Experience the Vivacious Mumbai and Goa

Mumbai and Goa are located in the West India and worldwide known for their refreshing atmosphere. These places are lined by vivacious Arabian Sea, which gives it a lively and energetic coastline. Both the places have amazing natural and oceanic beauty, which is not only suitable for relaxing holiday but also for the adventurous holiday. As the places have numerous tourist destinations, people love to spend their holidays there. Goa, known as the Beach Town and Mumbai, known as the Dream City is very popular not only among the local tourists but also among the foreigners.

Night View Of Mumbai

Mumbai, as the name strikes to our ears, it reminds as the Bollywood City of the country. Film city, fashion, trends, wealth, prosperity and celebration make Mumbai a typical Dream City. Mumbai is busy all day long. Starting its day with the busy share market, it ends by relaxing and dancing in happening night clubs and other hangout zones where you can find professionals and celebrities as well. People who visit Mumbai go itself in the trend of partying and dining out late nights enjoying its life to the fullest. It is one of the most happening cities of the country. 

A Film Set In Film city Mumbai

A trip of around metropolitan city Mumbai make your holidays wonderful. Mumbai attracts its visitors with its bubbly and bustling nightlife which one never gets fed up off. If night life, discotheques and pulsating night clubs are not your cup of tea, you can also move towards the refreshing sea shore to experience the different kind of life in Mumbai. Street food on the beaches of Mumbai is well renowned worldwide. Just and evening walk with your loved ones on Juhu Beach would be a great idea. 

An Ultimate Art Of  Ellora Caves

An  Amazing Archaeology  Of Ajanta 

Chowpatty Beach and Juhu Beach are always packed with tourists to spend a hassle-free evening. You can also go to visit the famous UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Ajanta and Ellora Caves. These caves are worth visiting with their sculptures and architectural beauty.

A Beach Of Goa

Goa, the ultimate Beach Town is another very popular tourist destination in West India. People visit Goa for its tranquil beaches, serene beauty and vibrant atmosphere. Spending your time on a white beach alongside with a deep-blue ocean under the golden sun will give you the utmost fun and relaxation. 

A View Of Goa Beach

Some of the famous beaches in Goa are Anjuna Beach, Baga Beach, Vagator Beach, Calangute Beach, Aguada Beach and many more. With a cool breeze blowing, silvery sand shinning due to sunlight and sea waves coming and going back, you will experience the most amazing time of your vacation. Goa was once a Portuguese Colony and that is why you can find a number of old churches. The remarkable architecture of these churches attracts tourists from all over the world.

Scuba Diving In Goa

Banana Ride In Goa

There are many adventurous activities going on by beach side which you can be a part of such as Snorkelling, Scuba Diving, Water Scooter, Banana Ride, Paragliding and more. While you are in Goa, you should not miss the amazing Goan cuisine and the tasty sea food. Local Fenny (cashew liquor) is also very famous for tourists. You can also enjoy dancing with local people on the beach on the local Goan music. Nightlife of Goa is also very enthralling. If you like going to discos and pub, Goa is the place for you. A mixture of different lifestyles, food, geographies and cultures are definitely a mesmerizing ride of West India.

visit here to get a Mumbai and Goa tour package details:

http://www.ercotravels.com/short-tour-packages/mumbai-goa.html

Following the blog ABC for "E"

World of Curiosity - North India

Himalaya With Snow

India – superlatively known as Incredible India, is a vast land of beauty, culture, history, regions, and religions. Mother India is an intense interested place of vacation for tourists. Starting from the crown itself, The Great Himalayas, followed by Indus Ganga plain is full of natural beauty.

North India’s prevailing environment offers one many beautiful destinations to explore. Jammu Kashmir, Uttrakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and the Capital, Delhi, are already famous amongst the tourists.

Amarnath Yatra

Talking sketchily about all, every state has very legendary spots, fascinating many tourists every year to them. Beginning with Jammu Kashmir, the Crown of India is tremendously a beautiful place to be. Himalayas covered with Snow, dark forests and rich floral orchards are just short to say but breathe taking beautiful gigantic arena of Jammu Kashmir. From Buddhist monasteries to Vaishano Devi Temple, Shivkhori and Amarnath Yatra are most famous amongst the people.

