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Indian Tourism

• India Wildlife Tour: Full of Exciting Options 28 July, 2011, 4:49 am
  The gorgeous landof Indiais home to natural scenic beauty and also the eminent wildlife which allow tourists to explore and experience the marvelous adventure while they are on India tours. AsIndia is wildlife ecstasy, it gives all the visitors a golden chance to come closer to the varied flora and fauna.India is the best destinations for all types of tourists whether they are holiday makers, honeymooners or adventure seekers. If also love to explore the wildlife ofIndia, you must choose a tour option to start your trip. There are various tailor made tour packages that arrange your tour to an assortment of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries which are located in different places inIndia. Indiawildlife tours provide tourists wonderful views of astonishing species, flora and fauna in the safari of their preferences with world class accommodation facilities. Some of the most chosen tour packages arranged by the travel agents and experts are – Indian elephant tour, Indian tiger tour, Indian birds’ tour and an Indian rhino tour. No shadow of doubt is there that visitors will be fascinated and impressed by viewing the diversity in the landscapes which is blessed with the incredible ranges of flora. Many of the most sought after and must visiting attractions are covered under India tour package. Some other tours comprises the Corbett National Park adventure tour, Delhi Bharatpur tour package, Tiger Safari, Birds’ Paradise Tour, Tiger tour of North India, Horse Safari and Camel Safari, etc. These all options enable the tourists to have a great experience for lifetime. Tiger tour ofNorth Indiais one of the most fascinated wildlife tours which are adored and chosen by the adventure seekers. This tour circuit covers diverse destination such as; Ranthambore National Park, Corbett national park, Kanha National Park, Bharatpur National Park and Bandhavgarh National Park.
• India Tour Packages: Enjoy the Grandeur Of India 28 July, 2011, 4:39 am
  Indiais filled with a number of attractive attractions like beautiful beaches, mountains, rivers, historical monuments and many more which never ever fail to steal heart of the tourists. If you want to observe many attractive things of India, the most excellent way to make their holiday memorable to choose India tours through which, tourists can observe many sight-scenes.India tour provides variegated trips to enthralling locations inIndia. There are some of the most prominent packages which are provided byIndia such as Rajasthan tour, Golden Triangle tour, Kashmir and Ladakh, Taj Mahal tour, forts and palaces tour, Uttarkhand, Medical tourism, yoga excursion,North India trip and many more.  Tourists can choose any one of them and experience the sparkling culture and rich heritage ofIndia.   People, who have desire to pay tribute to prominent holy shrines inIndia, can also opt for among diversity of pilgrimage travel package.Indiaholiday Packages is incomplete without visiting shrine place.Indiatour promises to provide the tourists best at a very limited time.Indiahas a number of amazing destinations to experience such as Goa, Kerala, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka,Delhi, Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal,Delhi, Jaipur,Agra,Udaipur, Shimla, Manali, Kullu,Darjeeling, Kashmir, Ooty, Munnar,Periyar,Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu,Kumarakom,Chennai,Cochin,Bangalore, Mumbai, Aurangabad etc. each destination of India have something special to explore.   Here tourists can get some beautiful experience that they can never forget. With the help of India tour package, tourists can explore one of the Seven Wonders of the World – the Taj Mahal, which is located atAgra inIndia. This most famous monument was constructed by the great Mughal emperor shah Jahan in the memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. So if you want to observe the beauty of the Taj Mahal, visitIndia at-least once time in your life.
• India Tour Packages: Experience Unmatched Beauty 28 July, 2011, 4:34 am
  Indiais blessed with wealthy kingdom, which has been dreamland for people since ages. Indiais one of the most sought after and prominent lands of countries, which is considered as huge canvass in bright and myriad shades. India tours provides a number of amazing attractions such as hill stations, beaches, wildlife Sancturies, deserts etc.India tour provides its tourists whole lot of Feat and adventure. With the help ofIndia tour packages, tourists can observe the wonderful hilly greens of Himachal Pradesh, Uttrakhand, and north east. InIndia, tourists also can get a great enjoyment of cultural and historical tours toDelhi, Kolkata,Agra and jaipur. This tour packages will rejuvenate their lives with good-looking memories with vacation ofIndia.   Honeymoon packages in India Honeymoon is the first step in married life through which tourists can get a great opportunity to known each other very well manner. Honeymoon permits the tourists to enjoy some time with their beloved after the tiring schedule of their marriage. There are a number of honeymoon destinations inIndiasuch as Manali, Shimla,Srinagar,Goa, Nanital, Kerala, Jammu & Kashmir, Kullu and Manali, and Ooty and many more. Here tourists can experience their honeymoon packages in exotic places such as Leh, Kashmir, Kullu Manali, Kerala, Rajasthan etc. InIndiatourists can also explore the traditions ofJodhpur, jaipur,Agra, andDelhi.   Goa honeymoon package Goais one of the most preferred and famous places. It is the small city of India. Goais gifted with long extended golden beach fringed, where tourists can explore palm trees, aquamarine Arabian broaden up to the wonderful cobalt blue firmament etc. Goais surrounded by green hills. With India tour packages, tourists can some of the famous beaches ofGoa like Bogmallo, Majorda, Cidade, Baga, Anjuna, Alor, Bambolim, Highland etc.
