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

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Feni Drink of Goa is one of the most popular Indian alcoholic beverages. It is so popular with beach vacationers that trips to Goa are incomplete without sips of Feni drink on the beaches of Goa. This award-winning country liquor is traveling from the beaches of Goa to the America shores. Yes, the Goan Feni will soon be available on beaches of the United States for the first time. Wirtz Beverage Illinois is taking Feni drink of Goa to beach holidaymakers in the US.

How did Feni make its way into the Goan life and culture? Indian Eagle shares some interesting facts about Feni drink of Goa to make you understand it:

Goan Feni is the best of all types of Feni. It is one of the things that Goa, a former Portuguese colony, owes to the Portuguese. Goa has been producing Feni for over 400 years in a typical Portuguese way that does not entail the use of electricity in the process. The process of making Goan Feni is a tedious one involving lots of effort. Goa has almost 4000 distillers who manufacture 70% of Feni drink for home consumption and the rest for markets.

Even the Feni distillation process is repeated three times. The juice obtained at the first phase of the distillation process is called Urrack. It is neither pungent nor aromatic. Urrak is further distilled into what is known as Cazulo. Cazulo has some intoxicating properties which become stronger in the final produce, Feni. The Goan Feni has long shelf life. It can be taken in mix with soda, cola and lemon juice.

What is unique to Feni of Goa is its distinct smell. Quality and purity of Feni are often evaluated by intensity of aroma. The aroma of Goan Feni drink is so strong that it can be smelt at a distance from the place of distillation.  If taken neat, Feni can be too intoxicating to stay conscious.

The word ‘Feni’ has evolved from ‘Phena’, a Sanskrit word, meaning froth. Coconut Feni and Cashew Feni are two popular types of Feni in Goa. It is said that Coconut Feni is older than Cashew Feni in production. Coconut Feni is an Indian type of Feni drink in essence simply because coconut palms are abundantly cultivated in Goa and other coastal regions of India, whereas Cashew version of Goan Feni is an exotic type since cashew tree was introduced to India by the Portuguese colonists.

Cashew Feni drink is produced in a very natural way though convoluted. The place where cashew apples are manually crushed is a hilltop rock shaped like a basin. Juice from crushed cashew apples flows out of the basin to a clay pot which is then buried deep under the ground for fermentation. Only 4% of the fermented juice becomes alcohol. Copper pots are used for distillation of the juice, which is then heated.

Coconut Feni drink is more popular in South Goa than in North Goa. Toddies from coconut palms are traditionally fermented to distill coconut Feni. Toddy Tapping is the process of extracting juice from palm tree flowers. Toddy Tapping has been practiced in Southeast Asia countries for centuries. The juice is collected in earthen pots tied around palm buds which grow from the base of coconut leaves.

How to drink Feni in Goa? Drinking Goan Feni out of coconut shells is a natural way. Shops on the beaches of Goa serve Feni drink in coconut shells. Cashew Feni drink got the Geographical Indication (GI) certificate in 2009. With the GI status, which confirms the geographical origin of the drink, Goan Feni has become an exotic drink brand of international repute from local liquor. Cashew Feni drink of Goa is best compared to Mexican Tequila and French champagne.

Drinking Feni is one of the things to do in Goa. According to locals, Feni drink of Goa has health benefits too. Many Goans prefer shots of Feni to over-the-counter medicines for cough and cold. Feni warms up the body and cleanses the respiratory system more effectively than cough syrups. Goan Feni is a completely organic drink without preservative or artificial flavor.

Feni is unique to the traditional food culture of Goa. It is best enjoyed with Goan seafood dishes. Fried fish and Feni drink make a perfect entertainment for food-loving travelers in Goa. If you have not been to Goa yet, and are wondering what’s in Goa, go through a traveler’s story of what’s not in Goa.

You have to wait for Goan Feni until it reaches your favorite beaches in the US. Or else pack your bag and book the cheapest flight to Goa on IndianEagle.com. We issue the cheapest air tickets from USA to India.

