Trekking In The Land Of Gods
Trek is a long and an adventurous journey undertaken on foot, in areas where common means of transport are generally not available. It should not be confused with mountaineering. The Himalayan routes in India are famous for some of best trekking routes in the world, attracting a large number of trekkers. From trekking routes that challenges professional trekkers, to the routes easily accessible by even amateur and
first time trekkers, trekking is an awesome experience in the highGarhwal mountain ranges. Uttarakhand - the land of Gods and the home of Himalayas, located in the northern India, has many such trekking routes. It is the most popular area for trekkers form across the world. Uttarakhand is a region of outstanding natural beauty, its marvels in its high Himalayan ranges and glaciers (towards the northern part of the
state), while the lower reaches are densely forested. The state has always been a destination for mountaineering, hiking and rock climbing in India. With its gorges, deep valleys and lofty mountains the geography of this land is idle. Roopkund is a popular trekking site among trekkers. The frozen Roopkund lake is famous for the mystery of skeletons, dating back to 850 AD, found in the lake, which was covered by the National Geographic Channel in a documentary. On the trek to Roopkund are also the beautiful meadows of Bugyal. The termination point for all these treks is Rishikesh. Rishikesh, a small picturesque spiritual town along the river Ganga, is located in foothills of the Himalayas . It is also considered to be the “Yoga Capital Of
The World” and is a magnet for spiritual seekers. The place keeps you spiritually enthralled, from the moment you enter Rishikesh, till you head back home. No wonder the Beatles choose Rishikesh for their Transcendental Meditation at the ashram of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Thereafter, Rishikesh catapulted to Western fame. Trek on to the beautiful lake, Deorital for an easy, relaxed walk in which you don’t have to put much vigor into. From where you can trek on to Chandershilla top, which is the only
place from where you can get a perfect 360 degrees view of the Himalayas. Another easy trek is to the Surya Top, which also offers a mix of everything a Himalayan trek has to offer. You can catch a Himalayan black bear, musk dear or even a leopard while on your up through the forests or watch out for pheasants, eagles, butterflies and many varieties wild flowers. And if you want to see rare Himalayan birds like the Paradise Fly Catcher and the Fork Tail Fly Catcher you can easily trek to Har Ki Dun
valley. The best time to visit the hills of Uttarakhand is from October to June, when you can expect clear blue skies. In the summer months of April to June, avoid the plainsand take to the hills instead. Rains occur from end June to September, and though the snow-clad Himalayan views may not be visible, the monsoons in itself could be quite delightful. Famous as an offbeat destination, some compare the place with the heaven. Sorce: Article, Ko Samui: The Loved Endocarp Of
Thailand: Ko Samui is Siam's base largest island, sealed in coconut trees and situated in the area, warm and tranquil waters of the Disconnect of Siam. With effortless access from Port via numerous twopenny daily flights with Air Asia or Bangkok Airways, Ko Samui is a tourist choice for beach holidays.Ko Samui: The someone instant to stay is previous November to Mar when the temperature is tolerable and the precipitate is marginal. E'er nonclassical Ko Samui attracts 1.5
 1000000 visitors a gathering and it's unproblematic to see why; there are tranquil beaches for those in see of quietness, energetic dark spots for party-goers and anesthetic and planetary cuisines for diners of every savor. What's writer, Ko Samui's coral reefs wee for majuscule snorkelling, or for the author intrepid underwater adventurers, why not try scuba swim? Getting around has been made easier by the 55 mile lengthened peal road around the island and there are copiousness of snobby or joint taxis to ameliorate you gain any instruction. Perhaps most famously, every month at whole laze, boatsget at Big Buddha Dock on Ko Samui's Bolt Rak beach to whisk revellers over to neighbouring Ko Phangan island for the  humankind renowned stentorian laze parties. As a result of its popularity, Ko Samui now offers a vast chain of accomodation. For those with oblanceolate tastes, there are budget guesthouses much as The House on Lamai Beach or Cactus Bungalow and People Business Bungalows on Bophut beach where you can expect to pay between 200 and 300 THB per period for basal, change and functionally armored rooms or huts. Visitors perception for a little solon opulence strength revel a fulfil at Thongtakian Utilise with its own bar and tearful bet and net way or Hansar Samui with sea views and walk-in precipitation showers and brobdingnagian, homy flat procurable for 700 to 800 THB per dark. Top-end advance options on Ko Samui let Smile Shelter Assistance, Montien Concern and Pal Asiatic, all with their own pools and world category mating for between 1500 and 2000 THB per dark. Source: Article
