Tag: India

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Adventure Spiritual Hubs

Manikaran- The Enchantress

The Parvati valley located in the north Indian state of Himachal Pradesh may be known for its beauty and the spiritual essence that one gets to witness when they arrive here. But there are many little and big places located in and around the valley that is a definite delicious treat to the human senses. One such places are Manikaran, one little enchantress of a place. Located on the Parvati River Manikaran is in the popular Kullu district of the state. A short trip from Kullu or Manali will bring you here in a few minutes if you are fast enough. There are many places around here and many things to do. Let’s just look at the different things Manikaran is known for.

The temples and the religious places- The place basically acts as a two in one package. There are many religious places located here for the Hindus and the Sikhs that calling it a pilgrimage for both the communities won’t be exaggerating. The Hindus hold the belief that Manu recreated the human existence here when it was once vanished from the planet due to heavy floods. The place also holds some very detailed mentions in the Shiva Purana. And as result, Shiva temples are in abundance here. And being located in the Parvati valley, named after Lord’s wife, there has to be some real religious significance about the place.

Trekking- When we talk about the mountains from a tourist’s perspective, one of the very first things that come to mind is Trekking. There are ample places for some adventurous trekking in the area. The most popular one being the trek to Lahaul and Spiti, both are widely popular in their own way. The trek of a few kilometers takes you through the lush greenery and beautiful picturesque visuals.

Hot springs- One other thing the place is famous for is the hot springs. Water from them is known to be holy and known to cure even the deadliest of diseases. The researchers, of course, are against the claim but they have said that the water here is containing uranium and some chemicals which may come somehow handy in curing some skin ailments. The water in these hot springs is sometimes so hot that you can boil rice in it. These things aside, the place looks beautiful as any other place in the area. The enchanting beauty of the place is one big reason for the herds of tourists that come here every year, primarily in the summer time.

Harinder Mountain- The little place is surrounded by the beautiful and snow-capped mountain ranges of Harinder. The view of the place from these mountains is magical and makes you sit down there are keep gazing into Manikaran for hours. In the night hours, the magic reaches another level of surrealism and makes it a spine-chilling treat for the eyes and other senses.

There are many other places located in the place such as the Shiva Mandir and the very famous Gurudwara Sri Nanak Dev Ji that attracts a lot of tourists. Summer is the best time to make a trip here as most of the snow would have been melted and the place would be at its beautiful best.

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Spiritual Hubs

5 things to do in Ajmer!!!

The beautiful city Ajmer is well known for the famous shrine “Dargah” of the Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti. It is 130 km from Jaipur, situated at the heart of Rajasthan. The historic valley, rich in culture is ringed around by Aravali range. It is one of the most eminent centers of Islamic history, which you can witness in the incredible Moghul architecture. The city shows a perfect blend of diverse culture, religion, and community, as 14km from Ajmer there lies an ancient Hindu pilgrimage Pushkar, which is a famous Brahma temple. Planning a trip to Ajmer Sharif? We have collected some important information about sightseeing and other details, which might help you as a travel guide.
 “Dargah” of Khwaja Muin-ud-din Chishti.
The Dargah of Khwaja Muin-ud-din Chishti  is the famous sacred place of Muslims, which is also venerated by other religions. He came to Ajmer in 1192 and died here in 1236. The tomb is one of the most significant pilgrimages,  which was constructed by many famous Muslim rulers like Moghul emperor Humayun, who constructed shrine and the Nizam gate was constructed by Nizam of Hyderabad. Many visitors across the world come to the Dargah Sharif, as there is strong belief that saint’s spirit will intercede on behalf of them in times of any problem. People ties note in the holy string if they have any problem believing that it will vanish by the blessings of the divine spirit.


Way to Adhai-Din-Ka Jhopra.
The Adhai-Din-Ka Jhopra is the famous mosque situated at the outskirts of the city Ajmer. It is said that it have been built just in two and half days. Doesn’t it seem impossible? But, it is strongly believed by locals of the area that it just took two and half days to construct this incredible monument. Originally it was a Sanskrit college, further, it was forcibly transformed in Mosque by Muhammad Ghori. It is worth seeing and I would recommend you not to skip this unique monument.

Feel the cool breeze at the bank of Ana Sagar Lake.
Artificially made by damming the Luni river, it is one of the most famous tourist attractions constructed by Anaji Chauhan. It is surrounded by eye luring beautiful gardens along with series of marble pavilion constructed by Shah Jahan. It is very tempting and eye pleasing view of the sunset from the doultbagh near Ana Sagar.


Visit the holy land of Brahma “Pushkar”!!
14 km from the holy city Ajmer lies the small yet beautiful city Pushkar, the eminently famous city of Lord Brahma. The peaceful and calm city is the center of the devotion of thousands of devotees. The famous temple is the only Brahma temple in the world.
The Nasiyan Red Jain temple.
Along with Hindu and Muslims, the city Ajmer has also possessed the golden Jain temple, which is also one of the famous temples of Rajasthan.  The amazing double -storey temple is the best example of eye luring architecture. The famous temple is decorated with gold, silver and other precious stones depicting the various aspect of Jainism is worth visiting.