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India is a rolling stone that never gathers moss! To say precisely, India is on the wheels of development in all spheres including travel & tourism. Since the discovery of the first sea route to India by Vasco da Gama in 1498, India had been a prime target of the colonists including the Portuguese, the French and the British mainly for its abundant wealth till the end of the Second World War. In the post-independence era, the heritage of India has been a pull to the world. Since independence, India has come a long way in travel and tourism, which is a thriving industry with lots of untapped potential and employment opportunity, today. Though the annual number of foreign tourist arrivals to India is much lower in comparison with other Asian countries, India’s inbound tourism is on a roll. Being a good player in international politics, India has witnessed consistent development in tourism over 68 years of independence. Today, the 69^th Independence Day of India, we at Indian Eagle take a sneak peek at the colossal picture of ongoing and upcoming developments in India travel & tourism.

India’s first Wax Museum in Kolkata

Kolkata is the first Indian city to have got a wax museum like Madame Tussauds in London. The museum has been named after Mother Teresa. Located in the city’s IT hub, the museum exhibits lively statues of eminent leaders, celebrities and freedom fighters of India. Kolkata is about to get a Ferris Wheel on the Ganges like the London Eye on the Thames.

Indian Railways on a ride for the better

Train travel in India is an altogether different experience these days. Thanks to the evolution of locomotive engineering and technology for Gatimaan Express, Indian’s fastest train from Delhi to Agra! Running at a speed of 160km/hr, it is faster than Shatabdi Express by 5 minutes. Ac double-decker train between New Delhi and Lucknow is another new feather in the cap of Indian Railways. India has eagerly been awaiting its first high-speed bullet train between Mumbai and Ahmedabad, which is under construction.

Easier Ways of pilgrimage in India

Pilgrimage is no exception to developments in India on the travel and tourism front. The newly laid Katra-Udhampur railway track has made pilgrimage to the hilltop Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu & Kashmir easier than before. Being a democratic country, India is keen on developing Buddhist tourism. The state government of Maharashtra has shown interest in the ambitious project, which is currently limited to identifying the Buddhist spots to be developed across the country.

India offers e-tourist visa to 75 countries

With e-tourist visa to India available for the nationals of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and China, the inbound tourism of India has taken a great leap for the better. Currently, tourists from 75 countries across the world are eligible for e-tourist on arrival in India. Recently, seven tier-II Indian airports including Jaipur, Amritsar, Gaya, Lucknow, Trichy, and Varanasi have been added to the e-tourist visa on arrival scheme.

Domestic air connectivity on a high

India has seen developments in aviation too. In 2014, the Airport Authority of India announced a plan to develop 200 low-cost, energy-efficient airports in tier II and tier III cities across the country over the next 20 years. A few days back, Indian aviation gave approval to a project for developing 5 regional airports including two in Karnataka, one in Rajasthan, one in Arunachal Pradesh and one in Odisha in order to leverage the tourism potential of remote regions through extension of domestic air connectivity.

Wi-Fi and online ticketing for heritage monuments

Image Credit: TheQuint.com

Tourism development in India has taken to heritage properties as well. Online ticketing has been implemented to facilitate hassle-free visit to India’s most popular heritage monuments including the Taj Mahal, the Agra Fort, the Qutb Minar Complex and likes. Besides, visitors can access Wi-Fi connection and upload their selfies to social media instantly at those heritage sites. This tourist-friendly facility has gained huge response. The Khajuraho Temple Complex and Varanasi are among the latest among the Wi-Fi tourist spots in India.

Indian railway stations under Wi-Fi coverage

Wi-Fi at public places is a new cool in India. More and more travelers’ reach to Wi-Fi Internet facility is being extended across Indian railway stations. Bangalore City Railway Station is the first to have been equipped with Wi-Fi connection in India. Recently, New Delhi Railway Station has brought under the purview of this project. Use of Wi-Fi is free for the first 30 minutes. Commuters can buy scratch cards at i-Fi help desks at those stations.

