City of Lakes : Nainital

A small town in the hills of Kumaon, Nainital is a lovely hill station surrounded by mountains on three sides. Nainital is also known as the city of lakes attracting millions of tourists every year worldwide. Nainital is set in a valley containing a pear-shaped lake, Naini Jheel named after goddess Naina, approximately two miles in circumference, and surrounded by mountains.

Mall Road, in the evening

Saat Tal

Township from Naini lake

Switzerland Of India

Kausani - Early morning clouds descended to the valley

KAUSANI is known as the “Switzerland of India”. After my visit to Kausani, this summer, I find it as an ideal destination for those who seek to escape from the din and dust, hustle and bustle of big cities and wish to spend a quiet holiday in the lap of nature. Here, in the early morning, the birds sing for you to rise. Indeed, Kausani is a veritable heaven of beauty and it makes you feel that heaven has descended on this earth and the beauty of nature and heavenly calm of the place will inspire you to think differently. It is situated at a height of 1890 meters (from the sea level) in the Kumaon range of mountains. Kausani commands an unobstructed view of the Himalayan peaks. Several snow- capped peaks of Himalaya stand in a row, over 300 kms. in length, are visible from Kausani and enviable spectacle (if the climate favours you).

Every moment it changes its picturesque beauty. From the hotel rooms it is sometimes seen that the clouds are stagnant at the valley and the same is fully covered by the thick clouds which looks like a ocean of snow.

The peaks of Kumayun ranges spreads over the regions looks like paintings on a canvas with little variation of colors and stand like layers. These picks are sometimes covered by the clouds and nothing can be visible underneath. The thick white clouds comes down to the valley and stagnant there when you will feel like walking on those clouds because they are below your level. In the early morning from my Hotel rooftop when I found the entire area has been covered by thick dense clouds like snow, I wished walking on the clouds. T

Natural beauty, a heavenly calm inspired to think about the vastness and beautiful creation of the God. The natural beauty, calmness, clouds and Himalayan peaks standing tall at the horizon inspired me to bring out the poet in me to compose the following poem :

KAUSANI

I met her in an evening dusky and rainy

Attracted me, as if known for years many.

Welcomed me raising her large eyes to my face,

Four eyes met and made everything into a mess

Her happiness reflected on her cloudy face,

Breezy evening set my heart in faster pace.

We came closer, felt the presence of each other,

Slowly opened her beauty with her peaks and cedar.

Eyes were meeting while watching the peaks few,

I was gazing her peaks and curves that she knew.

Splendid beauty of the valley, like a trove, 

Moving clouds form a lady on the move,

Seen the similarity of nature and women,

Beautifully crafted by God, both of them.

Windy breeze made hairs out of control of hers, 

She was shy, raised her arms to knot the hairs.

I imagined her body turned into a great posture,

Smiled at me, I mutely thanked for her gesture

Her breasts like peaks raised, lovely and inviting,

She appeared to me as a beautiful painting.

Calmness came in the valley, after the wind and rain,

But we were unrest to come closer, suffered the pain.

She came closer looked at me, at last,

Walked through clouds, landed on the terrace,

She mutely hinted me to follow her fast,

Her lovely valley waited long for me to embrace.

She came nearer and asked me again to follow,

She took me to the clouds in the valley below. 

While walking with her on the clouds under the sky,

I told her I had seen you somewhere, don’t be shy.

Tell me your name my dear lady, if I am right,

With her smile and glances she looked bright.

I am Kausani, don’t you know my dear?

She was shy, wanted my name to hear.

My love story with Kausani ended suddenly,

Filled with her memory, I left Kausani sadly.

I still carry memory of her for tomorrow,

I lost her in the valley with pain and sorrow,

Her valley, peaks, mountains and pine,

Lives in my memory, treasures of mine.

Copyright : Anil 2010

Almora

Sunset at Almora

Almora is situated in Uttarakhand state of India. The township of Almora is the district headquarter and has all the facilities for tourists. This ancient hill station is reputed for it’s healthy climate and is perched on a five Km. long horse saddle shape ridge in. Rabindranath Tagore spent some times at Almora and composed some of his poems here. In May and Jun, the climate is very pleasant and best for visitors.One can have a panoramic view of the snowy peaks of Himalayas on any clear day and in addition a glimpse of the township.Swami Vivekananda too visited this town during his mission to travel from Himalaya to Kanyakumari.

Almora town

Queen's Meadows : Ranikhet

It was a favourite place of the queen of Chandraja Suridev. This is what made the place known as Ranikhet (Queen’s Meadow). In clear sky snow capped Himalaya ranges – Nandadevi, Neelkantha, Kamet Gouriparvat, Hatiparvat, nandagunti, Trishul, Nandakote and many more peaks are visible from this place. The place is having natural beauty decorated with Pine, Ceeder, Oak, Cyprash etc. It is situated at a height of 1829 meters. It is the HQ of Kumaon rifles.

