Ajmer-e-Sharif

The district of Ajmer in the princely state of Rajasthan has the holy shrine of the Sufi Saint, Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti. Known as the ‘Dargah Sharif’, the last resting place of the saint who died in 1235 lies at the foot of a barren hill. The saint’s marble domed mausoleum is India’s most important shrine for Muslims and receives an endless flow of visitors of all religions as the sick, the troubled and the childless come here seeking a boon, a blessing or just peace of mind. Legend has it that the Mughal emperor, Akbar came here to the saint in the 16th century in quest of a boon for an heir and the saint obliged.

The Urs or annual pilgrimage of the devout is celebrated each May at the Dargah with millions of pilgrims arriving in Ajmer to pay homage. Lengthy queues of several kilometres snake their way past the tomb at the shrine while outside the Dargah precincts, two massive cauldrons cook sweet rice garnished with dry fruits and condiments to be served as ‘tabarukh’ or sanctified food. Within the dargah lies a mosque, built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. Like all of Shah Jahan’s buildings, the mosque too, is an architectural marvel - a magnificent building in white marble with a long and narrow courtyard for the faithful to pray in, richly embellished with ornate calligraphic inscriptions, delicate carvings and detailed trelliswork.


Although Ajmer does not have an airport of its own, there is an airport at Jaipur (130 km away), from where regular buses and taxis come to Ajmer.

Ajmer is very well linked by train; there are frequent (in many cases daily) trains to and from the city to other destinations in India, including Delhi, Mumbai and Jaipur. Delhi is connected to Ajmer by the fast Shatabdi Express, easily the quickest and most comfortable way of getting to Ajmer.

A good national and state highway network links Ajmer to other parts of Rajasthan and many important cities in India. Hired transport is easily available, be it cars, jeeps, minibuses or MUVs and almost all come with experienced drivers. State and interstate roadways buses, RTDC conducted tours and coaches connect Ajmer to most important cities in the region, including Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Mt. Abu, Jaisalmer, Mumbai and Delhi.

A Tiger Trail in Ranthambore

Ranthambore is lovely place in Rajasthan that is situated at a distance of 180 kilometers from the capital city, Jaipur. It is a national park, sanctuary and a site that was declared as one of the Project Tiger reserves in the 1970s by the Government of India. The place is categorically famous for its Tiger count and also happens to be home to some of the most gorgeous and healthy tigers in India. The beasts can be easily spotted during day time. The months of November and May, when the forests are dry, is the best time when Tigers are visible throughout the day.

Following a Tiger Trail in Ranthambore can be very exciting. One needs to be cautious, for irritating a Tiger would invite trouble. Wherever a Tiger goes, the animal always leaves traces or paw marks behind. You can pretend to be Indianan Jones and follow the trail. If the climate is moist, the trail becomes easier to follow and the footprints would be wet and very clear. You need to be armored well before you take up a trail as you run the risk of being attacked. Some of the accessories you would need while following the trail are a solid net, rifle with magazines and a harpoon in case hunting is allowed and you feel like doing it.

The trails are very exciting. Tigers often have this habit of changing their routes constantly. They have to be tracked or followed with a lot of precision. The trace becomes more intriguing and exhilarating as you have to be very agile. The tiger moves very quickly and within no time will vanish if you do not keep pace with it. Go to Ranthambore and follow a Tiger Trail. You can fancy yourself as 007, as someone on a hot trail left behind by a notorious assassin.

Rajasthan a Dream Destination for Sand Dunes

The land of Royalty certainly does teach you a thing or two about rich culture and tradition. It does give you history lessons about the grandeur and luxury that the royals experienced back then. Also, it serves as one of the best places where you can know where the heart of true India lies. Rajasthan has always been a cherished tourist destination across the world with people pouring in huge numbers. Be it food, culture, tradition, attire, rural environment, hospitality etc., all of them are demonstrated well just by a visit to the place. People who go to Rajasthan come back with the memories of a lifetime and always cherish their visit.

The most scintillating feature that they get to see in the desert city is the sand dunes of Jaisalmer. Everyone falls in love with the sand dunes. Any romantic would give his right arm to take half of that sand home and preserve it in a nearby park so that whenever the beloved in there with him, both can simply go there and lay down. The sand is very soothing and takes you into a different world. During day in the scorching sun, sounds about forgotten love stories resonate beneath the ground and during night when it is cold and free air is blowing everywhere, those of all the accomplished love stories that became a part of romantic folklore can be heard clearly. It is this magical enigma coming out of the sand dunes that make them a visitor favorite.

