Category: Within India

Travel within India

India, as one contemplates about her, is a colorful image of different people, religion, culture, and diversity, in one country. Her beauty is mesmerizing. A holiday in India comprises of various religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Zoroastrianism and many more. Over 22 languages are spoken here. India with so many languages and religion also offers fabulous tourist destinations.

From snow-capped mountains, verdant hills, dazzling rivers to magnificent green valleys, India has lots to offer a tourist. Himalayas form the north, northeast and northwest boundaries of the country. It has a long coastline which stretches from north to south and east to west. No wonder, then she has been called the “jewel in the crown” of the British Empire. You might have come across various options for holiday in India but let us check out the ‘theme holidays’- summer holidays, spiritual and honeymoon destinations in India for a tourist.

Summer holidays– summers of India are dreaded in most parts of the world, but a hill station is most welcome. Summer months in India are from March to May.

Ladakh (Leh), the land of Lamas, entices many tourists with its calm tranquil environments with a bewitching white mountainous landscape. The place offers a spiritual experience to be cherished for a lifetime. Colossal mountains protecting the city from chilling winds covered with white sand houses made of mud brick where you can hear ritualistic chants. Here, you can also see lakes, yaks, and monasteries.

Panoramic view of Ladakh (commons.wikimedia.org) — Panoramic view of Ladakh
(commons.wikimedia.org)

Shimla– is an ideal place for a summer holiday with a toy train ride, horse-riding, an evening walk on Mall road. Little cafes to luxurious hotels welcome all tourists here. There is an old world charm retained in grand old monuments and structures of the pre-Independence era of India.

Munnar– offers a breath-taking view of tea plantations and lakes located in Kerala. This picturesque hill station offers rock climbing, trekking to Anaimudi hill for adventure lovers. A wildlife National park has exotic species that inhabit this place, making it a great haunt for nature lovers.

Munnar_hillstation_kerala.jpg(en.wikipedia.org)

Kodaikanal– A hill station located on the borders of Tamil Nadu and Kerala is an enchantment for nature lovers. There are serene slopes, enigmatic pretty flowers, pine trees, and renowned grizzled giant squirrels worth admiring.

Grizzled_Giant_Squirrel_from_Chinnar_Wildlife_Sanctuary,_Kerala_,_India(commons.wikimedia.org). — Grizzled Giant Squirrel from Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala, India (commons.wikimedia.org)

Spiritual journey– Varanasi or Benares is a holy city of the Hindus with its most important Kashi Vishwanath Temple. Lord Shiva is the deity and guardian of this temple. The city is often known as the city of temples where people from across the world and not only India visit over 2000 temples. Varanasi is also famous for its muslin, silk fabrics, ivory works and perfume industries.

Kashi Vishwanath Temple- Varanasi (image courtesy- templefolks.com)

Do not miss a chance to take a boat ride in holy river Ganges which captures the true essence of Varanasi. Paper boats lit with candle and flowers float on the waters, Holy dip in Ganges, meditation in solitude by many pilgrims who come to offer their prayers. No wonder it is known as the spiritual capital of India. Not far from Varanasi is Mahabodhi Temple, Buddha’s Bodhi Tree where he meditated and attained enlightenment. He conveyed his first sermon and thus gave birth to Buddhism.

Kailash Mansarovar– situated among the Himalayan mountain ranges, Kailash is among the highest peaks of the world and also a source of Brahmaputra, Sutlej, Ganges and Indus rivers. This is among the most significant spiritual spots in the world where people from across the globe revere it. Kailash with its holy lake Mansarovar captures the imagination of one and is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Lord Shiva’s abode is believed to be in Mount Kailash by Hindus.

Kinnaur, Kailash (en.wikipedia.org) — Kinnaur, Kailash
(en.wikipedia.org)

Southern India– Temples of southern India have splendid architecture and interesting mythological tales which offer great spiritual significance to pilgrims who visit from remote locations. They have towering ‘gopurams’, grand pillar structures and embellished entrances. State of Tamil Nadu has over 33,000 temples like Arunachaleshwar temple of Lord Shiva, Jambukeshwar temple at Thiruvanaikaval that has an underground water spring that fills the shrine where the ‘lings’ stands, Ramanathaswamy temple which is second holiest place after Varanasi. The legends of all these temples leave spell-bound.

If you are on a pilgrim tour, then Jodhpur, Mount Abu, and Udaipur should not be missed for its renowned temples.

Honeymoon destinations–For newly married couples, there are many destinations in India.

Goa –you could relax on the beaches of Goa for beautiful views, sunshine and lot of fun and activity.

