Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Travel to Manali, Himahcal Pradesh

Manali is one of the most beautiful hill stations of India. It is situated in Indian state of Himachal Pradesh - one of the most beautiful states of the country. Nestling like a rose bowl in the lap of majestic Himalayas, it is globally famous for its exceptional nature beauty that makes it a perfect honeymoon destination and deserves the attention of couples for all over the world. It is among topmost Indian honeymoon destinations.


Besides ultimate scenic beauty the city is also famous for its unique colonial style buildings and cottages. There are lots of places of tourists interests like the Mall, the Ridge, Christ Church, Shimla State Museum, Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Viceroy Lodge, Summer Hill, Prospect Hill, Tara Devi Temple, etc. Tourists do not miss to explore these attractions of the city during their Shimla tours in Himachal Pradesh, India.

Manali city is destination of all seasons. In each season couples as well as other tourists can be seen here. In spring, one can see lively valley and green carpeted meadows blooming with both types of flowers - wild as well as cultivated. Exploring these provides a delightful treat to your eyes. In monsoon, you can see with your beloved some of the best sunset views. And of course your beloved never will praise you and your choice of Manali tours for your honeymoon holidays.

Manali is also famous as an adventure & sport destination of India. There are lots of options for adventure and sport activities in the town. Trekking, mountaineering, rock-climbing, exploring lush green valleys, skiing, bathing at Vashist hot water sulphur spring, paragliding, tout fishing in Beas River, water rafting, camping, hiking, jeep safaris, mountain biking, etc are some adventure & sport activities which you will surly to love to indulge in on your tour of Manali, Himachal Pradesh. If fact, this small but beautiful town of Manali is a perfect destination for fun, adventure, and comfort.

How to reach or how to get in Manali:

By Bus: Manali is about 550 km from Delhi, the capital of India, and there are buses connecting the town with Delhi, Shimla, Dharamsala and Leh.The approximate travel time from Delhi to Manali is 18 hours; from Ambala to Manali is 10 hours; and from Kulu to Manali is 1.5 to 3 hours. Volvo buses are available from Delhi but you need to book these two to five days in advance.

By private taxi: If hiring a private taxi, ensure that the driver has experience driving in hilly regions and doesn't have the habit of drinking alcohol.

By train: The nearest Broad Gauge Rail Head is Ambala Cantt(200 km) or Chandigarh (250 km)from Indian Capital New Delhi. Ambala Cantt is on the Delhi - Amritsar and Delhi - Jammu main lines and is well served by rail, but you will need to travel to Ambala to get a bus for the 10 hour ride to Manali. Jogindernagar and Kalka are other, less preferable, rail heads for Manali.

By air: The nearest airport is Bhuntar Airport ( Tel: 01902-65037, 65603) , 50 km from Manali, 10 km from Kullu, about two hours away. Indian Airlines, Air Deccan and Jagson Airlines operate flights to Kullu from Delhi and Chandigarh.

Some of the best Manali Resorts are :

Solang Valley Resort: is provides world class services and is rated as best mountains accommodations in Manali having about 50+ Solang Valley Resort, Manali Resortsluxurious rooms, with all modern facilities and decorated with local touch.

Ambassador Resorts: The Resort-Spa in the divine land of Manali, rests high on the Himalayas, over 13,050 feet. Ambassador Resorts, Manali ResortsAmidst Tranquility, Peace and Beauty.

Royal Park Resort: situated in the lap of natural mountains where nature is at it's best amongst the lush green forests and snow lapped peaks of Himalayas.

Quality Inn Resort: in Manali is the newest luxury mountain resorts of Manali. Located off the main crowded Mall Road overlooking the River Beas and the Quality Inn River Resort,Manali Resortshills beyond, this is an exclusive hotel.

Monday, December 29, 2008

Khajuraho : the largest group of medieval Hindu and Jain temples

Khajuraho is the village in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, located in Madhya Pradesh, chattarpur district, about 385 miles southeast of Delhi, the capital of India.

The khajuraho list of monuments has been listed as the UNESCO world heritage site. Khajuraho consists of the largest group of medieval Hindu and Jain temples, famous for their erotic sculptures.

HISTORY

The temples of khajuraho are the perfect examples of architectural geniuses, during the times of chandela dynasty, a hindu dynasty that ruled this part of the country from the 10th to 12th centuries. The khajuraho temples were built over a span of 200 years. There were originally 80 temples, of which only 25 survived the rough weather conditions over long years of time.

ARCHITECTURE

The khajuraho temples, constructed with spiral superstructures, adhere to northern Indian shikhara temple style, and often to panchayatana plan or layout. A few of the temples are dedicated to jain pantheons, rest to hindu deities - the god trio brahma, Vishnu and shiva and to various devi forms such as devi jagdambi

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS

Travelers come from far and wide to see the world famous temples of khajuraho. The temples are all there to see, but you don't need much more than these magnificient monuments to god, as you try and absorb man's artistic ability and artistic sense. They breathe life into mere slabs of stones.