The camel rides are an anecdote about the tyranny that love struck couples had to endure during the days of yore, the distance they had to cover to meet their beloved and the struggle that ensued. The blazing sun up there is testament to the turmoil that came with the romantic adventure. The skeletons and human debris found in the sand dunes are proof as to how some stories remains unfinished and had a tragic ending.

The sand dunes are about all this and much more. They reflect typical Indian tradition and the blood and sweat that the natives shed to make the place the historical powerhouse it has become. They have a concealed undertone to them which needs a lot of sensitivity and romantic demeanor to identify.

Come to Rajasthan and feel that sand. You will see a chill going down your spine and will get to know why people from around the world come to this part of Earth to see what the sand is. They say that this sand is not the normal one you get to see at places. It contains a lot of tears, prayers and wishes that will forever be there buried inside.

Shimla & Manali are Dreamed Lands

Talk about hill stations and you start fantasizing about those dreamlands full of icy and snowy landscapes. Now, India has quite a few hill stations where people go and have a good time but a couple of those that really stand out are Shimla and Manali, which fortunately for the tourists and the travelers are located in the state of Himachal Pradesh. The former is the capital city of the state where as the latter is a well visited hill station located near the valley of Kullu. Shimla is situated near the Northwestern Himalayas and is completely covered with Oak, Pine and Rhodendron trees. The summers are said to be very pleasant with the winters being severely cold. The snowfall in this region starts from the late of November and goes on till early February, a time period during which tourists come pouring in huge numbers to experience the snow.

If Shimla were not enough, then Manali only takes that pleasure of visiting such wonderful hill stations to the next step. The place is located near the Beas River Valley and is quite near to Kullu. As a matter of fact, Manali is an integral part of District Kullu and apart from being a wonderful vacation spot is also a place of historical importance. Both Shimla and Manali are two places in the Northern part of India that symbolize peace and serenity is a very unobtrusive manner. They are not flashy and hyped vacation spots that are well around the world and have tourists coming in throughout the year. Apart from snow being one of the biggest attractions, there are a lot of other spots and sites that vacationers love to go when they come to visit Shimla and Manali.

These places have this innate ability to make people feel very close to nature. Nature in fact flexes its arms thoroughly at these two places and shows why people still adore being close to it. The valleys and the ravines along with the weather prove to be an unbeatable combination all over the year and the resorts and motels prove to be perfect places for lodging. The local habitat is also quite amazing given the weather that the inhabitants are used to living in. people are always at their best while having fun in these two parts of the wonderful state of Himachal Pradesh.

Both Shimla and Manali are two very calm yet lively cities with the crowd always buzzing around in these places. Not only are they very warm and welcoming in nature which is the stark opposite of the weather that can be experienced but also they are very tourist friendly and offer a great deal of spots that can be visited around. Visiting these places might turn out to be the best experience of your life and you should be doing it without a delay. The prices are very competitive and it will hardly cost visitors a lot of money to come and make the trip.

Celebrate Gangaur Festival in Rajasthan

The festival of Gangaur in the state of Rajasthan is one of the best celebrated festivals on the block and also one of the most cherished ones too. The festival gets celebrated in the month of monsoon when harvest and martial fidelity is about to happen. The women on the block worship Gauri, who also happens to be the consort of Lord Shiva himself. The word ‘Gangaur’ is a portmanteau of two distinct words namely ‘Gana’ and ‘Gaur’ with the former signifying Lord Shiva and the latter meaning Parvati. The symbolic meaning of gaur is Saubhagya, a Sanskrit notation for good luck and good charm. This word out and out symbolizes marital bliss and when used in the right context, is an apt representative of good things to come.

Lord Shiva and goddess Parvati are worshipped in this festival of Gangaur. This festival is specifically meant for women folks. The unmarried women worship Gauri for blessing them with good husband, while married women do so for the welfare, health and longevity of their husbands and cheerful married life. It is believed that after a temporary long sacrament Gauri and Shiva reunited on this day. The small doll like Idols of the Shiva and Gauri are made of wood. These divine male and female entities are called ‘Isar’ and ‘Gangaur’. The festival commences on Holi. The festival runs through many days. Young girls pray for grooms of their choice while married women seek a long life for their husbands. The ladies beautify their hands and feet by temporary decoration by drawing designs with Mehendi.