Ranikhet

Ranikhet

Temples of Love : Khajuraho

One of the most celebrated manifestations of Indian architecture is to be found in a group of temples at Khajuraho in central India. Situated a hundred miles south-east of the town of Jhansi in the modern-day state of Madhya Pradesh.

Once a great chandela capital, Khajuraho is now a quiet village. The town of exotic temples, Khajuraho is one of India's major tourists and honeymoon attractions. They are India's unique gift to the world, representing a melody to life, which encompasses all emotions ranging from love, sex and joy. Life, in every form and mood, has been captured in stone, testifying not only to the craftsman's artistry but also to the extraordinary breadth of vision of the Chandela kings.

The city was once the original capital of the Chandela Rajputs, a Hindu dynasty that ruled this part of India from the 10th to the 12th centuries. The Khajuraho temples were built over a span of a hundred years, from 950 to 1050. There were originally over 80 Hindu temples scattered over an area of about 8 square miles of which only 22 now stand in a reasonable state of preservation.

The temples of Khajuraho underwent destruction by early Muslim invaders. Following their abandonment, a number of them survived to be discovered by the British in the 19th century.

Thousands of artisans worked on stones and they created the most beautiful figures on the temples. Khajuraho statues of stones speak, sing, dance which seems to be alive and coming out of temple walls.

All the erotic sculptures are at the outer walls of the temples. But there is no erotic sculpture inside the temples. In fact, inside most of the temples there is nothing- just silence, a cool peaceful milieu, with the vibes of thousands of years of people meditating there.

Valley of the God : Manali

Manali in the Beas River valley, at an altitude of 1,950 mtrs, is an important hill station in the Himachal mountains of Himachal Pradesh, India. Manali and its surrounding areas are of great significance to the Indian culture and heritage as it was the home and abode of the Saptarshi or seven sages. The ancient cave temple, Hidimba Devi Temple is not far from town.

Manali is named after the Brahmin lawgiver manu. The word Manali literally means “the abode of Manu”. Manali is known as the "Valley of the Gods". The Old Manali village has an ancient temple dedicated to sage Manu.

It is famous for adventure sports like skiing, hiking, mountaineering, para gliding, rafting, trekking, and mountain biking. It also offers hot springs, spectacular religious shrines and temples, Tibetan Buddhist temples.

Rohtang Pass, at an altitude of 13,050 feet above sea level, is another adventure tourist site where it can be cold even on a summer day. It is the highest point on the Manali-Keylong road and provides a wide panoramic view of mountains rising far above clouds, which is truly breath taking.

Queen of the hills : Simla

In 1864, Shimla was declared the summer capital of the erstwhile British Raj in India. A popular tourist destination, Shimla is often referred to as the "Queen of Hills". Located in north-west Himalayas at an altitude of 2,130 metres, the city of Shimla, draped in forests of pine, rhododendron and oak, experiences pleasant summers and cold, snowy winters. Shimla is connected to the city of Kalka by one of the longest narrow gauge railway routes in India. Shimla is approximately 115 km (71.4 miles) from Chandigarh, the nearest major city, and 365 km (226.8 miles) from New Delhi, the national capital. The city is named after the goddess Shyamala Devi, an incarnation of the Hindu Goddess Kali.

Paradise on Earth : Kashmir

Cradled in the lap of majestic snow capped mountains of the Himalayas, Kashmir was the most beautiful place on earth. On visiting the Valley of Kashmir, Jehangir, the Mughal emperor, is said to have exclaimed: “If there is paradise anywhere on earth, it is here, it is here, it is here.”

Srinagar, the city of great antiquity, is located in the heart of Kashmir at an altitude of 1730 mtrs above the sea level, with the three majestic Himalayan ranges of Karakoram, Zanskar and Pir Panjal framing the landscape from northwest to northeast.

Dal lake is one of the most beautiful and famous lakes of India and it is one of the best spots in Kashmir for the tourists. The Dal Lake is 6 Km long and 6 Km in width and situated at a distance of 2 km from the main city Srinagar. Inside the lake there are many Islands and floating gardens. The lake is surrounded by high mountain peaks, Cheenar, deodar and Pine trees.

The biggest attraction of Kashmir is the Dal Lake which is host to the word’s famous Shikaras and Houseboats. This jewel in the crown of Kashmir is a sight worth beholding in winter when the lake freezes.

Pahelgam (above) is a quaint, nomadic village, with scenic beauty. It is situated at a distance of 96 kms from Srinagar, still unspoilt by the ravages of progress.

Mughal Gardens :

Nishat bag (Shown above) is situated on the bank of the Dal Lake with the Zabarwan mountain at the backdrop. It is constructed in steps and it is a biggest garden of Kashmir.

Shalimar Garden is 15 km away from Srinagar city. It was constructed by Jahangir for his wife Noor Jahan as a meeting point

Chashma Shahi : It is also called “Shahi Bag” (shown below) which is 9 km away from the city. This Garden was constructed by Shahjahan’s Mughal Governor Ali Mardan’s supervision in 1632AD. There is a cold water spring in the center of the Garden. Fresh water is continuously flowing. Its water is refreshing and digestive.

