EXPLORE INDIA

India: Wildlife, Bird Sanctuaries, Reserve Forest For Tigers, Lions and Deer

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Rain forest and abundance of the foodstuffs: these are the basic needs the wild animals need. The forests of

India

are very much rich in these facilities and thus they have been safe and comfortable to habitat for the animals. The reserve forests and big parks reserved for these animals are the places which attract first attention of the tourists visiting

India

. The unmatched flora and fauna pulsating with serene peace have become the darling of the tourists. The forests are full with Elephants, lions, chitah and other wild animals. The dear and rabbits and other innocent and beautiful animals are free to habitat in these forests.

Indian Elephant

In past the forests of India pulsated with roaring shots of the emperors and Kings of India who enjoyed hunting of wild animals. Even they had not spared the innocent birds. In recent past, the British officers, too, have widened their playground of hunting these animals. Perhaps in hunting animals like lions, cheetah, tigers, deer, and the birds, they had found a novel opportunity to feel like a great colonizer.

Indian Peacock, in Mating Season

But now a day every type of hunting is a matter of past. The parks in India are safe; the forests are reserved for different species of wild animals. While going through these articles, you would virtually visit some of the wonderful Bird Sanctuaries, Wildlife Reserves, and forests reserved for Tigers, Lions, Elephants, Deer, and for the birds whose species are facing danger of extinctions.

Jim Corbett National Park

The Corbett sanctuary is known as India’s wider efforts to protect endangered species of tigers. In addition to the rare Bengal tigers, the tourists would encounter the nearby presence of spotted deer and peacefully living elephants gazing in the massy land of Jim Corbett Park. Once you tread in the hilly areas of the Corbett Park, you would find the leopards; and in the thickness of the wild forest the reptiles will make your eyes amazed with pleasure and variety of their species.

Kanha National Park

Kanha National park, situated in central India, spanning over 2000 square Km effectively: It covers two districts of the state of Madhya Pradesh. The well-preserved Tiger Reserve has become one of the most visited wildlife sanctuaries in India

Location: Central India, State of Madhya Pradesh.Nearest Airport: Jabalpur 170 Km. Connecting flights tDelhi, Mumbai and other big cities of

India

Kaziranga National Park

Brahmaputra, flowing through North Eastern region of India, is one of the biggest rivers in the world; the 430 square Km Kaziranga National Park is situated on the banks of Brahmputra River. The one horned Rhino is one of the most attractions for the tourist visiting this wild life sanctuary.

Kashmir: The Valley of Pleasure and Fun

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Gulmerg - Kashir, India.

India's northern state of Jammu and Kashmir is divided into three parts: Kashmer Valley, Jammu Valley, and Ladakh. These areas are one of he best tourists locations in India. Every tourist visiting India would hardly miss to enjoy the skiing and skating on the snow, if it is winter time. During summer, the Kasmir would be the most favourite spot for the world tourists.

How To Reach Kashmir

From most of the major cities of India, you would get flight to Srinagar, the capital of Kashmir and one of the best place to visit. You can book your air Ticket at through your Travel agent or directly from the air companies operating in India.

Accommodation in Kashmir

It would be never a problem to get accommodation suitable to your budget. Like all other tourists centres of India, the places like Srinagar, Pahalgam and other cities of Kashmir have very suitable arrangements to cater the needs visiting tourists. In Srinagar, if you wish, you can hire a room in boat house situated in the most famous lake Dal Lake, too.

Some Historical Facts about Kashmir

It has become a regular argument that the first prime minister of India, Jawaharlal Neharu had made a mistake while handling the affairs of Kashmir in the year 1947. If we go back for sixty years and wear the pinching shoes that Jawaharlal Nehru had to put on, we would think differently.

Anyone who thinks that the then prime minister made a mistake has no knowledge of the facts about the state of Jammu and Kashmir. When the issue of Kashmir has gone really out of hands today, it is important for the world and the citizens of Indian to know about some forgotten facts.

Technically it can be said that that Kashmir is an integral part of India. But here are some of the compulsions of the national leaders of India at the time of independence. In those days the nation of India was in fact on paper only. The borders were undecided and full of fire. Many unpleasant decisions were required to be taken, the partition of India being one of them.

The British Government had declared the nation of India independent after partitioning it into two parts: India and Pakistan. As parties to the partition process, both the countries had agreed that the rulers of princely states would be given a right to opt for joining either Pakistan or India.

Just after independence, Kashmir issue was a lucid problem, as it was one of the biggest princely states. Head of the princely state of Kashmir Maharaja Hari Singh had not given his mind about how, when, and in which country he would be acceding his state. Naturally he was reluctant to lose his independence.

Adding fuel to the fire, the Nawab of a tiny state of Junagadh (Gujarat, western India) had fled toPakistan. He had either voluntarily or by force signed the accession of his state of Junagadh (presently a district in Gujarat) with Pakistan. As the entire population of Junagadh was Hindu, prime minister and home minister of India took a stand that the voice of the majority of residents should prevail over the signature of a King or a Nawab. Thus Junagadh was made a part ofIndia. Kashmir Issue came thereafter. Here, forced by the Pakistan-backed aggression, the Maharaja of Kashmir signed a document of accession of his state of Kashmir with India. It is believed that Lord Mount Baton had acted positively for India.

In Kashmir, however, the case was quite opposite of the state of Junagadh. The King was Hindu and population was Muslim. Pakistan reminded India about its earlier stand in the case of Junagadh. The borders between India and Pakistan had become lucid in those days. It resulted into the Pakistan sponsored war of 1948.

The hard fact was that the army of erstwhile British India was not yet properly divided among the newly formed nations. Ironically the army men who fought the 1948 war were technically of the same army. Ironically enough the helpless fellow Lord Mount Baton was still the commander of that undivided Army.

Under such circumstances, Indian Prime Minister Nehru had to accept proposal of United Nations to ask the people of Kashmir about in which country they want to be acceded. That was the proposed referendum. Almost one third of the then Kashmir is occupied by Pakistan and the rest by India. Certain parts of the then Kashmir are under the control of China, too. The referendum was to be held in united Kashmir. It is a matter of debate why both the nations, Pakistan andIndia has not held the agreed referendum till the date. From India side one can say that the Government of India has successfully held free and fair elections in Kashmir.

After sixty years the issue of Kashmir is not fully settled. [Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons]

HEALTH TOURISM: Destination India

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People are fond of visiting places; people are required to find solutions for their health problems. When both of these aspects combine, the concept of health tourism emerges. Here enters the role of countries like India. People have reasons to choose India as destination for health tourism.

Simla, India

People needing health solutions for their problems prefer India as their destination. They have specific reasons to do so. Here are top ten reasons why the people of the whole world think about visiting India for the purpose of health tourism.

Cost Effective: The crucial factor is ever increasing cost of availing medical and surgical services. These treatments in USA, Canada, and European countries are becoming more and more costly.

Insurance Cover: Health insurance companies hardly cover entire cost a patient would incur for his or her treatment. Hence some people from these countries who prefer to avail medical and health facilities outside of their home country.

Quality of Service: It is not a matter of surprise that Hospitals in India have received much recognition for the services they provide to the patients. Their services have passed the test of quality.

Modern Hospitals: The field of health services in India owns state of the art hospitals with pool of qualified doctors and nurses.

Latest Equipments: They have invested in importing modern equipments from developed countries.

Competitive Facilities: It is needless to mention that what Indian hospitals offer to their patients is similar to the facilities they would receive in USA, Canada or European countries. However availing health services in India would cost considerably less.

No Waiting Period: In western countries people are facing the problem of waiting for getting proper treatment. Somehow these countries have failed to provide immediate medical and surgical services whenever their citizens need the same; hence they have to face the big boulder of 'waiting list'. In India there is nothing like waiting list.

Alternative Medicines: In addition to the modern allopathic treatments, India offers traditional treatments, too. These treatments include Ayurvedic therapies, full body spa, and alternative medicines.

Language of Communication: There is one special reason for the tourists to prefer India as their destination for medical tourism. India has the second largest 'English speaking population' in the world, only next to USA. In India more than 100 million people can speak and understand English. This is the main advantage for India on one hand, and on another it helps Indian hospital to easily communicate with the patients coming from abroad.

Hospitals in India

The hospitals in India provide affordable health care options. India is the second largest developing country in the world. While the Indian economy has done well in all the sectors of production and services, it has gone very far in developing and providing the facilities of Medical and Surgical services to the people. Here it is a humble endeavor to provide primary information about the Medical and surgical services available In Indian. For those who visit India for their having Medical and Surgical services, India is the most suitable place.

More and more Health Insurance Companies, Employers, and Health Insurance Agents look at Medical Tourism. The medical tourism is considered to be the creative solution to the healthcare crisis. Merging medical expertise and tourism have become the government of India's policy. Due to this the quality of medical treatments and the Medical Tourism in India has witnessed an enormous growth. the ultra modern facilities have opened a world of opportunities in infrastructure in the medical sector. And that is the reason why has become the most favoured destination of the Medical tourism.

There are several Health Care packages available. However, these will be based on the requirements of the person and his holiday needs. A person intending to avail any of the following facilities can contact the hospitals in India via telephone, through online chat for detailed information. They can ask for the total cost of the treatment and the detailed quotes for availing the medical and surgical treatments in Indian hospitals. The Medical and surgical facilities available in India can be broadly classified in following segments. (Image courtesy By Cometstyles [public domain], from Wikimedia Commons )

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012

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HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU AND TO ALL OF YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS. MAY GOD GIFT YOU HEALTH, WEALTH AND HAPPINESS IN THE YEAR 2012

[Image courtesy By PRA (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 or GFDL], via Wikimedia Commons ]

New Year, the first day of beginning of a year, is not only a first day as such. The sun that rises on this day lightens our life with a new set of the reasons to feel happy. After thanking the God for keeping us so alive and health for one more year, we should look upon to the coming days of the new year for betterment of our life.

It is not only the day of doing the accounting of our profits and loss, gains and losses, that we encountered during the gone year; the new year's day opens a new door for thinking afresh. It places before our eyes the vista that would bring even the unknown odds and unexpected happiness in our life.

We celebrate this day for keeping the hope alive.

History of the New Year

The new year that starts from first day of January has a very enchanting history. In roman empire, until second century BC, the new year was celebrated on the day when the consuls entered their office. It was the first day of May. But Julius, Caesar decided to beginning the year from the first day of January. It began in the year 45 BC, and was known as Julian Calendar. This calender contained 355 days.

The present calendar is known as Georgian Calender. It came in use from 1582 AD. It was improvement over the Julian Calender.

INDIA: THE NEW YEAR, VIKRAM SAMVAT YEAR

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In India the people of all the faiths and culture reside. They all follow their own traditions. so they have their own calendars.

But the majority of the people, especially the Hindu population follow the Vikram Samvat calendar. This Era was started by the great Emperor of Ujjain (India), Vikramaditya.

The current year as per the Vikram Era is 2068. On the first day of this year, all the people of India and those who are attached with India and Indian culture, celebrate the yew year.

People greet their relatives and friends on this day. Shops offices and factories remain closed on this day, as this is public holiday in India. On occasion of the new year, people celebrate festivals almost for one week. This new year festival is sale bonanza for the sellers of clothes, sweets, and fashion goods. People go out for shopping in these days and spend their saved money for purchasing new clothes and sweets. The shops in market offer much discounts on these days of festivals, too.

