Gangaur is one of the few Rajasthani festivals which are celebrated as colorfully as Holi. Gangaur is not just a festival but a celebration of women’s immovable faith in the Divine for their husbands’ wellbeing and the household welfare. The women of Rajasthan worship Gauri, the goddess of power, abundance and marital bliss on the occasion of Gangaur, a most splendid spring festival in Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Bikaner. Unrestrained fervor of menfolk and boundless devotion of womenfolk make Gangaur festivity a must-see cultural ceremony. Here are some interesting tidbits to share with you.

Worship of Deities

The Gangaur Festival centers on the worship of the deities – Lord Shiva and Goddess Gauri or Parvati. The small effigies of the deities are made of clay or wood. The clay images are immersed into a water body on the last day of the festivity, while the wooden idols are preserved and worshiped every year. The wooden ones are meticulously painted afresh before the ceremony begins. The Gangaur idols are beautifully dressed and worshiped with roli, kumkum, mehendi, haldi, etc.

Rituals for Women

The Gangaur festivity spans for 18 days. The ceremony begins on the next day of Holi festival. The newly married girls are obliged to worship the deities for 18 days and keep fasting for half of the day till the festival is over, in the first year of their marriage. The rituals are the same for unmarried girls and would-be married girls who wish to observe the ceremonies. The other married women worship the deities only on the third day of the festival. They wear red saris or ghagras with golden zari boder along with gold & silver jewellery. They flaunt borla in the parting line of the hair and kumkum on the forehead.

Also Check: Rajasthan’s Gypsy Tribe – Kalbeliya Music and Dance

Departure of Deities

The Gangaur festival ends with the departure of the deities, a grand ceremony which is observed through a spectacular procession. It is the most colorful, joyful and magnificent ceremony to behold. The ethnically dressed married women walk down the street, carrying the deities on their heads during the procession to a garden with a pond or well. Some other women sing folk songs and perform folk dance moves adding to the grandeur of the procession.

Gangaur Festival Sweets

Kheer, choorma, halwa and puri are some of the traditional delicacies on the Gangaur festival menu in Rajasthan. Ghevar, an essential culinary part of the festivity, is one of the most famous Rajasthani sweets. It is made in households and sold in markets during the festivity. It is customary for the people to sweeten the mouths of relatives and friends with slices of ghevar.

Also Check: Rajasthan’s Gogamedi Fair – An Offbeat Celebration in Incredible India 

Mehendi on Hands

Mehendi is one of the traditional rituals of the Gangaur Festival. It is a custom for both married women and unmarried girls to beautify their hands with Mehendi designs. Mehendi signifies good luck and bliss to the married women of Rajasthan. They worship the goddess Gauri with their colorful hands and seek blessings for the wellbeing of their husbands. Even young girls decorate their little hands with Mehendi on this occasion.

Travel Beats is an overseas Indian community portal on culture, travel, and community news by Indian Eagle, a leading international travel organization making air travel to India cheaper and better. Indian Eagle issues cheap flight tickets to Jaipur and other cities for overseas Indians, in order to help them connect with their roots.

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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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“Indian festivals are the festivals of colors.” Bearing evidence to this statement is the Elephant Festival of Jaipur in Rajasthan. An annual event in the calendar of Jaipur, the Elephant Festival reflects the colorful beauty of Rajasthan. The embellishment of elephants is the prime attraction of the event. The celebration takes place at Jaipur Polo Ground near Sawai Man Singh Stadium, on the eve of Holi festival. Jaipur Elephant Festival will be held on March 21 in 2019.

This Indian festival, celebrated with much of pomp, gives a glimpse into the royalty of Rajasthan. Tourists from across the globe visit the city of Jaipur to witness this ceremonious carnival. The celebration begins with a grand parade of elephants with decorated backs, trunks and tusks. The beauty of colorfully decorated elephants on this festive day is a spectacular show to catch on. One of the highlights of the carnival is that only female elephants are selected for the parade.

The participating elephants are adorned with chunky jewelry like anklets, bracelets, rings, ear danglers and head plates. The jewelry is made of silver and gold. Their backs are embellished with intricately embroidered velvet rugs, and their ears are embellished with brightly colored scarfs. Various motifs from Indian culture and tradition are painted on their bodies. Even the mahouts look their best in splendidly embroidered jackets and colorful turbans. The most beautifully decorated elephant is given a prize, in the festival.