Brand USA Promotes Tourism In Indian Market
New Delhi: Brand USA, the new tourism marketing entity responsible for promoting the United States to world visitors, organised its first-ever travel mission from
September 9-14 in India. The mission consisted of 50 delegates representing 35 US destinations and companies who visited New Delhi and Mumbai. Earlier,
this mission was organised by the US Travel Association, making this the sixth travel trade mission from the United States to promote tourism in the Indian market. The
agenda of the US delegates was to meet travel agents, airline representative, tour operators, and the travel trade media. Brand USA’s objective in-market
is to rekindle the holidaymakers’ love affair with America – reclaiming the USA’s share of the market and positioning the country as a diverse destination with nearly
limitless opportunities and experiences. By highlighting the country as a fresh and unexpected destination, Brand USA’s intention was to promote the US as the world’s
leading tourism destination. “With President Obama recognising tourism as an important sector of the US economy, we are hopeful of maximizing our nation’s
potential as a leading tourist destination for Indian travelers,” says Caroline Beteta, interim CEO and Chair-Elect of Brand USA. The United States welcomed
a record 62 million international visitors in 2011, 2.5 million more than the year before. According to the US Department of Commerce, 663,000 Indians visited. The
United States welcomed in 2011, ranking the country 12 in the world in terms of arrivals. However in 2011, Indians ranked 10th in the world in terms of spending,
and spent a record-breaking $4.4 billion - an increase of nearly 10% when
compared to 2010. “India is one of the key markets for us with the number of Indians
traveling to the United States growing from 309,000 in 2004 to 660,000 in 2011 - an impressive 115% growth in travel during that time. We are hopeful of generating
nearly 1.3 million arrivals from India in 2016 and by bringing this largest ever delegation of US travel representatives, shows our commitment towards
achieving this goal,” adds Paul Cerula, Chief Business Development Officer, Brand USA. Source: Financial Express, The amazing Antarctica: Antarctica,
the Earth's southernmost place, is the best continent for natural beauty. For the most part, Antarctica is just frozen and lifeless, but the perimeter of Antarctica is where you
 can find all the wildlife, especially on its peninsula. [huanqiu.com] Source: China.org.cn. A tourist circuit for every religion, and one that integrates all: By ANUBHUTI VISHNOI: New Delhi: Seven new tourist
circuits will be developed across the country to facilitate travel to and stay at religious places. Work has already begun to prepare detailed project reports for Sufi, Buddhist
& Jain, Christian, Sikh, Hinduism and Sarva Dharma circuits. The Sufi circuit will include Delhi, Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Bijapur, Shirdi, Aurangabad, & the Awadh region,
besides the dargahs in J&K, Punjab, Haryana and Uttarkahnad. The Christian circuit will have the churches of Goa, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The Sarv Dharma Circuit, to promote national integration, will be aligned along Tirupathi-Chennai-Velankanni-
Nagoor and Vaishnodevi - Golden Temple-Sacred Heart Church (Delhi)-Nizamuddin. “India is home to a number of religions and there is a huge scope in terms of boosting tourism to religious places. Our aim is to facilitate a packaged tour like experience to
tourists complete with stay and entertainment options. We have already engaged consultants to work on these circuits and hope to engage state governments in the project,” Tourism Minister Subodh Kant Sahay said. Sahay’s ministry has already held a round of discussions on the Sufi circuit with industry stakeholders and some Sufi
exponents, sources confirmed. The ministry wants projects under this scheme to follow a comprehensive approach incorporating all facilities required by a tourist. The Ministry of Tourism has already identified 35 destinations for Phase I and will cover another 89 inPhase II. Consultants engaged by the ministry will help identify gaps in
infrastructure and amenities, assess Investment requirement and possible source of funds and also evolve business models for investment and operations. The ministry also proposes to bear the cost of preparation of a detailed project report by state