Darjeeling – enjoy picturesque hill stations of Darjeeling which makes it an ideal honeymoon destination with its tea plantations and chilly weather.
Ooty – situated in Nilgiri hills, it has a lot of attractions from Botanical gardens, Rose Garden, Ooty Lake and Dodabetta peak.
Backwaters of Kerala – often known as God’s Own Country is a favorite hot spot for a honeymoon in India. You can hire a houseboat and explore Kerala.

The above is just a sneak peek into ‘Theme Holidays’ in India. So, go ahead and plan a ‘theme holiday’ in India, today!

Exquisite desert tour of Rajasthan

February 7, 2015

Kash Pals

The State of Rajasthan is known for its desert and camels. The renowned Thar Desert spans across Rajasthan and over the border with Pakistan.

A Desert tour is incomplete without Camel and Jeep safaris. The regions of interest in desert tours are Bikaner, Mandawa, and Jaisalmer which offer a visual treat of the sand dunes.

Camel Safari in Thar Desert–

A mesmerising and thrilling experience awaits you in the region of Thar Desert where one encounters different culture, lifestyles, forts, castles, customs and experiences. The Thar Desert, sand is scattered with hillocks and gravel plains. Wildlife can be found in this region. Some endangered species like Great Indian Bustard, Chikara, Black Buck and Quail are inhabitants of this place. Migratory birds like geese, sand Grouse and ducks are also found here.

Mandawa-Bikaner

Mandawa was founded around mid of 18^th century by Shekhawat Rajputs. Fort of Mandawa has painted arched gateway of Lord Krishna and his cows. Beautiful frescoes decked the castles of Mandawa. Here, you can find, painted Havelis like Hanuman Prasad Goenka Haveli. This region is known for its various havelis or mansions like Murmuria Haveli, Jhunjhunwala Haveli, Gulab Rai Ladia Haveli and Aakharam haveli.

In Bikaner, one can visit the Junagarh fort and museum that provide insight into the bygone era of Maharanas of Rajasthan. Bikaner is located in the centre of Thar Desert and has a climate of the hot desert where one can find golden sand dunes with scanty rainfall.

(Image courtesy- commons.wikimedia.org)

Jaisalmer

known as the Golden city of India, due to its yellow sandstone architectures adds a golden horizon to the city and its environment. Jaisalmer is well-known for its leather messenger bags. Camel safaris in the sand dunes attract tourists as it is a wonderful way of rejuvenating from the chaos of the cities, in the quiet, adjoining desert. The best time to visit would be in January/February when there is a desert festival. You can witness the performing arts like Kalbelia dances, folk songs and music.

Khimsar

This village can be accessed only by jeep, camel or horseback as it is far-flung, rural and beautiful. Luxurious huts have been designed in an eco-friendly manner. The safari by jeep will take into the black buck reserve or you can have camel ride on its sand dunes.

Khimsar Fort built in 16^th century is an exhilarant experience, as it is very rare in a desert to have such beautiful place with lush green gardens and variety of birds that add charm to this antique fort. It has been awarded the National Grand Heritage Award by Department of Tourism, Government of India.

Khimsar (Image courtesy- indovocations.net)

Rohetgarh

It is splendid Rajput fort in the small village of Rohet. The Singh family resides here and runs the hotel which is situated south of Jodhpur. The rooms have pretty frescoes and hanging chairs. The terrace offers a lake view with birds.

Jeep safaris can be taken to Bishnoi village from here or horse-riding to the nearby desert. It is a perfect rural retreat.

AMAZING MOUNT ABU

January 5, 2015

Kash Pals

Travel Within India 6 Comments

‘Mount Abu’, does this sound familiar to you? Do you know where is it situated? Well, it is a renowned hill station located in the Aravalli Range, district of Sirohi in Rajasthan state. It is on the border, with Gujarat, in western India. Positioned at a height of 1,219 meters above the sea level, it is like an oasis, in the desert area of Rajasthan. It is a world-renowned tourist destination for Delwara Jain temples and for its beautiful, natural, lush green, surroundings with waterfalls. A very pleasant climate, with its natural surroundings of coniferous trees and flowering shrubs. Many Indian and foreign tourists, throng this place every year, for its awesome natural surroundings, its flora and fauna and the Delwara Jain temple, made of marble.

Interiors of the Delwara Temple (Image courtesy-lh3.ggpht.com)

Delwara Jain Temple– It is one of the best Jain temples known for its rich architecture and magnificent stone carvings. There are meticulously carved ceilings and the pillars are simply incredible. It is told, that this was done in the era, when there was no proper infrastructure available at a height of 1200+meters. Gigantic blocks of marble stones were transported on elephant backs from Arasoori Hills at Ambaji to this far-flung hilly area of Mount Abu.