DIWALI: THE INDIAN FESTIVAL OF LIGHT

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India is the land of the people following all the religions and cultural traditions of the world. so it has become the land of festivals. Diwali is the festival of light. As per the Hindu Vikram Samvat Calendar, this is the last day of the year.

The festival of Diwali is also celebrated in the countries like Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mauritius, Guyana,Trinidad & Tobago, Surinam, Malaysia, Singapore, Fiji, UK, USA and other European, american and African countries. These countries are culturally attached with India, as their population has people of Indian origin.

There is religious importance of this festival, too. and being the last day of the year, all the relatives and friends meet each other and greet each other. The children take fun in the light and sound show of the crackers.

The main attraction of this festival is the sweets. Visit any home on this day and you will be offered a full dish containing delicious sweets.

The word Diwali is derived from the Sanskrit word 'Dipavali', meaning the garland of lights. It is because on this last day of the year, people lit series of lights at the door of their homes, offices and temples.

It is believed that on this day, Lord Rama had returned to his home after killing the great demon Ravana. So to celebrate the victory of the light over the, the lamps are lit in houses.

There are other beliefs also: Lord Mahavira had attained his Nirvan on this day.

In addition to the lights, this Diwali, or Dipavali, is the festival of colours, too. You will see a well decorated coloured designs, called Rangoli, in front of every house. The day is the day of fun and festival for the whole of India. And tall he people of India celebrate Diwali, irrespective of their caste, creed and religion. [Images courtesy By Subharnab Majumdar [CC-BY-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons , and By मराठी: संकल्प द्रविडEnglish: Sankalp Dravid (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons ]

TAJ MAHAL: The Wonder of the World.

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TAJ MAHAL [ Image courtesy By Yann; edited by King of Hearts (Edited version of File:Taj Mahal, Agra, India.jpg) [CC-BY-SA-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0 or GFDL], via Wikimedia Commons ]

FORTS OF INDIA : Rajasthan Forts and Castles

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India is a land of Forts and Castles, as it has faced several attacks from many aggressors.

Fort of Chittorgarh, Rajasthan. Painting By Marrianne Noth, 1878

After Queen Victoria had taken over the reins of India from East India Company in the year 1857, the British people had started respecting India as their second home. The tourists from other parts of the world have found the forts and castles of India as easily accessible remnants of the grand past of the country that is one of the oldest civilizations on the earth. Those who come from abroad to see the exotic locations in India, they would hardly miss to visit the state of Rajasthan. This area was formerly called Rajaputana, the land ofRajaput kings. As this area has always remained in frontline, the aggressors came here frequently. Thus we find many forts and castles in the state of Rajasthan, India. These are some of the forts the tourists would love to visit.

Amber Fort: This fort is very near to the city of Jaipur. The fort of Amber is very old. The present structure is built over the remnants of an earlier structure. This fort is well known for its unique artistic style. The forts in north India are built by using two main styles of architecture. One is Hindu style and another is Mughal style. This fort represents both the architectural styles.

Fort of Kumbhalgarh: The rulers of Mewar, a sub region of Rajasthan, had become patrons of all that was best in Indian. They promoted martial Arts, fine arts like miniature paintings, and architecture. The fort of Kumbhalgarh with its 36-km long wall and soaring towers is one of the most impressive tourist places in Rajasthan.

Mehrangadh Fort: Located on a high hill, this fort is near to Jodhpur. It is one of the largest forts in India. Being one of the forts which have seen many battles, the outer wall of it bears witness of the same. The construction of this grand fort was started in the middle of fifteenth century. It was the period when the Mughals had not entered the land of India. But the aggressors coming from Afghanistan frequently attacked the area of Rajasthan.

Chitorgarh Fort: The fort of Chitorgarh is symbol of romance and spirit. It reminds us the history of Rajput heroism and sacrifice. The tales of unmatched heroism is told and sung by the local folk singers of Rajasthan. The main attraction for visiting this fort is its marvellous looks. The fort is on a picturesque hill top. This fort is like a mirror reflecting the lifestyle of people of India who lived there in medieval period.

Fort of Jaisalmer: Made of sand stones and locally known as Sonar Quila, the Fort of Jaisalmer is a nice structure. It stands in the midst of desert of Rajasthan. Covered by 30 feet high sandstone wall, the fort is also known as Sonar Quila, meaning the Fort of Gold. It is also known as golden fort because it stands against the backdrop of the desert with its golden sand. [Image Courtesy By Marianne North (1830-1890) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons Wikimedia Commons]

Forts of India: Jaisalmer, Rajasthan

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Once a quiet desert and now a place bubbling with world tourists, Jaisalmer Fort, Built by Raja Jaisal in 1156 A.D., is one of the oldest forts in Rajasthan, India.

Rajasthan: Jaisalmer Fort

Made of sand stones and locally known as Sonar Quila, the Jaisalmer Fort of Jaisalmer is a nice looking structure in the midst of sands of Rajasthan desert. Covered by 30 feet high sandstone wall, the fort has 99 bastions, 92 of which were built in seventeenth century, between 1633 and 1647 AD. The Jisalmer for is also known as Sonar Quila, literally meaning the Fort of God or golden fort. The fort is also known as the. The name of this fort is so because it is standing against the backdrop of the desert with its golden sand. The fort looks straight out of a fairy tale.

How to Reach Jaisalmer

Being located in the heart of northern Indian state of Rajasthan, the fort of Jisalmer is well connected with rest of India by motorway and railways. If you wants to travel by air, book a ticket for Jodhpur (distance 285 km) and then proceed to Jaisalmer. To get accommodation would not be a problem here. You can find a hotel suitable to your packet. Hotels suitable for those who like cheap hotels would be an additional advantage of this place.

Jaisalmer: A Fort of Historical Events

As this fort is near to the traditional border of India with teh western nations like Iran, Afghanistan and so on, it has faced several attacks from the Muslim invades. But the Local Rajput kings had defeat almost all the attacks on the fort. During the British rule, the state of Jaisalmer had been a princely state under British Raj. (Image Courtesy By Adrian Sulc (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons Wikimedia Commons)

Forts of India: Kumbhalgarh, Rajasthan

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Kumbhalgarh Fort, built by Rajaput king Rana Kumbh, is as accessible today as it was inaccessible in sixteenth century.

Kumbhalgarh Fort, Rajasthan, Western India

The great wall of this fort is believed to be second longest wall in the world, first being the wall of China. this has made the fort almost un-conquerable. Thus it would be a journey in the land of wonders and exotic location.

Mewar's rulers became patrons of all that was best in Indian martial Art and fine arts like miniature paintings and , architecture. Rajput King Rana Kumbh had designed and built 32 out of the 84 fortresses defending Mewar. The fort of Kumbhalgarh with its 36-km long wall and soaring towers is one of the most impressive tourist places in Rajasthan. Kumbhalgarh stands on the site of an ancient citadel dating back to the time of Jain descendant of India's Mauryan emperors who ruled India in second century AD.

How to Reach Kumnbhalgarh

As the fort is located near to the famous city of Udaipur in Rajasthan, the tourists can book an air ticket for Udaipur and then go by motorway. At Udaipur there will be facilities to fly at Delhi, Jaipur and other important cities of India. The rail journey is also a wonderful experience in India.

In addition to the fort, Kumbhapgarh is home for a wonderful wildlife sanctuary. Here the tourists would catch the rare beauties of seeing the unmatched flora and fauna of the Rajasthan that is known as the land of Sun, sand and forts. (Image Courtesy By Honzasoukup (Own work) [GFDL or CC-BY-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons , Wikimedia Commons)

Kaziranga National Park: Wildlife, Birds of India

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Besides the Rhino, the park is thickly populated by the typical Swamp Deer known as Barahsinga and the roaming crowds of big sized elephants. The tall grass and lush green vegetation is a proper place to be home for the herds of elephants. The abundance of prey animals have made this park known as the thickly populated by the endangered specie of tiger.

How to reach at Kaziranga

You contact your travel agent or book a pane ticket to Guwahati (200 Km from Kaziranga) or at Jorhat airport (100). You can chose railway and reach at Furkating station (75 km). The option of using motorway would also be a smart choice, as on the way you would encounter the restaurants cooking delicious Indian food.

Observing the wildlife or Bird Life in Kaziranga Park is a wonderful experience of the visitors’ life. They can ride in Jeep Safari or participate in a conducted bus tours. The hiking is not allowed in this park, as it might disturb the peaceful life of the animals and the birds.

the Birdlife International has identified the Kaziranga National Park as Important Bird Area. There had been alt least seven species of vultures in this park. But is is now exticted, perhaps, as it is believed that the birds might have eaten meat of a dead animal that might be contaminated by drugs of other things. [The images courtesy Flickr and By Peter Andersen (Taken by me) [http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html">GFDL, CC-BY-SA-3.0 or CC-BY-2.5], via Wikimedia Commons Wikimedia Commons]

Jim Corbett National Park: India

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Situated in the Himalayan range and in the state of Uttarakhand formerly known as Uttaranchal of India, the Corbett National park is one of the preferred destinations for the tourists visiting India.

White-Capped Water-Redstart, India

Location: 300 Km away from New Delhi, Easily approachable from Lucknow by motorway. The nearest railway station is Ramnagar, just 15 Km away from the park. The weather in this region remains moderately cool, due to its vicinity to the Himalayan range.

What will you see in Corbett National Park?

Tigers, Leopards, Elephants, Birds and Crocodiles are the main attractions of Jim Corbett National Par of India.

Cruising in a comfortable Jeep Safari, or riding on the back of an elephant, the tourists enjoy seeing wild animals, birds and reptiles during the season starting from November to June. During the monsoon, most of the parks in India who are under the spell of rain would remain closed for the visitors.

Those who love seeing and being with the birds, the Corbett Park is like the heaven. Here they would locate the presence of Water-birds and Waterside-birds. Some of these birds are native species and the migratory flocks of the birds, too, make their vacation home in the park. The beautiful birds like Darter, Grey Heron, White and black-necked Strokes and more than 500 species of birds.

While visiting the Corbett Park the accommodation would never be a problem. You can find a hotel of choice and suitable to your pocket. While going to the par from any of the nearby stations by motorway, you would find number of restaurants and hotels on the way, serving you the delicious Indian Dishes. [Images courtesy Wikimedia Commons , By Shyamvs78 12:00, 8 February 2008 (UTC) (Own work) [CC-BY-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons and By Ajith U [CC-BY-SA-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons ]

Kanha National Park India : Tiger Reserve Forest

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If you want to feel how Rudyard Kipling might have felt while writing his Jungle Book, you should visit the Kanha National park of India. Driving on the road through the grassy meadows, you would enjoy the lush bamboo forest that preserves flower plants of more than 600 species.

Location: Central India, State of Madhya Pradesh. Nearest Airport: Jabalpur 170 Km. Connecting flights to Delhi, Mumbai and other major cities of India. You can book a ticket for train or air ticket from any authorized travel agent in India

The kanha national park offers the tourist its rich and wonderful flora and fauna with the roaring tigers and innocents dear dancing with the songs of big and tiny birds. Though it is an area of deciduous dense forest, the facilities of accommodation is easily available. The increasing lodging and boarding resources established here and in nearby stations would suit to everyone’s budget.

While enjoying the arranged safari tour of the park, you would encounter the beauties of wildlife, bamboo forests, and the sal trees. While sitting on the back of an elephant these would look like a journey in the dream land.

