Hyderabad City looks as fresh after a shower of rains as we feel fresh after a bath. The green landscapes of the city look greener, the roads become cleaner, and the air feels cooler. The beauty of the rain-washed city appears as inviting as the crystal-clear water of sea on an exotic beach. Windy mornings, pleasant days, rainy evenings and cool nights during monsoons make Hyderabad a must visit in July and August. Here’s a walk through the things to do in Hyderabad during monsoon based on the inputs shared by NRIs of Hyderabad.

Paddling a racing bicycle along the wavy streets of Banjara Hills is one of the best things to do in Hyderabad during monsoon. Banjara Hills is the greenest part of the city, and KBR National Park spreading over an area of 400 acres is the oasis of greenery here. The sloping roads with swaying boughs of trees on both sides around outside the park deepen the thrill of bicycling on rainy mornings. The city is home to groups and clubs of bicyclers. You can join a group or club to have the company of passionate bicyclers during your stay on monsoon days.

The Hussain Sagar Lake is the pearl of Hyderabad. The beauty of the lake hangs over the surrounding Necklace Road too. Fed by the River Musi, it is an artificial lake with a maximum depth of 32 feet and sprawling over 5.7 square kilometers. The water level swells in the months of monsoon. The boundary of the lake is the most popular hangout for all age groups and in all seasons. Driving on the rain-washed Necklace Road is a pleasure to those who love going out and driving in the rains.

Then, there is Irani Tea to warm up your mornings and evenings in Hyderabad during monsoons. It is one of the things that the city is famous for and visitors must have. The typical Hyderabadi essence distinguishes the taste of Irani tea from that of regular tea. There are many popular Irani tea hangouts in the old part of the city. Though available round the year, Irani tea with a plate of Osmania biscuits is the best monsoon flavor of Hyderabad.

READ MORE Weekend Trips from Hyderabad

The Charminar is the most identifiable icon of Hyderabad. It is also one of the most famous historic monuments in India. The Charminar in the rains is an ideal subject for monsoon photography in the city. The area surrounding the monument is a bustling marketplace, one of the most crowded zones in the old city. When it rains, crowds disperse making it easier for the Charminar to breathe freely. So, go out on a photography spree and shoot the ways of life around the Charminar, in the monsoon season.

Hyderabadi snacks are among the best food to eat during monsoons. Apart from masala dosa, bonda and mirchi bhaji are favorites of the locals. These street side snacks are sold here and there in the city, two times a day – morning and evening. Bites of smoking hot, crispy onion bonda and mirchi bhaji make the joy of monsoon an overwhelming feeling on rainy mornings and evenings.

If you are from Hyderabad, you must fly to Rajiv Gandhi Airport and refresh your memory of the rainy days this monsoon. Discard your worries about current airfares because Indian Eagle is offering the most competitive deals from partner airlines for cheap flights to Hyderabad for a limited period.  

The post Traveling to Hyderabad This Monsoon? Here’s How You can Make the Most of Monsoon in City of Pearls appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

In some of our stories of Kolkata, we are eloquent about the street food culture, traditional Bengali cuisine and Durga puja festival of the city. There are many things to talk and write about beyond the cultural aspects of the 21st century Kolkata as the city has experienced highs and lows since its foundation in the year 1690. One of the major transformations that the capital of Bengal has undergone is that of its identity from Calcutta to Kolkata.

The post-independence picture of Calcutta may be a mystery and a matter of curiosity, at the same time, to many of the present generation. Travel Beats, an overseas Indian community portal, has woven a brief story of Calcutta in the 1960s.

The nightlife culture of Calcutta in the 1960s was an integral part of the sophisticated lifestyle of the elite and the rich. Park Street was the most happening place to spend out nights partying till wee hours. Cultured men and women from the upper reaches of society used to sweep down Park Street in their swanky cars and dance to the music of live bands at Blue Fox, Mocambo, Moulin Rouge and other restaurants of those times. Guests on a visit to Calcutta from Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok and Manila were treated to the musical beats, fairy lights, and winey flavors of Park Street in the dead of night, in the 1960s.