governments as well as the cost of setting up project monitoring units for undertaking all activities related to a particular circuit. The ministry has proposed a required outlay plan of Rs 9,450 crore for the 12th Plan and hopes to draw in private investment close to Rs 28,000 crore for such projects. Source: Financial Express, Rostov the Great great tourist hit: The earliest known mention of Moscow in 
medieval Russian chronicles was made in 1147, and of Rostov the Great some 170 kilometres northeast of the present-day Russian capital, in 862. In the 11th century, Rostov became the seat of a diocese, and in the early 13th century, of a powerful principality as well. Its medieval citadel, the Kremlin, is a fairytale marvel of mostly 17th -century brick-and-limestone churches and similar palaces. Once a travel stopover of Moscow tsars, it is now a major tourist centre, offering magnificent lake views, affordable Russian-cuisine restaurants, which can make a couple happy for just 50 bucks, a fair of enamel and other local handicrafts and 5-dollar boat cruises of Lake Nero. On the deck, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Kremlin and several
 medieval monasteries around, some of them built on pre-Christian worship sites. The lake itself supplies fresh fish for local restaurants. Dr Yelena Kim is Curator of Research at the Rostov Kremlin Museum: "The museum is now 128 years old. This autumn also marks 90 years since it opened a picture gallery. Events on Rostov’s 1150th anniversary next year will include an exhibition of Russian graphic art spanning the period from the mid-18th century to the avant-garde. Hundreds of items will be on display. This summer, the museum hosted a festival of traditional handicrafts, complete with master classes and fairs. In August, real-life blacksmiths, embroiderers and icon-painters worked on museum premises in full public view. They were crafting products ordered by the Rostov Diocese. To keep abreast with modernity around, the museum has ordered software which should enable it to offer cutting-edge multimedia tours of Rostov the Great and the surrounding area." The road to Rostov is a four-lane highway, allowing travelers setting off from Moscow to reach it within two and a half hours. Source: Image Link Flickr, Voice of Russia. Switzerland–Heaven on Earth: Switzerland, which is known as a heart of Europe, is a
dream destination for newly married couples. The day in the lap of nature becomes a memorable moment for the honeymoon couples. The mountains covered with the white snow, wonderful scenes of nature, lush greenery all around and calm lakes makes this land more romantic. You can enjoy the romance as well as adventure in the city. The country of Europe is enriched with beauty, culture, traditions and peaceful environment. This is the reason this place is the first choice for the tourists every year. From March to May, the Switzerland has a spring season and the beauty of nature in this season not give a cool feeling to eyes but to heart also. If you want to enjoy your
 summer vacations or you want some remarkable moments with your partner, you should not miss the opportunity to visit this country. The land is known as heaven on the earth. Switzerland is also known as the country of lakes. The reason for this because most of the big cities are developed near the bank of lake and many cities is named on the name of lakes. Not only for the beauty the Switzerland also famous for the chocolates and gold coins. Switzerland is the best for every facility. The transport facilities are the wonderful and convenient in the Switzerland. If you want to travel any  city of the Switzerland, you can get easy transport mediums like rail, bus and flight. The public transport facility is so easy and friendly that you feel the luxury comfort in the public transport. The months of June to September are the best to visit in Switzerland, but if you want to avoid crowd then month of May is the best time to visit this country. The direct flights are available from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Goya and Pune. The currency rate in Switzerland is 1 Swiss Franck= 50.86122 rupees according to Indian currency. Relation with Bollywood: Due to its beauty and lush greenery, this destination is famous in the Bollywood industry. You can see the wonder of natural beauty of Switzerland in many of the Bollywood movies of Yashraj Banner. The showman Raj Kapoor was the first person who had launched the Switzerland in Bollywood in movie ‘Sangam’, after that Switzerland become  part and parcel of Bollywood movies. Some of the movies who were shot in Switzerland are: ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’, ‘Hero No. 1’, ‘Chori Chori Chupke Chupke’, ‘Dhadkan’, ‘Biwi No. 1’, ‘Kabhi Kushi Kabhi Gham’ and ‘Mujh Se Dosti Karoge’. To give an honor to film maker Yash Chopra and to see his love for Switzerland, the Switzerland Railway has launched a train with the name of Yash Chopra. The train named ‘Yash Chopra Train’ was launched at Jungfrau railway station. This is the same stations where the songs ‘Tu mere samne’ for movie ‘Dar’ and ‘Zara Sa Zoom Loon Main’ for movie ‘Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge’ were shot. Yash Chopra has given an honor of ambassador for Interlaken. He is the first Indian who has got this honor. In Switzerland, there is one hotel, which is given a name of Yash Chopra. This is the great honor from the side of Switzerland to Bollywood and Yash Chopra. Source: Article, The Sundarbans-Unique Ecosystem for 
