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Thursday, April 30, 2009

Char Dham Yatra - Holy Shrine in North India

The Char Dham is the most important Hindu pilgrimage circuit in the Indian Himalayas. All sites are located in the Garhwal Himalayas of Uttarakhand previously known as Uttaranchal. Char Dham Yatra consist of four sites-Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. While each site is unique in its own fashion, inclusion in the Char Dham has, over time, caused them be viewed together in popular imagination and actual pilgrimage practice.

Most pilgrims to the Char Dham embark from the famous temple town of Haridwar. Others leave from Haridwar's sister city, Rishikesh, or from Dehra Dun, the capital of Uttarakhand.

Yamunotri, the source of the Yamuna River and the seat of the goddess Yamuna, is a full day's journey from Rishikesh, Haridwar or Dehradun. The actual temple is only accessible by a six km walk from the town of Hanuman Chatti. The site includes hot springs where raw rice is cooked and made into prasad. Gangotri, the source of the Ganga (Ganges) River and seat of the goddess Ganga, can be reached in one day's travel from Rishikesh, Haridwar or Dehradun, or in two days from Yamunotri. More popular than Yamunotri and is also accessible directly by car and bus, meaning that it sees many more pilgrims. Adventurous pilgrims can make an overnight 17 km trek to Gaumukh, the actual current source of the Ganga.

Kedarnath is a two-day journey from Gangotri, is one of remotest dham among the four. Besides its affiliation with Siva, Kedarnath is also believed to be the site of Shankaracharya's samadhi. The actual temple, an impressive stone edifice of unknown date, is accessible only after a steep 13 km walk. Kedarnath is flanked by breathtaking snow-capped peaks. Badrinath is a two-day journey from Kedarnath. It is the most important of the four Char Dham sites. Badrinath receives many more visitors than the other three sites.

Spiritual Tourism and India

Over 4,000 years, India--one of the most spiritually enriched places on earth--has been the cradle of spirituality. Actually, the Land of the Vedas and Temples, India is the Spiritual Capital of the World. India, its people, its infrastructure, and, in fact, its very soil, encourage and nurture spiritualism, allowing religions to thrive, flourish and prosper.

No wonder every major religion in the world, as well many of their off-shoots and facets, get support and nourishment in India. Many of these religions such as Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism were conceived in India, and others sought refuge in India after being persecuted in their own countries.

Apart from religions, numerous sages, philosophers and founders of religions also sought and received sanctuary and enlightenment in India's soil and spirit. The trend continues even today after so many years, the reason being as the people across the world veer towards the capitalistic way of life, the quest for spirituality becomes even more urgent.

Spiritual Destinations of India

India is dotted with several spiritual destinations. A visit to them is essential is one is on the path of self spiritual discovery. Actually, spiritual tours of India enable one to nurture the spirituality within oneself by delving deep into the rich spiritual history of the country.

Spiritual tours of India take one on tours to several spiritual destinations of the country which are much renowned for their religious and spiritual significance. Scattered all over India, these places give the tourists the bliss and peace that may have eluded them for long and which may have inspired them to visit the spiritually and religiously rich India.

Golden Temple and Anandpur Sahib (Amritsar); Varanasi, Mathura, and Vrindavan (Uttar Pradesh); Somanth (Gujarat); Dargah Khwaja Saheb (Ajmer); Rishikesh and Haridwar (Uttrakhand); Pushkar (Rajasthan); Jagannath Puri (Orissa); Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh); and Bodh Gaya (Bihar) are just some of the many top religious and spiritual destinations of India that inspire the religiously inclined people from far off places to go on spiritual tours and discover the meaning of their life and physical existence.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Travel and Tourism in India - A Wonderful Experience

The largest democracy in the world, India is one of the most popular travel and tourism destinations in the world. Every year a large gathering of tourists from all around the world come for experiencing the fascinating charm of travel and tourism in India. India is well-known for its oldest civilization (5000 years old civilization) and great diversity. During India tours, one can find diversity in its people, culture, tradition, landscape, climate, appearance, lifestyle, cuisine, costumes, language, religion, and others. And this is India's diversity which makes it one of the most popular tourist destinations among travellers from all around the world.

India is a country where one can find a range of tourism options. And off course, India tourism never fails to enchant travellers with its various mesmerizing tourism options. Adventure, Culture, Heritage, Beaches, Monuments, Hill, lush green landscapes, mountain peaks, deserts, flora & fauna, etc are some major attractions of India tourism which are quite popular among tourists and attract them to travel in India. While you will travel to India you will find on every step something extra welcoming you. No matters, what are you interested in, the country is able to fulfill your desire. If you life adventure and sports in India, you may prefer to travel in the Himalayan region of the country where you will have a lot of tourism and adventure sport options.

