India - Best Places of Interest

April 6, 2016 Events and Festivals, India, International

Tulip festivals around the world

Tulips are considered the harbinger of Spring. A tulip festival allows locals to see them as well as tourists enjoy the attraction. Following are some of the Tulip festivals from around the world. Which one is your favourite?

ASIA

Srinagar, India– Tulip festival in India is celebrated usually in the month of April at the Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden. {Refer my previous post…Beautiful landscape of Srinagar}

EUROPE

Tulip Festival – the Flower of Lake Geneva– 26 Mar- 8 May

The delightful flower of Lake Geneva is yours for the picking! Every year, Morges greets the return of spring with more than 120,000 tulips decorating the flower banks in Parc de l’Indépendance. In the subsequent months, the gardens of Château de Vullierens present a fabulous collection of irises and lilies. In addition, there is unique exhibition and sale of dahlias on the town’s lakeside streets. For more details, follow this link.

3. Keukenhof in Lisse, Netherlands March 20th – May 17th– -Keukenhof, the best day out among the flowers! Over 7 million bulbs in bloom with around 800 varieties of tulips. You can enjoy spectacular flower shows, surprising inspirational gardens, unique artwork and wonderful events. For more details, follow this link.

4. Spalding England Flower Festival May– Spalding is a warm Georgian town in Lincolnshire Fens. The town stands on the banks of the River Welland. During spring, hyacinths, daffodils and tulips carpet the area with a glorious blaze of color. For more details, please visit this link

USA & CANADA

Skagit Valley Tulip festival – April 1- 30 April – The Skagit Valley Tulip festival is designed as a driving tour. The fields are located in the valley between La Conner and Mount Vernon with events and activities all around Skagit Valley. For more details, follow this link

Canadian Tulip Festival – May 8th -May 18th – When you visit the Canadian Tulip Festival in Ottawa, remember this… All of those beautiful blooms belong to you. They are a gift to all Canadians from the Netherlands for Canada’s role in helping the Dutch during the second world war. Join us this May!

For more details, check out this link

AUSTRALIA

Tesselaar Tulip Festival Australia September 8th -October 4th – Tesselaar Tulip Festival held in Silvan, Victoria (near Melbourne, Victoria). For more details, please follow this link

There are many more tulip festivals around the world.

What is your favourite? Which one should I include on my next list?

March 22, 2016 Events and Festivals, India

3 places to visit this Holi

Holi, or ‘Basanth Utsav’, a festival of colors in India, is celebrated every year at the end of winter on the full moon day (Poornima) of the lunar month (Phalguna). It usually appears in the months of February or March. Everyone comes together to drown all differences in the mist of colors. As per the legend, it celebrates the saving of Prahlad and burning of his wicked aunt Holika.

On this day, kids and adults splash coloured powder called ‘gulal’. They sing and dance fervently. Balloons filled with coloured water are thrown at each other and is considered part and parcel of festivity.

3 places to visit this Holi — Holi
Image courtesy

Across India, this festival is celebrated in different ways.

Punjab – The Holi Festival is celebrated as Hola Mohalla, on the day after Holi. Nihang Sikhs, a martial sect among Sikhs, display their martial arts’ skills in an exhibition of their prowess in various skills like horse riding, sword fighting, tent pegging, archery etc. Mock battles are held to display their fighting skills.

-The Holy Duels of Hola Mohalla

Madhya Pradesh– the Holi Festival coincides with the unique tradition, the only one to be held, in the districts of Nimar and Jhabua, in the country. This is the traditional Bhagoria Haat Festival. ‘Haat’ means market and Bhagoria means to run away. This is a traditional festival in the Bhil tribes of these districts.

It is basically a marriage market where young boys and girls flock, select their partners and run away together only to come home some days later. They are then proclaimed husband and wife by the community elders. It is a very lively and colourful festival and is worth a visit.

Bhagoria – Festival of love

Barsana, UP– If you are in UP, India, then participate in the traditional Indian festival of Holi and the unique way it is practiced at Barsana, the birthplace of Radha, Lord Krishna’s favourite gopi – Lathmar Holi. Women beat up men with sticks in Lathmar Holi in Barsana, India.

So, if you are in India do visit these 3 places during Holi.

You may like to read 11 Delicious treats on this Holi

February 10, 2016 Events and Festivals, India

Where to go this Valentine Weekend ?

If you are still pondering on where you can go this Valentine weekend, then do check this offbeat destination –

Bedecked camels, colourful turbans and tents that accommodate thousands of tourists who throng this extravaganza in the spectacular landscape of white salt-encrusted desert plains of Rann of Kutch, Gujarat. Warm hospitality, excellent food is what you shall get at Rann Utsav.

How to reach Rann Utsav– It is organised in a small village called Dhordo. Dhordo can be approached via Bhuj.

At the Rann Utsav– You get an occasion to observe the creative skill of the artisans and craftspeople, mixed collection of folk music and performances, mixed representation of culture and communities, along with a vast diversity in ecology.

– Rann Utsav, Gujarat

The colourful fair which is held near the banks of a lake swings with the spirit of festivity, fervour and flamboyance. You could be part of the organised tour around Kutch which allows you to experience the zeal and uniqueness of the people through a celebration of life.