Wildlife: Kalpana Palkhiwala: The Sundarbans is the largest single block of tidal halophytic mangrove forest in the world. It is the estuarine phase of the Ganges as well
 as Brahmaputra river systems. It lies at the mouth of the Ganges and is spread across areas of Bangladesh and West Bengal, India, forming the seaward fringe of the delta.  The typical littoral forests of Sundarbans comprises of a host of trees species adopted to the peculiar estuarine condition of high salinity, lack of soil erosion and daily inundation by high tides. The tidal forms and the mangrove vegetation in Sundarbans are responsible for dynamic eco-system vigorous nutrient cycling both terrestrial and  aquatic. The whole eco-system is sensitive to change in salinity and the continuous cycle of erosion and deposition is affecting the plant continuously adjusting 
conditions. The great survival, and survival for the fittest. The forest covers of 4,000 sq km are on Indian Side. It has been declared as a UNESCO world heritage site in 1997. The Sundarbans are separately listed in the UNESCO world heritage list as the  India and the Sundarbans National Park, Bangladesh, which is 6000 sq km area. Sundarbans was designated a Ramsar site on May 21, 1992. “Sundarban” literally Sundarbans for means “beautiful jungle” or “beautiful forest” in the Bengali Language. The characteristic tree are the Sundari (Heritiera littoralis), from which the name of  the tract has been derived It yields a hard wood, used for building, and for making boats, furniture, etc. Other belief is that it is derived from “Samudraban” or “Chandra-bandhe” which was name of a primitive tribe. Image Flickr: Link1, Link2, Link3. Link4, Link5, Link6, flickr7, Source: Sikkim, The Palm Islands - Dubai's Eigth Wonder of the World: The Palm Islands,  also referred to as The Palm Dubai and The Palms, are the world's three largest man-made islands, which are being built on the coast of the emirate of Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The project is being handled by Al Nakheel Properties (Nakheel Corporation), which will increase Dubai's shoreline by 120km (72 miles) and create a large number of residential, leisure, and entertainment areas. The idea was first announced in May 2002 and the two manmade freehold artificial palm tree-shaped resort islands are expected to maintain Dubai's position as a premium tourist destination. The Palm Islands has also been named 'The Eighth Wonder of the World'.  The two Dubai islands, The Palm Jumeirah and The Palm Jebel Ali, will be built in the shape of date palm trees and consist of a trunk; a crown with 17 fronds; and a surrounding crescent island - the back of which forms the breakwater. Collectively, the island will support more than 60 luxury hotels, 4,000 exclusive residential villas (sale), 1,000 unique water homes (sale), 5,000 shoreline apartments (sale), marinas, water theme parks, restaurants, shopping malls, sports facilities, health spas, cinemas 
and various dive sites. Its Development The project took four years of methodical planning and exhaustive feasibility studies in Dubai, ensuring that the islands would not disrupt the environment. The first stage of the development of The Palm Islands, includes the construction of the land foundations, which involves sand transfer and rock placement. Following this, the next stage will involve the building of infrastructure and services, as well as the 300 meter (990 feet) bridges linking the islands to the mainland. The final stage consists of the construction of homes, townhouses, and apartments. Source: Article, China’s Vegas: Macau
