora
Servers: Samar, Sourav .sahib and Nida
Kitchen team: Zainab, .aqeel Sarita and Chetna

21/01/2024

A Taste of Bengal: the people

What's an event wihtout people?

People who support you, either in the planning, the ex*****on, ideas. People who enable you by coming for the experience, or to encourage you, or just because they know you're trying to so something that matters to all of us.

How food is just symbolic of how we can reach out and understand each other and live with awareness and humanity ....

Glimpses of some of the people who came together to make magic at this Bengali sit down dinner, before we to travel to Bengal.

Catering: Sarkar's Kitchen .hyd
Photography and Menu Design: Sania Sharfunnisa
Flowers: Fiora
Servers: Samar, Sourav .sahib and Nida
Kitchen team: Zainab, .aqeel Sarita and Chetna

21/01/2024

A Taste of Bengal: the food

How do you decide on a Bengali food menu? You take a few Hyderabadis, make them try some Bengali food, observe their reactions (fish with bones? No can do) ... then you get two Bengalis to have a discussion (more like a debate) and then just take a call since that duscussion will help you ... somewhat!

The ardous journey done, you explain your eccentricities to your caterer and the rest, is easy!

Glimpses of the menu and the some of the food on the menu served at our Bemgali sit down dinner, as a preparation to our upcoming tour to Bengal.

Catering: Sarkar's Kitchen .hyd
Photography and Menu Design: Sania Sharfunnisa
Menu Trials, and Discussions: Zainab, .aqeel Sourav, .sahib Nawal and Devika .artist
Flowers: Fiora

20/01/2024

A Taste of Bengal: the set up

There's no journey without the exploration of a culture's cuisine; and what better way than to start while at home.

As we embark on our tour to Kolkata and Bishnupur next week, we organised a sit - down Bengali Dinner that aimed at introducing some of the flavours Bengali food has to offer.

The set up was simple, with thought given to tiny details but not an overwhelming explosion of elements. Subtle, simple, whites, reds, a glimpse of Gurudev, Durga or Bishnupur terracotta.

Catering: Sarkar's Kitchen .hyd
Photography and Menu Design: Sania Sharfunnisa
Flowers: Fiora

17/01/2024

What gave this land of rivers a movement that led to an artistic, literary, social awakening and how it's culture reflects the legacy of what we now call as 'The Bengal Renaissance'?

To know answers or perhaps have more questions, do attend the seminar that aims to cover it all.

Speakers: Samar Ramachandra, , Sania Sharfunnisa , Sourav Sengupta .sahib
Alankriti ._.8
Chetna Ramachandra

Fri, 19th of Jan, 2024
7.00pm to 9.00pm
Samar Ramachandra Associates' residence

Dm to attend.

Poster design: Numitha

15/01/2024

Every story is linked, and without understanding the story of Bengal, one cannot begin to understand the story of India.

The Bengal hidtorical narrative lays the foundation for its architectural evolution and gives insight to how architecture is a mirror to our values.

Free seminar, limited seating.

Speakers: Samar Ramachandra Chetna Ramachandra, Reboot Escorted Tours, and Sourav Sengupta .sahib

Please dm if you'd like to attend.

Poster design: Sania Sharfunnisa

15/01/2024

Pending Post

An introductory seminar on our upcoming tour

3rd Dec 2023
10.00am - 12.00am
Samar Ramachandra Associates' studio

Poster design: Numitha and Shravya
Jan 2024

26/12/2023

Food is the great connector; a language we all speak; a nuanced journey to a land and it's people and is far truer in it's narrative than written historical records, or perspectives of individuals.

Bengal - a land of rivers, paddy fields, abundant rich soils, traders, Colonial powers, and migrants - reflects it's story and it's culture through its cuisine.

We welcome you to get introduced to the food of this land through a four course sit down meal.

Since the space is small, seats are limited. Dm for booking your seat today.

Poster design: Nawal

20/12/2023

Join us to discover the beauty, engineering, craft and durability of temples made of Terracotta in the town of Bishnupur.

Dates: 25th to 27th Jan 2024
Departure from Kolkata post lunch on the 25th of Jan.
Arrival in Kolkata on the 27th for lunch.

You can, if you wish to, join us for our extended tour in Kolkata as well.

Dm for details.

Poster: Numitha, Alankriti and Prish*ta

06/12/2023

A visit to Kolkata and Bishnupur that aims to start the chapter of understanding the larger context of Bengal.

We aspire to understand the Bengali ethos; and hope to enquire into how an awakening of a larger consciousness of a people can lead to reform, new ideas, a new way of life and a cultural, artistic, open minded milieu. Just what the country and the world needs today.

Dm for more details of the tour. Bookings to close by 22nd Dec 2023!