Jammu Kashmir is popular amongst the newly wedded couples. Dal Lake, with the boathouse called Shikara, is another treasured spot of couples for the most memorable vacation of their lives. Jammu Kashmir is full of such beautiful destinations like Gulmarg for short vacations. Some of the tourist lure points are Nubra Valley, Mansbar Lake, Katra, Harwan, Kud, Patnitop, Ladakh, Kargil, Zanskar, Leh and Sonmarg. These mountains are also well known for Mountain biking, skiing, trekking, etc. For more famous tourist destinations in Jammu & Kashmir visit here: http://travelagencyindia.wordpress.com/2012/10/09/must-visit-destinations-in-jammu-kashmir/

Haridwar-Uttrakhand Pilgrims Place

Next destination offering variety of places to look forward for your summer vacations is Uttrakhand. The land of Gods is just the best name given to the state. Undoubtly the state has best to offer to pilgrims to satisfy their spiritual needs.

A Divine View Of Ganga Arti

Haridwar, Rishikesh, Chardham and Hemkund are even highly famous amongst people from abroad, who visit to relax their soul and mind. Apart from spiritual terminuses, state has many vacation spaces, specially the hill stations like Mussoorie, Nainital, Dhanaulti, Ranikhet, Jim Corbett and many more. You can choice any one destination to enjoy rock climbing, mountaineering and hiking. White-water rafting in Rishikesh is another extreme curios thing for tourists.

Himanchal Pradesh

A Night View Of  Dalhousie Castle

Himachal Pradesh, a state with a name which perfectly suits its aura. In the lap of Himalayas, this state offers its visitors very beautiful destinations to counter. Shimla, Manali, Dharamshala, Dalhousie, Kasauli are some of the famous hill stations.  Apart from the famous bees there are many other destinations which could be explored like Mandi – greatly known for its 81 old stones temples and their fine carving.

Golden Temple in Amritsar

Punjab – the land of five rivers is well known not only for the history it has stored in it, but is well known for its culture, food and music. The state has many popular small endpoints for small vacations. Golden Temple, Jallian wallah Bagh, Wagha Border are some of the highlights of Amritsar. Whichever part of state you may visit historical approach is never missed. State is rich in Mughal architecture inscriptions. Also some of the famous forts, Gardens, temples, Gurudwaras and wild life are the main attractions for the visitors.

North India is full of history, which could be seen and felt in every state. Small vacations could be enjoyed to the fullest in the arms of Northern India, seeing and feeling the beauty of nature all around. Choice any destination and you will feel like exploring it more and more.

Following the blog ABC Wednesday for "C"

Majestic Hill Forts Of Rajasthan - Included In World Heritage Sites by UNESCO

All people living in this world almost have heard about the beauty and historic culture of Rajasthan. The state is very popular for its historic beauty because many rulers have ruled in the different cities of Rajasthan. Due to this they had constructed many forts and palaces for their living. But after their death, these forts and palaces became tourists’ places because of their beauty. To prevent the natural and cultural beauty of Rajasthan forts is the duty of the people because one cannot get these forts built again.

Gagron Fort (Image by William Warren on Flickr)

Kumbhalgadh Fort (Image by Tushar Dayal on Flickr)

Six majestic hill forts of Rajasthan Gagron Fort, Kumbhalgarh Fort, Amber Fort, Jaisalmer Fort, Chittorgarh Fort and Ranthambore Fort have been included in UNESCO world heritage sites. Aim of putting these forts in world heritage sites is to prevent its value universally. They are included in UNESCO world heritage sites after the approval in 37th meeting of ‘World Heritage’ committee in Cambodia. After the addition of these forts in heritage sites, they will receive the international recognition by the efforts of UNESCO.

Amber Fort (Image by Anthony Gurr on Flickr)

Jaisalmer Fort (Image by Wolfgang on Flickr)

 

All these forts are surrounded by various landscapes of deserts, dense forests, hills and rivers for the defense of the forts. They have water harvesting structures that are still in use today. Six hill forts reflect the power of Rajputs and their political independence.

Chittorgadh Fort (Image by Sandeepgill47 on Flickr)

Vijay Stambh - Tower of Victory in Chittorgarh Fort (Image by Amit Rawat on Flickr )

Ranthambore Fort (Image by TuAnh Nguyen on Flickr)

Forts have several unique properties and for this reason they join UNESCO world heritage sites. Its universal values are:-

Integrity

These six forts form the complete group when seen in a series and demonstrate the properties of universal value without depending on future addition of any forts to the series.

Authenticity

All these forts depict the history, culture and bravery of ancient ruler of Rajasthan. The authenticity of the forts is maintained even today because of their originality in the basic architecture.

Cultural Beauty

The six forts when combined show their eternal beauty all over the world. All of them attract people throughout the world.

Great architecture

All these forts depict the great art and culture of the states and represent the glory of their rulers. These buildings are very good epitomes of art and architecture.