Calcutta in the 1960s was a city of political upheavals, mass agitation, labor strikes and student unions’ protests. The turbulent being of the city served as the base of the Left’s rise in West Bengal. Deindustrialization of the state began to take place in the 1960s leaving the next generations high and dry. The Naxalite movement, led by the fuming youth of Calcutta in the 1960s, triggered the political agitation. A massive flow of starved, penniless refugees from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) during the onset of the Liberation War of 1971 added to Calcutta’s socio-political stagnation.

In the 1960s, Calcutta was a city of middle-class intellectuals. The professionals including doctors, professors, lawyers, filmmakers, engineers, managers and artists belonged to this class of the then Bengali society. The British had created this intellectual class to support and expand their trade when Calcutta was the capital of India. The 21st century Kolkata takes pride in the achievements of the middle-class intellectuals, including legendary filmmakers, actors and writers such as Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen, Ritwik Ghatak, Uttam Kumar, Utpal Dutta, Suchitra Sen, Soumitra Chatterjee, Bikas Roy and others.

The Hooghly riverfront of Calcutta was a thriving industrial belt till the mid of the 1960s. Howrah was the throbbing center of industrialization in the northeast before and after independence. Calcutta was the second best port city, next to Singapore, in Asia. The then industrial recognition of Calcutta as one of the global leaders was based on the production and export of jute and tea. The Ranigang-Asansol-Durgapur belt with coal mines and manufacturing plants was known as the Ruhr of India.

The public transport lifeline of Calcutta in the 1960s consisted of hand-pulled rickshaws, double-decker buses, and trams. The present Kolkata has not parted with handcarts and trams yet, though double-decker buses are no more seen plying the busy streets.

The picture of Calcutta in the 1960s is too big to be framed in an article of a few hundred words. Why not travel to India to explore the difference between Calcutta of the 1960s and the 21^st century Kolkata? Indian Eagle books the cheapest flights to Kolkata International Airport throughout the year. 

Disclaimer: The tidbits of information for this story of Calcutta in the 1960s are collected from different sources on the web. We do not guarantee the authenticity of the information.     

The post Calcutta in 1960s: Political Mayhems, Mass Agitation, Labor Strikes, Rise of Middle-class Intellectuals appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

Romance is a thing of beauty. Memory is a thing of joy. Romance is a never-fading piece of memory which never grows old. It is true about Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, one of the most popular Bollywood romantic films, which celebrated its 20^th anniversary yesterday. Since its release in October 1995, this movie starring Shah Rukh and Kajol, one of the most celebrated onscreen couples, has been a rage with Indians of all ages. Mumbai seems to have had not enough of romance as Maratha Mandir Theater in the city has been screening Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge for 1000 weeks. It is not just a romance but also a family drama. It is a travel movie to some extent, too.

Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge has become an iconic entertainment in Indian Cinema and has been ruling our hearts for several reasons including portrayal of beautiful landscapes from London to Switzerland to Punjab, and depiction of cultural traditions in India apart from the evergreen love story and melodious music. The song, “Ghar aaja pardesi, tera desh bulayere” (O’ migrants, come back home; your home, your country is missing you), has finely captured the nuances of nostalgia that every NRI experiences and relates to. The picturization of the song featuring a few colorfully dressed Punjabi girls running through the sprawling mustard fields is full of emotional vibes which touch the Indian hearts to the core despite migration to foreign lands.

The story of the movie begins in London and ends in Punjab connecting NRIs back to their roots in India. It depicts that an NRI family living in London for years does not break loose from their cultural identity and Indian values. It is not a myth but a reality that Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge holds to. Though NRIs assimilate the foreign culture, they do not camouflage themselves with it. The movie also populated the idea that wearing a foreign outfit does not mean changing the inner self which knows where you belong to and does not let you forget it.

The movie depicts Indian cultural traditions through pre-wedding rituals in the Punjabi community, to say the Karva Chauth ceremony. This very essence of Indianness which the visual frames of the story have emotively captured is a key to the success and popularity of the movie among Indians as well as NRIs. The musical and cultural extravaganza of Indian weddings has found a place in the song, “Mehendi lagake rakhna, doli sajake rakhna”, which, still the friends and siblings of brides and grooms groove to during pre or post wedding celebrations in India.

