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FOOT OF INDIA - BEAUTIFULL KANYAKUMARI

by mr . muralidharan
The coast town of Kanyakumari or Cape Comorin lies at the southernmost tip of India where the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean meet. It has been an important centre for art, religion and trade for centuries. Flanked by hills and paddy fields on one side and the ocean on the other, Kanyakumari is the 'Land's End' of India. Beautiful beaches with multi-coloured sands, spectacular sunrises and sunsets, and ancient temples with a rich architectural heritage make this coastal town a popular tourism destination. Kanyakumari literally means a virgin and gets its name from the Kumari Amman Temple. Legend has it that the princess Kanya Devi, one of the many forms of Goddess Parvati was supposed to marry Lord Shiva. But due to his inability to turn up on the auspicious time, the wedding never took place and hence the name, Kanyakumari.


The distinction of being the southern-most tip of India draws thousands of tourists to this town. Although Kanyakumari Beach isn't safe for swimming, the spectacular stretches of sands and the amazing sunrise and sunset views are the reasons enough to draw tourists. The famous Vivekananda Rock Memorial, which protrudes into the ocean is one of the most visited attractions. Regular ferry services to the famous rocks where Swami Vivekananda meditated, are available.


Another famous monument is the Gandhi Memorial, built over the spot where the urn containing the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi was kept for public viewing before immersing them in the waters. The architecture of the memorial resembles an Orissa temple.

The Kumari Amman or the Kanyakumari Temple, located on the shore is dedicated to Goddess Parvati. Other famous temples in and around the town are Alvar Tirunagari Temple dedicated to Lord Adinatha, where saint Namalvar attained enlightenment under a tree; Temple of Goddess Bhagavati and the Temple at Suchindram.


Padamanabhapuram is 45 Km from the town and is known for its fort which encloses a beautiful palace and a temple. The Government Museum has a good collection of old coins, tribal artefacts, bronze sculptures and wooden carvings. Olakkay Aruvi and Thirparappu Water Falls are a few outdoors attractions near Kanyakumari.

article from www.kanyakumaritourism.com

HEAVEN AT SHOULDERS OF INDIA- KULLU MANALI

By karan singh
Kullu Manali is located in the northern India, a hill station in the Himalayas Mountains of Himachal Pradesh.

Manali is the most popular Himalayan Tourist Destination. Manali's cool atmosphere provides a perfect haven. It is famous for adventure sports like skiing, snow boarding, river rafting, paragliding, rock climbing, ice climbing, angling, trekking and mountain biking. It also offers hot springs, spectacular religious shrines and temples, Tibetan Buddhist temples, and trekking in the surrounding mountains.


Naggar Fort south of Manali is a reminder of the 1500 year old Pal Dynasty. Made from rocks, stones, and elaborate wood carvings, it is an ensemble of the rich and elegant artworks of Himachal Pradesh. Tourists often stop at the castle to see the small shrine located in the building's courtyard, a fine example of architecture and design from the Pal Dynasty.

The often visited site in Manali is the Dhungri or Hadimba Temple. Erected in 1533, this temple is dedicated to the local deity Hadimba, wife of the Pandava prince, Bhim. A major festival is held here in the month of May.


The captivating landscapes and cultures of Himachal Pradesh and its neighboring hills regions of Kumaon & Garhwal and the high-altitude cold deserts of Zanskar and Ladakh all offer excellent opportunities for adventure activities, cultural and special interest journeys and enjoyable leisure holidays

Manali has an excellent choice of hotel and guest house accommodation in all price ranges. You can opt for Luxury, Deluxe and Standard according to your liking.

Article from -- www. Ezine article.biz

LAND FOR BUNCH OF BEACHES - GOA(INDIA)

by mr.Thomas

Goa, India's second smallest state in terms of area is located on the west coast of India, in the region known as the Konkan, and is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and Karnataka to the east and south. The Arabian Sea bounds it to the west. Panaji is the state's capital, and Vasco-da-Gama (Vasco) its largest town. Internationally renowned for its beaches, Goa is visited by hundreds of thousands of foreign and domestic tourists each year, and has become one of the most popular holiday destinations for European travelers.



Besides beaches, Goa is also known for its world heritage architecture including the Bom Jesus Basilica. Goa also has rich flora and fauna, owing to its location on the Western Ghats range, which are classified as a biodiversity hotspot.Goa is India's richest state with a GDP per capita two and a half times that of the country as a whole, and one of its fastest growth rates.


Tourism is Goa's primary industry: it handles 14% of all foreign tourist arrivals in India. Goa has two main tourist seasons: winter and summer. In the winter time, tourists from abroad (mainly Europe) come to Goa to enjoy the splendid climate. In the summertime (which, in Goa, is the rainy season), tourists come from across India come to spend the holidays. Tourism is generally focused on the coastal areas of Goa, with decreased tourist activity inland. In 2004 there were more than 2 million tourists reported to have visited Goa, 400,000 of which were from abroad. There are several reasons why tourists are visiting Goa in increasing numbers. First, because of the historical development of the area, the inhabitants of Goa are increasingly used to contact with foreigners. Additionally, a large portion of the Goanese people are Christians. This cultural heritage from the time of the Portuguese colonization makes the country somewhat more intimate to European or American people than the rest of the Indian subcontinent. Goan culture incorporates a very nonproblematic mix of Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam.