Airport-like hospitality at railway stations

16 Indian railway stations are to get premium lounges with airport lounge-like facilities at affordable rates. Hospitality at these railway stations is about to reach the next level. Jaipur, Sealdah, Howrah, Patna, Bhubaneswar, Secunderabad, Vishakhapatnam, Nagpur, Puri, Ahmedabad, Bilaspur, Dhanbad, Vijayawada and Ajmer are the stations to get executive lounges at the first phase of hospitality development by Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation.

Security developments for female tourists

Developments in India are taking place to ensure security of women travellers. Women-only cab service for women is one of the developments that Goa and Kerala have witnessed to in last few months. The female drivers of the cabs under this initiative in interest of female tourists’ safety are trained in self-defense techniques soft skills, customer relations and first aid. Kerala and Goa’s women-only cab service is equipped with GPS system and panic alert system.

Incredible India Helplines for women travelers

The launch of “Incredible India Helplines” for domestic and international women tourists is one of the remarkable developments in India travel & tourism niche. 1800111363 and 1363 are the helplines for domestic and international female tourists respectively. Currently available in two languages: English and Hindi, the “Incredible India Helplines” will be rolled out in 12 international languages soon.

Innovations in India travel and tourism

The state tourism of Tamil Nadu has planned to introduce helicopter services for foreign tourists in the state. Madurai will be the primary hub of operations for helicopter tours to Kanyakumari, Mandapam and Kodaikanal. Tamil Nadu is globally famous as a state of temples of the Dravidian architecture. The God’s Own Country, Kerala has launched water taxis and AC boats on backwaters in a bid to fetch more luxury tourists. Kerala has teamed up with UNESCO to restore the faded glory of the ancient Spice Route, which connected 31 countries in the bygone eras. Odisha, a coastal state of India on the Bay of Bengal, is supposed to get India’s second Rock Garden. The sculptural exhibits in the garden will be made of rock and stone. Odisha’ Rock Garden will have amusement facilities too.

New tourist attractions across India

Tourism developments in India include innovations being implemented across the country. Gwalior, a historical city in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, is to set up a museum on Rani Laxmibai, whose name is remembered for her bravery in the Revolt of 1857. Udaipur, a heritage city in the Rajput region of Rajasthan, has got a new tourist attraction and that is India’s biggest telescope – the Multi Appplication Solar Telescope. An environment-friendly plan to build ropeway for tourists in Shimla and Rohtang Pass has recently been proposed. Mumbai is the first Indian city to be proposed for a floating hotel. Goa has proposed to transform the 85-m tall lighthouse on the Aguada Plateau into a tourist attraction like Dolphin Nose in Andhra Pradesh and False Point in Odisha.

Upcoming museums for literature lovers

Indian government has decided to convert the houses of George Orwell and Rudyard Kipling, two eminent authors in English literature, into museums for literature lovers. George Orwell, A British novelist who is famous for “Animal Firm” and “1984”, was born in the Indian state of Bihar. Rudyard Kipling, a Nobel Prize awardee in Literature who is famous for “The Jungle Book,” was born in Mumbai (then Bombay).

India travel on wings of global popularity

The growing recognition of Indian heritage and the increasing number of foreign tourist arrivals (though much lower compared to the numbers of FTPs to other countries) are among the leading reasons of ongoing and upcoming developments in India travel and tourism. In the end of 2014, the National Geographic listed Hyderabad as the world’s second best place to see in 2015 and incorporated Goa as the 6^th best nightlife destination to its guide for the year 2015. The Victoria Memorial Hall, which is often referred to Kolkata’s Taj Mahal, has recently entered TripAdvisor’s Hall of Fame, which is an international recognition. According to a report based on the analysis of Google search trends in the beginning of 2015, the Charminar of Hyderabad is the most searched Indian monument. It is followed by the Golconda Fort and the Salar Jung Museum.

