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Beach Tours of India: Visiting Beaches and Coastal India

India tourism has truly come of age. There is a more conscious effort that is being made to promote India as a tourist destination, and there is more curiosity to visit India. The beauty about India is that once you visit her, you can just never have enough. Many people are of the belief that [...]

An India tour for Beginners

Australian cricketer Michael Hussey considers an India tour as one of the toughest. That’s probably because he has to game to play and win and beating the Indian cricket team these days is more than a matter of luck! But thankfully most people who plan an India tour don’t have competition on mind. They come [...]

Make Yourself India Tour Savvy

If there is one word that best describes India, it is vibrancy. You will discover why this word becomes the right choice when you get here. But before you do, a few things that you should know about Indians because forewarned is forearmed! Jokes apart, you do need some preparation if you’re on your first [...]

Down the Slopes on a Vacation in India

Are you planning an India Tour for a skiing experience? Now, the first thing to wonder about is, does India really qualify as a good skiing destination? If yes, then can it think beyond the snowy slopes of Gulmarg in Kashmir, (a town that has earned its respect as a great skiing place)? So let’s [...]

Wedding Wonders on an India Tour

Kate Perry and Russell Brand solemnized their love for each other when they wedded at the Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan. Although the tigers are not too happy about it, none of the invitees are complaining! Not that many of us plan an India tour with a wedding in mind, but India is gaining popularity [...]

800 Heritage Havelis at Chandni Chowk

January 27th, 2012

Amjad Khan

Delhi is finally rising up to the vast potential of Heritage Tourism. Besides a number of tourism icons such as Red Fort, Humayun Tomb, and Qutub Minar, there are as many as 800 Havelis in the busy and labyrinthine lanes of Chandni Chowk that have escaped the eyes of government officials until now and yet have attracted international tourists with engaging history, amazing architecture, and archeological significances.

Mostly in ruins, these Havelis lining the lanes of Chandni Chowk are a living heritage showcase and a pride for their owners. Situated in Asia’s largest and oldest market, some of these Havelis are as old as Shahjehanabad, the city established by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan in 1650. As many as 800 exquisite Havelis have been proposed o be granted the heritage property status by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).

Beautiful exteriors of these heritage structures are frequently marred by shops crowding their front, yet their historical significance have increased with he time. Commercial usage and unavailability of funds to bear heavy maintenance costs of maintaining a heritage mansion have led to grave damage to many of the significant Havelis in Chandni Chowk but the picture might change for better in a few years from now.

Some of the most interesting Havelis in Delhi 6 that mesmerize tourists include the Chuna Mal Haveli on the main street close to the Town Hall, right next to the lane leading to Katra Neel. Built in about half an acre, it is almost impossible to miss this beautiful Haveli if you take a rickshaw ride at Chandni Chowk.

Pershads, who have been living in this magnificent Haveli, for seven generations are direct descendants of Lala Chuna Mal, who built this magnificent mansion and once was so rich that it was said that if he would have withdrawn his money from Delhi-London Bank, the institution would have collapsed. The merchant, banker, and landlord, Lala Chuna Mal became the first municipal commissioner of Delhi in 1862.

Better maintained quarters with nine houses and a medieval Jain Temple, the Naugraha Complex at the end of the famous Paranthewali Gali, are reminiscent of Marwari Havelis of Shekhawati region in Rajasthan. One of the most important tourist attractions at Chandni Chowk, it has arched doorways called Mehrabs and belong to Nahars. Some of the Havelis have been renovated and can hardly be recognized as ancestral homes of some of the oldest residents of the area while there are several others who embrace the charm and beauty of the bygone era with pride and joy.

Travel and tour operators with local expertise take you to some of the most wonderful creations of medieval eras whose beauty lies in the very fact that they are still untouched by commercialization of their history and legacy.

Beach Tours of India: Visiting Beaches and Coastal India

January 23rd, 2012

Amjad Khan

India tourism has truly come of age. There is a more conscious effort that is being made to promote India as a tourist destination, and there is more curiosity to visit India. The beauty about India is that once you visit her, you can just never have enough.

Many people are of the belief that a relaxing holiday means getting a lot of beach, sun and rest. If this is what you are looking for, India is your ideal choice. There is no dearth of variety, given that India is surrounded by sea on three sides.

By far, the most popular choice for all visitors is Goa. You will find a beach virtually everywhere you go. What is remarkable is that each beach has a different style and method to it. Some beaches are rocky, while others have sandy shelves. Some beaches have become a legend simply by virtue of being a hotspot for people to meet and let their hair down. The most popular beaches in Goa are Anjuna, Calangute and Dona Paula. One beach, though, has more visitors than all the others put together – Baga beach. Here, you will find shacks dotted all across the sand serving generous helpings of beer, local Goan fare and fish. You can either let the breeze waft gently through, or be a part of the more happening night life that there is to offer. Parties that continue well into the night, and merry dances that are sure to pull you in – you can take your pick.

Apart from the much talked about Goa, there are several other beach destinations too. Chennai boasts of the longest beach in India, and perhaps Asia too. The Marina beach has more than just sand and sun. It is brimming with history, culture and life. You can stagger through the sands, or walk along the grand promenade, which has been beautifully adorned with well manicured gardens and monuments. If lucky, you might even be able to witness a ceremony of the state underway.