During your North India travel, you will have a wonderful opportunity to explore the beautiful and snow clad Kashmir (popularly described as the Paradise on the Earth), Himachal Pradesh (blessed with natural beauty and breathtaking hill station), and Uttaranchal (widely known for superb natural beauty and Corbett National Park) at the foot of Himalayas, You will also enjoy traveling in the historic city Delhi - the capital of India, dotted with several historic monuments, life Red Fort, Humayun's Tomb, Old Fort, Qutub Minar, Jama Masjid, etc. One of the most predominant attractions of North India is Taj Mahal in Agra, Uttar Pradesh. The symbol of love - Taj Mahal is India's star attraction and considered as seventh wonder of the world.

While you will travel to the western region of India, you will have a glorious opportunity to the royal land of Rajasthan, Punjab and Gujarat where you will see a lot of magnificent forts, palatial palaces, stunning Havelis, terrific temples, Gurudwaras, wildlife parks & sanctuaries and other attractions. On your eastern India tours, you will have opportunities to explore beautiful landscapes of Assam, Sikkim, etc which are widely known for green tourism and Buddhist monasteries. In central India, one can explore states like Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra which are widely famous for temples and caves. South India travel takes you to the states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala. These states are widely known for lovely beaches, beautiful hill stations, breathtaking backwaters, temples, churches, etc. Apart from above mentioned locations, don't forget to travel in Goa, the tiny but gorgeous state of India. The gorgeous land of Goa is famous for its lovely beaches, churches, and exotic culture.

Thus, traveling in any part of India provides a unique travel experience. You can get more information about India tourism from travel agents in India. If you want to travel India in more and more preferred way, an India travel agent can assist you and provide you India travel guide.

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Uttaranchal - Uttaranchal Tourism

Tourism in Uttaranchal

Uttaranchal is preferably located at the foothills of Shivalik. There are enormous opportunities for tourism in Uttaranchal. Nature, wildlife, adventure, and pilgrimage tourism are at their best in Uttaranchal. in the middle of the top tourism destinations in Uttaranchal are Haridwar, Rishikesh, Dehradun, Mussoorie, Almora, Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri, Gangotri, Jim Corbett National Park, Nainital, Ranikhet, and Pithoragarh. Dehradun, Mussoorie, Almora are typically jam packed with the sun parched souls of the plains. For the religiously inclined Haridwar, Rishikesh, Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri and Gangotri are must visit destinations in Uttaranchal.

For everyone who looks for a calm and stillness Uttaranchal is the just right destination to head towards. Jim Corbett National Park is the ideal place in Uttaranchal to get close with the wildlife. For the adventure seekers Uttaranchal presents activities like high and low-altitude trekking, river rafting, paragliding, hang-gliding, mountaineering, skiing amongst others. The major fairs and festivals of the Uttaranchal are Hatkalika Fair, Tapkeshwar Fair, Surkhanda Devi Mela, Kunjapuri Fair, Lakhawar Village Fair, and Mata Murti Ka Mela. Amongst the other fairs and festivals of Uttaranchal are Uttarayani Mela, Shravan Mela (Jageshwar), Kartik Poornima at Dwarahat, Kasar Devi fair, and Nanda Devi melas that make exceptional time to plan your holiday in Uttaranchal. So, the next time you wish to delight your senses plan a holiday in Uttaranchal.

Places to see in and around Uttaranchal

There are quite a lot of tourist destinations in Uttaranchal that make outstanding holiday alternatives. Uttaranchal is home to Mussoorie that is habitually referred as the "Queen of the Hills". There are many stunning hill resorts that offer unforgettable holidays. The Garhwal Himalayas make excellent ground for adventure activities. The areas around Rishikesh are well-known for white water rafting. located midst of the Himalayas, the king of mountains and abode of the gods Almora too is a part of Uttaranchal. The holy cities of Uttaranchal are the ideal place to invigorate your body, mind and soul. Be sanctified on your holiday in Uttaranchal. The yoga and meditation centers of Uttaranchal are well known all over the world. The complete Indian state of Uttaranchal has the Himalayan ranges running in it. The fabulous snows cape in Uttaranchal sets the picture perfect background for your photograph. The terraced fields, village houses and gentle breeze make the Uttaranchal an ideal retreat for the tourists.

