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Month: March 2012

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On the footsteps of Buddha

Trace your way to the enlightenment and serenity as you travel down the lane through which Lord Buddha gained Nirvana. As you travel through these places you get a sense of believe on the suffering, the cycle of life and death and the philosophy of the eternal bliss, the nirvana. As you follow the trails of Lord Buddha, who was born in a royal family as Prince Siddhartha Gautam, you learn that every place of Buddhist pilgrimage has its own significance. These famous Buddhist pilgrimages give you knowledge on the various stages of Lord Buddha’s life after he attained Nirvana. As Lord Buddha travelled through these places, he spread the enlightenment and the foundations of the Buddhists traditions.

Lumbni, in Nepal, is the birthplace of Lord Buddha. The place is one of the biggest Buddhist pilgrimages. Lumbni is the place where Lord Buddha posed several questions to his existence, the meaning of his life and the quest for the truth. Lumbni being the birthplace has several monasteries and Buddhist temple. The Mahadevi temple is one of the biggest temples in Lumbni. The place also has the Puskarini pond and remains of Kapilvastu Palace. Next stop is Rajgir where Lord Buddha, as Prince Siddhartha renounced the materialistic world. The places to visit here include Saptaparni caves and the Griddhkuta Hill. Bodhgaya is another place of importance while tracing the footsteps of Buddha. Gaya is the place where Lord Buddha attained enlightenment. He meditated under the Bodhi tree in Gaya which why the tree also of great significance for the pilgrims. The place is also known for the Vishupad temple known for the footprints of Lord Vishnu. Besides this, the Brahmayoni Hill is also situated in Gaya. This hill is the place where Lord Buddha gave the Adittapariyaya Sutta or the Fire Sermon.

Kapilvastu is the place where Lord Buddha spent twenty-nine years of his life spreading the religion across the Ganges belt. Near Kapilvastu is situated Sarnath which houses the four-headed lion statue besides the Mulagandha Kuti Vihar, Choukhandi Stupa, Ashok Pillar and Dhameka Stupa built during the Ashoka dynasty. Nalanda is a place where Lord Buddha spent almost 29 years of his life after attaining enlightenment. Nalanda was one of the revered universities of the ancient India and Lord Buddha traveled here during the last leg of his life. The place houses the remains of the Nalnada University besides many valuable manuscripts and scriptures of those times. Kushinagar is the city where Buddhist pilgrims reach to reminisce the last few days spent by Lord Buddha here. The place is considered as the last abode and the final destination of Lord Budhha. Across the Buddhists pilgrimage cities there are several monasteries and temples to visit and pray. Travel through the footsteps of Buddha and trace your path towards enlightenment.

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The Heritage City of Hampi

Stretched on an area of more than 25 square kilometers in the state of Karnataka, the Hampi ruins is chock-a-block with giant temples, palaces, market streets, aquatic structures and ancient architectures. Explorers can sojourn into the past on a visit to the majestic Hampi.

mahanavami dibba

Initially, Hampi was the capital of the Hindu empire, Vijayanagara, who ruled the south India during 14th to 16th century AD and thus with its historic and mythological residues, this place has become a famous tourist spot. The main locations and important architectural wonders are basically located in two areas; the Royal Centre and Sacred Centre. Starting the tour from the Royal Centre one can see the palaces, baths, pavilions, royal stables and temples. The sacred centre is situated on the northern edge of the city along the banks of the Tungabhadra River.

A voyage to Hampi is fascinating enough to attract the travelers for several days. The Vittala Temple dedicated to Vittala, a form of the Hindu god Vishnu is an architectural highlight of Hampi. The Virupaksha Temple is said to be one of the oldest active temples till date. The temple complex consists of the god’s sanctum, pillared halls and a series of giant entrance towers. A visit to the Kings Palace is the must as this place is known for its interesting architecture elements. The Queen’s bath is also a fascinating example of the Indo-Islamic hybrid architecture. Whereas the Riverside trek Path which connects the ancient Hampi Bazaar to the Vittala temple has copious shrines and carved artifacts scattered all around along this path.

The Hemakuta Hill Temples is another important mythological site in the local folklore, which has numerous temples on hill top. The Majestic Hampi famous for its religious and mythological temples also accommodates temples like the Krishna temple, Lakshmi Narasimha, Hazara Rama Temple, Pattabhirama Temple and Achyuta Raya’s Temple. The additional attractions of Hampi includes an metaphorical structure which was probably used by the military chief as his office or the queens of the palace as a pleasure pavilion named as the Lotus mahal. While the Elephant Stables build in a series of chambers with domical roofs has enough space to accommodate two elephants.

Pushkarni, a stepped water tanks, exhumed in the mid-1980 is lyrical in its beauty, beautifully build in a tiered structure crafted from rectangular pieces of granite. A trip to the majestic Hampi is truly an unforgettable experience ultimately.

