Among the wandering monks of India, Swami Vivekananda is the first name that comes to the mind. The five years of his life on earth, from 1888 to 1893 was full of travels in search of truth, spirituality and a real India. He traveled as a Parivrajaka along the length and breadth of the country. He won the admiration of kings, felt for the suffering people, motivated the youth for a greater cause, studied many religious scriptures, visited many historic sites, gained knowledge, and visualized the future of India during his itinerary, which made a precious treasure of enlightenment for us. On the occasion of Swami Vivekananda’s birthday (January 12), we at Travel Beats, an overseas Indian community portal by Indian Eagle, offer a sneak peek into his historic and spiritual travels.

Varanasi, one of the holiest cities in India, was the first destination on his itinerary. In Varanasi, he came across the saints like Trailanga Swami, the authors like Bhudev Mukhopadhyay, and the Vedic scholars like Babu Pramadadas Mitra. From there, he made his way to Rishikesh through Ayodhya, Lucknow, Agra and Vrindavan. He interacted with and took favor from whoever came his way without caring their castes and creeds because he believed in non-duality of the soul. Some of those who were touched by his noble soul became his disciples and got initiated into service to the nation. Among them was Sharat Chandra Gupta, a railway station master in Haridwar, who came to be known as Swami Sadananda. Swamiji fondly called Sharat “the child of my spirit”.

Then, Swamiji spent days at Vaidyanath and Allahabad during his itinerary between 1889 and 1890. From Allahabad, he moved to Ghazipur where he got in touch with Pavhari Bana, a great sage. Pavhari Baba was known for his absolute knowledge of Advaita Vedanta. On meeting the sage, he felt blessed and referred to him as a great soul of bhakti and yoga in a letter to Pramadababu. In the first half of 1890, he took a break for the travel and returned to Baranagar Math in Kolkata (then Calcutta). After a short stay there, he left for a trip to the Himalayas in quest of truth. Swami Akhandananda accompanied him on the trip. After a visit to Nainital, Almora, Dehradun and Srinagar, Swamiji went to the Himalayas. Delhi was his destination by the end of January in 1891.

He visited the historical sites in and around Delhi. Then, his travel to Rajputana in west India began. This phase of the itinerary was so eventful that it constituted a big chapter of his biography. The first stopover in Rajputana was Alwar where he received a cordial welcome from both the Hindus and the Muslims. They were influenced by this wandering monk’s spiritual values and teachings. Swamiji was invited by Mangal Singh, the King of Alwar, who did not believe in the practice of idol worship because of his western outlook. A meeting with Swamiji changed his attitude towards the idol worship by the Hindus.

Swamiji’s Rajasthan travel was full of learning too. He studied Panini’s Ashtadhyayi under the tutelage of a Sanskrit Scholar in Jaipur. He visited the Dargah Sharif in Ajmer. His meeting with Ajit Singh, the King of Khetri in Mount Abu on June 4, 1891, is another important event. Out his interest in spirituality, the King became a follower of Swamiji and supported him in many ways. Swamiji studied Mahabhasya during his stay at Khetri and then, he went to Gujarat.

Limbdi, Ahmedabad, Junagadh, Kutch, Porbander, Dwaraka, Baroda, Palitana and Girnar were among his destinations in Gujarat. The Gujarat travel was full of enlightenment for him. He studied the Jain scriptures there. He got the idea of preaching Vedanta in the Western World from Thakur Saheb Jaswant Singh who he came across in Limbdi. Haridas Viharidas Desai, the Diwan of Junagadh, welcomed him as a respected guest. Impressed by his personality, the Diwan used to discuss on different topics with Swamiji till late at night. Swamiji immersed himself in philosophical studies during his nine-month long stay at Porbander. At Kathiawar in Gujarat, he got to know about the Parliament of the World’s Religions.

Then, he visited Mahabaleshwar and Pune. While traveling by train in Bombay in 1892, Swamiji happened to meet Bal Gangadhar Tilak, a Nationalist in the Freedom Movement of India. They spent a few days together in Pune. He moved to Panaji in Goa from Maharashtra, and studied the Christian theology at a convent in Goa.

In the second half of 1892, he journeyed to Bangalore, his first destination in South India. There, he met the Diwan of Mysore who described him as “a magnetic personality with a divine force”. Swamiji was introduced to Chamaraja Wodeyar, the then King of Mysore and welcomed cordially to the Palace. He was further introduced to the Diwan of Cochin. His travel continued till he reached the southernmost part of India, Kanyakumari, on foot through Trissur, Ernakulam, Trivandrum, and Nagercoil. The meditation on the future of India, at the Kanyakumari Rock, was the culmination of Swamiji’s spiritual journey at the end of 1892.