If you literally miss your native home, native friends and whatever you have grown up with in India while watching Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge once again, don’t miss booking cheap flights to India at Indian Eagle.

The post “Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge” Connects NRIs with Their Roots in India even after over 20 Years appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

Have you had enough of romance in India monsoon? Are you looking for a break away from typical romantic monsoon destinations? Give a try to adventure in Agumbe, a monsoon getaway in Karnataka. It is the wettest place receiving the highest rainfall in South India. Veiled by dense, lush greenery, Agumbe seems to be a land of phantoms in the dark. Much of the landscape of this monsoon town is dotted with rain forests in the Western Ghats. Trekking in the dark and dense forests is the most challenging pursuit of adventure here. If you are all set for an intriguing adventure travel to India, Indian Eagle will book the cheapest flight tickets to Bangalore for you.

Romance and adventure exist side by side in Agumbe. Panoramic views of the diverse geography of Agumbe ooze dollops of romance, while the precarious trekking trails penetrating through the forests highlight adventure. You can take fancy to the romantic beauty of Agumbe or respond to the calls of adventure, according to your travel taste this monsoon. Agumbe treats both romance seekers and adventure junkies alike. If the adventurer in you overpowers your romantic self, you must go through the rest.

Travel to India for an adventure holiday in Agumbe begins with an international flight to Bangalore, which is followed by a domestic flight to Mangalore, a coastal town in the state of Karnataka. Mangalore to Agumbe is a 100-km long drive via scenic roadway. You can take a road trip from Mangalore to Agumbe, which will offer a toast of adventure to you from the very beginning of the journey. It is one of the best road trips in South India.

If you want to drink to the scenic beauty of nature while sitting in a comfort zone on wheels, you can journey by train to Udupi Railway Station. Udupi is a coastal town where Agumbe is an only 55-km long drive from. Once you are in Agumbe town, your journey for adventure is all set to commence. The trekking trails through streams, waterfalls and forests are rough and precarious; so professional trekking guidance will be a great help.

Rows of trees at the initial phase of the journey lead to thick vegetation which ends into the deep of rain forests in Agumbe Ghat. Monsoon clouds from the southwest strike against the peaks of Agumbe Ghat, which measure more than 2,000 feet in height, and make heavy showers over the rain forests here. That is why the trails are slippery making trekking a challenge. As a result of heavy rainfalls in the months of Indian monsoon for years, the hillsides of Agumbe have got covered in the dark green cloak of rain forests, which is washed by cascading waterfalls.

What is the best month to travel to India for an adventure trip in Agumbe? Monsoon is the best time though you can visit Agumbe in any season of the year. July is the wettest month of India monsoon here. A veil of mist hangs over the hillsides of Agumbe in July and August, which you will miss in other times of the year. But, trekking is more challenging in monsoon than in other seasons. The width of the trails varies at different points in the forests. The width is very narrow at some places.

The Barakona Falls is the biggest waterfall in Agumbe. Some trails run down to the base of this waterfall. The breathtaking views of the Barakona Falls from close quarters are worth braving the challenge of trekking down to the base. You can explore the wilderness of Agumbe which teems with moths, butterflies, deer, scorpions, frogs and snakes. King Cobra, the largest and most venomous snake in the world, is noticed in the forests of Agumbe, mostly in the drier months.

As the population is sparse in Agumbe, there is little room for accommodation except a feudal home in the village. Overnight stay is not a wise option here. Therefore, a daytime trip to Agumbe is recommended. However, Agumbe, the Cherrapunji of South India, is an ideal monsoon destination for adventure.

Indian Eagle strives to make you travel on cheap flights to India even in the last minute. Once you have traveled to India, you can create many such wonderful stories of adventure and romance to cherish in the coming years. 

The post Agumbe, the Cherrapunji of South India, is More than a Typical Monsoon Destination for Romance appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

The season of Haleem is back to Hyderabad with the holy month of Ramadan which commenced on May 5 this year. Hyderabad celebrates the season with its cosmopolitan populace every year. Haleem festivals are organized at different places in the city. Last year, the city’s brand restaurants including Pista House, Paradise, Sarvi, Shah Ghouse, Shadab, and Bawarchi treated the natives and the expats to the authentic taste of Haleem garnished with nuts and raisins amidst soulful notes emanating from a live Ghazal concert, which lent a feel of the Arabian ambience to the venue, Shilparamam, the handicraft village market. The season of Haleem in Hyderabad is the season of culinary bliss for foodies.