When we tread through the grassland of the Kanha National park, the amazed herds of deer would cross our motorcade. The wonderful animals of different species eating this grass would make the tour memorable. The most attractive animal is the spotted deer. It is called Chital in the local language. It is wonderful specie eating grass and becoming food for the leopards and the tigers.

[Images courtesy By Altaipanther (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons , Wikimedia Commons , By Dr. Tarak N Khan from Kolkata, India (Brown Fish Owl; Ketupa zelolensis) [CC-BY-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons, By Altaipanther (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons ]

AIR TRAVEL IN INDIA

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It is beyond doubt that Indian air travel is offering one of the cheapest sets of air travel rates. You can have tickets at really unbelievable unbelievably low rates. This is because, India has population of 1200 million people and it has a very good domestic market. But the tourists coming from other countries, too, play a vital role in occupying the comfortable seats of the Indian planes.

Indigo A 320 Interior

The Indian airlines like Indian (that was known as Air India formerly), Jet airways and Kingfisher are offering domestic and international flights. It is due to huge business of the outgoing and incoming travelers.

Cheap Air Ticket to India

Indian airlines can offer cheap air tickets due to the competitions they face among them. The airlines operating in

India

would charge you as per your plan of journey and segment wise. If you are comfortable to travel on the days having lesser traffic, you can have the benefit of incurring lower expenses towards your air tickets. If you prefer night journey, you would still be paying less on selected routes.

How To Book An Air Ticket

All the airline companies operating in India would book your tickets online. You may prefer to buy your ticket from your agents, too. The Indian airlines have their agents in every major city of the world. [Image courtesy By User:Jer.dv [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons]

Domestic airlines in India

India has increased its capacity to cater needs of domestic as well as international flyers. If you want to cover a distance in the shortest possible time, the domestic flights operating in India would be the best option. These are the main operators in India: India (Formerly known as Air India), Deccan Air, Spice Jet, King fisher airlines, Jet airways, Indigo, Jagson air lines and many other small airlines. all the operators offer you the best services possible and wold keep your expenses as low as possible.

Top Ten Honeymoon Destinations in India

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India

is the country where the concept of honeymoon had originated. It is an age-old tradition in

India

to arrange "Bridal Tour". The newly wed couple would go to visit friends and relatives, especially to meet those who have not been able to attend the marriage ceremony. During nineteenth century, this concept developed in western countries, too.

The newly wed couple would chose a destination of choice and proceed there to enjoy. During honeymoon period a couple desires to pass time with tenderness and pleasure. The exotic locations in India offer such duel pleasure at various places. Here are the centres where the couples on their honeymoon tours would find pleasure in abundance and tenderness at every point.

Srinagar, Kashmir: Situated in one of the most beautiful valleys in the world, Srinagar is the most suitable place for honeymoon in India. The panoramic scenes of high Himalayan hills would give the pleasure the couples would desire.

Rajasthan: Desert has its special charm. The cities situated in the desert of Rajasthanprovide everything the tourists would love to see. Hotels looking like palaces cater the needs of travellers staying therein. The old forts and castles standing on the land of sun, sand and pleasure would make the tour a memorable one.

Gulmerg

The city of Gulmerg would stand by the meaning of its word, the Meadow of Flowers. In addition of being a skiing and all weather resort, this city would keep your camera busy catching the views of meadows and the pastoral scenes.

Kerala: Situated in southern part of India, the green land of Kerala offers some of the best resorts in the world. Here you would find lush green land and exotic beaches.

Goa: The city of Goa is one of the most favoured destinations for the domestic and foreign tourists coming to India. The peaceful atmosphere and hotels situated on harmless seashore offer required privacy and pleasure to couples.

Khajuraho Temples: The complex of temples situated in central India offers unique type of atmosphere. These temples are more than 1000 years old. The carvings done on the outer walls of these temples educate us about sex and sexual behaviour. These are the temples depicting knowledge from Kamasutra, a book that narrates the corporeal acts of human.

Dalhousie: If a newly wed couple wishes to enjoy the presence of snow-clad peaks ofHimalaya; if the couple wants to make the experience a memorable one by staying at the height of 9000 feet, Dalhousie should be the first choice. Situated in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh, Dalhousie is 90 km away from Dharamshala, which is a town where holy Dalai Lama lives with some of his disciples.

Kulu - Manali

In the Himalayan valley of Kulu, the city of Manali is the favourite destination for the tourists who love snow and skating. The skiing facilities are the most alluring aspect of this place. Here the international tourists would find luxury accommodation, too. However who want budget hotels or cheap hotels, they would find it easily.

Shimla

Shimla is the oldest favourite for the Indian Tourists. It is capital city of State of Himachal Pradesh. Located at the hight of 2200 meters, Shimla was formerly the winter capital of India. Covered by the green and tall trees of Himalayan type, the city is full of buildings, which are built in Gothic Style of architecture. [By Bjørn Christian Tørrissen [CC-BY-SA-3.0 or GFDL], via Wikimedia Commons]

Darjeeling

Situated in the easter part of India, the city of Darjeeling is the most favourite center for the tourists who want to know the Bengal. It is easily approachable from Kolkata. The place is tourists attraction since the days when the British Raj was in India.

Khajuraho: Sex Education on Temple Walls

2010-12-04T12:51:00.005+05:30

The temples of Khajuraho are very ancient, ranging from one thousand and more years. The carvings on the inner and outer walls of these temples depict the lessons in sex education. However these temples also contain the idols of Gods and Goddesses, too. This proves beyond doubt that in ancient India, sex was regarded as inherently noble, and the sexual rapture was regarded as something like the spiritual bliss.

Sex Education in Medieval India

It is believed that Indian people are very much orthodox about sex and sex related issues. But if the existence of the temples of Khajuraho is any evidence, the people of India were not so taboo-oriented about sex and education about sex. The ironical contradiction is that India had really pioneered the education about sex and sexual relationship of humans.

In ancient India it was believed that when we go near to the God, we must be pure and empty of all of our desires, including the desire to have sex.

So in these temples a devotee would see the carvings depicting the sexual poses. This would make the minds of devotees empty of such desires, as they believed that once we know about any subject we do not run blindly before that.

The Khajuraho temples witness how seriously the people of India considered the subject of sex and sexual relationship. During this period, people would know about such useful and subject like sex at public places as the temples. However this attitude toward sex may not be the representation of the psychic of the whole of the mass. But it is certain that the people of ancient India were eager to know about it. In the Indus Valley civilization also there had was practice of fertility rituals.

How To Reach Khajuraho

Khajuraho Temples are just 600 km from New Delhi, the national capital of India. The place is we ll-connected by railways and motorways in India. Few Temples of India are as architecturally rich as the Temples of Khajuraho. Built up in the tenth and eleventh centuries AD, the complex of these temples are popular for their precise illustration of the traditional way of sexual life that prevailed in medieval times.

The work of sculpture and carvings are on the wall of the temples. Central point of these sculptures and carvings of Khajuraho site is to depict the detail of an ancient book Kamsutra, the book of knowledge about sex and sexual relationship.

When we look at the carvings done on the walls of these ancient Indian temples, we cannot say that these carvings are done for the purpose of helping sexual desire or promote eroticism. We get first impression that these artworks done before one thousand years try to educate us about the fundamentals of relationship between men and women.

Built with a desire to impart healthy knowledge about various act and postures of sexual behaviour of humans, Khajuraho temples house an idol of one or another Hindu deity in the middle of every construction. You would reach at the idol of a deity-Brahma, Visnu or Mahesh (Shiva)-in the middle of the temple; however one would reach at the idol only after walking through the circular path of temple. All the temples are built in such spiral type of structures. On the way to the centrally located idol, one would find the sculpture work representing the architectural prowess of medieval India. [Image courtesy By YashiWong (Own work) [GFDL or CC-BY-SA-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0], via Wikimedia Commons , Wikimedia Commons]

Sex Education and Indian Society

India has passed through various eras with regards to its sexual 'mores'... One era gives birth to a complete openness to the exploration of 'shrinagar', which is science of aesthetics. The science of the arts creating sensual sentiments values them highly--even in terms of spiritual science---while the next era is embarrassed by them and finds them as taboo. That draws back the people retreating to the dryness of self-discipline and denial. The Indian culture is so ancient that this has happened many times within its recorded history of 5,000 years. Right now there is a silent 'sexual revolution' happening within the culture--fuelled by its integration with western 'mores' and its own sexual revolution 50 years ago. It is due to availability of modern facilities for preventing pregnancy and the freedom-filled access to the immediacy of the internet. But this is mostly unspoken, as there is still the almost puritan orthodoxy of the present era in firm control. Though this is quickly crumbling, it would be good if it sex and various aspects connected with sexual relationship are talked about openly. In a huge and diverse cultured society like India’s, it will take some time for it to come to rest inside a whole new sexual paradigm.

Kama Sutra: The ancient and Sacred Book of sex Education

Kamasutra of Kamasutram is an ancient book about sex education. This book is often mistaken as the book of Tantric Sex. In fact it is like a discourse in importance of sex in human life. It narrates various facets of corporeal acts done by man and woman. It is a book of educating us bout deep intimacy and relationship between two genders, male and female.

Theme of Kama Sutra

Written by a Hindu philosopher named Mallanaga Vatsyayana, this book represents wisdom of the people living in ancient India. Though the exact time is knot known, but Vatsyayana lived in Varanasi, India. It must be the period of Gupta Empire, spanning from fourth to sixth century AD.

The book is like an authority in the science of sex that is known as Kama Shastra in India. The corporeal act was not taboo in ancient India. It was also considered to be sacred, as it keeps the human race continued. Kama Sutra is based on twin subjects of fertility and body pleasure that the acts of sex give to the men and women.

KamaSutra, the Book of Sex Education

The book is written in lyrical language consisting 1250 verses. It is divided into 36 different chapters allotted to particular aspect of sex between man and woman who are capable of enjoying sex. It educates the reader about most of the aspects concerning man and woman relationship. The subjects covered ranges from ‘how to enjoy kissing' to ‘how to reach the orgasm'. The importance of foreplay and caressing are narrated and their importance in making a partner to have sex is highlighted. All the factors which stimulate the desire for having sex are widely described. Written in Sanskrit language, the first translation of Kama Sutra is believed to be done by Captain Richard Francis Burton in the year 1885.

Templesof Khajuraho: Depicting Sex in Sculpture

The carvings and sculptures done on the walls of temples of Khajuraho (India) depict various acts of sex narrated in the book of Kama Sutra. These carvings demonstrate how the bodies of men and women involved in corporeal acts can be well positioned to arrive maximum pleasure out of the acts. The temples are built in the medieval period.

KamaSutra in Literature and Movies

Many writers have taken help of the materials given in this book to highlight the theme or subject they narrated in their books. Even the novelists of all the ages have consulted this book of wisdom whenever they wanted to read some authentic passages about the most intimate relationship between man and woman. There are number of movies, which have accepted the themes narrated in Kama Sutra.

Rajasthan : Jaisalmer Fort, Jodhpur Fort

2010-11-08T17:25:00.002+05:30

Jaisalmer Fort, Built by Raja Jaisal in 1156 A.D., is one of the oldest forts in Rajasthan, India.

Rajasthan: Jaisalmer Fort

(Image Courtesy Wikimedia Commons)

Jodhpur Fort known as mehrangarh Fort or Jodhpur ka kila lies in the outskirts of Jodhpur city, in the state of Rajasthan, Western India.