Kashmir is situated in the extreme north of India and it lies in the North Himalayan Region. The Paradise stands 1585 to 1829 meter high and it streches 129 Kilometer in length and 40 Km in breath. There are snow capped towering peaks, lush green fields & forests, wildlife, religious places, fresh water springs, rivers, beautiful lakes, blooming fruits, pine and chinar trees. All these attract the tourists from world over.

Every Indian nurture a dream, of visiting Kashmir once in life time in their mind. The same dream was in our mind too for a long time. Due to disturbances in the state no tourist dared to visit during last many years. With all this our dream was almost dead, but for last two years the situation improved and flow of tourists almost restored to normal in the year of 2005. In 2006, we made it to happen when we visited Kashmir without any difficulties.

During our visit, the beautiful land and the beautiful people of the state were discovered and we felt the warmths, hospitality of the people of Kashmir.

The valley remained favourite shooting spot for Bollywood Hindi films producers till 1980s before the onset of militancy in 1990. Several blockbusters like Kashmir ki kali, Silsila, karma, Arzoo, Betaab and recently Mission Kashmir were shot here.

Tourists' Paradise : Goa

Goa, in India, is world famous for its beaches. The Goan coast is lined with a number of beaches, each with a distinctive flavor, some have golden sand, some white, some have fine sand grains, some with coarse etc. But one thing common is the distinctive blue Arabian Sea and the swaying coconut and palm trees.

Panaji (Panjim) is the state capital located on the banks of the Mandovi river and Vasco, Margao, Mapusa and Ponda are the other major towns. Goa is serviced by an international/national airport located at Dabolim near Vasco. An intra-state and inter-state bus network also plays an important role in getting locals and visitors alike in and around Goa.

Dona Paula Beach : The beach is named after Dona Paula de Menzes, daughter of a viceroy (in colonial India), who threw herself off the cliff, when refused permission to marry a local fisherman, Gaspar Dias. The myth says that Dona Paula is entombed in the Cabo Chapel of the Raj Bhawan and is supposed to be seen emerging from the moonlit waves wearing only a pearl necklace. With the romance and myth attached to it, haunted by Dona Paula de Menzes, tourists throng the Dona Paula Beach.

Anjuna Beach :

The Anjuna beach was 'discovered' sometime in 1950's and 60's by a group of travellers and then they began to meet here in dry season to party. Situated eight kilometers west of Mapusa, Anjuna beach is the most happening of all beaches in Goa.

Since the arrival of the Hippies in the sixties, Goa has been a major destination for the foreign and domestic tourists.

The tourist season in Goa begins in late September and carries on through early March. The weather in these months is usually dry and pleasantly cool.

Besides the natural beauty, the fabulous beaches and sunshine, travellers to Goa love the laid-back, peaceful, warm and friendly nature of the Goan people.

Ajanta and Ellora Caves

The famous Ajanta and Ellora caves are located near the city of Aurangabad in Maharashtra. The caves shrines cut out of rock, by hand, and rank amongst some of the most outstanding specimens of ancient Indian architectural heritage. The 34 caves at Ellora and the 29 caves at Ajanta, were remained in dark, undiscovered for over a milleniuam, till John Smith, a British Army Officer, accidentally discovered them while on a hunting expedition in 1819. Ajanta has been designated as a World Heritage Site to be preserved as an artistic legacy that will inspire the generations to come.

Ajanta Caves

It was only in the 19th century, that the Ajanta group of caves, lying deep within the Sahyadri hills, cut into the curved mountain side, above the Waghora river, were discovered. They depict the story of Buddhism, spanning a period from 200 BC to 650 AD.

The 29 caves were built as secluded retreats of the Buddhist monks, who taught and performed rituals in the Chaityas and Viharas, the ancient seats of learning, and nerve - centers of the Buddhist cultural movement. Using simple tools like hammer and chisel, the monks carved out the impressive figures adorning the walls of these structures. Many of the caves house panels depicting stories from the Jatakas, a rich mine of tales of the several incarnations of the Buddha. Images of nymphs and princesses amongst others, are also elaborately portrayed.

At various places the art work has become eroded due to decay and human interference. Therefore, many areas of the painted walls, ceilings, and pillars are fragmentary. The painted narratives of the Jataka tales are depicted only on the walls, which demanded the special attention of the devotees.

Ellora Caves

Ellora was built by Rashtrakuta Dynasty. Famous for its monumental caves, Ellora too is a word Heritage site. The Ellora caves, 34 in number, are carved into the sides of a basaltic hill, 30 kms from Aurangabad. The finest specimens of cave - temple architecture, they house elaborate facades and exquisitely adorned interiors. These structures representing the three faiths of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, were carved during the 350 AD to 700 AD period. The 12 caves to the south are Buddhist, the 17 in the centre dedicated to Hinduism, and the 5 caves to the north are Jain. Buddhist, Hindu and Jain cave temples and monasteries were built in proximity, which demonstrate the religious harmony prevalent during this period of Indian history.