Why do the foodies in Hyderabad go gaga over Haleem during the Ramzan month? Why does Haleem in Hyderabad rule the taste buds? We at Travel Beats explore when and how the City of Nizams developed a bond with Haleem.

If the origin of Haleem is traced, it is found to be an Arabian dish. Hyderabadis owe their love for this festive delicacy to the Arabians who introduced it when the Nizams were in power. Mehbub Ali Khan, the sixth Nizam of the then Hyderabad Princely State, added the Arabian dish to the royal menu. Mir Osman Ali Khan, the seventh Nizam, made Haleem a part of the traditional Hyderabadi cuisine. Then, Saif Nawaz Jung Bahadur, an Arab chief from Yemen and a courtier in the regime of Mir Osman Ali Khan, popularized Haleem as an authentic flavor of the city. Then it evolved into a taste of Hyderabad with a blend of local spices and ingredients, which is different from the Arabian recipe.

Ingredients used to garnish Haleem

With the time passing by, Hyderabadi Haleem became a unique delicacy of meat, lentils and pounded wheat. Today, Haleem is as popular as biryani in the city. Much like biryani, it has been integral to the culinary identity and food culture of Hyderabadis for years. It is mostly consumed as an evening meal after the day-long fast in the month of Ramadan. It is available in the market only during the Ramzan month of the year. It was the first non-veg item to be granted Geographical Indication Status for its mounting popularity.

READ MORE Interesting Stories of Hyderabad

Hyderabadi Haleem is a great hit with the taste buds of not only the Muslim populace of the city but also the people of other communities. A high-calorific and nutritive dish, Haleem is the most common thread of harmony among several different communities in the social fabric of Hyderabad.

Travel Beats is a digital community portal by Indian Eagle, a leading international travel organization. It publishes interesting stories of food, travel, culture, heritage, aviation, philanthropy and innovation in India and USA.

The post Journey of Haleem from Arab to Hyderabad: An Interesting Story appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

Diversity and dynamism of India in art, literature, science, culture, religion, history and spirituality has captured the imagination of scholars across the world. India is a gem, a wonder, and an enigma. Leaders from different walks of life have been eloquent in praise of India’s significant contributions to civilization. IndianEagle shares some of the best quotes about India in visual forms.

Travel Beats is a digital publication for Indian Diaspora by IndianEagle, a leading international travel organization. Travel Beats publishes inspirational stories, interesting features and latest news on travel, culture, entertainment and aviation from India and USA.

The post These Quotes about India Reflect What the World Thinks of India appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

The Bengali cuisine, culture, hospitality and festivals are synonymous with sweets. Bengalis have a stronger sweet tooth than other communities in India. In Bengali households, even an ordinary meal includes a sweet dish. Among the traditional Bengali sweets, sandesh and rosogolla define the taste of Bengal to the world. Indian Eagle shares some tidbits of the best five Bengali sweets at the behest of our customers who are flying to Kolkata.

Sandesh

Sandesh is a Bengali sweetmeat to the core. A culinary emblem of Bengaliness, sandesh is made from pure milk and lighter than other Bengali sweets. Bengal offers almost one hundred varieties of sandesh. This sweetmeat comes in different flavors in different seasons. It is flavored with the pulp of mango and jackfruit in summer; jaggery is used to make soft sandesh in spring; it is made with the sap of date palm in winter. Kanchagolla is the simplest and softest version of sandesh. This Bengali delicacy is available not only in different varieties but in different shapes too.

Rosogolla

Rosogolla is unique to the Bengali hospitality. A piece of rosogolla is often accompanied by a couple of sandesh on plates served to guests in Bengali households. Both Bengal and Odisha, two neighboring states of India, claim to the birthplace of this all-India famous sweet. Bengal may not be the origin, but rosogolla has got blended into the cultural fabric of the Bengali society over years. Known as Khirmohana in Odisha, Rasbari in Nepal and Rajbhog in Rajasthan, this Bengali sweet has traveled across the world.