• India Tour: Brimmed With Diverse Attractive Sites 28 July, 2011, 4:29 am
  Indiais one of the most attractive lands of the world having numerous options of tourism. If you also want to enjoy India tours in order to make your holidays superb, choose a tour option and visit the most fascinating destinations ofIndia. In the land of India tourists get chance to experience a large number of beautiful things like its culture and tradition, natural beauty, wildlife parks and sanctuaries, hill stations and many other exciting things that can steal the heart of anyone easily. So, get ready to explore the various places ofIndia. Ladakh is one of the most famous places ofIndia. The name itself means the land of high mountain passes-lies between the mighty folds of the Himalayan ranges. Due to its location in the rain shadow region of theHimalayas, its barren landscape (often termed as the moon land) is full of awe-inspiring mountains and snow-fed rivers and valleys. The only means of communication for its hardy but extremely polite inhabitants are the high mountain passes are snowbound; the frozen bed ofZanskarRiveris only means of communication in the region devoid of roads. Haridwar tour is also a fascinating option for enjoying Indiatourism. Haridwar is also known as the seven holiest cities of Indiawhich is situated in the state of Uttaranchal. This place is very prominent as the Gateway to the Gods which is located among the four pilgrimages in the Uttrakhand state. With India tour packages, tourists can explore three sacred religious cities that are Rishikesh, Badrinath, and Kedarnath. The famous place, Haridwar is deeply connected with the Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu which creates it a famous Hindu pilgrimage city ofIndia. So, choose a tour option as per your preferences and interest and get ready forIndia tour.
• Get Some Beautiful Experience with Himachal Pradesh Tour 28 July, 2011, 4:21 am
  Do you want to get perfect holiday destination? Are you fond of traveling nature enthusiasts, Himachal Pradesh? If yes, you should opt for India tours, which is the best tour package ofIndia. With the help of India tour packages, tourists can explore the most excellent place Himachal Pradesh, which is well known as the ”Heart of India”. It is a state in north-westernIndia. It provides a great Himalayan familiarity to its visitors and fascinating destinations to explore. In Himachal Pradesh, tourists can visit to Dharamsala, which is one of the most famous places, where tourists can observe the snow capped mountain peaks, beautiful verdant landscape, attractive valleys, thrilling streams, rivers and many others.   The Dharamshala tour packages provide its visitors not only the exploring attractions, but also accommodation as well as traveling facilities within the state. If you are planning to visit Himachal Pradesh, never ever forget to visit Dharamshala. It is the most prominent for its serenity and important tourist attractions. It is the popular hot spot among world wide tourists. A number of visitors like to explore the quiet, calm and serene parts of Dharamsala. During Dharamshala tour, tourists can observe the tranquility of the state, while taking the appealing views by grants some important of the place to get a great experience of the impact holidays. There are some of the best attractive features of Dharamsala such as   Kangra Art Museum: it is the hub attraction of Dharamsala, which provides a golden opportunities of visiting wonderful miniature paintings, sculptures and anthropological and many more.   Dal Lake: it is the most charming and major attraction of the lake, which is the celebration of grand fair. With the help of India tour package, tourists can explore the worth a view. Here tourists can visit tawani and machhrial, which is situated at a distance of 25 km from Dharamsala.
• Golden Triangle Tour: Take Pleasure in Mughal Places 27 July, 2011, 5:23 am
  Golden triangle tour is one of the most chosen touring circuits of India, which is one that includes three historically rich and culturally blossoming destinations of India. A journey to India tours will take the tourists through assorted mix of modern grace and ancient sophistication inDelhi, to the ultimate emblem of love inAgra and to the pink stucco painted lanes of Jaipur. Explore these wonderful places together compiles the most excellent ofIndia tour as it presents a variety of the country.   Delhiis the first target of golden triangle tour, where tourists can explore a number of attractions like Red Fort, Humayun’s Tomb, Parliament House, India Gate, Jama Masjid, Rajghat, Vijayaghat, Shakti Sthal,AkshardhamTemple, Outub Minar etc.Delhiis the capital ofIndia. The next target isAgra, where tourists can visit Fatehpur Sikri, Agra Fort, Etmad-Ud-Daulah, Sikandra and many more.Agrais the most famous for its amazing monument of the Taj Mahal. It was constructed the beloved wife of Emperor Shah Jahan in the memory of his queen Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj Mahal is truly the grand piece of architecture the country owns. The Taj Mahal is one of theSeven Wonders of the World. This is located on the bank ofYamunaRiver.Agrahas UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Fatehpur Sikri and Agra Fort which prove to be a fabulous experience.   The next and last target of golden triangle tour is Jaipur, which is well-known as the ‘PinkCity’. It is the capital of erstwhile princely state of Rajasthan. Jaipur is filled with elegant palaces, glitters with effervescent bazaars and echoes folklores of Kingly rule. With the help of India tour package, tourists can explore many sightseeing such as The City Palace Jantar Mantar, Amber Fort, Nahargarh Fort, Hawa Mahal,CentralMuseum and many more. These destinations are located merely 4 to 5 hours driving distance from each other.