Poster design: Aalankriti ._.8 and Prish*ta

10/11/2023

Tomb of Muhammad Shah, Lodhi Gardens

Built in 1451, Muhammad Shah was a ruler of the Sayyid Dynasty who succeeded the Tughlaqs.

10/11/2023

Sheesh Gumbad, Lodi Gardens, Delhi

Glazed blue ceramic tiles on the facade gave birth to the naming of this tomb as Sheesh Gumbad. History has forgotten who is buried here, though it is believed that it could be the tomb of the first Lodi Sultan who dies in 1489.

09/11/2023

The Mosque at Bada Gumbad, Lodi Gardens

Spectacular, stunning and splendid!

09/11/2023

Bada Gumbad

Lodhi Gardens, Delhi

12/10/2023

Tomb of Sikander Lodi

Situated in the 90-acre Lodi Gardens in New Delhi, the Tomb of Sikander Lodi (Built 1517-1518CE) is as fascinating as they get. Said to be the first garden tomb in the entire Indian subcontinent, it is a fine example of Indo Islamic architecture, where chhatris (pavilions) adorn blue tiles, the octagonal tomb, with a limestone dome, has carved stone work, columns and walls with remains of enamelled tilework in different colours.

Sikander Lodi was the second ruler of the Lodi Dynasty, father of Ibrahim Lodi, who commissioned the tomb. The Lodi dynasty was the last of the five Delhi Sultanates (Mamluks, Khaljis, Tughlaks and Sayyids), which gave way to the Mughal Dynasty after the fateful First Battle of Panipat.

March 2023

03/10/2023

03/10/2023

The mighty Kailas Temple carved top to bottom into the hillside.

Nov 2017

Pic: Yamini

29/09/2023

Located in Lutyens' Delhi, Bikaner House today, is a cultural and art center. Beautiful installations in the lawns, and an art gallery, along with space for events, and a restaurant, makes it a lovely space to get your fill of art, architectural heritage and leisure.

Formerly, the residence of the Maharaja of Bikaner, designed by Charles G Blomfield, today the property belongs to the State government of Rajasthan.

March 2023

20/09/2023

Kaş, Antalya

Located on the Mediterranean coast, Kaş is a beautiful, quaint town that retains its charm. The old town lanes of restaurants, cafes, bars, boutique stores, with sudden appearances of its part – wooden Ottoman houses, a Lycian tomb, right in the centre (!) make for a dreamy place to stay.

Our stay there was short, but certainly, a place to make come back to, to relax, explore and imagine what all it must have seen ….

13/09/2023

Siğacik, Seferihisar

A small village, today a quiet holiday destination, Siğacik is small neighbourhood of Seferihisar, part of the more popular Izmir district.

It’s quaint, laid-back atmosphere is perfect to spend a leisurely time, which is exactly what we did. More frequented by locals than international tourists, Siğacik excudes a unique charm.

With Gülşah

03/06/2023

The Lavender Haze: Women’s Tour to Türkiye

If wonder, sharing, learning is what you seek from travel; if meeting new people and getting a fresh perspective inspires you; if you want to see a place with women who love to talk, eat, share ideas and create memories, then this trip is for you.

Designed with the lavender bloom in mind, with two women escorts – Chetna (from Hyderabad, India) and Gülşah (from Ürgüp, Cappadocia), this small group all women’s tour gives you glimpses of Türkiye’s best. From history to food to beautiful landscapes and nature, from sunset picnics to architecture, the tour is designed to transform, inspire, and create love within.

Dates:1st July 2023 to 9th July 2023
Eligibility: Women above the age of 18

For more details, contact Chetna on +91 98498 07677 or dm.

26/04/2023

17/11/2022

Hyderabad Series: The Lives and Times of the Asaf Jahis - Seminar and Dinner (2/2)
Having conducted our final visit in our Hyderabad series in August, we concluded the series with a seminar on the Nizams of Hyderabad.

To beat the chaos of Saturday evening traffic (the city has really gone bonkers!) we planned an early Hyderabadi dinner, followed by the Seminar so that no one missed the beginning.

The seminar was by Asghar Ali Khan and Sourav Sengupta, and attempted to bring forth the nuances of the spirit of an era that has resulted in much of the identity of the city we call home today.

To many, it may be a black and white story, but to us, all stories are grey, and there is much to learn, understand and imagine. One may choose to love or despise the era of the Asaf Jahs but if one were to be objective, one would accept that there is much to both than meets the eye.

We will be taking a break from the Hyderabad Series for the next few months; but our quest to use travel as a medium to reach a better understanding of each other, and ourselves will continue. Reach out to us, if you would like to be a part of that journey.

Pics: Reboot and participants.
Seminar sahib

Catering .aqeel

Sat, 29th Oct 2022

Hyderabad Series: Our attempt at reaching an understanding and love for our city, through versions that we call storytelling rather than history.