Having had the vision of an individual India, Swamiji traveled to Madurai, Rameswaram, Pondicherry and Madras (now Chennai) in the beginning of 1893. He met Ramnad Bhaskara Sethupathi, the then King of Madurai, who approached him with an urge to participate in the Parliament of Religions in Chicago. Swamiji won the admiration of whoever came in touch with him during the itinerary across Tamil Nadu. Most of them became disciples and responded to his call for renunciation in service to the nation. One of his most ardent disciples in South India was Alasinga Perumal who collected funds for Swamiji’s voyage to Chicago by going from door to door. Swami Vivekananda embarked on the historic voyage to America on May 31, 1893.

Swamiji’s travel continued from America to the rest of the world till the demise of his mortal body on July 4, 1902. However, the journey of this greatest Indian traveler is as ceaseless as the eternal flow of time. It is still on the go through the spread of his message, teachings, values and vision

The post Swami Vivekananda: The Greatest Indian Traveler on a Mission from India to USA appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

No doubt, India is full of incredible sights, stories and spots from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. But, what is the most incredible about India? The Kumbh Mela – the confluence of religious faith, cosmic energy, ethereal power and divine love on earth. Also known as Magh Mela, this religious festival of India is believed to be as old as the universe itself. A whopping 15 million visitors are expected to turn up at the ongoing Kumbh Mela 2019 at Prayagraj (Allahabad), Uttar Pradesh.

Kumbh Mela 2019: Budget, Revenues, Facilities and Other Amazing Facts

The state government of Uttar Pradesh allocated INR 4200 crore for Kumbh Mela 2019, which is over thrice the budget for the Maha Kumbh 2013. It is expected that the economic activities to be taking place over the 50 days will generate a whopping revenues of INR 1.2 lakh crore and create employment for over 6 lakh workers in various sectors. The budget of Kumbh 2019 is six times more than the Rs. 720cr Isha Ambani wedding in December 2018.

Maha Kumbh Mela 2019 at Prayagraj sprawls over 3,200 hectares, twice the size of the area allocated to the previous Kumbh events. Allahabad City has undergone a massive infrastructure overhaul, which includes the upgrading of nine railways stations and the construction of a new airport terminal. More than 4,200 premium tents have been setup across the fairground, and 40,000 street lights have been installed across the city. The state government has installed 1, 22,000 eco-friendly toilets for the convenience of millions of pilgrims. A new 100-bed central hospital has been set up to attend to emergency medical needs of devotees.

The hospitality sector is reported to have employed 2, 50,000 people, including 150,000 jobs in aviation. 45,000 jobs have been generated for tour operations. The number of employment opportunities in eco-tourism and medical tourism is nearly 85,000. In addition, another 55,000 new jobs have been created in the unorganized sector for tour guides, taxi drivers, interpreters, volunteers, etc. to make a living during Maha Kumbh 2019. The festival will have created 600,000 jobs until a few weeks following March 4, according to Fortune India. 

Evidently, it is not just difficult but impossible to imagine the gigantic proportions of Maha Kumbh 2019 unless you travel on cheap last minute flights to India and visit the event in person. There are many interesting things to know about Kumbh Mela, beyond the budget of Maha Kumbh at Prayagraj this year. We at Travel Beats, an overseas Indian community portal by Indian Eagle Travel, mined some amazing and lesser-known facts about Kumbh Mela from 640 AD to the present.

The streets of Prayagraj are transformed into a work of art with 300 resplendent murals. Important episodes of the Hindu mythology like Kshirasagara Manthana were recreated on the parapets of Prayagraj. #KumbhMela2019 #StunningMurals #ExploreIndia #Exclusive pic.twitter.com/6Bqqutpt3t

— Indian Eagle (@indianeagle) January 10, 2019

Awesome, Interesting, Lesser-known Facts about Kumbh Mela

The origin of Kumbh is associated with the mythical story of Samudra Manthan, a massive sea exploration on earth by the Devas and the Asuras in the divine era of India. A pitcher filled with amrita, the elixir of immortality, came out of the core of the sea during the exploration. When the Devas and the Asuras, driven by a desire to be blessed with immortality, got into a clash over the pitcher, four drops of amrita fell at Prayag (Allahabad), Haridwar, Ujjain and Nashik which became the venues of Kumbh Mela.