• A Trip to Rajasthan: A Perfect Choice for Tourists 27 July, 2011, 5:15 am
  If you are on Indiatour and you don’t get chance to embark on Rajasthan tour, it means that you haven’t seen the complete Indiaand missed its most vibrant state. So, have the privilege of being a part of India tours by exploring its most gorgeous and largest state, Rajasthan. A trip Rajasthan is always breathtaking for the tourists of all over the world. There are numerous famous forts and palaces in Rajasthan. The historical and superb fortresses of the state are the true and finest example of golden past of the state. The top destinations of Rajasthan are Jaipur which is the capital of Rajasthan,Jodhpur,Udaipur,Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Pushkar,MountAbu (the Only Hill Town of Rajasthan), Mandawa, Bharatpur and some others. Apart from these fascinating destinations there are many more tourist places in the historical and royal state of Rajasthan such asRanthambhoreNational Park, Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, Sariska Tiger Reserve, etc. There are many worth exploring attractions in Rajasthan like Kumbhalgarh Fort, citypalaceofUdaipur, Mehrangarh Fort ofJodhpur, Junagarh Fort ofBikaner, Lake Palace of Udaipur,UmaidBhawanPalace, Lalgarh Palace of Bikaner and many others. In the capital of Rajasthan, Jaipur tourists can find a number of attention grabbing sites such as City Palace, Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar, Amber Fort, Jal Mahal, Gaitor, Rambagh Palace, Govind Dev Ji Temple, Samode Palace, Jagat Shiromani Temple, Galtaji, Birla Temple (Lakshmi Narayan Mandir), Albert Hall, etc. As the state of Rajasthan has been the land of rajas and maharajas, there are many havelies and heritage sites which have been converted into grand hotels. Tourists watch closely all these palaces and stay in them for a great experience. Visitors can experience all these things with India tour package. So, if you want to spend your holidays like kings and queens, Rajasthan tour can be a perfect choice for you to choose.  
• South India Tour: Enjoy the True Flavor of India 27 July, 2011, 5:06 am
  The Southern part of India has a number of gorgeous and exciting attractions to make the vacations memorable. It is filled with amazing waterfalls, lovely pristine backwaters, beautiful revered temples, eye-catching a rich performing art scene, superb rejuvenating Ayurvedic measures, remarkable extravagant cultural practices etc, which can be visited with the help of India tours. This tour is one of the most sought after and famous inIndia, which provide the tourists a golden opportunity to experience its myriad sites of natural splendor, colorful festivals and straightforwardness of its people’s lifestyle. Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu are the main destination of southIndia, where tourists can visit exotic panorama, exhilarating wildlife safaris, sun-kissed beaches and many others.   There are some of the famous highlights ofSouth Indiatour packages such as Beaches and Backwaters, Wildlife Sanctuaries, Fairs and Festivals and many more.   Beaches and Backwaters It is surrounded with three famous oceans such asArabianOcean, Indian Ocean andBay of Bengal. SoutIndiais gifted with a long coastline giving birth to dramatic beach towns. Kerala is the famous for its amazing hill stations and beaches. It is blessed with scintillating water bodies, which is well-known as backwaters. Backwaters are undoubtedly a must for allSouth Indiatour packages for these are beauteous lagoons embroidered with lush foliage. The traditional houseboats are considered both the perfect means to rejuvenate amidst natural splendour and to travel through crystal clear backwaters.   Wildlife Sanctuaries The region is blessed with a variety of plants and animals. There are some of the prominent protected areas such as PeriyarNational park, BandipurNational Park, NagarholeNational Park, Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary etc, which can be visited with the help of India tour packages. Here tourists can experience ranging from tigers, crocodiles, foxes, leopards, elephants, birds and so on.
• Avail the fun of India tourism 18 July, 2011, 5:20 am
  India Tourism India is a diversified land on this earth and has summarized with varied tourist locations. Plenty of the renowned tourist places of India are wildlife, historical places, temples, hill stations, sea beaches etc. These tourist places are the biggest lures of the country. However, the India Tourism has become a delightful journey for global tourists. You can plan your trip to any of the popular destinations of India. For this purpose, you need to go for the option of India tour packages such as luxury tours, South India tour, wildlife tours, Ayurveda & Spa tour, luxury trains etc. These are few beneficial tour packages of India and are also available at the reasonable charges. Let us discuss more about few tour packages as follows: Ayurveda & Spa tour This journey is dedicated to the renowned Ayurveda & Spa health care centers of India. Ayurveda is the science which is suggests the natural ways to cure the chronic diseases and other body disorders. Moreover, the Spa is another way of treatment of body pains by doing varied exercises or meditation therapies. On this tour, you can easily come to know about popular ayurvedic health care centers or hospitals established in across the India. Thus, the Ayurveda & Spa is a perfect journey for Ayurveda lovers. India Tourism Golden Triangle tour On this tour, you can easily explore the best lures of tri-cities (Delhi, Agra, Jaipur) of India. Few of the highly acclaimed attractions of tri cities are Hawa Mahal, City Palace, Amber Fort, Jantar Mantar etc., in Jaipur, Red fort, Qutub Minar, Jama Masjid, Akshardham temple etc., Delhi, Taj Mahal, Agra fort, Fatehpur Sikri, Ram bagh etc., in Agra. These are few tourist places found in tri cities of India with ease. However, the Golden Triangle Tours is an ideal journey for the tri-cities of India. South India tours This tour is dedicated to the renowned lures of South India. Tourists will be able to explore the popular hill stations, sea beaches, temples, wildlife of South India. This journey can also facilitate you to know about the tradition, festivals, dance & music, cuisines, languages etc., of South India. Thus, the South India Tours is a complete package of entertainment and knowledge about the biggest lures of South state. However, the India tourism is a delightful experience for global tourists.