The food of Goa is very famous; it is an interesting mixture of foods from Portugal, south India and Arabia (and, in the tourist season, from Kashmir as well). Goa is one of the few places in India that you can go to a restaurant and order (beside fish and chicken) both beef and pork, which are usually served very lightly spiced; beer, wine and other alcoholic drinks are sold freely. These attributes, together with the fact that Goa’s economy is among the most prosperous in India, have won Goa the nickname "India for the beginners" – the great differences between Europe and India, very apparent in other parts of India due to large slums and other problems, are much less pronounced.

Article from www.123indiaonline.com

Rajasthan – The Land of Chivalry and Romance(INDIA)

By: Neel Anderson

Once renowned as the Land of Kings – Rajasthan is a place of glory and splendor welcomes its visitors to unfurl its awe-inspiring monuments, vibrant traditions and vigorous customs. The state has gained its identity in 1949 with Jaipur as its capital. The state was known as the place of Rajputana, very much popular among the global tourist as a place of valor, courage and heroism. Jaipur, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Ajmer and several other historically loaded cities of Rajasthan are majestically contributing in making the place a major travel destination in the world.
To talk about the treasures of Rajastan is to elaborate its royal palaces, rocky forts, dazzling deserts, woody hills, relaxing lakes, busy towns, silent villages, amazing forests and its vibrant inhabitants. In your travel across the popular tourist destinations, don’t forget to make a visit to its local fair or the bustling bazaar and the awesome architectural wonders. As far as the handicrafts are concerned, Rajasthan is the richest state in India. Here the mood and rhythm of the countryside alters from one region to another. An exotic land, Rajasthan, the home of Rajputs, is characterized among the worldwide travelers as a land of art, architecture, bravery and chivalry.

Tourism opportunities of Rajasthan are tremendous. Jaipur- the pick city is an extremely liked place for its marvelous architectural buildings as Hawa Mahal. The city presents a unique synthesis of culture and tradition and thus a major magnetism of Rajasthan. Udaipur, the lake city was once the capital of Ranas of Mewar, celebrated for its fairytale palaces. Ajmer is a highly venerated spot for both Hindu and Muslim pilgrims, as the place hosts mausoleum of the Sufi saint, Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti. Bikaner, Jodhpur and a part of the Jhunjhunu are also successfully making travelers way into Rajasthan.
The moment you start visiting Rajasthan you will discover a lot of new facets of the place. Marked with the largest participation, Pushkar fair is the prime allurement of Rajasthan Tourism. Thus, the region is a true tourist paradise which hosts most of the fascinating wildlife sanctuaries, shrines for some ardent and pious natives. If you want to make your Rajasthan travel more comfortable and hustle free Palace on Wheels is the best means of transport. Adventure activities and imperial tours on Palace on wheels will make your vacation to the princely land more comfortable and relaxing that you ever think of. The delicious cuisine, the camel rides, the forts, castles add golden magnetism to Rajasthan.

So, just jump for a trip to the land of the exotic ethnicity and spend your vacation in the soil of the maharajas and the valiant Rajputs and change your life forever. Staying in Rajasthan is not at all a problem as there lays numerous facilities of lavish accommodation. Rajasthan heritage hotels , five star hotels and even the budget hotels are ready to welcome its guest with traditional amenities and services. From sand dunes to the massive forts, Rajasthan is a land of magical fantasies that remain a lifetime memory within the heart of global tourist.


About the Author
rajastanholiday.com – a famous travel portal provides you all the details of Rajasthan tour as Rajasthan hotels, Pushkar fair and tourist attractive places of Rajasthan and the best cuisines of Rajasthan. In just a single click of your mouse you will get all the avails of affordable packages of Rajasthan Hotels and best time to explore the place

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FEW HISTORIC MONUMENTS (INDIA)

by mr. surendra ahuja

The Taj Mahal is one of India's best-known sites and one of the best architectural achievements in India. Located in Agra, it was built between 1631 and 1653 by Emperor Shah Jahan in honor of his wife, Arjumand Banu, more popularly known as Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj Mahal serves as her tomb.
The Taj Mahal (also "the Taj") is considered the finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements from Persian, Turkish, Indian, and Islamic architectural styles. In 1983, the Taj Mahal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was cited as "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage."
While the white domed marble and tile mausoleum is most familiar, Taj Mahal is an integrated symmetric complex of structures that was completed around 1648. Ustad Ahmad Lahauri is generally considered to be the principal designer of the Taj Mahal



The Golden Temple is one of the most respected temples in India and the most sacred place for Sikhs. The Golden Temple is located in Amritsar, Punjab, India.

The Harmandir Sahib or Darbar Sahib, informally referred to as The Golden Temple or Temple of God,is culturally the most significant shrine of the Sikhs and one of the oldest Sikh gurudwara. It is located in the city of Amritsar, which was established by Guru Ram Das, the fourth guru of the Sikhs and the city that it was built in, is also due to the shrine, known as "Guru Di Nagri" meaning city of the Sikh Guru.



