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How to enjoy ice hockey in Himalayas

People playing ice hockey in Himanchal mountains.

Every little place is known to have its own little charm and fun techniques which keep them engaged and completely rooted to their location and tradition. Like the Canadians are known to be crazy about their Hockey, or the Indian’s or Britishers are known to be crazy about their Cricket, similarly in the local Himalayan regions of India people have found a new sport to keep them completely glued to their location and tradition- the Ice Hockey. The weather is completely favorable there to play this sport beautifully and have fun. This game is famous amongst all age groups.

It is mostly played in the region of Sikkim and Darjeeling, along with various other places like Leh Ladakh in the Kashmir region. It is also common in various places in the belt of Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal especially near Auli and Joshimath. It is also common in the North-East region of India. During summers, even though the climate is pretty cool, the snow thaws which doesn’t give them any chance to play ice hockey during these months of March to June. During these months the local beauty of the region is at its peak and people tend to kill time and continue to remain in practice only by playing regular hockey in their respective hockey grounds or stadiums. Due to such climate issues, the government has also proposed setting up indoor ice hockey stadiums in places of high tourist’s attractions such as Leh Ladakh and Gangtok in Sikkim. Thus, people can continue to enjoy this wonderful game even during the off-season months.

children playing ice hockey in shimla

It is during these major months that more and more visitors from all over the world flock the region completely as the climate is tolerable for them. Thus, they are also intrigued completely by this wonderful sport and try a hand at it for fun. Some of the professional ice hockey players during these tourist months also teach ice hockey to the travelers and in turn make a few bucks for themselves. The tourists seem to enjoy this game thoroughly. One must be really daring to learn this sport, because initially one can slip on the huge pile of ice time and again. One also requires having a great sense of concentration before playing this game as it helps you target and block the ball easily. The protective wear during this game is also of much importance as it helps you from getting hurt in any form or in any way.

Thus, tourists travelling to various famous locations in the Himalayan region of India can learn this game and enjoy it thoroughly with the help of all the professional ice-hockey players available there and carry fond memories of this back with them.

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Kerala Tourist Attractions

The Best Resorts in Kerala

Zuri Kumarakom resort in Kerala

One of the most beautiful locations in the country, Kerala, is also considered to be among the 50 most visited places in the world. Kerala is most popular for its backwaters and beaches. A perfect location for a honeymoon, Kerala is a good choice for those who are looking for a peaceful holiday, to get shed all the tension they’ve gathered throughout the months or the entire year. Being surrounded by Blue Mountains on one side, vast sea on the other and the forests in between, Kerala is blessed with sheer natural beauty.

kumarakom resort
Zuri Kumarakom Kerala Resort

All of this and more together, combine to make Kerala a perfect holiday destination for all age groups. While planning a holiday at Kerala, you won’t need to scratch your head about the hotels either, since Kerala is known for its excellent hotel services. The resorts in Kerala have a great customer service quality. The biggest specialty of these resorts is their Ayurvedic spa. Relaxing and calming, they attract not only the country but also the world over. Resorts in Kerala can be divided into 4 categories:

  • Beach Resorts
  • Hill Station Resorts
  • Backwater Resorts
  • Ayurvedic-Spa Resorts

Beach Resorts- Some of the most well-known beach resorts of Kerala include- Kadappuram Beach Resort (Nattika Beach, Thrissur), Coconut Bay Beach Resort (Vizhinjam, Trivandrum), Taj Green Cove Resort (Kovalam, Trivandrum), Swagath Holiday Resort (Kovalam, Trivandrum), Cherai Beach Resort (Vypeen Island, Kochi, Kerala), Raheem Residency (Alleppey, Kerala), among others.

Hill Station Resorts- Among the good hill station resorts in Kerala are- Abad Copper Castle Hill Valley Resort (Munnar, Kerala), Ananya Hill Resorts (Idukki, Kerala), Lakeview Munnar- Club Mahindra Holidays (Munnar, Kerala), Muthoot Cardamom County (Idukki, Kerala), Greenberg Resort (Idukki, Kerala).