The spectacular parade of elephants is accompanied by the playing of traditional instruments such as Nagaras and Bankiyas. Decorated horses, chariots and camels follow the marching elephants. Adding to the splendor of the carnival are beautiful palanquins, carried by porters with colorful turbans on their heads. Folk dance performance during the parade makes the Elephant Festival of Jaipur a cultural extravaganza.

You might wonder why only elephants are the center of attraction in the Jaipur Elephant Festival. Elephant is considered a divine being, in the Hindu Mythology of India. It is a symbol of royalty and majesty in the traditional Indian culture as well. There are mythical legends about the importance of elephants in India.

Book the cheapest air tickets to Jaipur on IndianEagle.com and explore the most interesting legends of Jaipur Elephant Festival. The lowest airfare is guaranteed for your travel to the Pink City of India.

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You will soon get soaked in luxury amidst sands of Jaisalmer in the Indian state of Rajasthan. You will also be traveling along a heritage circuit in North India on wheels of luxury. The Ministry of India Tourism is going to launch two trains for affordable luxury travel in India this winter.

There are super luxury trains in India – Palace on Wheels, the Golden Chariot, the Deccan Odyssey, and Maharajas Express – offering the hospitality of bygone royal eras. With affordable packages, the new trains will add to the bliss of luxury train travel in India by enabling tourists to bask in the beauty of sprawling deserts and timeless heritage of India.

Unlike super luxury trains, the new semi-luxury trains can be afforded by many tourists. Both trains – Desert Circuit and Heritage Circuit – will depart from New Delhi for a five-day odyssey along the routes meandering through the desert of Rajasthan and crisscrossing three heritage cities. Tourists on board will be pampered over a host of deluxe services during the journey. You can enjoy sightseeing not only through window glasses of train coaches but also getting down at major sites where the trains will halt.

“Heritage Circuit” will be running through Agra, Varanasi and Khajuraho, three of the most popular heritage sites in India. What Agra is famous for is known to tourists from across the globe. The Taj Mahal, one of the wonders of the world, is a must see in Agra. The yesteryear kingdom of the Mughal emperors has many stories to tell, including how Emperor Akbar got the recipe of Petha, a most famous delicacy of Agra, during construction of the Taj Mahal.

Varanasi is the oldest and holiest city of India, where you can take boat rides on the River Ganga and glimpses of the spectacular Ganga aarti. Don’t forget to explore the stories of Varanasi during your luxury train travel in India. Banarasi silk cloth, a traditional handicraft of this holy city, is a must buy.

The travel on “Heritage Circuit” will culminate at Khajuraho, a UNESCO world heritage site. Unlike the temples of Varanasi, Khajuraho temples are famous for erotic sculpture displaying human sexuality in multiple different forms from liberal perspectives. The legends of Khajuraho’s erotic art will take you back to the times when eroticism was an art in India.

The ‘heritage’ part of the travel by two new luxury trains in India promises to be a life-enriching experience. The Taj Mahal of Agra will tell you an immortal love story, Varanasi will immerse you in spirituality, and Khajuraho will overwhelm you with stories of passion. – Indian Eagle

“Desert Circuit” will take you on a ride across sand dunes in Jaisalmer and on a tour of Jaipur in Rajasthan. Among the things to do in Jaisalmer are listening to the music of sand dunes, shopping for handcrafted silver jewellery,  and visit to historic Jaisalmer Fort.  Jaisalmer Desert Festival in February is one of the popular winter events in India.

This luxury train travel in India by “Desert Circuit” will end in Jaipur, a yesteryear princely province of Rajput kings. Hawa Mahal, Jal Mahal, City Palace, Amer Palace and Nahargarh Fort are among the must-see tourist attractions of Jaipur. A tour of Jaipur will introduce you to the luxury and bravery of Rajputs.

Other Details of New Luxury Trains in India

“Heritage Circuit” will be operating from December 20 till April 24, 2016. The luxury travel by “Desert Circuit” will commence on December 20 and continue till April 21, 2016. Each of the two new luxury trains in India will make eight trips from December to April, which is the best time to visit India. Travel on these trains is a complete luxury package including 3-star hotel accommodation and exclusive dining apart from travel insurance, complimentary Wi-Fi, and English and Hindi speaking guide service. A trip by “Desert Circuit” will cost between 20K to 37K INR, and “Heritage Circuit” will charge from 18K to 36K for a trip depending on travel classes.

