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Bird watcher’s paradise- Chilika Lake

Migratory birds swimming in lake Chilika
chilka lake

Located south of Puri, Chilika Lake is the largest brackish water lake in Asia. The shallow waters surrounded with marshes, lowlands, and islands have played an important role in the Indian history as it was the important harbor and commercial center during the reign of the Kalinga kings.

Spread in an area of around 1100 square kilometers, this place is the world’s second largest coastal and a popular tourist destination. Proliferated with around 158 different species of aquatic and wildlife throughout the year, the island attracts more than 150 species of migratory birds every year during winter and hence is also called as bird-watchers paradise.

The major attraction within lake is the Island of Nalabana which occupies the periphery in the vast expanse of Chilika Lake. The birds’ island is a refuge for residents and migratory birds. Nature lovers can watch the birds in their natural habitat here. Another major attraction is the Kalijal Island, which is the home Goddess Kalijai, and hosts a huge fair on Makar Sankranti annually. The Satapada is another major tourist attraction and is an ideal spot to enjoy Chilika Lake. One can see abundance of Dolphins and other rare species round the year in the lakes of Chilika. Moreover, the presence of numerous migratory birds in Satapada makes this place a favorite destination to spend quality time with nature. The Parikud and Malud are the other colourful islands within the lake while the Brahmapura is famous for its scenic beauty.

mangla jodi

The travelers can also visit Nirmala Jhar located just 11 kms away. It is also a place of religious worship and a picnic spot. While on the other side one can visit the Narayani temple and the Banpur which is famous for various religious activities round the year. The Place has a moderately warm climate all around the years’ time but the best time to visit this place is winter when the migrant birds reach this place.

For nature lovers Chilika is the best place to visit and capture nature’s beauty in lenses. The serene beauty of this place attracts millions of tourists from India and abroad and has become a major source of revenue.

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Guwahati – Shopper paradise of the northeast India

Guwahati city at night

Being the largest city in the northeast, Guwahati enjoys a special Status. A centre for all business activities and shopping thus attracting the people of northeast and Eastern Bhutan towards it. The origins of this City trace back to the 6th Century, making it stand among the oldest cities of the Country. Initially known as Prajyotishpura, Guwahati was the Capital of Assam till the 10th century.

Located in the foothills of Shillong plateau, the city is closer to the Himalayas and quite hilly also. Guwahati is an important destination for tourists as this place has some interesting places to visit. The streets of Guwahati are usually occupied with tourists as there are many cultural and commercial markets across these streets. The bazaars in the city can load the tourists with the best of the stuff at reasonable rates. Amongst the more traditional places is the famous Pan Bazaar, while the Fancy Bazaar is a never-to-miss place for shopaholics as it is a shopping haven with many wholesale and retail outlets. Amidst the other bazaars in the city lies the Paltan Bazaar, a commercial center in the heart of the city famous for accommodations, transportation and restaurants.

rahmaputra River, Guwahati

After shopping, the travelers can move ahead to some historic places like the Uma Nanda Temple dedicated to lord Shiva which has its existence from the 17th century. The Janardana Temple, Bhubaneswari Temple and the Ugro Tara Temple are also some interesting places to visit. While the Navagraha Temple was built on Chitrasal Hill in 18th Century, it is the second highest hill in Guwahati. The Kamakhya temple which attracts pilgrims during the Ambubachi festival from all over the Country is also a fascinating place to visit in India.

The Assam State Museum, at the southern end of Dighalipukhuri tank, houses some important historic facts. A visit to this museum will guide the tourists about the journey of this city. The Basistha Ashramin city is also a picnic spot near the Sandhychal hills. The Pandu, a river port which lies on the south bank of Brahmaputra has a historic importance as this place was the entry point to Guwahati before construction of the Saraighat Bridge in the early 1960s. This cultural and historic city can be a wonderful experience for shopping and site seeing while holidaying in India. 

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Udaygiri and Khandagiri Caves

Ancient caves of Udaygiri and Khandagiri
khandagiri caves orissa

If you want one place where you can easily get into a conversation with your inner self and feel sublime at the same time, then it must be a temple especially when talking about the land of southern India. Situated 17kms apart from each other, these Hoysala temples are often referred as one, as if they belong to each other. But when you visit them, you realize that both these temples have their unique identity. Built by the Dravian School of architecture, both these temples are quite different in appearance. The Hoysala temples are that much important to the South Indian architecture just like Pyramids are to Egypt. The temple of Belur is still functional but the Halebid temple is no longer used for devotional purposes.

There is a huge difference between the temples of Northern and Southern India, the temple of Southern India barely has any light inside, the only light which illuminates the chambers is the light from the ignited diyas and the flame of the aarti.