 becoming major tourist hub: China’s Macau or Chinese enclave of Macau has become a major tourist destination in the South east Asia. The reason you will find glittering casinos, hotels and nightclubs in this destination. These all are enriched with the features of rich colonial past. The island of Macau is 60 km from Hong Kong. Its structure gives it to a unique look. The structure is a good view of natural landscape and architectural marvels. The island of Macau has structure of tall glass which stands against the background of green hills. While visit to Bangkok to Malaysia you will find the numbers of casinos, but these are only the casinos but have not any theme or character. In Macau you will find the mixture of ancient time and modern time culture. In Macau you can visit to 30 casinos. In all of casinos you will find the story of its colonial heritage. This is the speciality of the casinos which make them different and unique from others. The island has a population of approximately 552,300 people and approximately 10.4 million of tourists travel every year. Macau is situated in the Southeast of China. It is situated along with two administrative regions. These two administrative regions are China and Hong Kong. One more speciality of this island is that it is considered as the first and last European colony in China. This was the place where Portuguese traders set their business in the 16th century. You can visit and watch the Portuguese colonies in the morning hours and spend your nights in the casinos. ‘City of Dreams’ is the latest addition to this island. It is an entertainment resort which is enriched with the facilities of accommodation, international dining, entertainment, and designer brand shopping under a single roof. COD is enriched with the assortment of all entertainment options like the hotels of Grand Hyatt, Hard Rock and Crown. The City of Dreams has the option for every age bar. For kids there is a kid city and Dragon’s Treasure. This is an audio video multimedia show that entertains your kids. Some other attractions for the kids are ‘The House of Dancing Water’. This gives an adventure of water games to the kids. For men there is casino, for women there are designer brand shopping stalls. It is one of the unique places in China and Hong Kong which is clubbed with all the facilities. There is enough space provided for the tourist as all the shops, cafes, casinos and restaurants are connected with corridors. December to February months is the best to visit this destination. To reach Macau, you have to reach Hong Kong first because there is not direct flight to Macau. From Hong Kong different transport tools are available for Macau. You can go to Macau from Hong Kong by helicopter. It takes 15 minutes to reach at Macau from Hong Kong and the cost of per person is 12,500 rupees. The currency used in Macau is Pataca. One Pataca is equivalent to five rupees according to Indian currency. If your budget does not allow you to take a helicopter ride, then you can select another option ferries. The cost for ferries is just rupees 700 per person. Some more attractions of Macau are Macau Tower, Macau Museum, A-Ma Temple. Ruins of St. Paul’s are the centre of attraction of this island. Source: Medley News, Kashmir stay is fulfillment of a family dream-SRK: Hoping that his stay would encourage  others to makes films in Kashmir, Shah Rukh Khan Thursday said he had never  felt "this kind of happiness in life before". Addressing a crowded press conference here, Shah Rukh, who ended his shooting in Kashmir for Yash Chopra's untitled directorial venture, said: "Naturally, people who hear me would like to come here either to make a movie or to simply see the beauty of the place. I never felt this kind of happiness in life before. I do not know what exactly it was." The actor found himself playing real life crowd controller at his press interaction here where most of the people had turned out to have a glimpse of their favourite superstar rather than listen to his views. Dressed formally to attend his first media interaction at Hotel Lalit Palace overlooking the Dal Lake in Srinagar, Shah Rukh had to get up from his chair to maintain order so that he could hear questions posed by media persons. Even though attendance at the much awaited media interaction was by invitation, many people, who were not even remotely connected with the press, managed to enter SRK's media briefing. The 46-year-old said his first experience with Kashmir had been so rewarding that he would be talking about it to his family and friends for the next 15 days. Asked whether his
visit would give a fillip to Kashmir as a Bollywood destination in future, SRK said: "I am not such a big person that others would follow me, but I have shot films in Switzerland, Mauritius, London and other places and the beauty of Kashmir is definitely unmatched by any other place. Inshallah, other filmmakers will come here to shoot their films in future." After shooting for Yash Chopra's untitled film in famous tourist spots Pahalgam and north Gulmarg, SRK is scheduled to fly back to Mumbai Thursday. He was sad that his stay in the Valley has come to an end. "It was always my father's dream to take me to Kashmir because his grandmother belonged to this place. Although I could not come here in his lifetime, yet making it finally to Kashmir has been the fulfilment of a family dream. I am happy it has been finally realised," he said.