Luxury train travel in India is synonymous with the maxim, “Let the Train take the Strain.” Travel on these luxury trains of India will surely rejuvenate you with fresh moments, enrich you with knowledge, enchant you with offbeat stories and spellbind you with scenic sights which you will cherish forever.

Major international airlines operate flights to New Delhi from USA and Canada. We at Indian Eagle issue cheapest tickets for New Delhi flights from all American cities.

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August to March is the best time for road trips on bikes in North India. Delhi, the national capital of India, is at crossroads of weekend getaways for bikers. Weekend road trips from Delhi are adrenalin-pumping adventure drives for biking enthusiasts. Some road trips from Delhi run along highways; some run through zigzags in valleys and mountains; some run by beautiful rivers or shimmering streams; some run crisscrossing barren landscapes, while some run through green corridors at escalating altitudes. Some roads for bike trips from Delhi are motorable, while some are precarious throwing challenge to road trippers. You can soak in the natural beauty of India hanging over concrete highways, sandy trails, and mountainous passes. Indian Eagle lists the best road trips from Delhi for bikers.

Road trip to Ladakh from Delhi

Driving to Ladakh at an altitude of 13,000 feet is one of the most coveted road trips from Delhi. Riding a Royal Enfield for a whopping 1800km of round trip is not for the fainthearted. A road trip to Ladakh is full of adventure making it an inspirational story of courage, passion and obsession for the aspiring road trippers. If you are not a seasoned biker, Ladakh road trip may end up being far from euphoria. Don’t let it disappoint you. There are not-so-adventurous weekend road trips from Delhi for you, too.

READ MORE Ladakh Road Trip: An Inspirational Story

Road trip to Dehradun from Delhi

The road from Delhi to Dehradun and Mussoorie is poor, but what makes this road trip a must have for bikers is the breathtaking sightseeing. Dehradun and Mussoorie are the nearest hill stations from Delhi, in the Himalayan region. It is a 6-hr drive from Delhi to Dehradun, and driving to the hilltop of Mussoorie takes another 1.5 hours. Do halt at Cheetal Grand, a roadside eatery, to fuel your body with Indian or western food during your road trip to Dehradun.

Road trip to Jaipur from Delhi

Jaipur is on every biker’s list of top 10 road trips from Delhi. India’s Pink City is an exciting 6-hr biking trip. It is worth a long drive from Delhi for several reasons including tourist attractions and Rajasthani food. The Delhi – Jaipur Highway is a part of the Golden Quadrilateral project. October to March is the best time for a road trip to Jaipur.

Road trip to Agra from Delhi    

Needless to say why driving to Agra is one of the best weekend road trips from Delhi. Driving a bike or car on the newly built Yamuna Expressway to the city of Taj Mahal is an inexplicable experience, which India’s fastest train from Delhi to Agra falls short of. The mouthwatering taste of Agra’s street food and the mind-blowing beauty of the Taj Mahal add to the joy of road trips to Agra.

Road trip to Bharatpur from Delhi  

Bharatpur is a small town on the Agra-Jaipur Highway and famous for the Bharatpur bird sanctuary. Driving to Bharatpur is a fancy ride across vast sandy landscape. The entrance of the sanctuary looks abandoned, but the interior will mesmerize you the more you will explore. October to February is the best time for a road trip to Bharatpur because the sanctuary welcomes beautiful migratory birds during this period.

Road trip to Rishikesh from Delhi 

Rishikesh is a must visit for not only pilgrimage, yoga and meditation but also adventure. One of the holiest places in India, Rishikesh offers toast of adventure in form of river rafting, trekking and hiking. Evidently, adventure-loving bikers must hit the road to Rishikesh from Delhi at any time of the year and that is because of pleasant weather.

Road trip to Dharamsala from Delhi  

Dharamsala in the Kangra Valley of Himachal Pradesh is a scenic drive from the hustle-bustle of Delhi. One of the best getaways for summer vacation in India, Dharamsala is a beautiful canvas crisscrossed by hilly streams flowing through deodar and pine forests. This Himalayan hill station is the headquarters of Dalai Lama, too. Road trip to Dharamsala is a must for biking enthusiasts.