Both these temples have carving of Puranas, the Upanishads and other mythological characters from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. The delicate designs of these temples built by renowned architect Jakkanna Acharya can leave anybody spellbound. It is said that Belur’s prime temple, Chennakeshava was built by the famous King Vishnuvardhana and the purpose behind it was to celebrate the military victories of the Hoysala dynasty. This temple is exceptionally huge and took more than a hundred years to complete and the structural design is distant from the customary Hoysala style of the 12th century.

Pre-drawn moments spent gazing at the absolute verse in rock in the gloomy radiance. The best time of the day to visit these temples is just before sunrise, at this hour of the day tranquility reaches its peak and one can feel eternal bliss.

The temples of Belur and Halebid are the best ones remaining of the Hoysala temples and certainly the best ones. For those who want to experience the ultimate harmony between the known and the unknown, make sure you don’t miss these temples while planning your vacation to India. The temples of Belur and Halebid are equally splendid like that of Khajuraho, and will leave you with a desire to come back for a second visit.

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Khandala – the Perfect Place for Weekend Getaways in India

A tourist enjoying hiking at Lonavala Khandala

Festooned with utmost beauty, Khandala surprises the travel enthusiasts with its extraordinary scenery. Surrounded by green hills, valleys and attractive lakes, this place in Maharashtra is a perfect place for weekend getaways. The luxuriant landscape of this hill station attracts tourists in a big way. The beautiful waterfalls and the lakes calm the visitors. Khandala has a splendid climate throughout the year, but travelers prefer to visit this place in the monsoon season as this place becomes a paradise.

getaways in khandala

This is an exquisite hill station to visit with implausible scenery of nature; one can walk through this picturesque and explore the beauty of nature. The journey begins with the historic Rajmachi fort surrounded by deep valleys and thick forest then reaching the Shrivardhan fort located at the east of Rajmachi fort is a true adventure. Moving ahead towards the Manoranjan Fort one can visit the famous Bhairavnath temple on the way. Halting at the Manoranjan fort, the travelers can witness the real beauty of square lakes which is filled with clean water all year round. People fond of mounting will never forget the experience of rock climbing at the Duke’s Nose peak and Karla hills during vacations in India.

The Visapur Fort is famous for its protective walls with intricate designs and attracts the tourists with its insight beauty. While Lohagad Fort is the place where the famous warrior Shivaji kept the prisoners in the war of 1564, there is even a peculiar design on the walls of the fort, known as Vindhukata which can keep the visitor wondering. To the south lies the Tunga fort which was used to keep a watch on the other forts in that area. One can reach this fort by boat and visit the temple of Mahadev built on the Fort.

Khandala, usually famous for its magnificent lakes, has a series of them like the Tungarli Lake which supplies water to Lonavala City. The Pavna Lake is also one of the attractive lakes in Khandala. The Lonavala Lake, constructed in 1876, is also a beautiful spot to visit. The Valvan Dam has a stunning garden at its foot where the visitors can relax themselves. The Bhushi Dam has a fabulous waterfall where one cannot resist itself taking a dip into the water.

The magnificent valleys and the beautiful surroundings entice the visitors to visit Khandala again.

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Kaziranga National Park of Assam

One-horned rhinoceros grazing in Kaziranga National Park

India is a country which has wide range of flora and fauna and offers a lot to its visitors in terms of jungle safaris, wildlife attractions etc. In the past few years, India is getting more and more concerned about the conservation of the endangered species and to fulfill this requirement many wildlife sanctuaries have been made in the recent years. Kaziranga is one of them. The national park spreads over an area of about 470 sq kms. It has been declared an UNESCO world heritage site in the year 1985.The soaring elephant grass make Kaziranga an ideal habitat for one of the most fascinating wildlife in Asia, the Indian One-Horned Rhino. Kaziranga lies in the midst of Burma Monsoon Forests and has tall and dense grasslands. The three major types of foliage are alluvial grasslands, evergreen dense forests and tropical wet semi-evergreen forests.

Apart from the Rhino, Kaziranga is home to various other animals like Elephants, Bison, Capped Langurs (a species of Monkey), Swamps, Deer, Leopards, Tigers, Pythons, Jungle Cats and many others. Besides giving shelter to the animals, Kaziranga is a bird paradise too. Different species like Black-Shouldered Kite, Fishing Eagle, White Tale Eagle, Himalayan Griffon etc. are regular in this national park. During the monsoon season, many birds and animals migrate from one area to another. The best time to visit the Kaziranga National Park is from mid-November to early April.

The best way to explore this wildlife sanctuary of India is through the Elephant Safari, also because walking is not permitted in the park area because of the potentially dangerous mammals. Start your safari break when dawn breaks, to make the most of your visit to Kaziranga. During this safari, you can experience one of the most amazing and delightful views; wild Elephant herds roaming around and Indian Rhinos pass by your convoy. Also, make sure you visit the Panbari Reserve Forest to see some great woodland rarities. Here, you can find birds like Silver-breasted Broadbill, Asian Fairy Bluebird, Pale-capped Pigeon and Sultan Tit.

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