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Enjoy a vacation to the Paradise on Earth

Kashmir is a shinning jewel in the crown of Indian tourism and travel. One of the most beautiful places in the world. Snow-clad mountain peaks, beautiful valleys, shimmering Dal Lake with colourful Shikaras and the houseboats make the scenic beauty of Kashmir an experience that signifies its epitomized splendour.

The Moghal Emperor-Jehangir said that Kashmir is a garden of eternal spring, a delightful flower bed, and heart expanding of heritage for dervishes. Its pleasant mead and enchanting cascades are beyond all description. So true indeed, the beauty of the place cannot be captured in words; one can only visit Kashmir and feel the aura and bliss in the air. This place is also ideal for those who are looking for an inspiration for art, music and poetry. The majestic Himalayas add a glimmer to the scenic beauty along with the crystal clear lakes and the lush vegetation. There are lots of places in Kashmir where one can just sit and let the magic of nature unfold in front of their eyes. Dawn to dusk, every second needs to be captured in the senses; the fresh air of the Himalayas rejuvenates you to the core and leave you feeling very fresh and delighted. Srinagar is the capital of Kashmir and home to the famous Dal Lake, this lake gets completely frozen in the winters when the temperature dips below 0 degrees. A Shikara ride on a sunny day in the Dal lake is like a dream come true, every view from the Shikara is just breath-taking. Char Minar and the Floating gardens are a part of this ride. The world famous Mughal gardens covering the Nishat Bagh and the Shalimar Bagh are also situated in Srinagar. The Kashmir valley is the most beautiful hill station of the country where one can enjoy royal sports as well. Gulmarg, which is almost 60kms from Srinagar, has the world’s highest golf course and is also famous for winter sports like Skiing, Ice Skating etc. Pahalgam is another place which worth a visit while on a tour to Kashmir. A visit to the Saffron fields and Anantnag Sulphur Springs; and a drive through the green pine forest in Pahalgam gives you another reason to make the trip memorable. The last destination on this trip to the valley of Kashmir is Sonmarg. Also called as the Gateway to Laddakh, Sonmarg offers lots of adventure sports like treks, sledging, angling, alpine skiing and white water rafting. One can also enjoy ride on horse to visit to Thajewas Glacier where snow remains round the year. The whole trip to Kashmir will give you lots of colourful memories and you will surely take some part of it along with you.

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Enchant Your Spirits with Amazing Manali to Leh Jeep Safari

leh jeep safari

Now-a-days, many travel enthusiasts are trying Jeep Safari, as it is one of the most adventurous ways to enjoy a vacation. Though, there are many locations in India where people can try jeep safari but the most mesmerizing and enchanting journey is from Manali to Leh jeep safari. It is the most comfortable and rejuvenating way to explore the unmatched beauty and bliss of the nature on the national highway of Manali to Leh. It provides best setting for the globe trotters with amazing regions adorned with wilderness of nature, beautiful hills, pristine lakes and rivers like Indus, serene monasteries and magnificent snow clad mountains which manage to fascinate every traveler.

The best time to go on this jeep safari is from July to mid October. The beholding charms of the surrounding on the route from Manali to Leh are captivating to say the least. The highway is tranquil and serene with no sign of life for miles and miles. Here, in the lap of nature you can achieve the peace of mind which it is impossible to attain in the bustling and chaotic city life!

To reach Leh from Manali, there are several passes which have to be crossed like Rohtang pass, Baralacha Pass, Nakee La and Tanh Lang La pass. All these passes move through up and low terrains giving the traveling buffs the time of their life. Leh roads are the alternative approach to Ladakh as well and these roads open for traffic from June till October. The highest pass which falls on the way is Tanglang- la; it is world’s second highest motor able tourism place that comes under Himachal tourism. It takes more than 19 hours to complete Manali to Leh jeep safari. Apart from jeep safari one can also go for the taxis, buses both normal and deluxe that ply between Leh and Manali by SRTC and J&K SRTC.

While travelling on the jeep safari there are certain things that should be kept in mind like keeping the travelling kit comprising of portable water, torch, juices, dehydrated food ,camping gears and last but not the least first aid kit. Proper arrangements for staying, meals and guides must be done.

Manali is also known as Switzerland of India, it is situated at the end of valley on the highway leading to Leh. It is the topmost and favorite spot for the travelers going to leh, lahaul, Spiti and kinnaur. During the jeep safari you can see majestic mountains and mystic river Beas flowing through the town. Hills on the route to Manali to Leh are covered with pine trees, deodar forests and tempting apple orchards.

Freezing winds and hot and dry climate are the highlights of cold desert of India- Ladakh. Also known as Little Tibet- it is bounded by world’s most impressive mountain ranges- Great Himalayas and the Karokaram. Situated amidst this rugged terrain is Leh, capital of Ladakh. It is positioned at the height of 11,000 feet watered by the Zanskar River surrounded by snow capped mountains.

It is a perfect trekking place with beautiful weather and blissful nature at its epitome!

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