• Hyderabad Hotels and Travel Guide 7 July, 2011, 10:29 pm
  Hyderabad was spun into a city with the yarn of love. The tale runs in the land of fancy but is probably true. It’s about a young Muslim prince and his love for a nubile Hindu girl – about a relationship that develops in spite of caste, class and religious divides. About a town that grew into a city called Bhaganagar (named after the girl called Bhagamati, or ‘the lucky one’). The prince became King and shifted his capital to the town of his beloved (of course, there are more prosaic reasons but we won’t get into that!). It’s evident that this is a city that’s been loved and cared for. The wide roads and public parks in the garrison town of Secunderabad, the leisurely pace of Hyderabadi people who still have the time and the gentility to offer adaab and to cook up a slow simmering storm in flavourful cauldrons do this special city real proud. SHOPPING: Pearls – Hyderabad’s chief claim to international fame rests on two things, the Charminar and the pearl market. Both the Qutab Shahi rulers and the Nizams loved pearls and diamonds. They patronized this trade in a big way. At one time pearls were imported from Basra; now Japan is the chief supplier of raw material. The flourishing trade in pearls at Hyderabad attracts tourist and connoisseur alike. Bidriware – Hyderabad is also famous for Bidriware, a type of encrusted metalwork where one metal is inlaid or overlaid on another metal. The design is inlaid by hammering in strands of wire in engraved grooves in linear design or pieces of chiseled out pattern in metal are inserted in exact cut out surface and then hammered in. Later, a permanent black color is imparted to the alloy surface by chemical process which leaves the inlaid designs brilliant and unaffected. Lastly the object is washed, dried and given an oil massage for finish. Kat Saris – For women, Hyderabad holds yet another shopping opportunity?those irresistible saris in striking colors. The patterning is done by resist-dyeing or tie-dyeing the yarn before it is put on the loom for weaving. The other popular variety of saris is from Siddipet, Dharmavaram, Narayanpet and Gadwal. These forms of weaving require experience since patterns are created by changing the color of the yarn during weaving. Also typical of the state is Kalmakari?the hand painted fabric, and Nirmal painting, using dyes to create memorable scenes from the Mahabharat and the Ramayana. CLIMATE: Hyderabad is fairly warm throughout the year and does not receive much rainfall in the monsoon. Temperatures do, however, marginally come down in winter and December nights are quite cool over here. Though the climate is suitable for visit anytime of the year, the best season is between October-February. June to November are monsoon months and these months are loaded with rains and are accompanied by lovely weather. The temperature is 42 degrees during summers and in winters it may fall to a minimum of 12 degrees. More about Hyderabad back to travel guide Futuretravelz.com is the only place where you can get all the travel related information about Indian Hotel and Resorts and we fulfill your all Hotel Reservation needs. Book your Hotel today for special and attractive prices in just a phone call and get an instant confirmation Contact Us: Direct No.: 9990378443 Email: info@futuretravelz.com  Website : www.futuretravelz.com

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A travel blog of an Indian Backpacker

• My first trip in 2012 3 January, 2012, 1:57 am
  In a couple of days I will be on the train again. This time , to my native state, city and village. The first and statutory port of halt will be to Chennai aka Madras and then am off on a heritage trail called the Naanjil Naadu tour, to some of the temples and towns in down South in Tamil Nadu bordering Kerala. thereafter I am heading to Thirunelveli and to my dad's village, Kalladaikurichi . It has been more than 20 years since I went to my village and am hoping to make the most of it. The area is rich in eco and wildlife tourism, heritage and culture and am not sure how much time I will have to explore around. However, I am sure to make more trips down South this year.
• Journeys 2012 - Less is more 2 January, 2012, 4:06 am
  Exactly a year ago, I had written this post on Travel Plans for 2011. Knowing very well that travel + planning isnt really my forte I safely put forth a vague idea of where I would like to be in 2011.I have no intentions of analysing the post, but I would guess 2012 would be fairly similar. I am cutting down random trips and would like to focus more on people and their stories. Culture and heritage will continue to be my focus and the trips are also likely to be short and simple rather than elaborate itineraries. 1.Destinations International .I would like to go somewhere in Asia or Australia this year. Or even Europe and Middle East...let me see where the roads take me . One trip is planned already in January and I will update you on this in a couple of weeks. 2. Cultural and touristy festivals ..I have often stayed away from these as I am not really a crowd person, but I would like to visit them just for the festivity this time 3. Cities and metros - This is something new - I have always shunned big cities , but I am craving to go to Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata, especially the latter. 4. My roots  - This was planned last year, but I am finally going this year. And hopefully I will make a couple of more trips to my village 5. Destinations India - I had travelled extensively in the South last year, but this year, I would like to head west and north. I would like to go to Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and North East this year.  And then of course, I am waiting for those weekend getaways and day trips which I thoroughly cherish ..So join me on my travels and follow me on Facebook as I update on the move.
• Happy New Year folks 31 December, 2011, 8:56 pm
  To all travelers, tourists, backpackers and arm chair travellers - here is wishing you all a very Happy New Year. I wish you all great travels in 2012. Hope you discover new roads and several detours . .