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The Maharaja Express, one of the best luxury trains in India, will be operated on a new route from Delhi to Goa and Kerala via Mumbai in the Konkan Coast during monsoons the next year 2016. It will enable tourists to enjoy train travel during monsoon in southwest India, the best time to visit Goa and Kerala.

Some of the romantic getaways in India, including Goa and Kerala, fall in the Konkan Coast that is one of the best places to visit in India during monsoons. Indian Railways plans to operate the Maharaja Express from Delhi, Mumbai, and Goa up to Kerala so that foreign tourists who land at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi; Chhatrpati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai; and Debolim International Airport, Goa can travel to Kerala by train in luxury.

Monsoon travel to Kerala and Goa is a lot cheaper because of cheap hotel deals and cheap flights to India. Kerala, the Indian state of backwaters, is much greener, and Goa, the best Indian destination for beach party, is a lot cheaper in monsoon than in other times of the year. Luxury train travel by the Maharaja Express via the Konkan region is another reason to travel to India during monsoon.

Suresh Prabhu, Minister of Indian Railways, said that a special holiday train from Delhi to Goa via Mumbai would be introduced during the peak tourist season of India spanning from November to February. One-way travel by the Maharaja Express on the Delhi-Mumbai-Goa route may cost up to USD 4,000 (2.5 Lakh INR).

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Book Cafes are emerging destinations for urbane readers, foodies and travelers in India, replacing the age-old habit of reading books in silent libraries on weekends with the trend of reading over cups of coffee or platefuls of snacks in homely environment at any time. These are the places where both food for the stomach and food for the mind are enjoyed peacefully in company of like-minded folks and in seclusion from outer hustle-bustle. The popularity of book cafes in India has recently paced up from metros like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Bangalore to small cities like Lucknow, Gangtok, Chandigarh and Shimla. Indian Eagle penetrates through the changing socio-cultural fabric of India to list 10 best book cafes where you can enjoy yourself over reading, writing, drinking, munching and eating.

Café Story in Kolkata 

Of the few Indian cities where reading is a favorite pastime, Kolkata is known for its traditional “reading and writing” culture. Needless to say, the city houses several book cafes. Among the hangouts for coffee and book aficionados in Kolkata, Café Story is a special mention for its graphic novel and comic theme. Café Story boasts a huge collection of books of different genres and serves a fair spread of snacks to readers. The beauty of the place may inspire you to pen a story. You never know!

Coffee Cup in Hyderabad   

If the area around the Charminar in Old City is an ideal destination for foodies and those looking to sip the best Irani Chai on summer evenings, wintry nights and monsoon days, Hyderabad has a few hangouts like the Coffee Cup for not only foodies but also bookworms, art lovers and coffee addicts. Both the sheesham wood interiors and the sit-out terrace with potted plants are cozy places to indulge in reading. With posters of cartoon characters and cinema stars on inner walls, the atmosphere of this book café in Hyderabad is high on the fun quotient.

Kitab Khana in Mumbai

Kitab Khana is one of the few places in Mumbai City where the tempo of life becomes slow for readers. With readers flipping the pages of books, toying with story ideas, and sipping coffee, Kitab Khana may seem offbeat to those on the run around the clock. It is not just a book café but also a boutique bookshop. You can try a number of desserts besides sipping coffee in peace here.

Literati in Goa

Reading books while sipping coffee at a quaint bungalow of the Portuguese style in Goa may sound offbeat to those who travel to Goa for beaches and water sports. Housed in a 100-year-old bungalow, Literati Bookshop & Café is one of the places to visit in Goa for the pleasure of reading, which is accompanied by sipping of Karnataka coffee and munching of homemade sandwiches. If you feel like spending some time with your favorite authors, there is no other place as cozy as Literati Bookshop & Café in Goa.