The most spectacular ceremony to behold during the festival is ritual bathing on the banks of the holy rivers – the Ganga in Haridwar, the Kshipra in Ujjain, the Godavari in Nashik, and the Sangam where the Ganga, the Yamuna and the Saraswati get merged in Allahabad. It is believed that each of these rivers turns into a pitcher of amrita (nectar) on different days of the festival – Makar Sankranti, Paush Purnima, Basant Panchami, Rath Saptami, Mauni Amavasy, and Bhisma Ekadeshi.

This religious fair is held over a sprawling area of 50.83 square kilometers. The premise of the Kumbh Mela is 200 times larger than the Vatican City of Rome, the smallest country in the world.

Such a large number of sadhus (hermits) visit Kumbh Mela 2019 that it won’t be unjust to call it the fair of sadhus. Several groups of sadhus from every nook and corner of India travel all the distance to take a holy dip into the sacred rivers during the festival. The Nagas who stay naked from head to toe, the Parivrajakas who do not speak a single word to pursue absolute silence, the Kalpavasis who take bath at three different times of the day, the Urdhwavahurs who believe in severe austerity, and the Shirshasins who meditate for long hours while standing on their heads.

If the clock is set back, we find a reference to the number of devotees at Prayag Kumbh Mela, in the writings of Hiuen Tsang, a historic traveler from China, who visited India during the regime of Harshavardhana in 640 AD. Hiuen Tsang mentioned in his chronicle that the Kumbh Festival had fetched 5 million footfalls to Prayag in 640AD when Indian population was around 6 crore.

Impressed with the colossal dimensions of the Kumbh Mela 2019, Harvard University is looking to take on it as a case study. The researchers at Harvard University are interested in studying the economics behind the festival and analyzing the statistics of its evolution.

Mark Twin, a famous American writer, visited India during the Kumbh Mela in 1895. He was so overwhelmed to see the practice of austerity by millions of Indians including the young and the old, the strong and the frail, the rich and the poor traveling from remote corners of the country that he called it the wonderful power of a faith beyond imagination.

There is a great demand for mud and cow dung among the devotees during the festival. The sale of these natural commodities goes up with the festival reaching its peak. It is a golden opportunity for money-making individuals to make a quick buck by selling mud and cow dung at unreasonable prices. Kumbh Mela has got many nicknames for its fame spread far and wide across the world. The most popular are the largest pilgrimage on earth, the world’s biggest fair, and the greatest show on earth.

So huge is the rush of people traveling to Allahabad for the Prayagraj Kumbh 2019 is that Indian Railways extended the window for buying unreserved train tickets up to 15 days. Hundreds of special trains are running to and from Allahabad. Even, thousands of tickets have been booked for last minute air travel to India from USA, Australia, Europe and the Middle East. “We have been receiving an influx of calls with booking queries for cheap flights tickets to India for Kumbh 2019. It’s overwhelming!” exclaimed the chief travel economist of Indian Eagle.

The post INR 4200 Crore for 50-day Kumbh Mela 2019 to Generate INR 1200 Billion and 6 lakh Jobs in India appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

Like every month in the calendar of India, February has got a few festivals which may not be as grand as Holi festival but add to the socio-cultural diversity of the country. These festivals make India a destination to be visited by tourists and travelers in the month of February. Ladakh in the Himalayan region, Khajuraho in central India, Jaisalmer in the sands of Rajasthan, Goa on the Arabian shore, and Allahabad on the confluence of three holy rivers are the festive destinations to be explored, rediscovered and enjoyed in February. Go through the rest to find how irresistible the fairs and festivals of India in February are.

Losar Festival in Ladakh

The white beauty of Ladakh wears a colorful look during Losar Festival in February. The festival marks the beginning of the New Year in this Himalayan region of India. The celebration is accompanied by mask dance performances, age-old rituals, and folk music unique to the culture of Ladakh. Dramatic depictions of fight between good and evil add to the significance of Losar Festival. Gompas or domestic shrines are colorfully decorated on the eve of the celebration.

CLICK to Read more Monasteries of Ladakh

Losar Festival is scheduled to be held on February 18 and 19 this year.

Goa Carnival 

There is no other street music & dance festival than Goa Carnival in India. The celebration is driven by lots of enthusiasm, cheerfulness, joy and love for life. Unlike conventional festivals in the rest of India, Goa Carnival brims with the frenzy of the locals and tourists who hit streets in glittering pageants. Unique to the be-happy-and-make-happy culture of Goa, this festival puts roses to every pair of cheeks. Goa celebrates the carnival like a dance of joy!