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Culture Deserts Festival

Creator of beautiful ground for color, and carnival- Pushkar Fair

The Pushkar fair or the Pushkar Mela is a locally held cultural extravaganza that takes place in the Pushkar town of Rajasthan. The event is highly awaited and goes on for five days in a row. It began primarily as a business of selling and purchasing camels but eventually, it became one of the most sought after festivals taking place in the state. Every year when the event takes place, thousands of tourists from within the country and outside come here to witness the fun. Being one of the most religious of places in the entire country, the Hindus consider attending the event a holy ritual.

How to reach Pushkar

Pushkar is located close to Ajmer in Rajasthan, it is 14 km northwest of Ajmer. The nearest airport connected to Pushkar is in Jaipur, which is 140 kilometers away. By bus is not a great option for long distance travelers. Those who wish to reach here by train, you will need to take a train to Ajmer and take a 30-minute drive to Pushkar.

About the Festival

Out of the most prominent crowd pullers are the Matka Phod competitions and the longest mustache competition. Hundreds of people from across the state participate in the events and the winners are usually given cash prizes and given a space in the local newspapers as well. In the very recent years, the fair organizers have also started to organize a cricket match which takes place between local Pushkar cricket team and international tourists. However, the overall attendance in the event is still questioned. In the 1900’s it was said that more than 100,000 pilgrims visit the town of Pushkar during the event. And as it is assumed, the crowd is getting bigger by every passing year. The celebrations are widely awaited by the local people as they start preparing for the event in advance as it offers a great business opportunity for them as they get to sell their handmade handicrafts and put up stalls of snacks.

During the festival, thousands of people move to the Pushkar Lake, where the fair actually takes place. The camel breeders show off their animals and entice the potential buyers in order to make the deals. Other than camels, other livestock such as goats, buffalos and cows are also bought and sold at the place. For the women, the place becomes a well-equipped shopping mall where they can buy desired clothes, accessories, and other household items at some great prices. A camel race also takes place, which serves as a great attraction for primarily the foreign tourists. The race starts with wild folk music, songs, and dance routine along with some random exhibitions.

When does the festival take place

The festival takes place, according to the Hindu calendar, between Kartik ekadashi to Kartik purnima (full moon). For the western calendar, these days fall usually in the months of October and November.

The full moon day, the last day, is known to be the most auspicious of all the five days when the festival is celebrated. The legend behind the fair says that this was the day when Lord Brahma sprung up the Pushkar Lake. And as a result, Hindus find is religiously significant to take dips in the lake on the full moon lights.

Tip

During the fair, the accommodation prices can jump up to 10 times the normal rate. Although dozens of tented tourist camps are organized around the town for the fair, but still it is recommended to book a bed well in advance before visiting here.

Pushkar fair is a great reminiscent of what Indian culture stands for and the colourfulness of the event makes the day like nothing else.

 

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Adventure Himalayas North east North India Treks

Highest lakes in India, that gives breathtaking views!!

Trekking to a high altitude lake might be a strenuous task to undertake but the magical scenic beauty that it offers is completely worth the efforts. The following listed lakes are located at enough heights to keep them frozen during the winter season which adds on to their magnificence.

Pangong Tso, Ladakh

Located at an altitude of 4,250 meters in Ladakh, Pangong Tso is one of Asia’s largest salt-water lakes and is just 5 hours drive away from Leh. Its azure waters spread over an area of 100 kilometres across the borders of two countries- one-third of it lies in India while the remaining two-third lies in Tibet and a majority of the streams that constitute the lake are located in the latter part. Also known as the Hollow Lake, its brackish water along with sunlight produces beautiful light effects. During winters, the surface of the lake freezes and an ice skating festival is organised on it, inviting contenders from all over the world.

 Roop Kund, Uttarakhand

This high- altitude glacial lake is located in Uttarakhand and it takes 2 days to trek 30 km to it from Lohajung. The bottom of the lake contains the bones of humans as well as animals, the reason behind which is not clearly known yet and this very fact gives it a thrilling touch. The lake has a depth of only about 2 metres and the skeletons become visible once the water melts.

Tsongmo/Changu Lake, Sikkim

Situated at 12,313 feet above sea level, the glacial lake Tsomgo is nearby Gangtok, which makes it a great getaway option for not only locals but also tourists. This lake although small in size, has a unique and fascinating feature, which bestows upon it an important place in Buddhism and Hinduism alike. Due to natural factors, its surface reflects different colours during the changing seasons of the year.

Gurudongmar Lake, Sikkim

Gurudongmar Lake’s altitude of about 17,800 feet makes it one of the highest lakes in the world. It is located 190 km away from Gangtok and 5 km to the south of the Chinese border.  Considered sacred by both Sikhs and Buddhists, Guru Padmasambhava of the Sikhs is believed to have visited this place. The area around the lake is inhabited by various high altitude animals but disappointingly its clear waters have now become polluted due to local interference.