Kolkata Street Food Guide

Chhanar Payesh

Bengal boasts the distinction of being credited with the making of sweets from milk products in Indian cuisine. Chaanar payesh, the Bengali version of cheese or paneer pudding, is one of the must-have Bengali sweets in Kolkata. Also known as chenna payesh, it is a dessert of small balls, garnished with pistachio silvers and dipped in sweetened milk.

Chom chom

Chom chom is another typical Bengali sweet to have during Durga puja in Kolkata. The word “chom chom” is a name of endearment in Bengali language. It is also spelt as cham cham or chum chum. Mostly popular in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan, chom chom comes in a variety of colors and flavors. The traditional Bengali version of this Indian sweet is white in color, while the non-Bengali variety comes in light yellow. Porabari, a place in Bangladesh is known for its 150-year old variety of chom chom in brownish color.

Interesting Stories of Kolkata

Mishti Doi

Mishti Doi (sweet curd) is one of the unique highlights of traditional Bengali cuisine and food culture. A typical Bengali menu for feast on social and festive occasions ends with mishti doi. It is widely popular in West Bengal and Odisha, while sour curd is preferred in other states of India. In Bengal, mishti doi is consumed as a sweetmeat throughout the year.

About Travel Beats

Travel Beats is a digital publication by Indian Eagle, a leading international travel organization. It connects the Indian diaspora in the US with the stories of India. Indian Eagle offers the best airfare deals for Kolkata flights from USA and Canada.

The post Taste Traditional Bengali Sweets when in Kolkata appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

Get ready for a whole new dining experience on Qantas’ international Economy flights later this month. Qantas, in a bid to redefine the joy of inflight dining for its Economy Class customers on long-haul routes, will serve a new menu with 50 percent larger servings. Besides, the new menu will have a huge choice of dishes, and the onboard catering service will be more efficient than before. Qantas, the national career of Australia, will first introduce the menu on the Melbourne-Dubai-London route this November 25.

Qantas’ new Economy Class menu for international passengers is designed by a team of culinary experts. The team researched on multiple different cuisines and tastes based on different aspects of human psychology for a year. Qantas has already put the menu to a test on a number of international flights. The menu has delivered on promises regarding customer satisfaction on those flights.

Smoky barbeque beef with roasted sweet potato; scrambled eggs with chicken sausage, tomato, and backed beans; honey roasted chicken farro salad with seasonal vegetables; Ruby & Roy’s traditional Greek yogurt with granola, and Weis ice cream are some of the dishes on the menu, which Qantas’ Economy Class passengers have thumbed up.

A refreshing drink of Bickford’s signature range will be served as a warm gesture of welcome to the passengers on board. The lemon, elderflower and pink grapefruit flavors of the drink are unique to Qantas’ inflight treatment. The airline also offers the pre-order meal facility to the Business Class passengers. This service is available in the Premium Economy Class too. Passengers can avail of the facility online within 7 days prior to their scheduled departure with Qantas.

The new menu is lighter on the stomach, delicious for the tongues and generous in meal size. We will also introduce such meal categories as ‘healthy food’, ‘comfort food’, and ‘food’ inspired by itineraries. The smoky barbecue beef is a dish from the third category. The meals will be served on new plates, not trays. It will make the inflight dining service faster than before by 30 minutes,” said Alan Joyce, CEO of Qantas Airlines. The new menu will be rolled out on the following routes on different dates:    

• Melbourne-Dubai-London: November 25
• Sydney-Dubai-London: November 26
• Tasman: November 28
• Perth-Auckland: December 5
• Flights to Los Angeles, New York & Dallas/Fort Worth: December 9
• Flights to Vancouver: January 3
• Singapore: January 13
• Hong Kong: February 10
• Flights to Bangkok, Shanghai, Manila, & Honolulu: March 1
• Santiago, Johannesburg, Narita, Jakarta & Noumea – March 1

In September this year, Qantas began to operate Airbus A380 on the world’s longest route between Sydney and Dallas /Fort Worth.

IndianEagle.com is the only trusted portal for online booking of cheap flights with Qantas Airlines from major USA airport.  