Rajasthan : Jodhpur Fort (Image Courtesy Wikimedia Commons)

The magnificent Mehrangarh Fort (Jodhpur ka kila) is the known for its majestic look and location on the high hill, 125 metres. The fort of Jodhpur is one of the largest forts in India. Construction of this fort was was originally started in 1459 A. D. Rajput king Rao Jodha. He was founder of the city of Jodhpur.

Mughal Forts, Architecture and Palaces

2010-10-01T11:23:00.006+05:30

India is the most favoured destination of the world tourists. And the city of Agra is an important holiday target for every person who lands on the land of this country. The city of Agra is full of places with historical connections and cultural importance.

Agra Fort

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After you have seen the world famous Taj Mahal, the next interesting place would be Agra Fort. It is one of the alluring attractions in the city. If the tourists visiting India wants to know about the mughal culture and the living style of the people during fifteenth and seventeenth century, visit to such historical places is very much informative and entertaining, too. They would get the real picture of the same after knowing about places like Agra fort. This fort is specimen of the style of architecture used in building castles and palaces of medieval India.

Jahangiri Mahal (Agra Fort)

Mughal princes and Emperors kept their women mostly away from the public exposure. The residences for women were devised to provide them such privacy. The Jahangiri Mahal is an integral part of Agra fort. It is one of the buildings where women of royal household resided.

This monument is made of red stones which were available in nearby areas. As the mines of such sand stones were located in central India and Rajasthan, it was easy to use these stones for such big erections. You will find a big gate that would lead to a splendid courtyard and big residential rooms for the queens. On the walls of the courtyard and the rooms there are stone carvings, witnessing the Persian style of art and architecture.

Watch tower (Agra Fort)

This portion of the fort is designed to be used by the security personals. So it is called the watch tower. The internal security of women and children were of paramount interest for the royal families. No one except the authorized person would enter into this area without going through the scrutiny of he guards posted on such watch towers.

Marble Walls and Carvings (Agra Fort)

It was the mughal style to build palaces using plenty of marble stones. The mines situated in the state of Rajasthan are full of such precious while marble. Inner walls of the room would be full of carvings done on marble stones. Unlike Taj Mahal, here you would find the carvings on simple stones. But the architectural beauty is the same as used in the period where Indian buildings were built by combining Indian style and Persian style of architecture. (Image courtesy By michael clarke stuff (Agra Fort 15 HDR Uploaded by Ekabhishek) [CC-BY-SA-2.0], from Wikimedia Commons)

Skiing and Polo Sports in India

2010-10-01T11:19:00.011+05:30

SKIING CENTERS

The winter sport is not new to the tourist coming to India, and the Himalayan Mountains of North India. In the month of November and December foreign tourist flock in India. For the tourists who are in search of mountaineering and skiing, the season of winter is the best season.

Snow-clad Locations in India

As you travel northward, you would find the exotic locations providing some of the best winter sports facilities in India. These sports destinations are well equipped with cheap and economy hotel accommodations. You would find Manali a wonderful place.

Manali is one of the best hill stations of India. It is situated in the Kullu valley of State of Himachal Pradesh. Here the tourists would find ample chances for making their tour a memorable one. This town is located on a high altitude in Himalayan range of mountains. Modern facilities for the winter sports lovers are well-established in this place. They would find easy access to the skiing resorts and the skating tracks. The snow covered peaks of the highest mountain range of the world would put the tourists into memorable moments of their life.

Training in Skiing and Skating:

If you are a novice to the sports, you should not worry. You would find a good trainer here. They would help the amateur sportsmen in every respect. They would also protect them from doing any body harm. Though the skiing and skating tracks are maintained well, you are required to keep your eyes well on the sloppy snow-clad paths. Fees that the trainers charge would not be high, considering the pleasant experience it provides.

Winter Sport Accessories

Here you would need winter clothes. In Manali, the temperature during winter remains between -7C (19F) and 10C (50F).The warm clothes are sold in every departmental store in the cities of India. In addition the required accessories for skiing and skating sports are available here in local shops. Here the travellers can shop for the accessories like boots, braces, hats, helmets, goggles and gloves for the winter sports. Socks, sunglasses and adult skiwear are easily available. To do shopping in this mountain top city is an enjoyment in itself. (Image courtesy By Miya.m (Miya.m's file) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 or GFDL], from Wikimedia Commons )

POLO CENTERS

What is Polo?

Polo is a team sport. It is played on horseback with aim to score goals against the opponent team. It is one of the oldest sports of India. It is believed to be originated in India. Polo came to the western countries from Manipur, a state in North East India.

History of Polo

Since the time of Mughal Emperors and Rajput kings of medieval period, the sports of Polo is played in India. These kings and prices were fond of playing the same. They did it for the purpose of getting thrill and excitement of the sports. We can say that India is the cradle of polo, the game of bygone era. The polo has evolved here and has reached its modern stage.

India was under the British Rule for many years. During the rule of British Raj in India, the game became popular among the British Army officers. They played it for their recreation. They arrange matches and events where the game was played. The princes of the erstwhile Indian princely states were participants in these events.

Modern Polo

Today it has acquired a status of major games in India. Facilities for playing polo are available at various centres like Gilgit, Chitral, Ladakh and Manipur and Jaipur.
In addition to being the pioneer in the sports of polo, India is promoting the game, too. If you are interested in the game, you are welcome in India. You would find the cheapest facilities to learn the sport. There are polo clubs offering training packages for the mature players and the sport lover tourists. Here you would find polo training courses for beginners and professional class of the established players.

Polo in Rajasthan

In Rajasthan this sport has its ancient roots. It is played here since the medieval period. The rulers of Rajasthan and their princes were fond of playing the game of polo for their amusement and recreation. There sport is famous among the women, too. The spectators in India, too, have cultivated ample interest in viewing the polo competitions.

In Rajasthan, near Jaipur, you would find facilities of polo clubs. These cubs are equipped with quality stables and well-maintained polo fields. In addition to this they offer the facilities of swimming pools, tennis courts, polo sports equipments, polo T-shirts. Tourists coming to India would easily find comfortable accommodation in all the cities where the game of polo is played.

Rajasthan: Pushkar Fair and Forts

2010-09-30T16:13:00.011+05:30

In the beginning of twentieth century, the international tourists have started to love Rajasthan and its exotic locations. They found this northern state of India an entertaining piece of land whose people are fond of camels, festivals and music.

Tug of War Pushkar Fair, Rajasthan

Those who visit Rajasthan are rewarded with pleasure and an unforgettable experience. They hardly miss to see the temples and lake of Pushkar. The tourists from western countries flock in during festival season of the fair. The event of Pushkar Fair at Ajmer, near Jaipur, has now become the single biggest draw for foreign tourists in India. The tourists would enjoy the vibrancy of natural living of the people who live in the imagination of their past and the music of present.

Best Time to Visit : Except the months of July and August when there would be rainy season in India, the tourist can enjoy their stay for the whole of the year. Pushkar Fair is held in the moth of October or November every year. This fare is regarded as one of the largest fair in Rajasthan. It is known for its trading of the camels, horses, cows and goats. It is a religious town and is one of the important pilgrimage centres for Hindus. This place is known for the 'Holy Lake' that is situated on a hill. There is a temple of Lord Brahma on the hill top, near the lake. Ajmer is also a holy place for the Muslims. The well-known sacred place the Dargah of Sufi saint Moinuddin Chishti is also here.

Known as Camel Fair, the yearly event in Pushkar is not about camels only. Here you would encounter the enchanting riot of colours. The visiting men wearing colourful turbans and women in pleated ghagaras (ankle-length skirts) of different hues: these are the some of the exotic attractions of the fair. The Village womenwould put on all the available ornaments and costumes of their choice. Every woman in the crowd would seem to be competing with each other in beauty and attraction.

Sporting Events

Sporting events are major attractions of this fair. Camel and horse races are organised for the enjoyment of the tourists coming from all over the world. The beautifully decked up camels are paraded. Among the camels participating in the race, the most beautiful decorated camel is selected. The owner of that camel would receive praise and prizes. Those who visit India for their leisure tour, they hardly miss to see the temples and lake of Pushkar.

The tourists from western countries flock in during festival season of the fair. The event of Pushkar Fair has become now the most favorable destination for foreign tourists in India. [Image courtesy By Sumith Meher from Sydney, Australia (Pushkar Uploaded by Ekabhishek) [CC-BY-SA-2.0], from Wikimedia Commons , Camel Fair By mantra_man (pushkar fair Uploaded by Ekabhishek) [CC-BY-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons)]

Buddhist Art: Ajanta Caves India

2010-09-30T15:17:00.004+05:30

The Ajanta Caves are situated in the state of Maharastra in India. The site is near to Bombay. We can reach at the caves from the city of Jalagoan, too. This city is just 25 miles away from the caves. Another city is Aurangabad. We can go to that city and reach Ajanta by traveling by road.

Padmapani, Ajanta Caves, India

The caves of AJANTA are the world's greatest monument. This ancient place is recognized as historical monument by UNESCO, too. In Ajanta, there are several caves. But only 30 caves are in good condition. The caves No. 9, 10, 19, 26 and 29 are known as Chaitya-grihas. The rest are called monasteries.

Though built up during the period running from second century BC to second century AD, these caves were discovered in the year 1819. Apart from the beautiful carvings done on the walls of the caves, the paintings done here are the most attractive thing for the tourists.

The travelers coming from all over the world love to see these ancient paintings done in Buddhist Style. Though most of the paintings here can be related to the period of 2nd century BC to 2nd century AD, some of them were done in about the fifth century AD. [Image courtesy By Anonymous [public domain], from Wikimedia Commons]

It is believed that these cave paintings are done by the Buddhist monks and other artists. Most of the paintings show the influence of religion. The characters painted are mainly Buddha and Bodhisattvas, a Buddhist monk. The artworks depict stories known as Jatakas. All the materials used in these paintings came from the local area. The artists have done their work on a ground of mud-plaster. The technique used seems to be tempera.

The Entrance

This is the entrance of cave No. 9, the main cave preserved. The half-moon curved gate is a major architectural design of Indian temples. In case of caves, such space enables to get more light inside of the cave; and it also facilitates the excavation of stones while carving the stones out of the caves. The excavation is done from top to the down in such caves' construction. (Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons )

AJANTA CAVE PAINTINGS

The caves of Ahanta are one of the greatest monuments of the world. Being ancient, this place is recognized as historical monument by UNESCO. Visit to these caves would be a memorable experience for any person coming form any place of the world. It is believed that the Buddha devotees and monks lived here and did the sculptures and the painting as part of their worship towards Buddha.

It is believed that these cave paintings are done by the Buddhist monks and other artists. Most of the paintings show the influence of religion. The characters painted are mainly Buddha and Bodhisattvas, a Buddhist monk. The artworks depict stories of Buddhism. All the materials used in these paintings came from the local area. The artists have done their work on a ground of mud-plaster. The technique used seems to be tempera.

The artists, may they be sculptor of a painter, always try to depict the life of the people they live in. so had done the artists who did the artworks in Ajanta and Ellora caves. Here the depiction of all types of people of the contemporary social strata is done. We can see the kings and the slaves; the carvings and paintings of the divine musicians; and the dancers of the courts, known as Apsaras, the divine women dancers.