• 2011 Flashback - The sun and the moon 30 December, 2011, 12:18 pm
  The last day in 2011 and I leave you with some of my best memories of the two homes that I often shuttle between every year. The distance between the homes however is 360 kms. I am referring to Madras aka Chennai and Bangalore.  2011 was a wonderful year from a travel perspective. I travelled extensively in the South of India - Tamil Nadu, Kerala and of course Karnataka. I had also a variety of travel destinations - birding, wildlife, heritage, people, culture, arts and crafts. I also visited Madhya Pradesh and Uttaranchal for the first time Internationally one of my best years again - I was invited by Tourism Ireland and then by Jordan Tourism Board Plenty of  travel coming up in 2012 . Meanwhile, here is my last story in 2011 for The Hindu - What traveller type are you ? Do let me know what you guys think.. The Marina Beach  in Madras was in a wild fury under the effect of the Cyclone Thane. However I did not carry my camera with me then . This is a photograph of the sea taken in the night with the full moon glowing on it . And my last photograph in 2011 is from my balcony in Bangalore, gazing at the setting sun. I took this photograph the day India won the World Cup in Cricket  To see more photographs and posts, visit my Facebook page on my travels
• 2011 Flashback - Finally Maidanhalli 29 December, 2011, 1:11 pm
  A destination that had eluded me for three years,Maidenhalli and the Black Buck sanctuary was finally on the agenda in 2011, although it was as usual a unplanned and a spontaneous trip If you like my photographs and would like to follow my posts, do join me on my Facebook page
• 2011 Flashback - Cuddalore Memories 29 December, 2011, 11:23 am
  My heart goes out to those lives who have been affected by the cyclone Thane in Pondicherry and Cuddalore. It was barely a few months ago, when I was driving down the Coromandel coastline. Memories of the busy old Cuddalore port came back to me when I was reading about the impact of the cyclone. May the people find the strength to rebuild their lives in 2012. If you like my pictures and posts , I would welcome you to join me on Facebook.
• 2011 Flashback - Green at Athirampally-Vazhachal Rain Forests 28 December, 2011, 8:04 am
  When I went for the Rain Forest Expedition with Kalyan  Varma to Valparai, I wasnt prepared for the onslaught of rains. We went into the tropical rain forests of Vazhachal and Athirampally, the green blinded me , along with the deluge . If you like my posts and photographs and would like to travel with me , join me on Facebook 
• 2011 Flashback - Tripunithura - A cultural and royal connect in Kerala 27 December, 2011, 6:48 am
  A sudden trip to Tripunithura - the palace town in Kerala where every house is a palace and every person you meet is a royal descendant . Walk by the streets and you would hear the rhythm of chenda and kathakali performances from every door. My story on Tripunithura was published in my column Inside Story in The Hindu . If you like my posts and photographs and would love to know more about my travels, please join me on Facebook
• 2011 Flashback..Where Cauvery finds her destiny in Poompuhar 25 December, 2011, 12:29 pm
  On a hot summer day I went to Poompuhar to see the River Cauvery meet her destiny in the Bay of Bengal.The ancient port of  Kaveripoompattinam lies somewhere submerged and buried on these shores. One of my favourite coastlines, sad to hear that it is being battered by the cyclone Thane Here is my column published in The Hindu Metro Plus on this town If you like my photos and posts, please do follow me and my travels on Facebook
• 2011 Flashback - Biblical Jordan 25 December, 2011, 12:39 am
  A Merry Christmas to my readers.. Here is a post on Biblical Jordan.I was invited by Jordan Tourism Board and was in this fabulous country for a week. Besides the Dead Sea , Petra, Amman , Jerash and Aqaba, I was completely fascinated by Madaba , Mount Nebu and Bethany beyond the Jordan - sites that tell you from the Bible. My story was published in The Hindu on Biblical Jordan.If you like my posts and photographs, please do join me on my Facebook page.

45

Travel Tales From India

35

India Travel Blog

• Fort Kochi – Chinese Fishing Nets 5 January, 2012, 5:38 pm
  A long row of Chinese fishing nets are an iconic  landmark of Fort Kochi’s sea front. Every evening, small groups of fishermen standing on thick, long dead tree trunks of this curious contraption are seen pulling a bunch of ropes that gently lifts the half-immersed nets, bringing out a handful of fish that seem too small for the size of the net. In the winter months, when plenty of tourists trot the shore in search of amusement, the fish are sold almost as soon as they are lifted. A bunch of restaurants that shout out ‘you buy the fish, we cook it,’ make up all the market required for the little bounty secured from the nets. One summer evening, I walked into one of the very few nets that was functioning even when the tourists were away, and spent an hour taking pictures and talking to ‘P Samuel’ who was happy to show me around. Some images from the visit. A ship moves towards Cochin Harbour on the shore opposing the Chinese fishing nets. The nets are pushed into the water when some one walks on the mast and increases the weight on the far end of the assembly that stretches into the water. To bring the net back up, four to five people pull a bunch of ropes attached to the mast, in a way similar to drawing waters from the well using a pulley. One of the fishermen in the group walks up the pole to push it down the water and returns after the job is done. Pulling the booty of fish after lifting the nets. The net is usually kept immersed for a duration of ten to fifteen minutes. During the summer months when I was there, an immersion typically brought back a haul of one to two kilos of fish. The lights of Kochi Harbour on the faraway shore come on after sunset. Some time after the sunset, fishermen light a lantern that hangs over the water and attracts more fish. The colourful skies, the lights from the other shore and the bright lamp hung with a rope suddenly transform the atmospehere around the nets. The colours change quickly after sunset, into a deep hue of blue on cloudy days or into deep orange colours in the clear days of winter months.