The post Qantas’ New Dining Experience to Economy Passengers appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

India and history are the two sides of the same coin. The soil of the country is soaked in the centuries-old history of bravery, chivalry, revolution, wars, freedom, martyrdom, subjugation, violence, and peace. Many episodes of the Indian history have been converted into dramatic stories which have found an audience even outside of India, while a few are still waiting to be heard by a global audience. One such story is that of Pratapgarh Fort, which is seldom told and heard beyond the demography of Maharashtra.

Pratapgarh Fort stands for the history, glory and pride of the Maratha community in India. The fort itself is a living legend of the Maratha Chieftain Chhatrapati Shivaji’s landslide victory over Afjal Khan, chief commander of the Bijapur Sultanate. Evidently, the fort is a testimony to the then unconquerable power and indomitable spirit of the Maratha. Today, Pratapgarh Fort is not just a historic place but a tourist spot too. Thanks to this episode of the Maratha history!

Really, the fort has the features of a tourist attraction – scenic landscape, lush greenery, serene surrounding and idyllic coastal setting. Built by Shivaji in 1656, Pratapgarh Fort is a strong citadel with sprawling complex on the Konkan coast, some 24 kms from Mahabaleshwar, one of the most popular Maharashtra hill stations. A fleet of 450 steps leads to the top of the fort, which commands 360 degree views of the horizon over the panoramic Konkan coast.

There are ponds, chambers and gardens inside the fort complex at the base. The serene and green countryside around the fort makes a perfect hideaway for those looking to spend some time quietly. The dark paths from the complex, leading to the inside and penetrating the interior, reveal the enigma of the fort. The double-line fortification dividing the massive structure into two sections – the upper and the lower – is a rare constructional feature of Pratapgarh Fort.

Built at a height of 1080 meters from the sea level, the fort is no less important than a pilgrimage spot to the people of the Maratha clan. An equestrian statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji, which dominates the summit of Pratapgarh Fort, was set up in 1959, to commemorate of Shivaji’s historic triumph over the Bijapur Sultanate. Even a road was laid up to the fort, and a guest house was built in the fort complex for tourists. Besides Shivaji’s colossal statue, there is a temple of Goddess Bhavani is on the eastern side of the lower section of the fort, adding to the pilgrimage status of the place. A black stone idol of the deity presides in the shrine.

Visit to Pratapgarh Fort is a good opportunity for the photographers to capture the natural beauty of the place in their camera lenses. This Maratha heritage has, unsurprisingly, secured a place for itself among the imposing forts of India, on the map of travel and tourism. Besides Pratapgarh Fort, there are several must-see tourist attractions in Mahabaleshwar, a hill station within short drive from Mumbai City.

Indian Eagle books cheap flights to India from USA out of its respect for NRIs’ and American tourists’ love for the heritage of India. Cheap airline tickets for flights to Mumabi International Airport from major US cities are available on IndianEagle.com.

The post The legends of Pratapgarh Fort, a Maratha heritage appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

Goa is gearing up for celebrations in the months of November and December. The 45^th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) will keep Goa in the swing of global cinema culture from November 20 to 30. Goa will celebrate the Sunburn Festival with a huge fanfare in the last week of December. IFFI Goa, a most illustrious film festival in the Asia Pacific region, has been the meeting point for luminaries in Indian Cinema and global cinema since 1952. It witnesses participation by filmmakers, both renowned and budding, from around the world. It celebrates creative excellence in different fields of cinema including filmmaking, screenplay writing, acting, cinematography, film editing, and choreography.

Indian Panorama 2014 has recently announced the list of finalists whose entries have been selected for screening in the Feature Films and the Non-Feature Films category at the 45^th International Film Festival of India to be held in Goa, this year.

Led by Shri A.K. Bir, a renowned filmmaker, the Jury of 13 members for the ‘Feature Films’ category has finalized 26 films out of 181 entries from different states of India. the Jury for Feature Films incorporates K.N.T. Sastry, a director from Hyderabad; Archana, an actress from Chennai; Ganga Raju, a writer-director from Hyderabad, Oinam Gautam Singh, a director from Imphal; Vinod Ganatra, a director from Mumbai; A.S. Kanal, Cinematographer from Pune; Satarupa Sanyal, an actress-director from Kolkata, Sameer Hanchate, a director from Mumbai; Utpal Burpujari, a director from Delhi; M.C. Raja Narayana, a writer-film critic from Kerala, Gautaman Bhaskaran, a film critic from Chennai; and Advaita Kala, a write from Delhi.