The temple is open to tourists from 12pm to 3pm with a fee. Photography is not allowed within the temple premises.

Nakki Lake (Image courtesy- indiamike.com) — Nakki Lake
(Image courtesy- indiamike.com)

Nakki Lake– There is an interesting legend, behind its creation in Mount Abu. The lake was dug up by Gods or ‘Devtas’, using their nails or ‘nakh’. That is, how the lake gets its name ‘Nakki’. According to the tribals, it is also a holy lake and they worship it. The lake is the only artificial lake in India, which is situated at a height of 1200 meters above sea level. The lake has boating, so one could spend time with one’s loved one, friends and family. It is an ideal place for spending the evening with loved ones. This scenic location with mountains, gardens and rock formations is an awesome location for photography. The evening sun is the perfect setting for a canvas.

Image courtesy- farm4.staticflickr.com — Wildlife Sanctuary, Mount Abu

Wild Life Sanctuary– It is around 7kms. long and 300 meters wide, where people throng this for sight-seeing. It is situated in Aravali Ranges which is one of the oldest mountain ranges of Rajasthan. It is created from igneous rocks that have made large cavities in many areas due to the wear and tear of the weather conditions of wind and water. The sanctuary is known for its rich fauna and flora. The forest consists of around 112 plant species. Many of them are rare and endangered. The sanctuary also boasts of a wide variety of fauna that is commendable. Here, the popular grey jungle fowl can be found with over 250 species of birds. It also, is a home, to leopard sloth bear, wild boar, sambar, chinkara and langur among several others. This sanctuary also plays a host to extremely endangered and rare species of animals.

Trevor’s tank is a picturesque reservoir built by a British Engineer called Trevor. It is built by the man, to breed crocodiles. It is renowned picnic spot, for both tourists and locals. One should visit the place in the right season to spot the wild bear in its own habitat. It is a dream come true for ‘bird-watcher’ as there are a lot of bird species here.

All in all, Mount Abu, offers a lot to see and do. So, pack your bags and head to amazing Mount Abu.

Arambol is the Ultimate Beach in Goa

December 25, 2014

Kash Pals

Travel Within India 1 Comment

Arambol, also known as ‘Harmal’ in the local language is a long and wide stretch of beach in North Goa. This Beach is roughly 32-33 km away from Panjim. The route from Panjim to Arambol will set the mood to what lies ahead of you in Arambol. En route, you will find things quintessentially ‘Goan’. There are some narrow streets that are charming, soothing greenery all around and peek-a-boo with the beaches. If you are on a bike- even better so! Be sure to go to Morjim beach too en route to Arambol. It’s a lovely stretch and one of the lesser known secrets of North Goa! So, what can one really expect in Arambol?

Sun and sand and some more sun and sand! Yes, the beach is long, wide, and hygienic, alluring, fringed with coconut trees. While, on the beach, you will witness a rewind to the 60’s & 70’s ‘hippies’ era as the place attracts many backpackers. Some of the most beautiful places in the world were discovered and brought into the limelight by them- be in Goa, Manali, Thailand, Bali and so on. They definitely do have a taste. And so, you will see in Arambol. The beach is far better than its better-known cousins in north Goa like Baga, Calangute, and Vagator etc. However, there are few shacks on the beach and even fewer beach huts making this place kind of exclusive.

Baga at sunset From St Anthony’s Shack, Baga Beach, Goa. Image courtesy-Extempore

Cocks Town (Image courtesy- indiamike.com)

Cocks town offers some decent beach huts and has a lovely shack. The beach has some good waves during high tide and you will find an occasional surfer. This is the ideal place to just gaze, ponder, steal sweet nothings and discover your artistic side. You can do so with some great food at these shacks. The schnitzels and grilled fish are pretty good. Though, with each passing day, the place is getting discovered by people, I guess the beach is still huge enough to let you have the sense of space. You can spend a good 2 days at Arambol to get in touch with yourself.

The nearby beaches and Mandrem can also be easily visited. They too are lovely. The beach does not offer any watersports per se. So, you will have to keep yourself entertained. It’s really a place for nature lovers, solitude seekers and some plain pondering. However, don’t let me position this place as a bore- it really has a good party scene at night- albeit at a few available shacks.

Be prepared for- There are very few shops around so make sure you have the necessary things for a comfortable stay. Also, since it’s a relatively remote location, it would help to have personal transportation like a bike, scooter etc. The beach huts are extremely basic but clean. Some have common bathrooms and some attached- so do make all your inquiries before booking.

So, the next time you are in North Goa and are pretty bored of what the Baga types have to offer, so hop on to Arambol. It’s definitely worth the visit- even if for a few hours! Adios!