Road trip to Chittorgarh from Delhi 

[pullquote]Check our infographic on the unforgettable story of Chittorgarh Fort.[/pullquote] Chittorgarh in Rajasthan is one of the best destinations for weekend road trips from Delhi. Though a large portion of the Chittorgarh Fort is in ruins, the story of the fort will not fail to haunt you once you step into the fort complex. The timeless tales of Rajput rulers’ valor and Rajput women’s spirit of sacrifice in Mewar are worth 7-hr driving from Delhi to Chittorgarh.

Road trip to Chandigarh from Delhi 

Driving to Chandigarh from Delhi is an adrenalin drive for bikers. The Grand Trunk Road is the main route to Chandigarh from Delhi, giving access to Shimla and Kasauli, two most popular hill stations in Himachal Pradesh. Both Shimla and Kasauli are 2-3 hour pleasant drive from Chandigarh. It is safe not to venture out for a bike trip to Chandigarh or Shimla in the thick of winter.

Road trip to Alwar from Delhi

Biking or driving to Alwar from Delhi is an adventurous experience. Alwar is one of the princely states in Rajasthan. Visit to Sariska, one of the most famous tiger reserves in India, is worth a road trip from Delhi to Alwar. The month of February / March is the best time to visit Sariska because tigers are the likeliest to be sighted this time. You can halt to see the haunted Bhangarh Fort on the way.

READ MORE  Haunting Stories of Bhangarh

Road trip to Nainital from Delhi

Driving to Nainital is an escalating ride across high altitudes in Uttarakhand. No provision for air travel or train travel between Delhi and Nainital has made road trip to Nainital a must for bikers. Nainital Lake and Jim Corbett National Park are the best tourist attractions of this hill station at a drive of 285 km via roadway from Delhi. Jim Corbett National Park is the oldest park in India.

Road trip to Ranthambore from Delhi

Ranthambore is a paradise of natural beauty in Rajasthan and home to one of the most famous national parks in India. Located in Sawai Madhopur, the Ranthambore National Park and Tiger Reserve used to be a favorite haunt of the Rajput kings of Jaipur. The park is wildlife photographers’ delight, too, because of its scenic landscape and rich wildlife. Evidently, bikers brim with enthusiasm for road trip to Ranthambore from Delhi.

Road trip to Ajmer from Delhi   

Of the historic cities in Rajasthan, Ajmer is worth several road trips from Delhi. A 5-hr ride on bike, Ajmer is nearer than other cities to Delhi. Nestled amidst the Aravalli Mountains and founded by Ajayraj Singh Chauhan, Ajmer still carries palpable influences of the Chauhan Era in Rajasthan. The city is famous for its age-old artistry and the Ajmer Dargah.

Road trip to Almora from Delhi 

Almora is a gateway to adventure and sports tourism in the Himalayan region of Uttarakhand. One of the summer capitals in the Himalayas, Almora offers a springboard of outdoor activities including trekking and rock climbing. Many bikers, adventure lovers and sports enthusiasts from Delhi make road trips to Almora. Driving to Almora is much of an obsession with seasoned bikers and young road trippers.

Road trip to Mathura from Delhi

The Indian state of Uttar Pradesh has many destinations for bikers from Delhi. Road trip to Mathura from Delhi is not just an adventuresome drive but a way to seek solace in spirituality since Mathura being birthplace of Lord Krishna is a glorious destination for pilgrimage. Mathura is a must visit on the occasion of Janmastami in August or September. Attend the magnificent pooja ceremony and get blessed with delicious Prasad during Janmastami in Mathura.

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Jaipur Literature Festival of India, Asia’s largest literary fest, is all set to debut in the United States this year. Since its initiation in 2006, this Indian festival of creative minds has been riding the waves of popularity with acclaimed authors, publishers and journalists from across the globe. With its upcoming debut in the U.S., the Zee Literature Festival will reach out to the Indian Americans. The first American edition of the fest will be held from September 18 to 20, 2015.

More than 100 invitees from different walks of life, including Vijay Seshadri, an Indian American Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, will add stars to Jaipur Literature Festival in the United States. Vijay Seshadri is one of the most recognized faces in the contemporary world of literature. Some of the noted speakers, who have already confirmed their attendance at the US edition of the festival, are:

• Jung Chang, international bestselling author
• Laila Lalami, Moroccan American essayist and novelist
• Anchee Min, Chinese American bestselling author
• Gideon Levy, Israeli journalist, political commentator and author
• Simon Sebag-Montefiore, historian and award-winning author

The themes of Jaipur Literature Festival in the USA will range from such critical topics as migration, existential crisis, global socio-political scenario, environmental degradation, water conservation, etc. Poetic imagination, a highly debated literary theory, is another substantial theme of the fest. The Native American voices about these themes will find an outlet in the festival.