Due to these properties, six Rajasthan hill forts join UNESCO world heritage sites. When UNESCO declared this news, all ‘Rajasthanis’ have celebrated the feeling of happiness together. As soon as this announcement has spread over the state, great enthusiasms have been seen on the faces of all people of Rajasthan.

Following the blog ABC Wednesday for "W"

Cultural Tour of Royal Rajasthan

India is a very colorful and exotic place for travelling because it has diverse culture. It has variety of food, costumes, traditions, etc. It is a perfect destination for all the tourists since many years. The history of India is very vibrant and ethnic from many years. Among its many states, Rajasthan is one the popular and famous state. Tourists among various countries and itself India are attracted towards the beauty of this state. Museums are also one of the attractions of Rajasthan where tourist can get knowledge of the ancient times. The culture of Rajasthan is very vast and dynamic. Historical places in Rajasthan speak a lot about its culture, tradition, socio-economic customs.

Albert Hall Museum, Jaipur (Image by Anil Khubani on Flickr)

Interior area of Albert hall museum (Image by i2n2 on Flickr)

Painting of Albert hall museum (Image by John McCAbe on flickr)

Sculpture of Albert hall museum (Image by Shashi Rajput on flickr)

In cultural tour of Rajasthan, one can visit places likes:-

•    Forts are the places that remind us about our culture and traditions. They are symbol of old civilization and they are very valuable archeological assets of our country.

•    The various temples depict the Hindu tradition and their culture.

•    Palaces of Rajasthan are beautifully designed and their artistic works are well known in the whole country.

 

Chittorgarh Fort

 

Dadhimait Mata temple (Image in Wikipedia)

 

City Palace, Jaipur 

Tradition and lifestyle

Many religions are found in Rajasthan but Hinduism is the dominant religion. Different people practice their own customs rituals, beliefs and behavior. All this depicts that Rajasthan has unity in diversity. The festivals of this state are the symbol of its rich heritage. Various festivals are celebrated throughout the year like pushkar fair, desert festival, camel festival and teej. Through these the visitors can enjoy the true colors of Rajasthan.

Desert festival, Jaisalmer (Shobha yatra), Image by anupama kinagi on flickr

Desert festival, Jaisalmer (Image by anupama kinagi on flickr)

 Art and literature

Rajasthan has a magnificent architecture .The stone work of this state is very popular and this is the best place where the tourists can shop handicrafts, paintings & work of art.

 

Handicrafts in Celebration Mall, Udaipur

Dance and music

It is the prime part of Rajasthan culture. The devotional and classical songs of Rajasthan talks about it rich past. The folk dance like Ghumar, kathputli etc is the source of great enjoyment for the tourists.

Bhavai folk dance, Rajasthan (Image by selvin kurian on flickr)

Various instruments like Ektara, dholak, sitar etc attracts the music lovers. 
 

Ektara seller man in Jaisalmer

Food and Flavours

The tourists can enjoy delicious food & Snacks in Rajasthan. Lassi of Jodhpur, milk sweets of bharatpur, sohan halwa of Ajmer are one of the specialties of Rajasthan.

Special Makhania Lassi, Jodhpur 

A Visit to Rajasthan is a complete package for the Tourists to enjoy all aspects of life. www.ercotravels.com

Following the blog ABC Wednesday for "T"

Fascinate in the Incredible Sights of Rajasthan

Rajasthan, a larger state (Area wise) in India popular all across the globe due to its historical stories related to kings, monuments, wildlife, culture, sand dunes, heritage sites, festivals, folk dances, etc.  “Land of Kings” is the another name of this state. Many kings conquer this state and reign there for some time. So, many trails of kings collected there, which can be heard now from the mouth of local populations. Even the palaces which they used to live is also located there and are in the glamorous look. Some places of this state like Bikaner and Jaiselmer are full of deserts. Sand dune activity is the popular one of these places.

Camel Safari in Jaiselmer

Mount Abu Hill Station (Image on Wikipedia)

Dilwara Temple Near Mount Abu(Image by Sensaos on Flickr )

Interior view of Dilwara Temples (Image by Rakhee on Flickr )

City Palace, Udaipur

Hill Stations like Mount Abu and Udaipur are famous tourist places in Rajasthan. The large number of tourists travel there to seek the beauty of this state. Mount Abu is famous for its hills, climate and religious temples like the famous group of temples known as Dilwara temples. Aravalli mountain ranges give a unique view of nature at this place. Udaipur is also known as the City of Lakes and Palaces as many Lakes and Palaces are there. Serene atmosphere makes anyone captivate to this place for a long time. One of the Palaces is City Palace of Udaipur, located on the bank of the famous Lake Pichola. This palace itself tells the history behind the Rajasthan especially the Udaipur. Like City Palace, many palaces are there that located in the lake or on the side of a lake. The boat ride is available there to visit all the palaces.