Below is the programme schedule for 2 Night – 3 Day stay at Premium AC tents

Itinerary: Day 1

12.30 PM: Welcome and Check-in

12.30 PM to 02.00 PM: Lunch at Dinning Area

02.00 PM to 04.30 PM: Fun and Entertainment Activities at White Rann Resort/Rann Utsav

04.30 PM to 05.00 PM: Evening High Tea

05.00 PM to 07.30 PM: Visit White Rann

08.00 PM to 09.30 PM: Dinner at Dinning Area

09.00 PM to 10.00 PM: Cultural Activities at White Rann Resort

Itinerary: Day 2

07.30 AM to 09.00 AM: Breakfast at Dinning Area

09.00 AM to 12.30 PM: Fun and Entertainment Activities at White Rann Resort /Rann Utsav.

12.30 PM to 02.00 PM: Lunch at Dinning Area

02.00 PM to 08.00 PM: Complimentary Tour to Kalo Dungar and Gandhi nu Gam

08.00 PM to 09.30 PM: Dinner at Dinning Area

09.00 PM to 10.00 PM: Cultural Activities at White Rann Resort

Itinerary: Day 3

07.30 AM to 09.00 AM: Breakfast at Dinning Area

09.30 AM: Check out

10.00 AM: Departure for Bhuj with Complimentary Sightseeing of Bhujodi, Swaminarayan Temple and Aina Mahal

Transfers:

Arrival: Transfer from Bhuj to White Rann Resort, Dhordo (Approx. 85 km 2 Hr drive)

08.45 AM: From Bhuj Railways Station/Bhuj Airport

10.30 AM: From Bhuj Railways Station

02.30 PM: From Bhuj Railways Station

Departure:

10.00 AM: From White Rann Resort, Dhordo To Bhuj

Sports and recreation Image courtesy-rannutsav.org — Sports and recreation
Image courtesy-rannutsav.org

Adventure activities: There are adventure activities like Parasailing, Artificial wall climbing, high rope course, Zip line, Bungy trampoline, Jeep riding, Snooker/ Pool, Table tennis, Badminton, Air hockey, battery car, shooting games, bull ride and rocket parachute.

So, if all of the above excites you be at the Rann Utsav this Valentine weekend.

Wishing all a very Happy Valentine Weekend in advance.

References: An initiative of Gujarat Tourism

Rann Utsav

Compass Tourism

February 4, 2016 Events and Festivals, India, Weekly photo challenge

KGAF 2016

The above is a mirror art that my friends are admiring at KGAF- Kala Ghoda Art Festival. For this week’s photo challenge on ‘Mirror‘, I thought about this festival. Below are the details about the festival written earlier during the year.

The Kala Ghoda Art Festival (KGAF 2016) will begin from 6^th Feb and will go on till 14^th Feb 2016. It is an annual festival that commences on the first Saturday of February and closes on the second Sunday in February.

The festival has various sections: visual arts, dance, music, theatre, cinema, literature including children’s literature. There are also workshops, heritage walks, urban design and architecture.

THE FESTIVAL VENUES

Children
Lawns of (CSMVS), The Museum Mumbai
Kitab Khana at Somaiya Bhavan
Children’s Literature
Kitab Khana at Somaiya Bhavan
Dance
Cross Maidan
Dance Workshops are at Somaiya Centre, Somaiya Bhavan
Cinema
The Coomaraswamy Hall and The Visitor Center at (CSMVS), The Museum Mumbai,
Auditorium at Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS)
Food
Westside
Restaurants in the district
Food stalls at Rampart Road and Cross Maidan
Literature
DSL Garden
Artist’s Center
Author’s Lounge at Serafina
Seminar Hall of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya
Stand-Up Comedy
Irish House
Street & Stalls
Rampart Row
Cross Maidan
Music
Cross Maidan
Steps of the Asiatic Society Library (Town Hall)
Visual Arts
Rampart Gallery
Lawns of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya
Gallery 7
Art Entrance
Artists’ Centre
Coomaraswamy Hall
Cross Maidan
DSL Garden
Tarq for Art Walks
Workshops
Somaiya Centre
Artisan’s and Artists’ Centre
Theatre
Horniman Circle Garden
Auditorium at NGMA (National Gallery of Modern Art)
C. Ghia Hall at Kaikashru Dubash Marg,
Stand up comedy at Irish House at Kaikashru Dubash Marg
Gallery Beyond
Urban Design & Architecture
Library at Max Muller Bhavan
NGMA
Art Entrance Art Gallery

The following are some programmes to look out for

Children – Only where children gather is there any real chance of fun.” ~Mignon McLaughlin, journalist, and author

Creating an Impromptu 3-D forms which shall be conducted by Arzan Khambata and Sunil Padwal. They will assist you in experimenting with daily, one-time used objects to create a spontaneous 3D object. This will be at Museum Garden on 7^th Feb.

Food– ‘One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well ~ Virginia Woolf

An olive oil workshop is on 6^th Feb at Westside. Ranveer Brar, Chef will teach recipes from his TV show.
On 7^th, you can learn to cook Canadian and Indian food with Chef Curtis Pintye at Westside.
Masterchef Sanjeev Kapoor will be at Westside on 13^th Feb, showcasing his selected recipes.
On 14^th, celebrate Valentine’s Day with wine and wine coolers from Elixir Benedictine

Workshops– In everything that must be done, there is an element of fun ~ PL Travers

‘The cat and the comma’- by Niloufer Venkatraman, editor in chief, National Geographic Traveller India. At the workshop, she will be giving tips on travel writing on 7^th Feb.
‘Foot Forward’- Travel photography by Indranil Mukherjee will give tips about travel photography.
Dancing on Paper- An interactive session conducted by Nazia Vasi on Chinese calligraphy is on 12^th Feb.

Make in India Festival –

The dance and music program for the KGAF until February 14, 2016, has been extended by three days February 15, 16 & 17, 2016. The program has been finalised in consultation with the Ministry of Culture, Government of Maharashtra.

Kala Ghoda Association’s (KGA) involvement with the Make in India program in Mumbai at Cross Maidan will include cultural music and dance programs which will be extended until the 17th of February, to incorporate the MAKE IN INDIA program.

Photo Gallery of my visit to KGAF 2014 with my friends