Café Turtle in Delhi

Delhi is next to Kolkata when it comes to claiming the title “the city of book lovers.” Among the book cafes across the cityscape, Café Turtle in Delhi is an ideal place for reading in solitude.  The book café boasts cheerful atmosphere and serves gastronomical delights. There is such a huge collection of books that you may feel spoilt for choice. No matter which book you read, make sure to have a slice of the date cake with toffee sauce.

Atta Galatta in Bangalore 

In Bangalore, the Silicon Valley of India, where everyone lives, breaths and dreams technology, a place like Atta Galatta for creative activities including reading, writing, painting and playing music is a surprising bliss. One of the best book cafes in India, Atta Galatta in Bangalore is a meticulously designed cultural space with vibrant ambience, where there is a treasure of bestselling titles in English and popular Indian languages as well. The café owns an in-house bakery and serves yummy cookies during book launches and art workshops.

Café Fiction in Gangtok

Reading books and writing stories over cups of smoking hot Sikkimese tea is a pure bliss at Café Fiction in Gangtok. Scenic surrounding, serene atmosphere and availability of books on the Tibetan history make Café Fiction a must visit among the places to see in Gangtok. This book café serves a few authentic Sikkimese dishes as well. Both the reader and the foodie in you will be flattered at the treatment here.

Café Bookworm in Lucknow

Lucknow is a city of biryani and kebab for foodies. A place like Café Bookworm is a new-age hangout for creative and gastronomic recreation on the cityscape of Lucknow. Café Bookworm offers good books and great dishes with equal care. Visit the book café to enjoy the company of books and catch up with other book lovers and have fresh snacks or sweets when you need fuel to get charged.

Cafe Illiterati McLeod Ganj    

Even a hill station like Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh has a book café for book-loving urban travelers. Cafe Illiterati McLeod Ganj at Dharamsala commands breathtaking views of the Dhauladhar Mountains, which makes readers bury themselves in books with indifference to worries and cares of the outer world. You can warm up yourself with sips of masala chai whenever the blows of icy wind disturb your pace of reading.

Book Café Ssong in Pune      

Visit Book Café Ssong in Pune if you feel like breathing in some air of relaxation over reading after a road trip from Mumbai to Pune. Book Café Ssong is a cozy place having reading-friendly ambience where you can quietly spend some time leafing through the pages of your favorite books. Decorated with tasteful Korean artifacts and eased with soft music, this Pune based book café is the right place for pursuing the passion of reading books over sips of creamy coffee.

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Sunburn Festival in December and Goa Carnival in March are the most popular crowd-pulling attractions of Goa. Monsoon spanning from June to August in India may not be the best time to visit Goa, but it is the best season to visit Goa in India. Solitary beaches, rain-soaked landscape, blooming greenery, monsoon seafood and cheap flights to Goa are some of the reasons to visit this Indian monsoon getaway. Being off season for Goa travel, monsoon is the right time for budget travelers seeking cheaper airfare and accommodation. The beaches and nightlife spots may not teem with revelers in off season, but Goa has its own monsoon attractions which you will miss in other times of the year. If you are still wondering why monsoon is the best season to visit Goa, this infographic by Indian Eagle listing reasons to visit Goa this monsoon is the only answer for you.

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Goa Trip is the dream of every youth. What’s not in Goa! Beach beauty, adventure, water sports, seafood, casino, partying, nightlife, biking – all these collectively define what Goa is. This beach getaway is as much a favorite of couples as popular with a group of singles. Recently National Geographic listed Goa as the sixth best nightlife destination in the world. On Travel Beats, Indian Eagle brings a Goa trip story from Muzaffar Ahmad Noori Bajwa, a public speaker on the Law of Attraction, to inspire you for Goa travel.

I badly needed a holiday for some refreshment the last month. My friends – Kaushal Yadav, Rajesh Yadav and Ronnie Braganza set their minds on Goa. I agreed. This time we decided to travel in the traditional Indian way: bus and train.