Backwater Resorts- Aquaserene (Kollam), Backwater Ripples (Kottayam), Coconut Island (Thrissur), Duke’s Forest Lodge (Trivandrum), Golden Waters (Kumarakom), Lake Palace (Alleppey), Palmgrove Lake Resort (Alleppey), Taj Garden Retreat (Kottayam), are among the best backwater resorts in Kerala.

Ayurvedic-Spa Resorts– Among the many Ayurvedic-Spa resorts in Kerala these are the most well-known- Athreya Ayurvedic Resorts (Kottayam), Chamundi Hill Palace Ayurvedic Resort (Kottayam), Beach and Lake Ayurvedic Resort (Thiruvananthapuram), Nilayoram Resorts (Thrissur), Harivihar – Ayurvedic Heritage Home (Calicut), Kairali Ayurvedic Health Resort (Palakkad).

The best thing about the resorts in Kerala is their mix of modern amenities and the comfort and relaxation of the natural environment. All these resorts have the latest modern communication facilities needed for business travelers which is the reason why Kerala is not only an exclusive holiday destination. It is also successfully chosen by businessmen for purposes of meeting and conferences. The silvery beaches, beautiful weather and exuberance of flora and fauna all combine to make Kerala one of the most frequented places on earth.

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Allahabad Kumbh Mela 2013

Hindu Kumbh festival Kumbh mela in Allahabad, India.

Held every four years by rotation at Haridwar, Ujjain, Nasik and Allahabad, 2013 is the year of the Allahabad Kumbh Mela. Thus, each of these places gets the charge of organizing the Kumbh Mela every twelve years. Among them, Haridwar and Allahabad hold the ‘Ardh Kumbh Mela’ every six years. The last Ardh Kumbh Mela was held in the year 2007 at Allahabad. Around 70 million pilgrims participated on the 45th day. The one before that was held at at Haridwar in the year 2001 where 30 million people had gathered. The Kumbh Mela taking place at Allahabad this time is the Maha Kumbh Mela.

Allahabad kumbh2013
Foreigners at Kumbh Mela

Considered the most sacred of all, the Maha Kumbh Mela also happens to be the world’s oldest and largest spiritual gathering. It is in fact, one rare opportunity for all to be able to witness some of India’s oldest and most sacred rituals. These were passed down from one generation to another from the Maharajas of India, performed by a special section of elite Brahmin priests, and witnessed by monks, sages and sadhus. In fact, many of these holy men and women do not appear in public except of an occasion like the Maha Kumbh Mela.

The place where the Maha Kumbh Mela 2013 will be celebrated is known as the Prayag Raj. This is where, since the time of the Rig Vedas, ancient rituals and rites were performed, near the confluence of rivers Ganga and Yamuna. Makar Sankranti marks the beginning of the Kumbh Mela. Thousands of devotees take a holy dip in the Ganges on this day and so starts the 55-day festival. The third important day of the six bathing days at the Kumbh Mela is Mauni Amavasya after Makar Sankranti and Paush Purnima. After Makar Sankranti, it is the second Shahi Snan of the mela.

This year, extra forces have been employed to keep a vigil on the mela grounds. More than 15,000 security officials have been drawn from Central paramilitary forces. These include the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), the Border Security Force (BSF), the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and the Provincial Armed Constabulary as well as the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS). Mela administrators are strict about not allowing anyone to take more than a dip in the river. Washing clothes or throwing garbage in the river water is strictly not allowed. Regular visitors believe that one dip in the holy river has the power to change life forever.

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India Culture & Heritage Kerala Tourist Attractions

The Heritage Mosques of Cochin

Oldest Ponnani mosque in Cochin
ponnani juma masjid in cochin
Ponnani Juma Masjid in Cochin

Cochin is a very popular port city in the coastal area of Malabar in Kerala. This place is also known for the oldest mosques that carry the beauty of historical facts, splendid architecture, and religion as well. Since, it is a coastal region; this place remained a center of attraction for several maritime trades along the Indian Ocean. The trade relations with other countries stood a significant reason for other religious and cultural influences such as Christianity, Judaism, and Islam into India via Cochin. As a result of other religious impact some of the very old mosques in Cochin bear a historical significance too.