The carvings depicts a variety of moods of every aspect of the human life-from mundane to sublime, and has carved images of god and goddess, 'apsaras', aimals, frozen in stone due to its artistic brilliance.

KHAJURAHO TEMPLES

The temples at khajuraho are divided into three main categories- the western group, the eastern group and the southern group. The western group- this is the largest and paramount group with most of its constituent temples laid our roughly in two rows. the lakshmana temple, the vivanatha and the nandi temples are not far from this complex.

The eastern group consists of brahmanical temples known as vamana and javari, whereas the southern group consists of duladeo and chaturbhuja temples. Read more Khajuraho Travelogue

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Top Cities of India


New Delhi New Delhi, or only Delhi, India's second largest metropolis, its national capital. On the banks of the Yamuna river, this one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world, is one of the is located. The archaeological evidence in Delhi stood for ancientness of the town remains. The medieval empire, a period of several Indian capital of a rich history. Delhi's proud of the house several important government offices, the most important thing is, the Parliament of India. In recent years, Delhi, thus emerging as a cosmopolitan city, has attracted many immigrants. Today, the India of a major political and commercial center. Get New Delhi Travel Guide

Agra: is a major tourist attraction, the beautiful city of Uttar Prades to meet. The world famous Taj Mahal and Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikri and Sikandara like many other great historical monuments are located in Agra. In this epic, the Mahabharata, as heaven was mentioned. Get more Agra Travel Guide

Mumbai Maharashtra's state capital city, Mumbai, India's financial capital. Thirteen million people around the housing, it is the world's second most populous city. Mumbai's world famous Hindi film and television industry, Bollywood houses. Reserve Bank of India and National Stock Exchange of India such as Mumbai, are located in major financial institutions. This and the headquarters of many multinational companies, this is an important commercial and entertainment center of India's become. Get more Mumbai Travel Guide

Pune: Pune, Maharashtra's second largest city, a relatively small distance away from Mumbai, India also is one of the major cities. The houses of India's famous historical landmarks. Pune their facilities and educational opportunities for a career in information technology industry is famous for. Proud of a rich past and a bright future with the ability to shape, the major cities of Pune, India finds a place in the list. Get more Pune Travel Guide

Chennai: Tamil Nadu's capital city of 7 million people around the house. The 17th century in Britain and was founded by former known as Madras. Our economy automobiles, hardware manufacturing, health care and IT industry is based on. Chennai, the two major ports and five national highways spread to other parts of India has hosted an international airport. India's exports of automotive products in its contribution have been honored at Chennai, title, 'Detroit of India'. Get more Chennai Travel Guide

: Calcutta, West Bengal and one in India's capital, is very important cities. It has been a center of education, industry and culture. However, recent days that continued economic stagnation has come. It is that after 2000 the city's economic development was seen. It is that the Salt Lake Stadium in Asia and the second largest in the world's largest houses. Indian Institute of Management, one of India's most prestigious schools of management in Calcutta is located. Victoria Memorial, located in Kolkata, now a museum and a popular tourist attraction is built. Get more Kolkata Travel Guide

Bangalore: official known as Bengaluru, the capital city of Karnataka state and India's third most populous city. Bangalore houses some of the most recognized educational and research institutions in India. Many public sector industries, software, telecommunications and aerospace industries are located in Bangalore. Indian IT sector has contributed significantly to this, India's Silicon Valley. Get more Bangalore Travel Guide

India is a land of Heritage Tourist Places

India is a land where many cultures and people interact. We have inherited a heritage which combines influences from Islam, Jainism, Buddhism, Hinduism and their sects. Our capital, Delhi, is the best example of this. If you wander around the streets of Delhi, you will encounter monuments settled within the locality. The residents have stopped noticing them and they have become part of the landscape. But they appear jarring when compared to the construction of today and we are transported to another era - when sarais marked the highways of Delhi and every locality had its own masjid modh.


Of course, other monuments in Delhi are not neglected. In fact they have been an integral part of the city’s history. The Red Fort, Jama Masjid, Humayun’s Tomb, Qutub Minar and the Old City are important fixtures within the city’s landscape even now. For a totally different experience, head to Hampi in Karnataka. This is a city littered by the ruins of the Vijayanagara Empire. It is hard to believe that this village deep in the interiors of Karnataka was once the capital of a sprawling and mighty empire.

The temple town of Mahabalipuram is another important stop on the India Heritage tour. Located on the sea shore, these temples appear as the love-child of the sea and sand. Carved out of rocks, these structures have an interesting provision for letting the sea water in. These beautifully sculpted temples are testimonies from a time when spirituality was understood as sadhna and as a peculiar confluence of the natural with the human.

The painted havelis of Shekhawati are another example of heritage places. Inspired by European villas, the Marawari businessmen in 19th century Rajasthan embarked on a project of painting murals on every surface of their vast havelis. These colourful buildings now feature depictions of the contemporary life of the period. Get more at India Travel Guide