The Bahá'í temple in Delhi, India was completed in 1986 and serves as the Mother Temple of the Indian subcontinent. It has won numerous architectural awards and been featured in hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles. The architect was an Iranian, who now lives in Canada, named Fariborz Sahba.
Inspired by the lotus flower, its design is composed of 27 free-standing marble clad "petals" arranged in clusters of three to form nine sides.

Nine doors open onto a central hall, capable of holding up to 2,500 people. Slightly more than 40 meters tall, its surface shining white marble, the temple at times seems to float above its 26 acre (105,000 m²; 10.5 ha) nine surrounding ponds. The site is in the village of Bahapur, in the National Capital Territory of Delhi. The major part of the funds needed to buy this land was donated by Ardishír Rustampúr from Hyderabad, who gave his entire life savings for this purpose in 1953.
Since its inauguration to public worship in December 1986, the Bahá'í House of Worship in New Delhi has, as of late 2002, attracted more than 50 million visitors, making it one of the most visited buildings in the world. Its numbers of visitors during those years surpassed those of the Eiffel Tower and the Taj Mahal. On Hindu holy days, it has drawn as many as 150,000 people; it welcomes four million visitors each year (about 13,000 every day or 9 every minute).
This House of Worship is generally referred to as the "Lotus Temple" by Bahá'ís and non-Bahá'ís alike. In India, during the Hindu festival Durga Puja, several times a replica of the Lotus Temple has been made as a pandal, a temporary structure set up to venerate the goddess Durga In Sikkim a permanent replica is of the Hindu Legship Mandir, dedicated to Shiva.

article from www.indiatourism.com

HEAVEN ON THE EARTH - PORT BLAIR(INDIA)

by APPIKATLA NAGULA MEERA ( MYSELF- THIS BLOG MAKER )
Hmm, where do I begin? I had served in port blair for 03 years. The entire tenure was full of pleasant and a few not-so-pleasant experiences (which I shall not mention here). It began with a sojourn to Chennai which was going to be our hub for Port Blair. A couple of days there and we would be off to the Andamans. Well, Chennai proved to be HOT!!! A sizzling 43 degrees and there would be an uncomfortably warm breeze coming in through the windows of the old crock Amby taxis. But, it was something different as compared to other places in india.


The flight to Port Blair certainly cannot be called uneventful. I don't mean that there were any close calls or any other such thing inflight. I mean that the first view of the Andamans was such that it shall forever remain etched in my memory. No amount of description from me is going to do justice to that sight. It would be better if you saw the pics for yourself. Link to these pics will be at the end of this post.

Port Blair is like any other British town. Small, quaint houses dotting the well maintained roads which curve steeply around the stunted hills, glimpses of the brilliantly blue sea, small and crowded marketplaces which sell all sorts of knick-knacks, half-naked foreigners moving about on rented two-wheelers. The weather was totally different from other areas in india. The only thing that struck me was that the air was extremely clean, people followed traffic rules religiously and the service industry there was interested in just that - service. No expectations of favours or tips. You pay me the fixed rate, I will do what I promised. As simple as that.



The main tourist attraction of Port Blair was the Cellular Jail, notorious as "Kaala Paani". The walls of this infamous jail, which incarcerated many of the freedom fighters, still look pretty imposing. Originally, there were seven arms radiating out of a central watch tower. Now, only 3 of these arms still exist. One look at the cells and you realise from the outset that all the gruesome incidents that we have read about in the history books must have been true. A peek at the oil extraction machine and the gallows only serve to strengthen this conviction. A recently built museum serves to dispel all remaining doubts one may have about the brutality and hard-heartedness the British displayed while dealing with the prisoners. Quite a bit of information is also available there about Veer Savarkar, the jail's most famous prisoner.


The other sites around Port Blair are pretty much like the ones you will find near any coastal tourist spot, only much cleaner and greener. However, what one could call a paradise on earth...well, at least in India, is Havelock Island. This place is home to Radhanagar beach, Asia's best beach according to Time magazine. Turquoise blue and emerald green waters, pristine white sand and rides on tusker elephants are the highlights of this place. There are so few people on this beach that you almost get the feeling that you own it!!! The only things strewn on the beach are dead branches, fallen coconuts and sleeping foreigners!!! Anyone with marriage on their minds may note that this is just about the perfect place for a honeymoon!!! Also worth a mention are the coconuts sold here. Enormous green fellows with sweeeeet water which never seems to get over. All this for only 10 bucks, and that too at a tourist spot. Compare that with other places in india, where I get sickly looking brown coconuts for 14 bucks each. Havelock Island also has other beaches like Elephanta beach where one can do snorkeling for viewing coral. The water here shows shades of brown, green and deep blue, all at the same time, depending upon the depth of the water.
The service in the Andamans certainly convinced me that this is truly the last place on earth that is yet to come into its own as a tourist destination. And for it's sake, I hope it stays that way.