Asked about Kashmir being portrayed in a certain manner especially since violence broke out here, he said: "Different people have different ideas. Films are just the reflection of a society and it depends on a storyteller what kind of story he wants to tell. For example, I am presently here shooting for a love story." About the negative portrayal of Muslims in the West, SRK said: "We should not get into a negative attitude. I think all of us must explain to others that what some of us might be doing by way of violence has nothing to do with our religion." Commenting upon his larger than life stature in the Indian film industry, he said: "God has always been very kind to me and everybody has been nice to me." The film also features Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma and is scheduled for a Nov 13 release. The first teaser of the film has already hit the theatres. Source: Punjab News, The Perfect Trip: Costa Rica: Tucked into the narrow Central American isthmus, Costa Rica may look
small, but it conceals mysterious cloud forests, quiet beaches and extraordinary wildlife. Puerto Viejo de Talamanca: Best for food: In a bright kitchen, Elena Brown flits between a pan, where strips of yellow plantain hiss, and a potful of bubbling sauce. Elena has spent much of her life practising the traditional cooking of the Caribbean. ‘My mum had 14 children,’ she says with a toothy grin. ‘So everybody had to take a turn.’ These days she cooks at her namesake restaurant in the seaside village of Puerto Viejo de Talamanca. For generations, Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast has brought together English speaking settlers from Jamaica, indigenous groups from the Talamanca Mountains and Spanish creoles living in the country since Christopher Columbus dropped anchor nearby in 1502. By the 20th century, the area had developed a distinct culture: locals spoke Mekatelyu, a rapid-fire Creole dialect based on West Indian English, Calypso musicians penned ballads about banana companies and malevolent women, and the fusion of people and ingredients turned food into one of the area’s enduring symbols. The cuisine mixes island spice with Central American
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
heartiness. One of the most beloved dishes is the steamy soup rondón, an exquisite coconut milk concoction studded with cassava, green bananas, fish and shrimp, and laced with blazing Scotch bonnet chilli peppers. Puerto Viejo has grown into a popular seaside destination, but the area holds on to its roots. Radio sets play contemporary calypso songs, local smallholders farm cacao (cocoa) and – on a wooden terrace fringed with hot-pink tropical flowers – Elena serves up the recipes her mother taught her, plus a few others picked up along the way. ‘I love it when people eat my food,’ she says. ‘When people come, they aren’t just eating. They’re tasting the Caribbean.’ Further information: Artisanal fishing trips and tours to cacao farms are available from ateccr.org (half-day tours from £25). Where to eat: Grab a table at Restaurante Elena Brown, on the eastern road out of town (dishes from £5). Where to stay: Located four miles east of Puerto Viejo in Playa Chiquita, intimate Namuwoki Lodge has eight whitewashed bungalows accented in tropical hardwoods and cosy outdoor sitting areas. There is also a swimming pool for lounging by, a whirlpool bath and a
La Fortuna
restaurant that serves excellent grilled seafood (from £75). La Fortuna: Best for adventure: For centuries, no-one in La Fortuna knew that a volcano loomed over their town. Its last major eruption occurred around 1400, and it had then fallen into a long, deep sleep. By the time the 20th century arrived, the farmers who lived in the area referred to the towering peak simply as Cerro Arenal – Arenal Hill. The misnomer didn’t become apparent until the 1960s, when the ‘hill’ suddenly rumbled into life. Its name has since been upgraded to Volcán Arenal. Sergio RodrÃguez, a naturalist guide who grew up in the region and has lived in La Fortuna for the