Head of Bodhisattva

These ancient caves were almost forgotten by the people living in the surrounding areas. Once a company of British soldiers passed from this region and the officers have found out these caves in nineteenth century. Otherwise these monuments were hidden under the green vegetation of forests of the state of Maharashtra. (Image courtesy By Indischer Maler des 7. Jahrhunderts [public domain], from Wikimedia Commons )

Metro Cities of India: Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore

2010-09-29T16:48:00.010+05:30

Modern India is a country where you would find temple elephants existing amicably with the business of microchips. Being the land of peaceful coexistence, India has places of all the religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity and Zoroastrian. It is a country where the ancient monuments are the background to understand the largest democracy of world. Your visit to India is bound to be a memorable one.

Gateway of India, Mumbai (Bombay)

Cheap Air Tickets in India : Indian air travel is known for its cheap rates. You can have tickets at unbelievably low rates. It is due to huge business to the domestic airlines. It is due to the competitions they face among them, too. Different airlines operating in India charge tickets segment wise. If you travel on the days having lesser traffic or in night hours, you would incur lower expenses towards your air tickets. All the airline companies would book your tickets online or through your booking agents.

Cheap Hotels: If you wish making your stay in Indian cities suitable to your budget, you would not find it difficult. You can find cheap and comfortable hotels and restaurants in New Delhi. If you have a fixed budget, you have an option for staying in budget or low cost hotels. However these budget hotels are in no way inferior to any similar accommodations offered in the city. So for making your stay enjoyable would not be a difficult task. These hotels charge economy rates and provide value for your money. They also provide required and comfortable accommodation and services. Some of these hotels are equipped with restaurants, too.

Here are five big cities of India where you would find pleasure of living comfortably and shopping economically. Get into these cities and enjoy good accommodation of your choice. You can opt for cheap hotels of your choice, suitable to your budget. The big malls and super markets of these cities would be great places for purchasing the things you love. You can shop here from trendy jeans and T-shirts to the toys for your kids. The embroidered clothes would provide you a wide range of selection to match your preferences.

New Delhi

Every nation has its soul. India has its soul bubbling with vigour. If we are to select one place that would represent the soul of India, the city of New Delhi would be an obvious choice. Delhi is the city where there are imprints of imperialism and colonialism. It has aroma of the largest democracy in the world. This combination paints the city with picturesque details. New Delhi is the city where every visitor would find pleasure. On its landscape, the ancient city of old Delhi holds number of places to visit: the forts, green gardens, temples, churches, and mosques.

Delhi is capital of India; it is also a mirror to the memorable history and rich heritage of the Indian subcontinent. The tourists would find hundreds of interesting places in this city. If we look at the architecture of the edifices standing here, it looks like blend of ancient traditions and modernity.

Places of Interest for Tourists: The city of is a like a written script of the memorable history of India. The tourists would find hundreds of places of historical interest in this city and its surrounding areas, as the rich heritage of the Indian past is located here. The major attractions are Red Fort, Qutub Minar, Jama Masjid, Old Fort of Indraprasth, and Jantar Mantar observatory. The complex of Presidential residence and parliament of India are the representatives of modern architecture in India. The city is dotted with forts, temples, mosques and eye-pleasing gardens.

Mumbai (Bombay)

Mumbai (Bombay) is the city where every visitor would find pleasure. This city of economic activities holds number of places the tourist would love to visit. They would find each and every edifice interesting, whether it is a museum or a historical site. Here is some information that would be a good guide for a traveller who visits Mumbai for the first time.

In addition to the city being the commercial capital of India, here you would find enjoyable mix of people. Here you would find the scenes where traditional places like temples, churches, and mosques stand alongside the modern structures like five start hotels. There are very old residential buildings representing the bygone era of architectures; there are multi-storey shopping malls offering the cheapest goods to the tourists.

Tourist Interest Places: Mumbai is the financial capital of India. It has a memorable history and rich heritage of economic progress of India. The tourists would find numerous interesting sites to visit.

Kolkata (Calcutta)

Kolkata was the centre for culture and politics, education, industry, and science in India. The city and their population have seen intense political violence, group clashes and economic ups and downs since independence of India. Like all other big cities in India, the city of Kolkata is struggling with the problems of rapid and uncontrolled growth of population. But a visit to this place would be like to meeting all the components with witch the nation of India is built up.

Standing on the bank of River Hooghly, Kolkata (Calcutta) is a mirror of the memorable history and rich heritage of economic and political progress of India. It is the city where you would find visible imprints of the imperialism, as it was capital of India during British Rule until the year 1911.

History : Calcutta is one of the most distinguished cities of India. It was the centre for culture, politics, education, industry, and science in India. Before 1947 this city had seen ongoing struggle for the independence of India. Here the Bengalese people are known for their revolutionary ideas. After independence, it has seen intense political violence, and group clashes. Presently it is struggling with the problems of rapid and uncontrolled growth of population.

Places of Tourist Interest : The city of Kolkata is a place where every visitor would find pleasure as a tourist. On its landscape it holds number of places to visit: the gardens full of greenery, temples of Hindu religions, mosques of Muslim religions, and places for worshipping of all major religions of the world. While visiting the city, you would find each and every edifice memorable. Here are some of the places which the tourists would not miss to visit.

Dakshineswar Temple of Goddess Kali : Being one of the most famous temples in India, the visitors and devotees of Goddess Kali would come to visit this place. It is a big complex built on bank of river Hooghly.

Queen Victoria Museum: The city of Kolkata is well-decorated by the buildings of gothic style. Several buildings are designated as "Heritage Structures" and they are preserved by the government itself. One of the best examples is the building of Victoria Memorial Museum. This museum depicts the history of the city.

Howrah Bridge : This bridge links the cities of Howrah and Calcutta. It is erected on the river Hooghly. Though this bridge is built in 1937, it is still the major bridge for the people of city. There is motorway and rail road on this bridge. If we sail in a boat under this bridge, it would be one of the most memorable experiences of our life.

St. Paul Cathedral : This cathedral was built when India was under the rule of British People. The period of this rule is popularly known as British Raj. The cathedral of Saint Paul built in this city is one of the finest specimens of Gothic style of buildings.

Chennai (Madras)

Formerly know as Madras, Chennai is one of the major cities in South India. Here the visitors would find pleasure and peace at every corner of the city. On its clean roads and peaceful streets, this city holds number of places which would be memorable for a tourist.

How to Reach at Chennai (Madras) : Most of the international airlines have direct flights to Chennai on their flight schedules. You can have your ticket booked in any of these airlines: Air India, British Airways, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, Air Lanka and Malaysia Airlines. The city is connected with major cities of India via domestic flights.

The city of Chennai is connected with all major cities in India by Indian Railways. India has one of the longest motorways in the world. This city is prominently set on these motorways. In addition to the city being the commercially major city in the South India, here in Chennai you would find the enjoyable mix. Here you would find the scenes where traditional living meets modern lifestyles.

Places of Tourist Interest : In the city of Madras the tourist would love to see the buildings of Gothic Style of architecture. The main buildings are the St. George Fort and Egmore Railway Station. Egmore is the railway station where you can drive your car almost near to the side of a train. The Marina beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in India.

Bangalore: Known as the Information and Technology Capital of India, Bangalore is one of the major cities situated in the southern part of the county. Here the visitors would find pleasure and peace. On its landscapes it holds places of interest for the tourists: green gardens, ancient monuments, and old churches. While visiting the city you would find each and every edifice entertaining you. India is the land where atomic energy is generated and industrial development has brought the country within top five most fast developing nations of the world. The developing metro cities like Bangalore are the backbone of India's progress. (Image courtesy By Rhaessner (Own work) [http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html">GFDL or CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons Wikimedia Commons)

Travel India

2010-09-29T15:42:00.019+05:30

Snow clad mountain peaks, ever-flowing rivers, green fields, dense forests, and the wonderful deserts are trade mark of Indian land. If you want to enjoy all of these beauties of the Mother Earth in a single country, then a visit to India should be your first choice.

India Gate, New Delhi

India is a vast country. These are some of the important places for the interest of the tourist. These spots would make their stay in India a memorable one.

Kashmir: If you are in search of touring the unexplored valleys; if you are fond of being among the company of snow-packed mountains and glaciers; and if you are fond of skiing; then a visit to Gulmerg (Kashmir), India would provide you everything in one go. The snow-packed mountain peaks of Himalayan range at Gulmerg have all facilities providing you with the thrills of adventure and joy of excitement.

At the height of 2,730 meter, the location of Gulmerg is just 55 km from the city of Srinagar, Kashmir. Here the fresh and peaceful environment of Gulmerg offers a wide and spirited field for the sports persons. At this place you would find one of the best equipped winter sports opportunities in India. From the first week of December to the month of April, the hill station of Gulmerg enjoys excellent condition for the tourists. The skiers from many countries come here to enjoy and explore the possibilities of the thrill Gulmerg offers. They can have all types of skiing facilities at Gulmerg.

Skiing in Kashmir: If a person is novice to the art of skiing sports, he or she should not worry. Here you would find trainers in the field, providing basic training at very reasonable charges. You just wear the warm clothes sold in Kashmir and keep your eyes well on the sloppy snow-clad tracks, and Gulmerg would allow you to enjoy the thrill and excitement of the sport. The required accessories for the skiing sport are sold here in all the local shops. Here you can shop for boots, braces, hats, helmets, goggles and gloves necessary for the sports of skiing. Socks, sunglasses and adult skiwear are easily available in this area.

Rajasthan: For the tourists nothing can be more alluring than the exotic deserts, camels, historical forts, and colourful dances of people. Rajasthan would give your all at the same place. The geography of Rajasthan is identified with deserts; the history of the region is full of war memories. Here the Mughals fought their decisive battles; here the Rajaput kinks defended their land with ardent fervor of patriotism. It makes the northern part of India a land of palaces. Most of these castles are, built by the medieval kings and emperors who ruled India.

The tourists roaming all over the world desire visiting Rajasthan at least for once in their life. This charming landscape is dotted with exotic palaces and beautified by the sand of desert. The local people displaying their dances and colourful dresses would be the most pleasant aspect for the tourists coming to India in general and to Rajasthan in particular. among number of beautiful locations in this area, the following are most visited places.

Jaipur, Once the capital of royalty in India,is in the western part of the country, now known as the State of Rajasthan. On their first visit the tourists would fall in love of Jaipur: so are picturesque its forts and gardens, so exotic is the landscape. Jaipur, founded in 1727 by Maharaja Sawai, is the city that was made by planning, perhaps first time in India.

Pushkar: Those who visit India for their leisure tour, they hardly miss to see the temples and lake of Pushkar. But the tourists from western countries flock in during the festival season of the fair. Talking about the traveller on vacation tour of India, we can say that there are tons of them from lands for away. The event of Pushkar Fair has become now single biggest draw for foreign tourists in Rajasthan, India.

Kerala: If the exotic greenery, the land full of water bodies, and clean seashore are on the desire list of a tourist, he or she would certainly go first to Kerala. The state of Kerala is situated in southern region of

India

. It is known for its exotic locations and picturesque greenery; and thus it is rated high among the tourist centers in

India

. Due to its unique attraction, Kerala is known as "God's Own Country". The state Kerara and the city of Thiruvanthpuram (Trivendrum) are also famous for being the venues for Boat Races.

A Keralite Dancer in Sari( Mohini Attam: a dance performance)

'Boat races' are organized annually in Kerala. These events are representatives of the ethos of the land. Boat racing is a sport that signifies excellent team spirit. The exciting crowd of spectators gathers on bank of rivers to witness the integration and amity of the participants of race. As these races are attraction for foreign tourists, tens of thousands of people witness the water sports carnival when the fierce 'Vallom Kallies (boat races)' are organized here.