• Big Pictures on India Travel Blog 4 January, 2012, 8:39 pm
  This new year, there is a small change in the way images are displayed in India Travel Blog. The template size on this blog restricted me from posting photos that are larger than 640 pixels wide. This created multiple problems. In these days of ‘big pictures’, 640 pixels are too small and did not do justice many images. Second, all the clutter around the images (thanks to my ancient, orange template), failed to highlight the images and did not offer an undisturbed view. A clutter-free environment is necessary to be able to appreciate a photograph. These problems are now solved, at least to some extent. The images are now uploaded at a much higher size. On clicking a photograph, you will not only see a larger sized image, it will get displayed with a neutral background. It is also now possible to navigate through all the images in a post, either as a slideshow or through ‘next’ and ‘previous’ links. I hope you like the changes. Your feedback on this would really help. Thank you.
• Upcoming photography workshop and tours in January 2 January, 2012, 9:22 pm
  Here is a listing of upcoming photography tours and workshops in January. We regularly announce new destinations and bring in new photography opportunities. Join Darter Facebook Page to stay updated on upcoming workshops and photography tours. Also see a full listing of all our photography tours January 2012
• Happy New Year + January 2011 Desktop Calendar Wallpaper 30 December, 2011, 8:30 pm
  Here is wishing you a very very happy 2012. Hope the new year turns out to be your best year yet. A lot of you had asked me what happened to December 2012 calendar. I was terribly busy in the last week of November and the first week of December, not giving me enough time to upload a calendar image. On the brighter side, I was travelling in Rajasthan in those two weeks, which has probably given me enough calendar material for whole of 2012. Thank you all for regularly following the calendar, and writing to me asking me for it last month. The January 2012 calendar, as you can predict from the image, is from Rajasthan. The camel strolling in the dunes of Jaisalmer is a sight that I will never forget. Download it in 1336×768, 1280×800 and 1024×768. Do leave a comment here, if you like the calendar.   Thank you.
• Ten Images from 2011 28 December, 2011, 7:58 am
  It is almost time to say good bye 2011. It has been a good year for me when it comes to travelling – there is not a thing I can complain about. Most importantly, we created Darter Photography, which allowed me the bandwidth and ability to travel wherever I please, whenever I want to. Here is a quick compilation of ten images I made in 2011. They aren’t exactly in any order and or not necessarily my ten favourite images from the year, but ten of the many images I liked, and enjoy photographing. In January, I travelled on the first Darter Tour to Hampi, which will remain an experience that I will cherish for a long time. Here is an image of the hills of Hampi, photographed during the tour. Soon after the Hampi trip, I was braving a -250C in Ladakh, walking on the frozen Zanskar River. The landscapes I saw there are something probably not to be seen anywhere else in India. I was back in Hampi in February again, this time photographing the heritage sites and wildlife and focusing less on the landscapes. I do not remember travelling anywhere in March. In the month of April, work took me to many parts of Kerala. I dreaded about facing Kerala’s sultry weather in summer, but untimely rains helped keep the days pleasant. Here is an image from Munnar photographed during this trip. Here is another image from the same trip, at the well known Chinese Fishing Nets of Fort Kochi. After a lull in travelling during May and June, I headed out to Ladakh in July. It was an eventful trip, but not being on the top of my health prevented me from actively seeking to make many images. Here is one of the few photographs I took, at Tso Moriri Lake. I was back in the mountains again in August, this time at Lahaul and Spiti. For me, this was the most eventful trip of the year. Here is an image of confluence of Pin and Spiti Rivers, taken from Dhankar Village. After another break in travelling during the months of September, I headed out, once again to the mountains. To Manali, this time without the camera. In the first week of November, I was back in Kerala for a short trip on work, visiting Trivandrum and Kochi. Here is an image of a handloom house that makes saris and dhotis, near Trivandrum. In later part of November, I travelled to Rajasthan, which was a very productive trip in terms of photography. We made a long tour on two weeks, through Jaipur, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur and Udaipur. A few images from this trip, from Khichan and Jaisalmer.