I have spent most of my professional life in New Delhi. Since mid-December I have been staying in Lucknow in order to start a new business venture in the telecom industry. A hell lot of research and development for the business left us tired. Out of restless for a breath of fresh air, we left for a happening week in Goa. It was an altogether new experience for me but Kaushal visited Goa twice.

On February 8, we left for Goa from Lucknow via New Delhi and Mumbai. The ride by Volvo on the Delhi-Lucknow route was so comfortable that I fell asleep the moment the journey began and woke up in the morning. This always happens with me. Luckily, we got the Duronto Express booking from New Delhi to Mumbai Central.

We stayed in Delhi for one day. It was the February 10, the election counting day. The air of Delhi was heavy with anxiety and excitement which intensely felt in Chandni Chowk. Chandni Chowk was unusually crowded that day. Thousands of people were glued to a big LED screen till the result was announced. By the time Arvind Kejriwal won the battle, we boarded the train.

We retired to sleep around midnight and got up at 7 am. Breakfast was served at 8 am. In India, if you travel by Rajdhani Express, Shatabdi Express and Duronto Express, you get the meals, juice, dessert, snack, soup and tea / coffee. Journey by these trains is always comfortable and convenient. We de-boarded the train in Boriwali at 4 pm as we had our Volvo bus booked from Bandra to Goa. But the bus was scheduled for departure by 10 pm.

We stared at each other wondering what to do in the spare time. We had two options; either to get a hotel for 4-5 hours or spend quality time at some nearby places. I opposed the idea of staying behind the closed door of a hotel room. Then we booked a cab and started roaming around for 4-5 hours. We visited a few places in such a short interval and had lunch at a place by the sea side. We were amazed to know that the taxi driver was a freelance writer and journalist. He writes for a Bollywood entertainment and lifestyle magazine. Taxi driving is his part time work.

At 9:30 pm, he dropped us at the place where the bus was about to leave for Goa from. It was a Volvo sleeper bus. The bus reached the destination by 11 am the next day. I saw many driving scooties there. One having a driver’s license can easily get a bike or car on rent. A valid document as identity proof is to be deposited with the vehicle owner. The rent for a scooty is about Rs. 300-350 for a day, Rs. 800 for an Enfield bike and Rs. 1200-1400 for a car. We checked in a cottage hotel. Goa has several beaches. Colangute and Bagha beaches in north Goa are favorites of most travelers. Stay in a cottage hotel on the beach gives a real feel of Goa.

We organized a barbeque night on the cottage hotel to make our tour a bit more amazing and enjoyable. I am a good cook, as my friends say. I just wanted to entertain others with my culinary art. I cooked Chicken Qorma, Fish Barbeque and Chicken Barbeque in a North Indian style. Then we spent some time dancing at Baga Beach. I don’t drink but music makes me go wild and dance like an alcoholic. Every night in Goa was a lively event for us.

One day I tweeted “Being single here is an offence”. Finding a good partner in Goa is a good idea too. There are many night clubs and discs in Goa. Club Cabana, Mambo’s, Tito’s, and Curlies are some of the most famous. In Mambo’s we got guest entries twice but we were treated as stags in Curlies on Anjuna beach. Curlies was mostly crowded by Russians. We found a good dance floor in Curlies. I really liked the way Russians dance. What I found the most amazing about them is that when they dance, they just dance. A couple of girls approached me to dance with them. We left the place saying goodbye to the girls in the wee hours.

The very next day was Goa carnival. It was my first experience of the carnival. The crowd was so dense during the procession that we were not able to stand properly even for 2-3 minutes. We returned to Baga beach at the day end and spent the night there. It was the Valentine’s Day too. We found many couples in the swing of celebration.

Adventure in Goa is an integral part of the tour. Apart from natural beauty of the beaches, water sports define the frenzy of Goa. We enjoyed parasailing, water skating and kayaking. The Goa holiday was so fabulous that we stayed longer than one week. There is nothing to be bored of.

