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The different colors, peerless culture and tradition of the people, music of age old instruments, are the traits which defines the beauty of entire region. When I was on my tour to Kanyakumari , during the month of March, 2009, I discovered the unmatched simplicity of this destination. The piece of land, enamored by sparkling blend of three oceans, most commonly known as Vivekananda rock, is nestled on the land of Kanyakumari only. Vivekananda meditated on this foot shaped rock for several months and finally, achieved salvation. When I touched that rock, I felt that some strange wave of music, flowed into my body. My soul suddenly yelled, to leave all the bad deeds and follow the pristine path, of truth and spirituality. But frankly speaking, I didn't felt like leaving that place, as I was bound because of shortage of time, I have to leave that place.
But in the evening, during some free time, I went to Vivekanandapuram, Thiruvalluvar Statue, Our Lady of Ransom Church and so on. I believe that if you are, staying any where in the world and haven't planned tour to India, yet, then you must pack your bags now and visit this region as soon as possible. You would fall in love, with India. India tour, is full of diversities and travelers could exclusively, explore the picturesque landscapes of South India. Padmanabhapuram Palace, Kamarajar Mani Mantapa Monument, Baywatch, Tsunami Monument are some of the destinations which could be visited by aspiring travelers, during their Kanyakumari tour. While on the India tour, visitors must taste the tongue tickling cuisines of this destination. Iddlis, sambar, dosai, are some of the aromatic cuisines, served at various hotels in Kanyakumari.
Today, while sitting back and checking my 'Tour India' folder, I thought of reading all that I have written till date. Beautiful pictures, came flashing back to my mind of all the places that I have stepped on. What I'm thinking now is of what makes me pen down about all the places that I have traveled during India Tour and publish the blog or an article. Surprisingly, I know the answer myself. India a country so vast, diverse and beautiful cannot be just stored in the mind, heart or even the photographs. The journey of the beautiful places that I have traveled remain fresh and alive even after so many years that it becomes necessary for me to share the information with everyone. Be it the pushes in the local buses and the jumpy-bumpy road drive or motion sickness while climbing up the mountains and the suntan on the beaches. On the other hand, the beautiful roads leading to some unexplored destinations, spectacular mountains, exotic locations, scenic drive and quiet and serene valleys, India is blessed by natural beauty in every sense. Every destination holds a special meaning, like a discovery of another heaven on earth. So, why blog? Primarily because it is small in content and gets over in fewer lines and then you actually do not have to be politically correct while writing it. It is one's own views, in fact in other words it is freedom of expression that lets your creativity flow. All my blogs describe straight from my eyes all the beautiful places in India that I have toured. But then on the second thought, if we sum up the general opinion about India and its most popular tourists destinations, then it would prove that such is the charisma of this country that overwhelms every heart and mind. I don't know whether you'll agree with me on this or not and that is exactly what I want to know from you. What you feel about the blogs on India Tour that I have written so far. Or even if you want to share your own experiences I would welcome hearing from you. Log on guys and blog on to let the world know , what India holds for them.
First there were floods and then the bomb blasts - so the question on lots of people minds (who were thinking of traveling to India) is whether it is safe to travel to India. Clearly the questions are very valid and the fear tangible. However India continues to be a very safe destination for tourists and we aim to answer such questions through this article. India is a large country and incidents happening in one part of the country do not impact another. Lets start with the flood situation. The floods are localised in parts of Bihar, which is a state in north India. Bihar is not significant from tourism perspective other than places like Gaya, known for their rich Buddhist history. So far floods in Bihar have impacted the districts of Ararea, Purnea, Madhepura, Saharsha and Kursaila. Also in late September there has been heavy rainfall in Himachal which has had some effect on normal life in Shimla and adjoining hills, but again these incidents are far and remote inbetween and effect travel during a certain timeperiod only. The September bomb blasts in Delhi and those earlier in Gujarat have been a cause of concern for general population and the tourists alike. So far though, the impact on everyday life & business has been low. Also the investigative agencies have made progress and nabbed those behind the blasts, which surely should act as some deterrent. Till the situation improves, it is advisable to follow safety precautions such as avoiding crowded places and bazaars, being vigilant while using busy public transport such as trains & buses, not making friends with complete strangers etc, taking good care of your personal and precious belongings etc. Overall the situation all over India remains peacefull and conducive to travel and tourism. One way of judging the overall mood is by looking at the domestic (Indian) tourism sector -where there has been good growth & the travel traffic looks all set to increase again in the coming fall and winter travel season.
The last four days of Sharad Navratri are celebrated as Durga Puja in West Bengal (in East India). This is the biggest festival of the year in this state. Exquisitely crafted and decorated life-size clay idols of the Goddess Durga depicting her slaying the demon Mahisasura are set up in temples and other places. These idols are then worshipped for five days and immersed in the river on the fifth day.
In the South Indian states of Tamil Nadu & Karnataka, Sharad Navratri is celebrated by setting up of Golu or Bombegalu. It is believed that this was a means to invite people home to celebrate the festivities with them. In Karanataka, particularly Mysore on the 10th day the enacting of destruction of evil (Ravana destroyed by Rama) is displayed with the lighting of dolls representing Ravana and forces of evil.
In West India, Sharad Navratri is celebrated with the famous Garba dance. Garba is a circular dance performed by women around an earthenware pot called a garbo. As the dancers whirl around the pot clapping in a steady rhythm with a singer and a drummer provide the musical accompaniment. Another popular form of dance is Dandia-ras or 'stick' dance, in which men and women join the dance circle, holding small polished sticks or dandias. As they whirl to the rhythm of the dance, men and women strike the dandias together.
Another popular celebration of the festival happens in Kullu also known as the valley of Living Gods. A festival procession carrying the idol of Lord Ragunath is led by the Kullu Raja and village deities. The procession starts a week of religious ceremonies, cultural activities, socializing and shopping at the huge bazaar.
With a vast multitude of religions, geographies and climates - there is no shortage of reasons to keep celebrating in India.In the very first post I will tell you about very important celebrations coming up in October .The first festival which is coming is "Navratri Festival".Sharad Navratri FestivalCelebrations: Throughout IndiaDate: Beginning Of OctoberSharad Navratri or Maha Navratri is a Hindu festival of worship and dance. Sharad means "winter" & Navaratri means "nine nights" in Sanskrit. During these nine nights and ten days at the onset of winters, nine forms of female divinity are worshipped. The festival is celebrated during the beginning of October the exact dates determined by the lunar calendar. Sharad Navratris are celebrated in different ways throughout India. In North India, Sharad Navratris are celebrated with much fervor by fasting on all nine days and worshipping the Goddess Parvati in her different forms. The festival culminates in Durga Puja and Dussehra (means "ten days"). The foreign travellers show a great interest in the cultural and heritage tour of India.India is known for its diverse culture and tradition.The rest of the festival will be discussed in next post.
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