Goa Carnival is scheduled to be held from February 14 to 17 this year. 

World Sacred Spirit Festival 

World Sacred Spirit Festival is one of the few festivals of India dedicated to the celebration of folk music. It is a soul-stirring musical extravaganza for those who love drinking to music at historic settings like Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur and Ahhichatragarh Fort in Nagpur. The peaceful ambience of these forts adds to the beauty of the performances by famous artists who take the audience on an unforgettable musical ride.

World Sacred Spirit Festival is scheduled to be held from February 9 to 11 in Nagpur and from February 13 to 15 in Jodhpur this year. 

Khajuraho Dance Festival

Khajuraho Dance Festival is held to celebrate the culture and heritage of Madhya Pradesh in India. Classical dance performances are staged in the Khajuraho Temple complex, a most popular tourist destination in Central India. The Chitragupta and Vishwanatha Temples, brightly lit to beat enveloping darkness of the evening sky, serve as venue of this week-long cultural festival. The dance festival in the backdrop of the legendary Khajuraho is a feast for the mind.

Khajuraho Dance Festival is scheduled to be held from February 20 to 26 this year.

Desert Festival of Jaisalmer

The Desert Festival of Jaisalmer is a call to visit the golden sands of Rajasthan in February. This unusual festival is agog with amazing activities such as camel polo, long moustache display and turban-tying competition. The desert breeze blowing over sand dunes adds rhyme to musical entertainment under the moonlit sky. The symphony of traditional music not only stirs the soul but also shakes the being of the desert. Puppetry and folk dance are other attractions of the Desert Festival of Jaisalmer.

CLICK to Read Travel Guide on Jaisalmer Sightseeing

Desert Festival of Jaisalmer is scheduled to be held on 

Magh Mela 

Magh Mela is all about the sacred ritual of bathing at the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, the Yamuna and the Sarawati River in Allahabad. The mythology of India refers to the origin of Magh Mela as the beginning of the universe. Magh Mela is much smaller than the world-famous Kumbh Mela in the number of visitors and the volume of crowds. It is an annual festival, whereas Kumbh Mela is held once in every three years.

Magh Mela started on January 5 and will continue till February 17.

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive interesting travel tips, trip ideas, offbeat finds, amazing facts, and travel stories timely. Buy cheap airline tickets to India at Indian Eagle for summer vacations in India.

The post Fairs & Festivals of India in February appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

India has many reasons to fetch Indian Americans this summer. “Cozy Pilgrimage” in AC tourist trains is one of the reasons. We coined the phrase “Cozy Pilgrimage” because journey by an AC train through the diverse geography of India is an exclusive experience. Pilgrimage by a new AC tourist train to a few popular Hindu and Buddhist religious destinations in India and Nepal is worth flights from America.

Triveni Sangam in Allahabad

The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has proposed to run a pilgrimage special AC tourist train from May 11 this year. IRCTC has taken the move to lure both tourists and pilgrims equally. The train will journey from Chennai to Nepal through Ayodha, Allahabad, Varanasi, Pokhara, Kathmandu, Manakamana, Lumbini and Kushinagar. The tour is a round trip spanning from May 11 to May 23.

Pilgrims from Andhra Pradesh can board the train at Vijayawada and Warangal. The tour is a complete package including AC hotel accommodation for vegetarian food, night stay at different places, and AC buses for transfer and sightseeing. The travelers will be served exclusive vegetarian dishes both on board and off board. The AC train pilgrimage tour is available as a package in three different categories – “Luxury”, “Deluxe”, and “Comfort”.

The tour is a good opportunity for pilgrim cum tourists to take a holy bath at Triveni Sangam in Allahabad. They can visit the Vishwanath Temple and the Visalakshi Temple in Varanasi. A visit to the Pashupatinath Temple, the Swayambhunath Temple and the Budha Nilkantha Temple in Kathmandu is a great advantage of the itinerary. Moreover, the itinerary includes two precious destinations – Lumbini where Lord Buddha was born, and Kushinagar where he left his mortal body.

The train consists of four 1AC coaches, three 2AC coaches and one 3AC coach. Tours by this AC train can be booked online at Railtourismindia.com.

The lowest airfare is another reason to fly to India this summer. Log on to IndianEagle.com for cheap flight deals.

The post IRCTC introduces AC tourist train for Cozy Pilgrimage appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.