[pullquote]Check our guide on Goa Cuisine” – Indian Eagle[/pullquote]  The cuisine of Goa was our next venture. Almost every restaurant serves the best food of Goa. The Goan food has its own distinction which the cuisines of other Indian states cannot match. Goa is one of the best seafood destinations in India. The Goan cuisine comprises Italian, Russian, Portuguese, English, French and Thai dishes. Being a foodie I visited a few restaurants in Goa including O’pescador Restaurant at Baga Beach, and Waterfront Terrace & Bar managed by Marriot in Panaji. Both are fine dining restaurants with different specialties.

Fortunately the Bikers’ Week was celebrated when we were there. Bikers from across India gathered for the event in Goa. I have never seen such a huge rally of Harley Davidson, Triumph, Ducati and many other bikes. The brimming enthusiasm of the bikers made me play with the idea of buying a Harley Davidson, though biking is not my cup of tea. I love cars.

We found the Central Jail of Goa, a home of prisoners, while roaming around. One of the offbeat places in Goa, it is located in a very peaceful corner. We spent one night in Panaji too. Casino is the main attraction of Panaji, and that too on a cruise. I think Goa is the only place in India where casinos are legalized. The casinos in Panaji remain open day in and out. We visited Candolim Beach where I caught up with a couple of Manchester girls who liked Indian Rum – Old Monk.

My overall Goa trip is a fabulous experience. Being a frequent traveler I would like to visit Goa the second time this year. Goa sleeps in the wee hours and springs into activity at in the evening. Goa is a must visit, at least once in lifetime. I am sure, you’ll never forget.

October to May is the best time to visit Goa. As the season of Goa tourism is about to fall, Indian Eagle is booking international flights to Goa from the USA at the lowest airfare. Many American cities have air connectivity with Goa via the Middle East airports.

About the Author 

Muzaffar Ahmad Noori Bajwa is a young, dynamic management pass-out from one of the premier institutes in India. He has nearly 8 years of corporate experience in the domains of HR, IT, Telecom, EXIM and Aviation. He is a traveler, public speaker, party lover and a preacher of Law of Attraction. He is recognized as one of the 10 Best Dressed Male Entrepreneurs in India after Shah Rukh Khan, Vijay Malya and Sabeer Bhatia. He is an influencer on Twitter. Follow him @MANooriBajwa.

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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.

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Winter is the high time of tourism in India not only for festivals and road trips but also for bird watching. India receives the highest number of foreign tourists and migratory birds in winter season spanning from October to March. But, exotic birds outnumber foreign tourist arrivals throughout the season. Millions of migratory birds including Greater Flamingo, Ruff, Common Teal, Black-winged Stilt, Yellow Wagtail, White Wagtail, Northern Pintail, Rosy Pelican, Northern Shoveler, Eurasian Wigeon, Long-billed Pipit, Black-tailed Godwit and likes fly to the bird sanctuaries of India every winter. Indian Eagle lists the best bird sanctuaries whose diverse geography and natural beauty make bird watching & photography a pursuit of joy in India during winter. Now, go on dating migratory birds across India.

Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary in Karnataka

One of the best places to see migratory birds in South India during winter, Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary consists of six isolated islets on the banks of the Kaveri River in Karnataka. A 16-km drive from Mysore City, the sanctuary is a favorite haunt of exotic migratory birds like Heron, River Tern, White Ibis, Partridge, Spoonbills, Egret and others from Siberia, North America and Australia. A boat ride around the river islets of Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary gives the best glimpses of the migratory birds in winter.

Nal Sarovar Bird Santuary in Gujarat

The largest wetland bird sanctuary in Gujarat, Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary is one of the top ten winter holiday destinations for bird lovers in India. Only 64 km away from Ahmedabad, this hotspot of migratory birds consists of a sprawling lake and a large marshy area around the lake. A flock of migratory birds including Flamingos, Pelicans, Coots, Pintails, Spoonbills, Shovellers, small Grebes and Cormorants travel to this sanctuary in autumn and entertain tourists throughout winter as well as spring.