• Hawa Mahal, Jaipur 26 December, 2011, 4:23 am
  The pink hues of hawa mahal’s facade brings many thoughts into the mind – the simple and elegant beauty of the palaces of Rajasthan, Jaipur’s fetish with the deep reddish hues carefully preserved over a century, the confined lives of women in the palaces and mostly – the ultimate symbol of Rajasthan Tourism. On my first visit to Rajasthan, Hawa Mahal was in the beginning phase of a long lasting renovation, taking its time as any government project would. About four years later, on my second visit a month ago, the process was finally complete. It was the right time to be there, before the paint faded, before coloured glasses lost its sheen, before its fountain left to die and before the vandals arrived to scribble the details of their love life. The insides of the Hawa Mahal were gleaming with fresh paint, coloured glass (or are they stained glasses? there is no easy way to find out) and spotless interiors – as if the Maharaja had just gifted the palace of winds to the members of his harem. We loved it, and almost refused to leave. A spree of photography lasted for four hours. We left, only to allow some time for other charms of Jaipur’s old city, but haven’t had enough of the Mahal yet. Here is a compilation of images made in and around Hawa Mahal in this brief period. But Hawa Mahal deserved more time; and more, better, beautiful images. The typical image of Hawa Mahal in tourist brochures shows it standing alone and isolated, as if it is located in a pristine undisturbed location, waiting for you to discover it. Far from so, it is right next a busy road. A national highway to be precise. In fact, the whole idea of building Hawa Mahal was to let the royal women a glimpse into the outside world, the city’s busy life, and processions during the festival. And it is this reason, that the windows of Hawa Mahal face a busy street but the entry to it is from the other side. It is a relatively lackluster entrance that doesn’t give clues to all the glory that the palace possesses. The facade of famous Hawa Mahal – the palace of winds A closer look at the facade. One of the colourful windows of Hawa Mahal that are spread over five stories. The colours of the glass are not apparent here; see the images from inside Hawa Mahal below. Life goes on the street in front of Hawa Mahal, not stopping by to admire the beauty of the palace that is an everyday affair for the people of Jaipur. Life goes on in front of Hawa Mahal, on the busy National Highway 8.  A shop selling wares for tourists near Hawa Mahal. At the quiet and peaceful alleys behind Hawa Mahal. The relatively lackluster entrance to go inside Hawa Mahal is on the side opposite to its colourful facade. On entering, the inside appears ordinary at first, until you go past a few doors. The arches and the galleries inside Hawa Mahal are as charming as its facade is. The fountains add to the glory of the building. The morning of our visit to Hawa Mahal, we had seen a photograph in the newspaper showing the springing fountains. But to our disappointment, they were turned off when we arrived. As luck would have it, someone turned it on just for a minute, barely long enough for me take this picture. I almost missed this hall with colourful glass windows, located on one side of the entrance. It would have been a great loss, not seeing this. Play of light on the ramp leading up. The galleries on the upper floors. The insides of Hawa Mahal, seen from the first and second floor galleries.
• Random Updates – Winter Travels 4 November, 2011, 4:27 am
  A busy October is just behind me, now it is time to look forward to a winter full of exciting journeys. November is a month for me to attach wheels to my shoes and keep going from place to place. After a week of lazy holiday in Manali in October and exploring the beautiful mountainsides around the town, it is time for me to head to my annual pilgrimages to Hampi. Hampi is nothing short of a pilgrimage for me, as it is one of those places where I keep finding new opportunities for photography, new sites to see within the places I keep wandering and a new beauty in the river and its landscapes. It is going to be a short three-day visit, but I can’t complain as no amount of time is enough for this beautiful place. Soon after coming back from Hampi, it is going to be another short visit to Kerala, where I will be savouring the pleasures of watching Kalari and Kathakali performances, and photograph fishermen and weavers at work. Soon after I come back, there is another trip waiting to the forests of Gir National Park and then a long tour in Rajasthan. There is plenty of work for my camera for next one month!
• Jaipur – The Pink City 1 November, 2011, 8:18 pm
  * This article was earlier published in The Business Entrepreneur magazine. * Join me on a photography-centric tour to Rajasthan in the last week of November As my plane hovered over Jaipur City waiting for signal to land, I looked down from the tiny window past the obtrusive wing for my first sight of the desert capital. The view from the top makes it evident that Jaipur is a well planned city. The walled Old City is neatly divided into small blocks with perfectly straight roads crisscrossing them. A few big landmarks like the City Palace and Tal Katora Lake break the monotony and uniformity, but they gel with their surroundings like an artist’s deliberate strokes that enhance a section of the canvas. Like most cities with a history that goes back a few centuries, Jaipur is a divided world of old and new. What is now called the old city was build nearly three hundred years ago, when Maharaja Jaisingh II decided move his capital from nearby Amber. He took keen interest in designing and planning the new abode of his people, which explains the well aligned square blocks seen from a bird’s-eye view. A thick wall was build around the city to secure it from invading neighbours, which still survives in parts today. More than hundred years after the city was built, it received a new artistic infusion when Raja Ram Singh decided to have the whole city painted pink in a gesture to welcome the visiting Prince of Wales. The tradition of pink colour has been preserved even today as it welcomes travellers from across the world, earning it the name ‘pink city’. The main streets of Old City can surprise even the best informed traveller who sees every building painted in a dark hue of pink. Every shop on the street, whether they sell groceries, clothes or mutual funds, all have the same shape, size and colour. They all look so alike that it requires prominent numbering to distinguish one from other. But order is distinctly broken by occasional shop owners. Modern corporations, ever conscious of an image and with pressures to build their brands, have tried to break out of the monotony and have raised sleek colourful signboards in front of their offices and sales