The Zee Jaipur Literature Festival of India is expected to be a galaxy of renowned Indian American, Asian and Latin American authors in the United States. Multiple different topics related to the Native American, African American, Asian American, and Latin American literature will be debated and discussed on the platform from different standpoints.

The Boulder Public Library and Civic Lawns in Boulder, Colorado, is the venue of the upcoming Zee Literature Festival in the United States. The University of Colorado, the Denver Public Library, the Denver Art Museum, Naropa University and other prestigious institutes have come together to plan initiatives and conduct activities to promote the event.

William Dalrymple and Namita Gokhale, authors and co-directors of Jaipur Literature Festival, are sanguine about a great beginning of the festival in the U.S. and have started counting days for the inauguration scheduled on September 18.

About Indian Eagle

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A historic monument is just a tourist attraction to travelers with camera. But, it is something more to the creative mind which seeks inspiration from the beauty of heritage. The heritage of India has equally captured the imagination of photographers, painters and poets for ages. Artists from around the world have painted beautiful pictures of Heritage India by smoothing out the ruggedness of structure with their creativity. In the paintings, the centuries-old monuments of India exude rare aestheticism in contrast to reality. Indian Eagle curated some of the most beautiful paintings of Indian Heritage to celebrate the World Heritage Day with the hope that the historic monuments are best preserved so that the next generations can make paintings as beautiful as these. 

The Taj Mahal, Agra

Image Source : winnieyong.wordpress.com

The India Gate, Delhi 

Image Credit: muruarts.com

Hampi, Karnataka

Image Credit: Fineartamerica.com

The Qutb Minar, Delhi 

Image Credit: Artoflegendindia.com

The Victoria Memorial, Kolkata

Image Credit: Artoflegendindia.com

The Gateway of India, Mumbai 

Image Credit: Uberartgallery.com

The Red Fort, Delhi 

Image Credit: Artoflegendindia.com

The Gwalior Fort, Madhya Pradesh

Image Credit: Fineartamerica.com

The Hawa Mahal, Jaipur 

Image Credit: Artoflegendindia.com

The Shore Temple, Tamil Nadu 

Image Credit: artdurkee.blogspot.in

The Amer Fort, Rajasthan

Image Credit: Wikipedia.org

The Agra Fort, Agra 

Image Credit: Fineartamerica.com

The Sanchi Stupa, Madhya Pradesh

Image Credit: Bharatdarshan.info

The Charminar, Hyderabad 

Image Credit: Fineartamerica.com

ALSO CHECK Rare Photographs of Taj Mahal

About Indian Eagle

Indian Eagle, a leading USA-based travel organization, makes trips to India as wonderful as possible by booking cheap US to India flights, irrespective of the season of the year.  Both the joy of India travel and the lowest airfare are guaranteed! 

The post Beautiful Paintings of Heritage India will Leave You Speechless appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

[pullquote]“Sometimes the most scenic roads in life are the detours you didn’t mean to take.” – Angela N. Blount.[/pullquote] If you are looking for life-changing detours in the labyrinth of mountains, hills, meadows or valleys, travel to India and hit the mountainous or hilly or beachfront or landscaped roads with bikes. India’s best road trips are suitable for biking holidays in the Himalayan region, the desert trails, the Deccan plateau, the Western Ghats, the Eastern Ghats, and coastal reaches. Some road trips in India are surreal stories, while some are adrenalin-pumping adventures. Indian Eagle shares 10 best road trip ideas for bikers.

Coorg to Munnar Road Trip 

The road trip from Coorg to Munnar is one of the short road trips in India. Both Coorg in Karnataka and Munnar in Kerala are blessed with greenery in abundance. The Coorg to Munnar road trip is a ride through the corridor of lush green landscapes dotted with tea plantations rolling across forested hills.

ALSO CHECK Munnar Sightseeing Guide

Chennai to Pondicherry Road Trip 

The Chennai to Pondicherry road trip in the Eastern Ghats is like a dream swing in the cradle of panoramic sightseeing. The East Coast Road from Chennai in Tamil Nadu to Pondicherry runs along the Bay of Bengal. The miles-long coastline holds scenic views for riders on the way.