Mumbai is home to the two most favourite beaches – Chowpatty and Juhu beach. Known more for the colourful life, glamour and presentation than the beach itself – you are sure to be delighted by the unique character these beaches have.

For the discerning traveller, there is a lot more than the popular, frequented beaches. There are some lesser known beaches that you can visit. These will give you a deeper insight into the culture and life of diverse India, and send you back tranquil, and rejuvenated. You will have a plethora of options that you can choose from. The Eastern banks of India along the Bay of Bengal have grand beaches which are alongside imposing temples and monuments. These include the temples in and around the state of Orissa. On the west coast, you can try any of the beaches right from the Karwar region south of Goa, all the way up to Kerala.

Travel operators and tour guides are equipped to be able to put together just the right holiday for you – depending on your preference, budget and duration of holiday. Leave it to them to delight you with the wonders India has to offer. All you need to do is pack your bags and your worries, and you are ready for a vacation you can not easily forget.

An India tour for Beginners

April 22nd, 2011

Amjad Khan

Australian cricketer Michael Hussey considers an India tour as one of the toughest. That’s probably because he has to game to play and win and beating the Indian cricket team these days is more than a matter of luck! But thankfully most people who plan an India tour don’t have competition on mind. They come with expectations of soaking in a splash of India which can be done on a Golden Triangle tour, especially if it’s your first time to this surprise-filled country. Now what should you expect on your first India tour…definitely more than snake charmers and elephant rides!! While the entire country is an entire treasure trove, the Golden Triangle cities are a cache for any tourist.
So you can start your visit with a dip in the sacred sarovar at the Golden Temple in Amristsar. Even if you’re not a devout person, the mesmerizing site of the temple is so overwhelmingly peaceful that you might have second thoughts about converting! The next on your itinerary should be the historic city of New Delhi. Although the ‘new’ in the name is paradoxical to the historic value of the city, Delhi is a convenience for those who want to savor both, the contemporary and the rustic in one go. Of course, anyone visiting the country for the first time will have the Taj Mahal top on their list and rightly so, because missing out on this wonder is sacrilege to tourists! So the next on the list should be a trip to earthy city of Agra that continues to reek of the Mughal era. While the Goden Triangle Cities cover a royal tour of Rajasthan too, the ones already mentioned should give any tourist the best start to a great India tour.

Make Yourself India Tour Savvy

February 21st, 2011

Amjad Khan

If there is one word that best describes India, it is vibrancy. You will discover why this word becomes the right choice when you get here. But before you do, a few things that you should know about Indians because forewarned is forearmed! Jokes apart, you do need some preparation if you’re on your first India tour and this preparation has little to do with reading those books in the country and charging your cameras to click the elephants, tantriks and snake charmers who think you’ll bump into the minute you leave the airport! Now although there are different things one has to consider in preparing for an India tour, a top priority is preparing your stomachs!
So one of the first things you will discover is an Indian’s knack and enthusiasm to feed people. Especially if you are anywhere is the Golden Triangle cities, you will envy the cow for its four stomachs! You will learn soon after your first meal in India that you need to start saying no to servings soon before your stomach is full, because it is after your first vehement “no” that Indians stuff you with your last two courses! In Rajasthan a refusal to eat means, “I can’t at anymore by myself so you need to stuff my mouth!” Another thing is, Indians and their food habits vary depending on where you are. So if you’ve just attuned your stomach to downing a fat-laden breakfast in the north of India at 10, you’ll have to re-regulate your stomach to downing fluffy rice cakes at 7 in the morning in the south of the country. And when it comes to variety in the South, you have rice for breakfast, rice for lunch and you guessed it well, rice for dinner as well! Nonetheless, Indian cuisines are a journey in themselves and even if you have to tours to India as a food connoisseur, you will be very, very far from disappointed!

Down the Slopes on a Vacation in India

February 14th, 2011

Amjad Khan

Are you planning an India Tour for a skiing experience? Now, the first thing to wonder about is, does India really qualify as a good skiing destination? If yes, then can it think beyond the snowy slopes of Gulmarg in Kashmir, (a town that has earned its respect as a great skiing place)? So let’s answer these questions and shatter a myth. India can boast of being a country that offers tourists a fair chunk of extreme sports. From white water rafting where the rapids are a challenge to the best of rafters, to mountain treks that are a Sherpa’s delight, to camel and mountain safaris, the country has it all, and it has it all in plenty! Therefore naturally, even when it comes to qualifying as a skiing destination, India can think beyond Kashmir.

So if you really planning a skiing detour when on a winter India vacation, visit Auli, a little town nestled in the Garhwal Hills in Uttaranchal and let not the word little take you in for this town gains in size, although not literally, but in terms of hosting tourists in the winter months. It’s from January to March that the green slopes of Auli are swathed in a nice and thick yet adequately soft white blanket that are a skier’s joy. What makes these slopes more irresistible is the fact that they are considered a good skiing ground from international standards too. While the place may not boast of international competitions, I’m sure vacationers skiing down a mountain slope with the sole purpose of relaxing, don’t want competition from a bunch of professionals whooshing and whizzing past them!