Maniesh Paul: Having an idly may sound cliched, but it’s something different in the south

Another special guest for our special weekly segment, Maniesh Paul, a man with multiple feathers on his cap, gets candid with The Pioneer about bringing about his different journeys with History Hunter, his experiences of the travels, and more.
SHIKHA DUGGAL
Hosted by popular actor and host Maniesh Paul, History Hunter is an eight-part docuseries that unravels remarkable, unknown facts from our history from across the country.
Maniesh was supported by experts in his quest to find a logical explanation and reasoning behind the questions that presented themselves. From discovering how Tipu Sultan and his father Hyder Ali created the world’s first viable militarized rockets that went to be an inspiration for the British to revealing whether the famous Saraswati River is a myth or reality and how the city of Lakpath went from being a city of millionaires to an abandoned barren land, History Hunter is captivating audiences while attempting to solve the mysterious unanswered questions.
So, what better than having him onboard for our special weekly segment of Travel Tales? The television presenter shared, “I like when the media talk about what I do. It’s been how many years? I am approximately eleven years old in the industry, and I am still pertinent. I always feel some magic happening on the stage whenever I am hosting. I feel happy to go to work; there is never a dull moment hosting any show, regardless of genre. I love to make people laugh and create entertainment for them, and perhaps that’s why I am still applicable to the hosting scene, even if it’s about hosting a travel show.”
So here it is: how our history continues to fascinate people across the country to this date with its enigmatic tales surrounding heritage landmarks, notable people, and historic events. The enchanting stories in the series range from a world-class Indian university that existed 1500 years ago, then suddenly disappeared from the map and human memory to an unexplained engineering marvel that allowed an 80-ton rock to be hoisted 200 feet high without any modern machinery.
The popular comedian continued, “I am going to tell remarkable, unknown facts to the audiences on my journey to the different parts of our country. People know a lot about the places we are going to discover, but there are misconceptions about these old discoveries. This time, I wasn’t busy giving my input but was in the middle of a learning and unlearning sort of process. I’d heard about so many kingdoms but was still ignorant of their complexities. We know they are a part of our history, but what about them? There are no discussions about it.”
History Hunter has provided him with the opportunity to embark on an exhilarating journey across his country, uncovering the hidden intricacies of age-old legends scattered throughout a diverse landscape. He eagerly anticipated sharing this thrilling series with the audience and believed it would captivate them, keeping them on the edge of their seats. On an even more cavernous note, the former VJ disclosed: “I never knew Tipu Sultan had created a rocket that would go straight to the ground. I saw a sword at the end of it! They explained how it functions and more to us. The shocker was when we tried to feel it, wondering how this could be possible. We spent a lot of time at Nalanda. Then we went to Mahabalipuram. Among so many places, I fell in love with Brihadeeswara Temple. The architecture, mainly The moment you enter, it will enamor you. It was pulling me closer to itself, and I could feel it. Stop feeding images to such places, because you forget to experience the magnetism.”
Intrigued to know about other interactions during this very extraordinary travel tour, the Delhite explained, “We had our experts on board telling us all about the locale and their culture. I was literally transported into the past! The locals everywhere were so understanding that none of them ever disrupted our travel show. In fact, I enjoyed visiting Golconda Fort.  I had always watched it in movies or pictures, but the point of discussion was: how was it made? There were no advancements in those times, so the fort was made from anything and everything. So it turned out to be a marvel for me. Then I was feeling so free on the streets of Mahabalipuram that they wanted me to try their cuisine. I had a diverse platter during my shooting period. Whether it is the famous food of Mysore or the authentic food of Bihar, A dosa and idly may sound cliched to others, but the taste was something different in the South region. I would love to know their preparation methods.”
His show shines a spotlight on historical landmarks such as Nalanda University, Golconda Fort, Mahabalipuram, Brihadeeswara Temple in Tamil Nadu, the city of Lakhpat, and the Saraswati River. The show also explored theories regarding the disappearance of Nana Saheb Peshwa II and whether Tipu Sultan was the first to introduce the world to militarized rockets. Tune in to History Hunter at 9 p.m. on Discovery Channel and Discovery+.