In fact, in India initial construction of mosques began in Cochin which paved the way for them to be considered as a symbol of heritage. Nowadays many tourists visit Cochin for this experience that reminds them of olden days of India, as that heritage has been very well preserved in Cochin. Cochin is a place filled with coconut palms, and it is a fantastic sight to visit these mosques constructed in places surrounded by coconut trees. The atmosphere where the mosques have been constructed brings a sense of calmness and you feel you are sitting in the lap of Mother Nature. Hence the mosques are called as the heritage mosques of Cochin.

Famous Mosques in and around Cochin

Cheraman Juma Masjid – it is one of the oldest mosques in Cochin. This mosque was built by Man like Bin Dinar, who is one among the followers of Prophet Mohammad. The king Cheraman Perumal patronized Muslim religion; hence, this mosque contains the influence of Hinduism. One could identify the Hindu temple structural style in it. For example, in this mosque people use a brass oil lamp, light scented sticks that are usually used by Hindus. The pulpit is made of rosewood and contains carvings resembling a Hindu temple.

Kanjiramatton Mosque– located about 25km from Cochin; this mosque is a typical illustration that shows the beauty of antique styles of architecture followed in mazhars and dargahs, a worship place for Muslims.

Ponnani Juma Masjid– Located in the northern part of Cochin, this masque was built about 1500 years back. Historical records say that this mosque had been built tin response to Portuguese to show the power of Muslims in trade.

The Calvathy Mosque– it is situated nearby the Calvathy canal which served as the connecting point between Europeans and Indians for trade relations.

Madeena Masjid– Situated in Ernakulam of Cochin this mosque has been widely used as a place of managing foreign trade and business establishments.

Architectural Significance

The mosques in Cochin especially bear its uniqueness in the architectural pattern it followed. The workmanship in each mosque reflects the type of place, the materials available in that place, and the culture. All these factors decide the kind of materials that were used for construction. The structure of the mosques reflected the indigenous buildings; hence, typical large wood-framed pyramidal roofs could be identified in the mosques’ structure. Similarly, one could see the craftsmanship made in wood like the natives adapt for their housing.

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India Culture & Heritage

Tips to plan a visit to Cultural Sites of India

Red stone Agra Fort built by Mughals

India is a country filled with unbelievable cultural atmosphere. Since the climate is moderate during March to July, it is better to avoid visiting India during these months. Either Cultural Tours India or vacation tours to different parts of India like North India, or South India, etc. make sure that you gather information about the major cultural spots there and the right timing to stay.

golden temple
Devotees at Golden Temple

Seven best ideas to plan your cultural tour:

  1. If it is a 10 day trip, make your plan in such a way that you spend 4 days to visit all the cultural and tourists’ attractions in North India, and spend 4 days to visit South India.
  2. Some of the important cultural places in Northern part of India are The Golden Temple in Amritsar, Thar Desert in Rajasthan, Agra Fort, Taj Mahal, Red Fort, Konark Sun Temple, etc.
  3. You can also specifically arrange your cultural trip to India, by visiting only the temples in India. It will be a very exciting experience to visit only the different temples in India, like Tirupati Balaji Temple, Meenakshi Temple in Madurai, Jagannath Temple, Rishikesh in Northern India, etc. One can learn a lot about the cultural specifications from the sculptures in and around the temples and the various construction patterns in which the temples are built.
  4. Another way to make your cultural trip to India is to visit major cultural attractions all over India within 10 days. If you can spend 12 to 15 days you can cover almost all tourist places as well.
  5. Browse to learn about the important cultural attractions and then look for the latest travel deals which can cover as many places as possible. You can plan your holiday on topics like sightseeing; adventurous and traditional places visits and then cover all the related places.
  6. Browse for the best hotels with package offers. Be sure to compare the packages and check out the services that hotels offer through their reviews in order to get the best deal with the best services.
  7. Make sure of the availability of visiting hours[dharsan] timings, if you are particular about visiting major temples in North India and South India

It is a wonderful experience to visit India with an intention to enjoy the cultural flavor. One can enjoy as well as learn lot about history and civilization of Indian people. One can also find the variety of cultural trends in different parts of India, for example the food varies from place to place.

If you would like to enjoy the colorful scenario of India’s rich cultural heritage, you can plan your visit during the festive months of September to January. Since the climate is moderate during March to July, it is better to avoid visiting India during these months.

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