It is a festival of vibrant colours, organized in the exotic backwaters. During these festivals of boat racing, one would not miss being thrilled by the racing scenes. The events make spectators spell-bound. They will witness cheering actions, laying bets, and goading the boatmen to row faster.

Places Where Boat Races are Held : The water carnivals and snake boat races are held annually at a place known as Aranmula. It is situated on the bank of River Pamba. Other places where the major races are organized are Papiyad near Quilon and Thayathangadi near Kottayam. These festivals of boating are held on the sacred occasion of the festival of Onam. It is also the end of harvesting season for the local people.

It is the most important celebration for the festival lover people who live in villages. The participants of the races come mainly from these villages. They participate in the festival and competitive races. They come to enjoy the events with their small, big and long boasts.

To visit the sites of boat races could be a memorable event for the tourists coming to India. It is like a grand feast for the eyes of tourists. All the viewers get together on palm shaded banks and hold their breath in excitement. They witness speeding boats of various types. The Snake Boats, called as 'Chundans', have long hulls and steep sterns. Its shape reminds us raised hood of a cobra. About one hundred muscle-powered oarsmen would be on board of a boat. A group of musicians also would accompany them. These boats dash furiously towards the finishing line. They fight to win for their glory.

Historical Places: Taj Mahal would be the first choice of the tourist coming to India. But the Forts in the cities of South India, and Rajasthan would also be an enjoyable target for the tourists.

Religious Places: From the northern Himalayan range of Kashmir to the southern tip of Kanya Kumari, India is full of religious places. As India is the land of all the religions of the world, here you find the sacred places attached with all of them. Any person who has visited India once would like to revisit. [Images courtesy By Seb & Jen[see page for license], from Wikimedia Commons , Keralite Dancer By Oct11988duh (Own work) [Public domain or CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons]

Indian Railways and Car Rentals

2010-09-29T15:00:00.009+05:30

The Indian Railways is important for Indian people. India has population of eleven hundred million; and the train services are like the veins in body of Indian economy. This institute is the single largest provider of employment in India.

For the tourists who want to know real India, the 64K km network of railways is a nice option. At every corner of India, you would find a friendly staff. The staff of Indian Railways would assist you to explore the interesting places in India. Tourists can book their tickets any computerized station. You can book your tickets at any authorized travel agent, too. The network for booking the tickets is wonderful one. One would find fully computerized station almost in every district of India. The tourist-friendly staff at seven thousand stations would eagerly serve the needs of the tourists.

India Dishes

For the benefits of local passengers and the tourists coming from all over the world, the Indian trains keep adding more and more facilities. In addition to sanitary facilities at every station, you can arrange your stay in the guest houses available at big stations. The smell coming from the restaurants run at railway stations would certainly attract the taste buds of tourists. Here you can order a Punjabi lunch or a south Indian dish.

Those who are coming to India for the first time would find the tourist help centres at important stations. Here you can get information about accommodations, cheap hotels, car rentals, onward booking of your journey, travel agents and other data a traveler in India would need.

CAR RENTALS

If you want to have the joy of seeing the cities of India, then you should take the services of the Car Rentals. These services are available in all the metro cities of Mumbai (Bombay), Delhi, Chennai (Madras) and Kolkata (Calcutta).

Meant for providing assistance to the tourists and making it comfortable for the tourists to visit all the places without traffic problems, renting of a car is an easy solution. The travellers have option to choose to rent any car from the range of cars like of Benz, Accord, Ford Ikon, Fiesta, Honda City, Indica and many more. These car rental agencies rent out multi-utility, high capacity cars like Tavera, Qualis, and Sumo meting needs of the tourists. These vehicle renting agencies categorize the vehicles to suit the tourists' specific needs and also to fit in their budget. (Image courtesy

The car rental agencies in the metro cities of India offer the services of the best chauffeurs who are both experienced and friendly. They also offer discount car rentals. Customer's satisfaction always remains the buzz word for such service providers, as their business is dependent of the tourist. This factor makes them offering the best of services at the most economical rates. Indian car rental provides the tourists a hassle free and luxurious travel.

The tourists visiting India can contact these car rental agencies at any of the airports or at big railway stations. Addresses and telephone numbers of such car renting agencies can be availed from the tourists help centres. [Image courtesy By Amolnaik3k [public domain], from Wikimedia Commons By Rsrikanth05 [CC-BY-SA-3.0 or GFDL], from Wikimedia Commons), and Indian dishes By Deror avi (Own work) [Attribution], via Wikimedia Commons ]

Famous Temples of North India

2010-09-29T14:15:00.025+05:30

India is a country where all the religions of modern world have their good presence. This had made India a liberal land for erecting huge monuments by the people following all faiths on earth.

Har-ki-pairi Ghat at Evening, Haridwar

The Hindu religion and Hindu philology extend from approximately 100 BC to AD 1800. This marks beginning of the modern period. As religion cannot be meaningfully separated from the culture of people following it, the temples are representatives of different cultures prevailing in different periods. So the religious places, the temples and monasteries, tell the journey of Indian civilization. If we look at the list of the religious places in India, we can see how harmoniously the people of India live. Followings are some of the temples representing the colourful religious embroidery of India.

Golden Temple, Amritsar

If any person comes to visit India, and he or she miss seeing the golden Temple situated in Amritsar, he or she would miss a lot of things. This is temple of the highest order for the followers of Sikh religion. Golden Temple or Harmandir Sahib is the most sacred place for the followers of Sikh religion. Built in sixteenth century (from 1588 to 1604), this temple is one of the most visited religious places in India. Those who come to India for a pleasure tour or a pilgrimage would certainly desire to see this marvelous temple and pay regard to it.

Situated in Amritsar, one of the biggest cities in State of Punjab in India, this temple is on a lake. Main temple is surrounded by water, and other buildings of the temple are on the banks of lake. The beautiful water surrounding the temple makes it stunningly attractive at night. The temple walls are gold-plated, so it is known as golden temple.

How to reach Amritsar : With a population of about two million people, the city of Amritsar is easily approachable. The city has its own international airport. All the domestic airlines and many international airline companies have the city on their flight schedules. It would be easy to book a ticket to Amritsar.

The city is well connected with the rest of India by railways and motorways. From here you can board a direct train going to Delhi, Jammu (Kashmir), Mumbai, Nagpur, Calcutta, Bangalore and Chennai. Indian railways provide one of the best train services to the tourists and passengers. You can book a ticket online or by contacting a travel agent.

Badrinath Temple

Situated on one of the high hills of Himalayan range of mountains, it is a temple of Lord Vishnu. Now we can reach at the temple by motorway; but in past it was one of the toughest pilgrimages. It is one of the four most sacred temples of Hindu religion.

Badrinath Valley, along the Alaknanda River, Uttarakhand.

Temples of North India have the beauty of Himalayan mountains on which most of them are built. The Badrinath temple is near Indo-China border. The tourists visiting this temple would get two types of benefits. They would feel performing a pilgrimage to a sacred place. They would also enjoy the beauty of the unspoilt hills of mountain Himalaya, specially the Badrinath Valley and Alaknanda river.

Religious Importance of the Temple : Hinduism is the oldest religion in this part of the Earth. Hindus worship several Gods and Goddesses. Hindu temples are the places of worship where the idols of different Gods are placed and worshiped by offering regular prayers. Badrinath is the temple of Lord Vishnu. Temple is believed to be built by Adi Shankaracharya. Constructed in the ninth century, it is one of the oldest shrines in India. Situated within enclosure of the beautiful mountain peaks of Himalayan range, the temple complex owns its unmatched natural beauty.

How to reach at Badrinath : The tourists can reach at this place by road from Haridwar, which is 200 kilometers away from New Delhi. Considered to be one of the holiest shrines and being one of the four sacred pilgrimages in India, the temple of Badrinath attracts much traffic in summer. It is would be safe to put on warm clothes while visiting this area.

The temple is at the height of 3,415 metres (11,204 feet). During winter the temple remains closed for tourists. During this season entire area remains under heavy snowfalls. If a tourist is suffering from heart disease or similar difficulties, he or she should take care accordingly. It would be advisable to consult a physician before going to visit this temple.

The temple is located in a small valley situated on one of the high mountains. From Delhi we can go by train up to Dehradun that is capital city of the state of Uttarakhand. This city has also airport where domestic flights are available. Alternatively tourists can travel from Dehradun to Badrinath by motorway. The road to the temple is very safe, but the drivers should be very careful while driving. If any vehicle goes out of the road it can be fatal, as the valley is very steep.

Akshardham, New Delhi

In the matter of number of persons to visit, the Taj Mahal would claim first place. Every person, coming to India for the first time, wish to see this mughal monument situated in the city of Agra. If there is any place in India that can compete with Taj Mahal, in the matter of visitors coming to it, it is Akshardham temple of New Delhi. Almost seventy percent of total visitors coming to India do not miss visiting this sacred place.

Kedarnath Temple

Situated at the height of 3581 metres, this temple of Lord Shiva is one of the most visited sites in north India. It is 250 km from Haridwar and 450 km from New Delhi. One can go by motorway, up to the foot of the hill on which the temple of Kedarnath is situated. Thereafter we have to walk for 14 km.

Lotus Temple or Bahai Temple

Situated in south part of New Delhi, the Lotus Temple is the sacred place for the followers of Bahai faith in India. Like all the above temples, every person, irrespective of his or her faith, is allowed to visit this temple.

Kashi Viswanath Temple

This temple is one of the most ancient temples in India. It is believed that Lord Shiva had built this temple on the bank of sacred river Ganga. It is believed that this temple is built before 5000 years.

It is believed that the original temple of Lord Shiva was destroyed by Muslim Emperor Aurangzeb during his rule. He had also built a mosque on the very site of the temple. But we can see the relics of that temple behind the mosque. The present temple was built by Queen Ahilya Bai of the princely state of Indore, India. It was completed in the year 1776.

Banaras, the Varanasi: Standing on bank of river Ganga, Varanasi is one of the most sacred places of Hindu religion. It is also known as Benaras and Kashi, too. The religious culture that this city represents is also associated with holy river Ganga. This river is considered holy by the followers of Hindu, Jain, Buddhism and other religions, too. Varanasi is mentioned in Hindu scriptures like Ramayana and Mahabharata. In past this was centre for learning culture and literature. In recent time, too, the city has many centres providing training in yoga and meditation.

How to Reach Varanasi : The city of Varanasi is situated in north part of India. It is one of the major cities of the state of Uttar Pradesh. The tourists can easily reach here from all other major cities of India, as it is well connected with other centres. To Travel by railway would be a good idea. Indian railway is one of the biggest networks of passenger and good transport in the world. Being a pilgrimage centre for Hindus, Varanasi has number of religions places. These places are major attraction for the tourists.

Ghats on River Bank : Ghat is a place on bank of a river where pilgrims take sacred bath. Varanasi has longest chain of Ghats. A boatman would help us to see all such ghats. It would be a very pleasant journey to sail in river while seeing all the sacred places situated on the bank.