Rajasthani Flok dance

Rajasthani cuisine

Ghevar

The culture of the Rajasthan is famous worldwide. Either it is classical music or the folk dances depicts the reflection of its culture. Folk dances include Ghoomar, Kalbeliya, Bhavai, Kuchchi Ghodi, etc. reflects the proper culture as the dancers wear the traditional dresses that bewitched the eyes of the people. Music is also traditional like the famous ones are Bhajans, Banis, etc. all sung with the traditional instruments like Dholak, Sitar, Sarangi, etc. Food of this state, also influenced the visitors. Bikaneri Bhujia, Mirchi Bada, Pyaaj Kachori and Ghevar are the famous dishes of Rajasthan that reflects the old culture of the state. Marwari Bhojanalayas are most common and located at very least distances.

Deer Family in Ranthambore National park (Image by Saran Vaid on Flickr)

Tiger in Sariska National Park (Image by Koshy Koshy on Flickr)

Wildlife of the state is another good way to explore this state. Many national parks and sanctuaries are available there that contains a variety of flora and fauna. Some of the popular parks include Desert National Park in Jaisalmer, Ranthambore National Park in Jaipur, Sariska Tiger Reserve in Alwar, Tal Chhapar Sanctuary in Sujangarh, etc. All these contain the threatened species, rare species as well as extinct species of both flora and fauna.

handicraft Items shop in Jaipur, Rajasthan 

Handicraft items are also famous thing of this state. Wooden furniture, carpets, pottery, etc. all dubbed with block prints, tie & die, bagaru prints, sanganer prints, zari embroidery, etc. that attracts anyone towards it and made to purchase it once at least.

Shopping in Jaipur (Image by Eric Parker on Flickr)

Camel Race in Pushkar, Rajasthan (Image by thijsvanbokkem on Flickr)

Festival time is the best to visit this place as the whole state is covered with colors of joy and happiness. Fun and amusement surround the state from everywhere. Some of the main festivals include Deepawali, Gangaur, Teej, Gogaji, Makar Sankranti, Holi and Janmashtami. Desert festival of Rajasthan held once in a year during winter period. Ladies and gents dressed traditionally and dance to the rhythm of the famous songs. Fairs are also held in this period of time. Local population displays the shows of puppeteers, acrobats, camel race, snake charmers and many more. So, at this time, anyone dwell in this region for a long time.

Climate of mount about

Climate of Rajasthan varies from place to place like in Udaipur and Mount Abu, it is very cool and placid while in Jodhpur and Jaisalmer, it is very hot in summers and very cold in winters. Thus, Rajasthan is a state having all the qualities either it is desert or a hill station, one can find it there in a best possible mood.

Following the blog ABC Wednesday for "S"

Qutub Minar – The Tower that Survived History

Rome wasn't built in a day! The same is also true about Qutub Minar in Delhi, the capital of India. This amazing tower is a five-story brick Minar, whose construction was started in 1192 AD by Qutbu'd-Din Aibak. Iltutmush completed this monument during the time period of 1211-36 AD. Qutub or Qutb Minar is made of marble and red sandstone and is the tallest standing minar in India. Qutub Minar is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is a major tourist attraction of Delhi.

Image by AnkurDauneria on flickr.com

Some basic information about Qutub Minar is as follows:

Year of Foundation  – 1192 AD

Commissioned by – Qutbu'd-Din Aibak

Total Height – 72.5 meters

Base diameter – 14.32 meters

Diameter at the top – 2.75 meters

Number of stairs – 379

Listed as World Heritage Site – 1993

Qutub Minar – Image by Sharkawi Che Din on flickr.com

The purpose of its constructed is doubtful as many believe it was created to mark the victory over Delhi by Qutbu'd-Din Aibak while many others say that it was just a minaret to call for Islamic prayers. There are many tombs and ruins near the Minar belonging to different rulers and kingdoms. Other attractions around Qutub Minar are Iron Pillar, Alai Minar, Alai Darwaza and Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque.

Iron Pillar – Image by gwashley by flickr.com

Alai Minar in Qutb Complex

Qutub Minar was damaged multiple times because of natural cause like earthquakes and lightning strikes. Many rulers repaired it time and again to preserve this wonderful monument.

Our Entry for ABC Wednesday - Q is for Qutub Minar