past 12 years, has studied the volcano and climbed it hundreds of times. The eruptions, he says, can feel otherworldly – ‘like an earthquake followed by the sound of someone turning on the world’s biggest transformer’. As he makes his way through the scrub, he tells Arenal’s story. La Fortuna sits in the foothills of the Tilarán Mountains and, for much of the 20th century, it was known as a cattle-ranching hub. Yet when Arenal began putting on its regular pyrotechnic displays in the late 1960s, the area drew the attention of international volcanologists as well as thrill-seeking travellers. Image Flickr: Link1, Link2, Link3, Source: Sam Daily Times, Visit famous Shiva temple at Tiruvannamalai and surroundings: How to reach
Tiruvannamalai? Tiruvannamalai is on Katpadi-Vellore-Villupuram railway line, 68 km west of Villupuram and 83 km south of Vellore. Tirupati- Villupuram Passanger train leaving Katpadi at 6-40, reaches Tiruvannamalai at 9-30. Katpadi-Trichy Passanger leaving at 16-50 arrives at Tiruvannamalai at 19-25 via Vellore and then departs for Villupuram. The Passanger train that leaves Tiruvannamalai at 6-40 reaches Villupuram at 8-45 and then goes upto Pondicherry at 10-30. Buses take passengers from Tiruvannamalai to Jinji in 1 hour, Chennai in 5 hours and Pondicherry in 3 ½ hours. Tourists for Pondicherry are advised to go straight there by train or from Villupuram by a bus journey of 38 km. Railway station and bus stand at Tiruvannamalai is between 500 meters. To 100 km south of Kanchi, on the northern side of Shovaroi hill and around Arunchaleswar Temple Tiruvannamalai, a holy place dedicated to Lord Shiva. At the foothills 1.5 km from rail and bus stands, Tejalingam complex of over 100 temples has come up on 25 acre of land. This is towering temple, the largest in South India, built with the patronization of the Vijayanagar kings of the 16- 17th century. What legend says about TiruvannamalaiLord Shiva emerges here as Agni Linga or one of the five sources of life in the midst of Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu who clashed for supremacy. Lord Vishnu taking the form of a boar failed to bore the earth to determine the character of the Linga. Similarly, Lord Brahma in the form of a swan failed to scale the peak of the Lingam to do the same. Both accepted the superiority of Lord Shiva at Tiruvannamalai hill. The temple said to have taken 1000 years to built and Lord Shiva is worshipped here as Arunchaleswar. Other deities like Parvati, Subrahmanya (Kartik), Ganesh, Lakshmi, Venugopal are there in the temple. The 66 meters high 13 storey Mandapam or Gopuram is a beautiful piece of art works. Carvings are simply marvellous. One will find after entering it on the east gate at the first courtyard the beautiful 1000 pillar Mandap built by the Vijayanagar kings. To the north of the temple is a tree, a cross between Neem and Bodhi (Banyan). The holy tree is a symbol of peace, happiness and prosperity. Newly married women come and pray to the holy tree for happy married lives. In November-December on the occasion of Kartik full moon a grand Kartikai Deepam festival is organized. Lord Shiva travels around the town on a chariot alongwith Parvati, Kartik and Ganesh. People from far off places come here to take part in the 10-days festival. One has to make 14 km tour trek up the Tiruvannamalai hill to see the Shiva Lingam. Other attractions of Tiruvannamalai: Maharshi Raman's Ashram is another attraction. He died in 1950, cremated 2 km on the South West of the town. Further west is the 1100 meter high Shovaroi hill on the right side of the road and 300 meter high Kalrayan hill on the left side. Opposite the temple to the North West side is the holy hill with its Virupaksha cave. Further up Skandasraman cave. Places to visit surrounding Tiruvannamalai: 35 km west of Tiruvannamalai, in the Reserved Forest is Sathanur Dam (built in 1957) on the Ponnyar river which emerged out of North Bangalore. The lake created out of the dam has got a swimming pool and a crocodile project has also been taken up here. The park adjacent to the lake has a good ambience. Further south is Kuddalore. East India Company set up a commercial house here in 1684. Fort St David was also their creation. However, the French destroyed the fort in 1758. Tourists may visit by bus to sculpturally beautiful Krishna Temple 43 km west of Villupuram. Image: https://upload.wikimedia.org. South: Travel India, Venice: City of Romance- Venice is recognised as being one of the most