The Jury for Feature Films in Indian Panorama has selected Elizabeth Ekadashi, a Marathi film by Paresh Mokashi, as the opening film from the list of 26 feature films to be shown at IFFI 2014.     

The list of Indian feature films to be screened at 45^th International Film Festival of India:  

• Punashcha by Souvik Mitra in Bengali
• Chotoder Chobi by Kaushik Ganguli in Bengali
• Bodhon by Ayananshu Banerjee in Bengali
• Jodi Love Dile Na Praane by Sudeshna Roy & Abhijit Guha in Bengali
• Teenkahon by Bauddhayan Mukherji in Bengali
• Gour Hari Dastaan – The freedom File by Ananth Narayan Mahadevan in Hindi
• Ankhon Dekhi by Rajat Kapoor in Hindi
• Ek Hazarachi Note by Shrihari Sathe in Marathi
• Elizabeth Ekadashi by Paresh Mokashi in Marathi
• Killa by Avinash Arun in Marathi
• Dr. Prakash Baba Amte – The Real Hero by Samruddhi Porey in Marathi
• Yellow by Mahesh Limaye in Marathi
• Lokmanya – Ek Yugpurush by Om Raut in Marathi
• A Rainy Day by Rajendra Talak in Marathi
• Othello by Hemanta Kumar Das in Assamese
• 1-December by P. Sheshadri in Kannada
• Adim Vichar by Sabyasachi Mohapatra in Odiya
• Kuttram Kadithal by Bramma G. in Tamil
• Ri by Pradip Kurbah in Khasi
• 1983 by Abrid Shine in Malayalam
• North 24 Kaatham by Anil Radhakrishnan Menon in Malayalam
• Njan Steve Lopez by Rajeev Ravi in Malayalam
• Drishyam by Jeethu Joseph in Malayalam
• Munnariyippu by Venu in Malayalam
• Swapaanam by Shaji N. Karun in Malayalam
• Njaan by Ranjith in Malayalam

Headed by Shri Mike Pandey, an eminent filmmaker, the Jury of 7 members for the ‘Non-Feature Films’ category has finally listed 15 films from among 100 entries for IFFI 2014. The members of the ‘Non-Feature Films’ Jury are Oinam Doren, a director-producer from Imphal; Shila Datta, a director from Kolkata; Vivek Mohan, a director from Mumbai; Babu Kambrath, a producer-director from Kerala; R.Buvana, a producer-director from Chennai; and Abhiram Bhadkamkar, actor-writer from Mumbai.

The jury for Non-Feature Films in Indian Panorama has selected The Last Adieu, an English film by Shabnam Sukhdev, as the opening film from the list of 15 non-feature films to be shown at IFFI 2014.

The list of Indian non-feature films to be screened at 45^th International Film Festival of India:  

• The Last Adieu by Shabnam Sukhdev in English
• My Father Namgyal by Utpal Das in English
• On and Off The Records by Pratik Biswas in English
• Womb on Rent by Ishani K Dutta in English
• Qissa-E-Parsi by Divya Cowasji, Shilpi Gulati in English & Hindi
• Songs of the Blue Hills by Utpal Borpujari in English & Nagemese
• Songs of the Bards of Bengal – The Bauls and Fakirs by Monalisa Dasgupta in English & Bengali
• An American in Madras by Karan Bali in English, Hindi & Tamil
• Bahadur The Accidental Brave by Aditya Seth in English & Nepalese
• Candles in the Wind by Kavita Bahl & Nandan Saxena in English & Punjabi
• A Dream Never Dies by Aneisha Sharma in Assamese
• Bhoomiyil Chuvadurachu by Vipin Vijaya in Malayalam

The 45^th International Film Festival of India (IFFI 2014) is worth flying to Goa for catching offbeat films of different languages on different themes, unusual topics and enlightening stories, in November. Cheap flights to Goa on the USA-India airlines are available on IndianEagle.com.

The post Goa International Film Festival of India 2014 appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.