Indian Culture and Mehndi Importance

India has always been known as the land of diversity and this element of diversity can be very well witnessed in the culture that exists in this part of the world. There are 22 official languages that are spoken in various parts of India and all these parts have a distinct culture that the natives and the inhabitants are extremely proud of. They take a lot of pride in the way they celebrate the festivals and also a lot of pride in the cuisines that are cooked at their home. Along the same lines, mehndi is an integral part of these celebrations and adds a unique touch to the festivities and after all, signifies what cultural India is all about through its sheer magnificence and shimmer. Not only does it add a lot of importance to brand India but also takes it to a very distinguished level. Mehndi has found its place in every festivity that India indulges in and has become an iconic article of usage in the whole scheme of things.

Mehndi is the main decorative item in weddings that take place in India. The scale on which it gets used is enormous and apart from the bride, a lot of other females present in the occasion also make heavy use of it. Apart from weddings, there are other festivities where Mehndi is used heavily which include the likes of cultural fests, deity worshipping events and birthdays. In all these events, there is an evident commonality that the usage of mehndi is done quite extensively and unabashedly. People in India take a lot of pride in flaunting this as they believe that mehndi is an integral symbol of celebration and the spirit it represents transcends every cultural notion. It is applied on the hands and the feet and without it both these body parts look very empty.

Menhdi adds a lot of flavor to every occasion celebrated in India and enables the person to bring in the festivity in a very unique and satisfactory way. Mehndi has become a part of the emotion that is attached to every occasion and has become a mascot for celebration in this land of cultural richness. Mehndi ensures that celebrations never seem to be hollow and is influential in making the whole process look very charismatic. Mehndi is one of the most cherished creations of India that has been used since ages and continues to be used as a token of gratitude and joy towards the creators. Its value is unparalleled.

India is the Place for Yoga

The land of Gurus and Yogis has forever lived up to its reputation as the mystic ground that gave the world one of the finest arts of exercise and meditation. Yoga, with all due pride, originated from India and is hailed by fitness experts across the world as one of the finest forms of exercise and meditation that can be used to keep the mind and the body in shape. Most importantly, if there is one destination in the world where Yoga is still practiced in the most effective and productive forms, then there is no substitute for India. Yes, India still remains one of the most sought after destinations to learn Yoga (One wonders whether people still think that the fossils of old age Yoga gurus lay buried somewhere near these Yoga destinations!) because of the fact that the real essence through which this art originated still remains in this country.

Yoga gurus in India have not lost that touch through which millions of minds and bodies have been healed. The way Yoga is taught here in India is incomparable and all other venues do not even come near anywhere India. The methods are kept traditional and customary to retain that ancient touch and the techniques used in Yoga which include all the Asanas are still taught the same way they were practiced back then in the days of yore when Yoga had just originated. The venues are cleaned thoroughly before tents come up and there is a pedestal where the Yoga Guru positions himself for all his disciples too see him. The music that is played in the background seems to be like a divine sound and the Asanas are executed very slowly so that the muscle group towards which it gets directed is stretched and caressed properly.

All the asanas involved in Yoga are taught very meticulously here in India. The Gurus ensure that the postures in which they have to be performed are executed well and the stretch does not become too hard. The asanas are pertinent to solving every ache that exists in the human body. They are meant for the neck, stiff back, for those suffering from chronic back ailments, stiff hamstrings, for strengthening calf and thigh muscles and for the arms as well. The asanas are also meant for enhanced breathing and involved deep breathing exercises apart from addressing other factors like increasing sperm count, clearing the mind of negative thoughts, making a person more sensitive towards things and improvement of thought patterns.

India still remains the most preferred destination of Yoga enthusiasts across the world. The herbals that are given to people after Yoga sessions and the shrubs they are advised to amalgamate with other natural elements for enhanced and long lives are only available in India. The art of living techniques taught here have not even been originated elsewhere in the world, which makes India the sole caterer in this art. Hence, India leads as the most preferred Yoga destination.

Chhattisgarh is Fully Surprise Holiday Destination

Tourists looking for offbeat holiday destinations will find their match in Chhattisgarh. This part of India is not a conventional destination where one expects to find resorts, beaches, and five star hotels but is a place where tourists with an insatiable scouting appetite will be thrilled with the visible activities around. The state has grown as a very popular destination for tourism and is considered to be a good blend of food, music, tradition and landscape. The landscape too is quite diverse across the state with hills covering the North and the South and the Central Part being full of plains. More than 44 per cent of the state is covered with forests, which ensures that visitors will get to look at the existing fauna in the state from close quarters.
The Rihand River in the North and Mahanadi River in the east-West range ensure that water bodies make their presence felt. The Central Part is taken care of by the Narmada with Godavari River taking care of the honours in the South. Tourists who love lounging near rivers will find these highly soothing. The state is not a conventional tourist spot. Industrial growth can be seen all around with steel plants like the Bhilai Steel Plant, SEC Railway Zone, NTPC, BALCO and SECL. NMDC resides over Iron Ore and ESSAR has also established a plant over there.