romantic cities in the world with its captivating labyrinth of winding canals, gondolas, and narrow streets for losing yourselves together. It is difficult to argue with this description with a feel as though people have been transported to a land they where can live out their fantasies, where everything is wonderful and filled with romance.
The Basilica di San Marco is a major tourist attraction in Venice. One of the oldest churches in the city, this basilica contains a high altar that is rumoured to hold some of the remains of St. Mark. This church is an incredible structure, with intricate designs & carvings, all covered in gold. It also features Venice’s symbol, the golden winged
lion. The Piazza San Marco has been a rendezvous for Venetians and tourists since it was first constructed. The square is dominated by the Basilica, a clock tower, impressive buildings, fancy restaurants and shops. This is the perfect place to relax
with a coffee and watch the world go by. The Doge’s Palace dates back to the Renaissance period when it was used as a residence of the rulers of Venice. This really is a sight to behold, with its pink and white marble and beautiful arches. Today, it contains, a collection of the world’s greatest artworks by Bellini and many other
famous artists. This unique city is a truly amazing place to see and wander around on foot. However, before boarding their flights from Venice, all tourists should take a gondola ride along the canals of Venice. This is the only way to truly experience the romance that this famous city invokes. Source: Article, Gujarat Tourism To Take Amitabh Bachchan Ads Overseas: Gujarat tourism has decided to
 take ad campaign featuring Amitabh Bachchan overseas. Ever since the launch of "Khushboo Gujarat Ki" campaign, Gujarat tourism has posted very strong growth. The
campaign was launched in October 2010 acorss India. Among first destinations promoted by Amitabh Bachchan was Gir National Park, that saw huge surge in tourists
thanks to the ad campaign. Several other places were promoted following that including Gandhi Circuit, Kutch and the Somnath Temple. The third stage of
campaign will feature more destinations like Saputara, the only hill station in Gujarat. The success of the campaign has made Gujarat tourism to take the campaign global. Gujarat tourism officials confirmed this during the Travel Agents Association of  India, annual award show. Gujarat tourism was honored with the award of best tourism department in India beating Kerala and Madhya Pradesh. The state tourism  department has take several steps like organizing events, festivals, tourism fairs and road shows in several cities across the world to promote Gujarat. Tourism Secretary of Gujarat, Vipul Mitra told that tourism growth of Gujarat is 14 per cent over the past  one year. The majority of growth from domestic sector was made possible by the Amitabh Bachchan. Its worth noting that Congress party slammed Mr Bachchan for  promoting Gujarat tourism.But today thanks to him, thousands of tourism jobs have been created in the state. Source: Easy Destination Blog, Image Flickr: Link1, Link2, Link3, Link4, Link5, Link6, Link7, Link8 Remark: Copy Url of the images and paste to find it’s source of sharing, also get connect with each source of sharing articles via specified links. Our Sites unique and other links (if there will be any) are available just for the requirement of the subject not for increasing circulations, as we are not in the promotion of any kind its all for very special issues, personalities etc. |
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