You may plan your trip to Uttaranchal in anytime of the year. The winters are fun with the snowfall and the summers are comfortable, mild and pleasant. There are several hotels and resorts in Uttaranchal that make outstanding accommodation alternatives for the tourists. Make your holidays at Uttaranchal more pleasurable by seeing these places. These places not only enhance tourism budding in Uttaranchal but also are worth seeing holiday spots themselves. Experience the unique and unforgettable Uttaranchal.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Uttaranchal---Uttaranchal-Tourism&id=540695

Indian Tourism - Its Destiny

hough the name of India is not included by the World Tourism Organization (WTO) among the top ten courtiers of the world in terms of "most visited" by numbers of travelers, in terms of tourism earners, in terms of most visited attractions, still the Indian economy has been boosted by new emerging trends of various types of Indian tourism and it continues to grow. There are a number of factors responsible for the growth of Indian tourism at global level. India is a peaceful country without any political disturbance except for few destinations where a tourist is required to get special permission from local authority to enter into that area. The country has a federal structure with elected Governments in States. There are 28 states and 7 Union Territories administered directly by the Central Government. There is healthy competition of tour packages among all the states to attract the tourists from all over the world for speedy economic growth and employment generation. Not only this Ministry of Tourism and Culture has recently launched a campaign called 'Incredible India!' in order to encourage different types of tourism in India.

Types of Indian Tourism

All types of tourism in India are projecting the Indian subcontinent as the ultimate tourist spot. The reason behind why India has been doing well in all types of tourism is that India is a multilingual, multicultural, multi-religious and ready to assimilate other diverse cultures which are alien to this land and stable political system with tremendous geographical diversity, hospitality, uniqueness and charm make it one of the four preferred tourist spot of the world. However, the different types of tourism of India which are captivating the imagination of the tourists from all parts of the world can be explained under the following headings:

Religious or Pilgrimage Tourism

Since the ancient time, the name of India is synonymously taken with spiritual activities where the body of mythology related to Hinduism contained in Sanskrit literature such as Vedas, Upanishad, Vedanga, Mahakavya, Mahabharata, Ramayana and many others scriptures are found to make India as pilgrimage centre of the world. Not only this, as a birth place of two great religions - Buddhism and Jainism - India has also become the hub of Buddhist pilgrimage especially from Theravada Buddhist world and from Mahayana Buddhist world with its major centres of Lumbini, Bodhgaya, Sarnath, Shravasti, Sankashaya, Nalanda, Rajgir etc. Today, India's pilgrimage tourism has gained attention of the tourists from all parts of the world and people of all faiths are coming to India to see the religious places of Narayan Sarovar, Sudamas Porbandar, Kabirvad Shuklatirth, Kayavarohan, Bhadrakali, Haridwar, Badrinath, Kedarnath, Varanasi, Gangotri and Yamunotri, Rishikesh, Shamlaji, Bodh Gaya, Ajmer, Punjab, Goa etc.

Archaeological Tourism

There are a number of places of archaeological importance which can be broadly classified as Stone Age, Indus Valley, Neolithic-Chalcolithic, Megalithic-Early Historic and Late Historic periods. Famous archaeological sites of the Stone Age are abound in Peninsular India, more prominently at Pallavaram in Tamil Nadu, Hunsgi in Karnataka, Kuliana in Orissa, Didwana in Rajasthan, and Bhimbetka in Madhya Pradesh. The sites of Neolithic-Chalcolithic Age are Inamgaon, Walki, Navdatoli, Ahar, Balathal, Gilund, Budhihal, Sangankalur, Maski, Brahmagiri, Utnur, Golbai, Pandu-Rajar-Dhibi, Chirand and Burzoham etc. Famous sites of Indus Valley Civilisation are Indus and Ghaggar river valleys, Kutch and Saurashtra, Dholavira, Kalibangan, Lothal, Surkotda and Rakhigari. Famous sites of Megalithic Phase are Brahmagiri, Maski and Rajan Kalur, Bhagimari, Gadabas etc. Excavations at Kosambi, Saranath, Hastinapura, Vaishali, Rajgir and Bodh Gaya, Chandraketugarh, Sisupalgarh etc. have revealed fortified cities dating back to this period. Famous sites of Buddhist Phase are Sanchi, Saranath, Ajanta, Kaneheri, Amravati, Sanati and Lalitgiri. Sites of Jainism Phase are Khandagiri-Udayagiri, Mathura. Some Islamic Archaeological sites are Delhi, Agra, Lucknow, Hyderabad, northern Karnataka, Aurangabad, and Bhopal.

Other Types of India Tourism

Besides the above explanation of the various types of tourism, India is fascinating the vision of the tourists from all sections of the world for its Adventure Tourism in Ladakh, Sikkim, Himalaya, Uttranchal, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh etc; Wildlife Tourism in Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary, Keoladeo Ghana National Park, Corbett National Park and many others; Medical Tourism in South India where the city of Chennai attracts around 45% of medical tourists from foreign countries; Eco Tourism in Kaziranga National Park, Gir National Park and Kanha National Park etc; Cultural Tourism at Pushkar fair, Taj Mahotsav, and Suraj Kund mela etc; Water Tourism in Goa, Kerala,
Chennai, Orissa, Maharashtra etc.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Indian-Tourism---Its-Destiny&id=1099255

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