Suraj Tal, Himachal Pradesh

Suraj Tal or the Surya Tal literally means the Lake of the Sun God and is the third highest lake in India and the 21st highest in the world.  It is located in the Lahaul and Spiti valley of Himachal Pradesh, just below the Bara-lacha-la pass. This lake is the source of the Bhaga river which is a tributary of Chenab river. Its climatic conditions are similar to the poles of the Earth due to which the lake remains frozen for the most part of the year.

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Central India Rejoice Tribal

Gond Paintings and Its Intracacies

India is a land of rich culture and heritage. Several art forms are still lesser known to the outer world. Gond art is such art form, which is fondly practiced by Gond tribes from Madhya Pradesh.

Primarily, the word Gond originates from the Dravidian expression kond meaning ‘the green mountain’. This art form primarily depicts the colors of nature along with the everyday quest for life. Through Gond paintings, the Gonds primarily depicts the celebrations, human relationship etc. They are usually inspired from the belief that happy images bring good luck to their family and hence they paint their walls with vivid colorful images that relates to stories. The artists use series of dots, dashes and lines arranged meticulously to depict the story. They are very careful while adding those lines and dashes and convey the sense if movement to these paintings.

What is more beautiful with this story telling art is the vividity of colors. Gonds use bright colors like white, blues, red, yellow etc. and all of them are derived naturally from plants, soil, charcoal and even cow dung. Though government is helping out these artists by recognizing them on global level and helping this art to reach to their fans.

Thank you Singinawa Lodge for giving me opportunity to explore this vibrant art.

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Foodie North east Travel Trends

Delicacies from North-East

7 sisters as they are often known as are famous for its beautiful amalgam of culture.  The place is endowed with natural beauty and a large part is still untapped. So far you must have heard about places to visit in North-east India. This time, let’s take you to another facet of the place, which is yet to be discovered, is the variety of cuisines, that place offers for food lovers. Though most of them are non-vegetarian they are less spicy and very healthy.  Let me take you the culinary ride to these states with topmost delicacy from each state

Khar (Assam)

“Khar” is the key delicacy for Assamese. Traditional Assamese lunch usually starts with “Khar”. It is prepared by filtering pulp of raw papaya, pulses and few herbs through dried banana ashes. Ginger paste & mustard oil is added as per taste. It is quite refreshing and healthy. Kol Posola Khar & Papaya Khar is its variants.

Smoked pork from Nagaland

Pork is the main source of meat in Nagaland. It is usually prepared by boiling the dried smoked pork in soup, which consists of tomato, chilies and local herbs. Once fried with soup, one can feel the taste of bamboo shoots and soup inside which makes it lovable for pork lovers. Its deep smoky flavor makes it to top the food charts. Apparently, it tastes super with steamed plain rice. Chives are added to garnish it.

Eromba from Manipur

Eromba is the traditional cuisine of Meitei Community of Manipur. It is very spicy unlike other north-eastern cuisines as Chilli is the main ingredient of the cuisine. It is a tasteful combination of the favorite local ingredients like fermented dried fish, fermented bamboo-shoot and Raja/King chili. It goes well with rice and bread. Key for good Eromba is sweet smelling fermented fish.

Jadoh from Meghalaya

Jadoh is rice and meat-based Khasi delicacy from Meghalaya. It is famous pulao in Meghalaya and is usually cooked with minimum oil and spices which makes it all the more favorable for health-conscious folks.  Jadoh is usually prepared with hill rice or joha rice, which is short-grained, which is mixed with succulent pieces of Pork, chopped onions, green chilies and ginger garlic paste. Jadoh is generally served with Tungrymbai, ferment soy paste and Dohneiiong, pork with sesame seeds.

Bai from Mizoram

Bai is the primarily a stew kind of dish and is very popular amongst Mizos.  Bai could be vegetable Bai, or non -vegetarian as well. For non-vegeterian Bai, base is kept as pork, where-in spinach chopped cauliflower, beans, spices; rice and diced potato are boiled with water. It is heated till rice, meat are not cooked. The dish is healthy due to good content of spinach. Bamboo shoots make it more palpable and aromatic.

Awan Bangwi from Tripura

Awan Babgwi is a kind of dessert typical in Tripura. Prime ingredients used for this includes rice, cashew/raisins/ginger gratings; Rice is soaked overnight. It is then grinded with rest of the ingredients to make a paste, which is then wrapped in Laiu leaves in the form of cones. Its texture is both aromatic, and spicy.

Gyathuk from Sikkim   

It is primarily a noodle-based soup and is often called as “Thupka”. It is usually an appetizer but due to veggies/meat, it is quite filling. It is very soothing for the chilly winters in these areas. It can be served hot after garnishing it with spring onions.

Hungry Kya!! Pack your bags for North-east and enjoy the wide variety of healthy and tasty food!!!

 

 

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