Images Courtesy: [ Golden Temple By Koshy Koshy from New Delhi, India (Obeisance Uploaded by Ekabhishek) [CC-BY-2.0], from Wikimedia Commons , Badrinath Valley By Subarno Banerjee from Farakka, India (The Valley) [CC-BY-2.0], from Wikimedia Commons , Mornig Bath at Ganghat Varanashi By Ilya Mauter [CC-BY-3.0], from Wikimedia Commons, Haridwar By Dirk Hartung from Bonn, Germany(Evening prayers at Har-Ki-Pairi Ghat in Haridwar)[CC-BY-SA-2.0], from Wikimedia Commons ]

Gomateswar (Bahubali) : Shravanabelagola, The Largest Statue in World

2010-09-29T13:57:00.013+05:30

Shravanabelagola is in Hassan District of the state of Karnatak in India. It is 157 km away from Bangalore, the city of Information and Technology. This statue and temple is an important place for Jainism or Jain Religion.

The Largest Statue in the World

The statue of Bahubali or Gomateswar is 438 feet high. It is the highest statue in the world in its kind of the statues. The city is a pilgrimage centre for Digambar sect of Jain religion. There are several other sculptures carved out of big stones. The followers of Jain religion believes in the teachings of the great saints whom they call as tirthankars. There were twenty four tirthankars. Saint Adinath is believed to be the first in that line.

The main statue is on a hill. Bahubali, whose statue is here, was younger son of Saint Adinath. If you visit the town below the hill there is a Jain monastery. The monastery is a place where the devotees reside. There temples also near the monastery. Here the tourists can see very old paintings done on the walls of the buildings of temple and the monastery. The floral designs on these buildings are very artistic. The temples on hill Chandragiri is built by Emperor Ashoka. He had built this temple in third century B. C. He had dedicated this temple to the Emperor Chandra Gupta Maurya. In his last years, Emperor Ashoka was living like a monk and he had renounced practicing violence.

HOW TO REACH AT SHRAVANBELAGOLA

In most part of the Southern India, the motorway and railway is available. Bangalore is an international airport. To visit the town where the statue of Shravanabelagola stands is very easy. Tourists can go there either from Bangalore or from Mysore city. It would be a good idea to go by road. If you hire a car on rent, you would enjoy the greenery of Indian land on the way.

Accommodation

The tourists visiting Shravanabelagola would find no difficulty in finding comfortable and cheap accommodation. One would find the rates of hotels and dining suitable to his or her pocket. You would find the restaurants serving all types of Indian dishes. Local transport is also cheap and easily accessible. You can hire vehicles like Car or auto on rent. Car rentals are decided by the government. The state transport buses also provide frequent services facilitating the pilgrims and tourists visiting sacred place. (Image courtesy By Amitjain80 [CC-BY-SA-3.0 or GFDL], from Wikimedia Commons)

Ayurvedic Spa and Massaging, Thai Massage

2010-09-29T13:15:00.014+05:30

India offers a range of choices for tourists. For those who come for availing the health tourism, there are ample opportunities. One of the best facilities offered is the combination of modern spa and traditional Ayurvedic health treatment packages.

The Massage

Ayurveda is one of the most ancient traditions of ailments. Massage done with Ayurvedic herbs is like a feast to our body and senses. All the medicines and materials used under this system of ailment have no or minimum side effects, as they all are made from the food stuffs or from the plants which are safe for the human consumption. Combining these facilities with spa treatments, the tourist centres in India offer visitors the opportunity to maintain their well-being and good health. It reduces fatigue and increases welness of our body.

What is Ayurvedic Spa

The concept of spa had originated in ancient time. Basically it refers to the use of water in increasing the wellness of human body. But under the Ayurvedic system of ailment, spa is not only the act of massaging with water and certain oils. It is very much beneficial in relaxing and increasing total well-being. Ayurveda system of ailments with spa helps the person taking it in energizing his or her body, stimulating the mind and calming the body related complexities. You should not be surprised when you visit such a spa centre in India and find different types of treatments done there. These centers offer facilities like de-stressing, detoxification and cleansing, deep relaxation, anti-aging, and weight loss therapies.

Spa Treatments in India

Ayurveda is an age-old treatment of ailments; it includes treatment for benefiting our body mind and soul. The inclusive therapy known as panchkarma (Five actions) is one of the most known ailments. Ayurvedic and spa treatments offered at many resorts and tourists centres in India have helped visitors in experiencing the benefits offered. Under these treatments they offer the tourist different facilities like massaging, oiling whole body and the body parts, water treatment, sauna bath, and natural medicines. The visitors would get idea about food therapy, nutrition and fitness, useful tips for reducing weight, and technique for delaying the aging process.

Due to modern lifestyle, we develop complications like insomnia, mental stress and tension, and muscular weakness. The Ayurvedic discipline of medicines strives for removal of body ailments by uprooting the causal factors embedded in our bodies. Due to this the demand for Ayurvedic ailments is increasing day by day. People prefer availing natural system of ailments. Looking to this trend, Ayurveda and Spa centres in India have come forward with such facilities. You would find such services at centres like Goa, Kerala and Rajasthan where the tourists come in flocks and revisit at regular intervals. (Image courtesy By Debat-Ponsan mort + de 70 ans (Musée des Augustins Toulouse) [public domain], from Wikimedia Commons)

What is Thai Massage

Thai massage is originated before 2500 years in Buddhist traditions of remedial treatments for ailment and keeping our body healthy. It is combination of Indian, Chinese and

Thailand

practices. Thai massaging is based on theory that the wind or air flows in our body in a definite rhythm and any disorder created in it would make us feeling uncomfortable.

Thai Massage

The massage keeps the flow regular or corrects its disorder. No oil is used in this massaging. Thai massage makes us feeling stress free. During massaging, the recipient can wear comfortable clothes as the practitioner would be touching softly and even applying rhythmic pressure on some parts of the body. The parts of body like, legs, thighs, buttocks, belly, neck and even the ears get softer massaging. Thai massaging is remedial on one hand and on another it is a pleasant experience. The tourists coming to Thailand and in India prefer to get Thai massage in the massage parlors. (Image courtesy By Marcin Bober (www,thaisun.pl) [public domain], from Wikimedia Commons)

SONIA GANDHI: Symbol of Honesty

2010-01-20T00:51:00.002+05:30

Sonia Gandhi, Indian politician, president of the Indian National Congress and the widow of former Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi. (Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons)

GENDER BIAS, Thy Name Is Indian Cinema

2009-12-31T11:52:00.001+05:30

Theme: Bollywood Actresses. Women in Indian Cinema.

Cinema is the most powerful medium. It can pack the worst things into the best packing and sell them to the eyes of viewers. The messages conveyed through the films remains live on viewers’ mental spaces for long. After seeing a film when a viewer goes home, he/she carries with him/her a message the filmmakers overtly or covertly had communicated through the visual effects.

Katrina Kaif, Indian Actress

A viewer returning from a theatre filters all the images seen and tries to sort out the elements of pleasure the crowd had adored. Coupled with the message of ‘be a conformist and remain happy forever’, they arrive on a premise that if they want to be happy, they need to be followers of the old traditions. Thus the cinema overtly or covertly professes for the orthodoxy.

The Traditional Films: The term ‘orthodoxy’ has several meanings. But in general it refers to the observance of the beliefs of older generations, without testifying them under the lenses of reason. These beliefs which are not rationally justified but are imposed by some overseeing body. Somemes this phenominon is known as dogma, too. The term dogam refer to the incidences of intellectual bancraptcy wherein we deny reason to be taken as primary basis of authority In this age of enlightenment everywhere, it is irony of our entertainment industry that the films having unconventional ideas go bankrupt. On ticket windows these films, made by keeping true modernity in focus, have measurably failed to get attention of the people.

The New Wave Cinema: However some innovative souls had stepped out of the main road and had produced films with a different perspective. The films like ‘Arth’, ‘Mirch Masala’, and ‘God Mother’ were among them. These films depicted, especially, the women’s unusual responses to the challenges they face in life. In ‘Arth’ the woman protagonist denies to remarry after an unhappy ending of her first marriage. In a novel production ‘Mirch Masala’, the collective strength of women fights with the dominant forces present in our society. In ‘God Mother’, the woman protagonist acts with an altered vision. She resorts to reciprocal violence after her husband is murdered.

These films have successfully indexed some of the challenges the present day women flock face in Indian society. They have also tried to show the genuine responses given by women to the various challenges they were subjected to face. But these films are too small in number to create any impact. Whereas to suppress any innovative ideas, there are crowd of ‘Hum Apke Hai Kaun’ and hundreds of other films like that. In this film a modern gilr is requred to sacrifice her love for keeping the old values alive. And the people adorn her while she agrees to marry a widower. Such concepts, when presented through cinema, throttles the voice of genuine responses. It silences the emerging voices. For that reason, perhaps, no one dares to be unconventional.

The Visionary Film Directors: In past the film directors having a transformed vision in their eyes, courage to deviate from the safe roads, and of course having rich pockets, have tried their hands on issues truely relevant to the society. They tried making society modern and thinking one. While becoming honest to the depicted themes of the social issues, they had shown new ideas like women's participation in major happenings on the screen. the depicted the importance of rural life, too.

The film like ‘Mother India’ can be named as representative of such a trend. Film actor and director Raj Kapoor tried to connect the films with people’s life and ideas. He took a trial walk on a social street, adjacent to a communist main road. Though some of his films had revolutionary looks, but he could not help much. In his films the protagonist always remained a male character, ultimately succumbing to the old and acceptable traditions. They may argue that the cinema is the mirror of a society. But this argument fails on a premise that the art is to enhance the thinking of people and not leading them to surrender to the age-old orthodoxy.

Were we to show the elements of emerging freedom, we should show the changes in social attitudes and the challenges the men and women encounter in everyday life. Reform is the mantra of the day. By reforming the traditions we can cultivate the power of adaptation among citizens. And once equipped with adaptability, the people of India can be led to new and refined political structure. And this new structure, the true democratic structure, would lead to economic prosperity, too. The makers of cinemas in India should take these factors in consideration while undertaking any new project. God Bless India. (Image courtesy By www.bollywoodhungama.com ([1]) [CC-BY-3.0], from Wikimedia Commons)

SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC ARTICLES: by NAVAL LANGA

2009-01-30T10:47:00.000+05:30

INDIA : PROGRESS AND THE POVERTY

With reform policies showing the signs of succeeding, the economic growth of more than 9%, and GDP crossing $1 trillion mark of the GDP, the Indians have reasons to rejoice. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is the total of market value of all the final goods and services produced in a year.

Roads in India

Increase in our GDP is due to the augment in production of manufactured goods (10.9%). That enabled us to bring in a record $17 billion of equities this year. The massive incoming flow of investments is the global vote of confidence in our economic health. These are green areas of Indian economy resulting in two simultaneous incidences: the sensex crosses 20K mark, and Mukesh Ambani becomes the richest man of the world. Let us examine how this, the cloudburst like happenings, affects the common man residing at the corner of the street. 

Naturally the increase in GDP would enhance per capita income of the Indians in general. But such a higher average of income has little value if it fails to positively affect the ‘income distribution pattern’ prevailing in society. Recent boom has helped India's industrialists and big service providers. These entrepreneurs owned under-utilized production capacities; their factories had spare capacity of labor; they enjoyed benefit of bulk purchases; and they used all these factors in furthering their managerial gains, the profit. The top brass of servicemen have got their share, too, in the form of higher pay and perquisites.