Chilka Lake Bird Sanctuary in Odisha

The largest and most beautiful bird-watching place in India, Chilka Lake Bird Sanctuary is close to Puri, Odisha. Spread over a huge area of 1100 square kilometers, the lake sanctuary is home to 9 lakh migratory birds in winters, and a natural paradise for bird lovers. The sight of the beautiful birds including Flamingos, Herons and Geese flapping their colorful wings on the crystal-clear surface of Chilka Lake is a delight to the eyes. Each of the islands dotting the lake is a tourist spot. The Birds Island in Chilka Lake is a natural habitat for the largest number of birds.

Karnala Bird Sanctuary in Maharashtra

Don’t miss a visit to Karnala Bird Sanctuary during your road trip on the Mumbai-Goa Highway. A 60-km drive from Mumbai, Karnala Bird Sanctuary is a densely forested habitat of birds, sprawling over an area of 4.8 square kilometers. The beauty of birds is in harmony with the beauty of the lush green landscape in the sanctuary. Karnala Bird Sanctuary is an ideal winter destination for bird watching, trekking and picnicking. It is home to a number of migratory birds including red-breasted Flycatcher, black-headed Cuckoo, blue-headed Rock Thrush, and ashy Minivet from October to April every year. Besides, the musical chirping of songbirds is a symphony of nature during monsoons in Karnala Bird Sanctuary.

Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary in Goa

Goa is the best coastal destination for not only beach holidaymakers but also bird lovers. Located near the Chorao Island in Goa, Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary is one of the most popular spots to watch migratory birds in winter. Named after the eminent ornithologist, Dr. Salim Ali, the sanctuary consists of mangrove forest trees along the western tip of the island near the Mandovi River. You can best photograph and watch the birds from the watch tower in the sanctuary. Bus and cab transport services to Salim Ali Sanctuary are available in Panaji, the capital of Goa.

Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary in Andhra Pradesh

One of the natural habitats for Pelicans in Southeast Asia, Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary is the best place to be for photographers and bird lovers in Andhra Pradesh during winters. Located in Nellore district, the sanctuary shelters such migratory birds as Spoonbills, White Ibis, Night Herons, Painted Storks and Cormorants. Inhabited by endangered species of flora and fauna, Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary has a library, a museum and an auditorium. Pulicat Lake is the nearest tourist attraction here. October to March is the ideal time to visit the sanctuary.

Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary in Rajasthan

Apart from the festivals, palaces and forts of Rajasthan, Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is one of the best tourist attractions in the Thar Desert. Home to thousands of rare and endangered species of migratory birds in winter, Bharatpur Sanctuary is a World Heritage Site. Also known as Keoladeo Ghana National Park, the sanctuary is a fairground of Magpie Robins, Lapwings, Herons, Spoonbills, Water Hens, Egrets and the most famous Sarus Cranes. Siberian Cranes used to visit Bharatpur Sanctuary in winter a few years back. But, this amphibian species has become extinct.

Little Rann of Kutch in Gujarat

The list of the best bird sanctuaries in India ends with the Little Rann of Kutch. The southern extension of the Great Rann in Gujarat, this wildlife sanctuary is famous for the Asiatic Wild Ass and migratory birds like Flamingoes. It is the only place to watch out thousands of Flamingos at a time, in India. MacQueen’s Bustard, Demoiselle Cranes, European Roller, Lesser Florican, Greater Hoopoe Lark, Collared Pratincole, Red-necked Phalarope, Cream-colored Courser, Dalmatian Pelican and Sociable Lapwing are among the other seasonal birds which have made the Little Rann of Kutch their home. November to February is the best time to visit the Little Rann of Kutch (LRK) for bird watching.

Migratory birds fly to India only in winters and summers. But you can fly to India whenever you wish, especially because we at IndianEagle.com book cheap airline tickets to India from USA throughout the year.

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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.

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