counters, deviating from traditional and lackluster signs in front of all other shops. Perhaps the pink palettes of Jaipur may not survive democracy for very long – it takes a monarchy to bring an order of such degree and have no one question it. Perhaps the best place to get a good glimpse of Old City is from Iswari Minar Swarg Sal, a tall minaret that offers uninterrupted views. I entered the minaret and climbed up slowly through a helical ramp with tiny windows in every floor that brings in only a little light. The only sign of life in the minaret was pigeons cooing from their roost in the window sill. At the top of the minaret is an open balcony with all-round view of the city. Standing up there, I could see the sprawl of Jaipur – the Aravali Hills spreading to the east limiting the growth of Old City and the plains to the west where the new city is growing quickly. It is easy to spot the major edifices of the old city – Hawa Mahal and City Palace that stand much taller than the two-storey buildings that surround them. Jaipur’s City Palace, the largest of the monuments in the heart of the walled city, epitomizes the pink city with its long walls painted pink. I entered the palace complex through a narrow gate that isolates the area from traffic, noise and the rush outside. The complex is a large area with empty, wide alleys and open spaces. Large gates with tall arches divide sections of the complex, with fluttering pigeons occupying every inch of free space on the top of the arches. Once in a while they rush out of their perches with loud flutter of wings, collectively strong enough to create small local currents of wind. The amiable Marwaris feed the pigeons generously, letting them thrive and grow plump in the quarters of Old City. The Palace doubles up as a showcase of the culture and traditions of Rajasthan. A snake charmer welcomes the visitors at the gates with his snake-in-the-box, blowing his pungi and making the snake raise its hood to charm the tourists. It works well. Hoards of tourists from the west who have been oversold with stories of snake charmers, rope-tricksters and elephant riders, tout their camera and smile with a triumph of having seen the India of their conception. The interiors of the palace are much peaceful, especially for someone who has walked through the rush of the main roads outside. The spacious courtyards can take plenty of tourists and can still feel empty. I walked past Mubarak Mahal – the welcoming hall, the art museums, the arms display and spent some time admiring the large silver pots placed in Diwan-i-Khas. The pots hold Guinness Record for being the largest silver vessels in the world, and were used by King Sawai Madho Singh to carry the waters of Ganga wherever he went. Apparently he would not drink from a source other than the holy river. Not for from City Palace is Hawa-Mahal, another pink structure that epitomizes the architecture of Jaipur. Hawa Mahal was built to provide a platform for the women of the palace to see processions passing by the streets during festivals. The Lonely Planet quotes Hawa Mahal as an “extra-ordinary fairy tale”, which is evident on looking at its tall, pink façade with a series of decorated windows. The photogenic outer wall facing the road has a celebratory feel with their bright pink painting and patterns on the windows, earning it a rightful fame. But inside, it is no more than a maze of insipid rooms with peeling plasters, and small windows meant to isolate the royal women with rest of the world. The predecessor to City Palace is Amber Fort, from where the kings had once moved to Jaipur. On the way to the fort, which is a short thirty minute drive from Hawa Mahal, the bustle of the city gives way to a dense pack of trees that now stood bare in the dry winter. But the winding road going up and down through the thick forest is perhaps beautiful and lush green in the monsoons months. Amber Fort is located on the top of a hill and dominates a long ridge. Standing in a valley and surrounded by fortified hills all around me with a majestic fort on one side, I was impressed by the great effort put by the rulers of Jaipur to protect themselves from possible conflicts. A large tank at the base of the hill matches the fort in size and adds to its beauty, perhaps serving as a source of water for people of the city in the past. On the way back from the palace, I stopped briefly to watch the golden rays of evening sun fall on Jal Mahal, a small palace built in the middle of Man Sagar Lake. The palace is now left unattended for such a long time that trees have grown over the palace building. It is a sight of nature dominating over man’s creation when allowed to flourish without any interference. On the way back to my hotel in the evening, I passed through one of the many gates of the Old City that have still survived and marks the separation between old and the new parts of Jaipur. While the Old City has resisted the change over centuries and has steadfastly remained as an icon of the days of the Rajas, the new city symbolizes the new India with its swanky hotels, tall apartment buildings, malls and glass facades. While Jaipur is still not chaotic and disordered like many of India’s large cities, it does seem to be a far cry from the immaculately planned blocks and boulevards I saw in the old city. Going from one side of the gate to the other was like returning to present after a brief journey back in time by two-hundred years.
• Photography Tours in November 31 October, 2011, 10:58 pm
  As the winter is about the begin, weather is at its best across India and migratory birds start arriving in the plains, we have a whole lot of expert-led photography tours coming up. We have something happening almost every week this month. Check out some of the destinations we are going to in November and do join us on some of the tours. The tour of Hampi is one of our flagship tours that is extremely popular and very well received, as it takes you through various genres of photography and not just the well-known historical landmarks of Hampi. In our tour to Goa, our expert wildlife photographer Shreeram will take you through the river systems of Goa to see and capture some less-seen birds in these parts, including as many as 8 species of kingfishers. The Rajasthan tour gives you perfect introduction to the desert country, offering a wide variety of photography opportunities to capture the culture, heritage and landscapes of this beautiful state. For those who want to learn to make good pictures and get a jumpstart in photography, join our photography workshop in Koramangala Bangalore. Click on the links below to see the details of each of these tours.
• November 2011 Desktop Calendar Wallpaper 31 October, 2011, 10:07 pm
  This month’s desktop calendar is an image of Vijaya Vithala Temple in Hampi. Download this for your desktop in resolutions 1336×768, 1280×800 or 1024×768