Ironically the major portion of population, laborers and villagers mainly, remained out of the purview of recent economic benefits. The present boom is a fairy tale for them. India’s farm sector lagged in growth (around 3% only); hence the rural flock comprising almost two third of the population now earns less than their urban counterparts living in the industrialized pockets. Eventually this has resulted in creating a new type of social divide. The poor turned poorer, because firstly they were unable to contribute in increasing the production; and secondly they were not net gainers of the real growth in the income, directly of indirectly.

However the growing inequality of income is witnessed worldwide, as the globalisation is practiced almost everywhere in the world. Global income inequality is probably greater than it has ever been in human history. The creation of income inequality has become the salient feature of recent trend of our economies.

For the industrialists, too, there are not roses everywhere. Globalisation favors those who own competitive means; it helps those who can attract huge capital with assurances of good return to the investors. The rest are driven out of the market, once they fail to compete. It is beyond doubt that present economic boom has created novel sets of opportunities. It has generated millions of new jobs, too. But while recruiting new staff, the employers favor educated and highly skilled persons. This trend has virtually penalized those having lesser skills. This process if continued for long would result in concentration of income and wealth in fewer hands. It could endanger the social cohesion and erode the level of tolerance among various classes of society.

Let us talk India specific: the picture is not as foggy as predicted by some pessimists. Only the Indians need making the fruits of development available to the masses. The fact is that the benefits of development have not percolated evenly; the flow of rising income has not gone down, lower than the upper middle class strata. At this point of time they need some structural changes to make India's economy more progressive, ensuring the stabilization of gains. The country needs macro economic remedies like providing roads, electricity, and telecommunication facilities to the remote areas. It would convert these areas into the acting limbs of the economy. On micro level, certain drastic changes needed: making basic education providing professional expertise, and rationalizing public expenditure on subsidies by making them available only to the needy sections.

The farm sector that employs 61% of our population is the most unattended sector. It needs to be rejuvenated as a viable economic activity. The induction of new technology of farming and providing improvised in-puts like seeds and fertilizer can play a revolutionary role to enliven our farm sector. Moreover to match the pace with the global changes, the farmers should be educated about the benefits of larger holdings of land. If properly convinced, they would be ready to accept the concept of corporate farming.

No one can put the clock back, nor the people of emerging economies can swim against the flow of the river. But by active participation of all the sections of people, country like India has the potential to become the factory of the world. Dr. Amritya Sen said once that: don’t say we have 1100 million belies to feed; say we have 2200 million hands to work. (Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons)

THE PARENTAL PAIN: INTERVIEW OF SMALL CHILDREN WHILE ADMITTING IN PRIMARY SCHOOL

The story of facing interview while admitting a child is the story of every home. The hope of admitting their child in a good primary school makes parents run on the roads before their child opens his or her innocent eyes in this world. The precarious condition of public schools forcefully drives the parents for searching a good private school. Moreover economically upward mobility of some sections in society has made the hunt for a quality school much competitive. Once we are at the gates of a good school, we, along with our child, have to remain prepared to face the shudders of preadmission interview.

The schools having a name and fame enjoy definite power of dictating the terms while parents approach them for admission. The children of tender age and their parents have to pass through the jungle of interview set up by school authorities. These interviews are hardly transparent. The concept of taking such interviews has created much uproar among the educationists, too.

Though a free observation of the child for mapping language skill or knowledge of natural call requirements may be helpful, but a stressful process of interviewing puts the tiny tots into tension and anxiety. Hence the growing demand in favour of elimination of such interviews is a step in right direction. Courts also have come to rescue the children and parents from this hostile process.

The parents might be inquired about their aspirations from the school, or how they can help in developing their children. But taking their mindless interview would hardly help the child’s growth. Alternatively the distance of home from the school, other siblings studying in the same school, or alumni points should be considered with weightage.

Besides mental harassment to the parents, the interview-process has been a secret device to demand donations. It’s nothing but the bribe for admitting a child. Otherwise no parents would line up before the gates of schools for donating their hard earned money for charity. Thus the interviews taken by the primary schools are not only inconvenience, they are also the cradles of other vices.

THE BOILING OIL PRICES

Imagine a commodity, a single thing, that can boast to change the face of entire world’s economy. Yes, it is unquestionably the crude oil and the prices of the oil. The days are not far when this crude oil could be traded at $200 plus per barrel. During last couple of years it has shot up by $25. It is also believed that the law of demand and supply does not drive the present price rise. The traders of oil have played their role, too.

In any case, when the graph of oil price has dashed so Northward in post-Iraq war, it has become fatal to the economies of many developing countries. Much debated sanctions by USA against Iran would add fuel to the fire. It would push the prices still onward, if no amicable solution of the Iranian issue is forthcoming.

Unequivocally the oil is backbone of every economy, especially the emerging economies. The spade-like prices of oil are quite efficient in breaking the backbone of any developing country. The fast running trains of the countries like India, China and Brazil could be derailed. It could slowdown the pace of global economy, too.

Here it would be necessary to know about the vagaries of crude oil. It is natural law that whenever any wealth is found below the earth, in the mines or from the wells of petrol, that country gets an absolute right to charge the other countries for using that wealth. In pure economic terms such a charge is cold ‘Rent’. This rent may be higher in certain commodities having more demand and less supply. Agreed. But in the case of the liquid gold, the oil it is not absolutely so. Though the demand for oil is increasing day by day, its supply can be arranged to match the demand just by increasing the extraction of the oil from the wells. But there are exporters and importers countries, as the oil deposits are concentrated in certain areas. In fact the cost of extracting the oil is too low in comparison to its sale prices that are quoted in market. And through the co-ordinated manipulation of the oil supply, too, the seller companies have virtually taken the importer countries in ban.

For the smaller nations, to oppose the oil exporter’s monopolistic behavior is just like to dig a well with a needle. If the major users of oil come together to fight the price-rise of oil, then there are chances of checking the prices. Even that might be dragged downward. Take the case of Asian buyers. There are four major buyers: China, Japan, India and South Korea. Today India imports two third of its total needs and China imports 40% that could be increased considerably in near future. If these Asian countries collaborate, they can influence the Arab nations on oil price matters. For countering the ill effects of the price rise, these countries can form a buyers’ cartel for purchasing oil from the exporter countries.

WHY THE OIL PRICES ARE RISING AT ALL

Do you know why the prices of oil are rising? There are factors; all the factors are man-made. The crisis or Iraq and now the probable crisis of Iran have played a pivotal role. But it is not the case that this inflammable commodity is a rare one. Its production can be increased to meet the demand for the same. It is the present unrest in Middle East that helps the price rise. And all the oil companies, mainly owned by USA and other western countries, have vested interest in oil prices. The Arab countries are more than happy to see their Dollar account balances inflating with unbelievable speed.

The Arab nations should understand that by charging abnormal prices for their natural wealth, the oil, they are behaving antagonistically towards the whole world. But today the importing countries have no alternative except to abide by the rules of the play the big oil companies and the oil exporting countries play. Under these circumstances the formation of buyers’ cartel can be an effective tool to fight this hostile situation.

WHAT IS THE BUYERS’ CARTEL?

Cartel is a formal agreement among the members of the group forming it. Under the arrangement of cartel, the members decide to act cooperatively in the matters of sale and purchase of a particular commodity. They agree on volume of its stock and level of production of a particular commodity. Formerly such cartels were formed by the producers who wanted to create ‘near the monopoly’ situation in respect of the goods they produced.

Now there has emerged the concept of the buyers’ cartels, too. This is an arrangement resembling the Group Purchasing Organizations functioning in USA and in some other countries. In today’s competitive world, each nation has to defend its own wicket. If the countries like China and India become friends and form a buyers’ cartel for crude oil, they would quote the prices to the exporters collectively. The exporters will have to accept or decline the prices referred by the cartel.

HOW TO END THE TERRORISM PERMANENTLY

In the countries that have got freedom during last five decades, the poverty has become the root cause for discontent against the state machineries. The same discontent gives birth to the terror groups. The hungry and uneducated youths are desperate to have a shelter under any umbrella; may it be functioning under any name, religion or sectarian. Eventually the terror groups, assisted by internal or external elements, trap them and use them for their horrible purposes. Asia and Africa are full of such terror groups.

If the disease of the terrorism goes on unchecked at this moment, it would shoot up in future. And it is beyond doubt that “…our children will face a region dominated by terrorist states and radical dictators armed with nuclear weapons”. Yes, there is such a possibility, as more and more terror groups, equipped with arms and ignorance, are waiting to capture power in some countries. They will use or misuse the democratic apparatuses, too, to come in power.

In order to save mankind from such a wholesale destruction of democracy, US and its allies, though not being in good economic condition, must find out an effective and a non-aggressive role. They should come forward to help poor countries for eradication the poverty and imparting education up to the last district. Instead of sending the men with boots and bayonets, and the deadly machines made for human destruction, they should send the small factories and modern seeds and apparatuses for agriculture to these countries. When the war on poverty and illiteracy is won, even partially, the war on terror would be an easier task.

DEMOCRACY Vs INDIA FEDERALISM

Democracy means government by discussion, but it is only effective if you can stop people talking. -- Clement Attlee

The concept of federalism is described in several ways. It can be best defined as a system of governing the nation whose sovereignty is constitutionally distributed between a central governing authority and constituent political units.

These political units may be like states or provinces in India. One of the good examples of federalism is USA. In USA there is a system of government in which power is divided between the central government and the governments of each state.

In spite of being the largest democracy of the world, the federalism is somewhat in a loose form in India. The main problem here is that most of the states behave like nations in important matters like distribution of river water and other natural resources. These incidences of river-water disputes and share of electricity among the states had played havoc in our country.

In federal system the states form a central political unity but remain independent in internal affairs. They are free to manage their own affairs. Here the problem starts. The short-sighted politicians have found out means to befool the people. They have made people to think that they are not a part of the nation. Many a regional leaders have added fuel to this fire and tried inject thoughts in people's minds making them to think in terms of the state first and then about the nation. This process gets more pace when government of a particular state and the central government are formed by different political parties.

The absence of leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru is paramount today.

A Wrtiter and The Nation

Does a writer belong to a nation?

If the question is asked keeping in mind the writers like Rabindranath Tagoreor J. M. Coetzee, the answer is simply a big 'NO'.

It is just like a happy accident that a writer is borne in a particular piece of land called 'nation'.

The writer’s output holds his or her subconscious, mental disturbance of the displaced included, and not more of a land. Though he or she takes clues out of the realities of his or her surrounding. However careful the pen may be, the inner sores creeps out with its ink.

But it would be unfair to attribute such honour to all the writers, as writing is becoming a technique than an art. The final work is redrafted for ‘n’ number of times, and by this process the first shade of the soul is almost eroded.

And after the writing exercises, there comes the marketing mess. It squeezes out writer’s personal qualities and drawbacks to the extent that the writer himself would not dream to possess the same.

So from the mirror of the final draft, the book, it is hard to assess a writer’s strength and weakness completely.

MUGHAL FORTS IN INDIA

2009-01-01T19:19:00.004+05:30

Mughal forts are built by the Mughal emperors of India. They ruled India in sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

Agra Fort READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

By michael clarke stuff (Agra Fort 15 HDR Uploaded by Ekabhishek) [CC-BY-SA-2.0], from Wikimedia Commons

Diwan -E- Aam , Red Fort Agra. READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

(Image courtesy By Hans A. Rosbach [null], from Wikimedia Commons)

Diwan -E- Aam , View from inside, Red Fort Agra. READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

(Image courtesy By Hans A. Rosbach [CC-BY-SA-3.0], from Wikimedia Commons )