Rural India is exemplified by Chhattisgarh. Village Carts dragged by Water Buffalos are a famous mode of transportation and can be used by tourists for commuting. There are numerous temples with ancient carvings that have emerged as highly popular sites in the state. Ramnami Samaj, Satnami Panth and Kabir Panth are some of the religious sects in this place and are looked up to by visitors as religious places. Chhattisgarh is also known for being a good centre for handicrafts. Kosa Silk, Salwar Suits, Lehengas, Shawls and Achkans are popular attires sold here in the state. Tourists can be seen in huge numbers
The traditional song, dance and theatre routine is displayed with thorough enthusiasm. Dance styles such as the Panthi, Raut and Soowa styles are very popular and have been modelled on the dancing styles of Krishna and Gopis, an integral part of Hindu Mythology. Traditional Folk Music has forms like Bihav, Sohar and Pathoni with every form being adapted on a different occasion. Musical narratives are also put on display through forms like Pandavani, a nationally acknowledged form of music.

Those who would love to explore Rural India and the habitat along with the lifestyle should come to Chhattisgarh and see the splendour in the offing. The local food, huts, villages, mode of transportation and fields make for a good view for the unorthodox who love exploring new places. The state offers everything but in a very conventional style and is categorically meant for the experimental ones who have a thing for visiting new places and experiencing new habitats that they might have never even thought of in life.

Why Visit Tokyo?

Sayonara! One of the few Japanese words I learnt by watching a Japanese movie some time ago. Since then, Tokyo, the Capital City of Japan has always been one of the cities in the World by whom I have been quite fascinated with.

There are many reasons why one should visit this beautiful city in East Asia. Tokyo is historically quite wealthy. From being a small fishing village back in 1457, the city has emerged to become one of the most enviable ones in the world and has some very enchanting castles and forts. The Edo Castle, also known as The Imperial Palace is where the Royal Family of Japan resides. The meteoric skyscrapers testify the grand architecture gone behind their making and other sites such as malls and shopping centres display the best that Japan has. Shopping fanatics will drop after they explore all the stores that house everything from traditional Japanese kimonos worn by geisha to western dresses with sleek cuts.

The mainland land portion is thoroughly captivating. There are 26 cities and 8 villages, facts that vindicate the wonderful topography of the city. The National Parks where the best of Fauna is kept include the likes of Meiji no Mori Takao Quasi National Park near Mount Takao, Ogasawara National Park, and the Ueno National Park that has lots of museums in it such as the Tokyo National Museum, National Science Museum, and National Museum for Western Art and Shitamachi Museum. The Tokyo National Museums is home to over 40,000 National and foreign Language Films that get showcased time and again and attract a great deal of interest. Art lovers will simply not have enough of all this.

The Outlying Islands in Tokyo extend up to a coastline of 1850 km. The Izu Islands are a consortium of volcanic islands with the likes of Toshima, Niijima, Shikinejima, Miyakejima, Kozushima, Mikurajima, Aogashima and Hachijojima. The other group of islands is the Ogasawara Islands including the likes of Nishinoshima, Haha-jima, Iwo Jima, Kita Iwo Jima, Chichi-jima and Minami Iwo Jima. A ride in the Shinkansen that goes upto 210km/hr is one of the best experiences one can have in Tokyo as the rail covers the entire city and travels at blazing speed.

Culture and cuisines are unbelievable in Tokyo. Festivals happen all around the year at shrines like Hie Shrine and Asakusa Shrine. Fireworks can be seen during nights at the Sumida River and parks like the Inokashira Park get occupied for picnics. Harajuku is considered to be the fashion hub of style and fashion. Tokyo has the best restaurants in the world for fine wining and dining. Be it the quintessential Sushi, traditional Japanese or even French cuisine, food in this city leaves you craving for more. Even meat dishes are exotic with some of them being rarely served anywhere else.

Tourists will never have enough of Tokyo. The city is always buzzing with life and those who like going out in the night can be assured of safety as Police patrolling is heavy in all boroughs and suburbs. A good two weeks can be spent here in the capital city of Japan exploring everything that will only leave tourists with fond and cherishing memories.

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