Kalimpong to Siliguri Road Trip 

The road trip from Kalimpong to Siliguri in West Bengal is one of the most challenging trips for bikers because of the precarious Zuluk loops. But the beauty of the landscape on both sides of the road takes away the fear of threats to life. Known as the Old Silk route, the Kalimpong to Siliguri road is steeped in history.

Udaipur to Jaipur Road Trip 

The Udaipur to Jaipur road is one of the biking-friendly desert trails in Rajasthan. Biking along this trail through sand dunes from Udaipur to Jaipur is a poetic experience for those who can drink to beauty in the aridity of desert. The rugged landscape on both sides will make you feel like a rough & tough biker.

Manali to Spiti Valley Road Trip 

The road from Manali to Spiti Valley in Himachal Pradesh is ideal for biking and photography. It is one of the high-altitude routes in the Himalayan region, which remains covered in snow for a longer time of the year. Manali is one of the most beautiful summer destinations in India. Spiti Valley is a pure bliss of nature in the solitude of mountains.

ALSO CHECK A Trip to Spiti Valley

Zanskar to Leh Road Trip 

If you love riding at high altitudes for adrenalin rush, the Zanskar to Leh road trip is awaiting you this summer. Biking from Zanskar to Leh is no fun! It is a strenuous activity that puts bikers to a test of endurance. Scenic views of lofty mountains across rocky terrains will leave you with a fulfilling experience.

Road Trip to Rann of Kutch 

The Rann of Kutch in Gujarat is a vast expanse of salty sands beyond horizon. The flat and plain field rolling beyond measure, that is exactly the Rann of Kutch, offers the ultimate thrills of biking. The ethereal beauty of the moonlit night or the twinkling of the stars in the open sky makes biking a surreal experience in the Rann of Kutch.

Manali to Rohtang Pass Road Trip 

You cannot imagine how spectacular sightseeing can be without taking the Manali to Rohtang Pass road trip. The walls of snow on both sides of the road give the visual high that will remain fresh in your memory for years. Biking from Manali to Rohtang Pass is such an inexplicable experience!

Mumbai to Trivandrum Road Trip 

If you are an adventurer in search of panoramic vibes, ride your bike from Mumbai to Trivandrum via Mangalore. This road trip promises to be a celebration of the senses due to pristine beaches and verdant forests on the way. The Mumbai to Trivandrum road trip is part of the Udupi trail for biking.

Bhalukpong to Tawang Road Trip 

The Arunachal trail from Bhalukpong to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh is the call to those strong hearts which beat for excitement out of adrenalin rush. Be careful to avoid the traps of danger on the way. Landslides cause roadblocks in the seasons when extreme weather is experienced. If you believe in the maxim “All is well if the end is well,” the Bhalukpong to Tawang road trip is a story to be retold several times.

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Jaipur Literature Festival is Asia’s biggest platform in India for the meeting of creative minds from across the globe. When Jaipur City shivers by dint of numbing cold in the third week of January, the festival’s venue Diggi Palace feels warm as temperature rises with the heat of debates and discussions among the guest speakers, who travel to India and grace the fest with their luminous presence. Though it is a literature festival as the name suggests, it is not restricted to only one genre of creativity. It is as inviting to leading editors, journalists, publishers, filmmakers, actors and activists as to writers and authors. Since its inception in 2006, Jaipur Literature Festival has been riding higher waves of popularity by fetching in a galaxy of glittering stars from different walks of life. Indian Eagle lists some of the guest speakers for the 8^th edition of Jaipur Literature Festival, with a brief introduction below:

The guest speakers for Jaipur Literature Festival 2015 

Aakar Patel – a published non-fiction writer and columnist for a few leading publications. ‘Low Trust Society’ is his upcoming book on India.  

Ahmed Rashid – A multi-award winning writer and author of the bestselling ‘Taliban’. His ‘Taliban’, and ‘Descent into Chaos: The US and the Disaster in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asia’ are studied at 200 universities across the world.  

Adam Johnson – An associate professor in creative writing at Standford University and winner of the Pulitzer Prize 2013 for “The Orphan Master’s Son’.

Adam LeBor – A journalist and author with 11 books to his credit. His conspiracy thriller, ‘The Washington Stratagem’, set in the United States was published in November this year.

Alexis Wright – an eminent novelist with ‘Plains of Promise’, ‘The Swan Book’, ‘Take Power’, and ‘Carpentaria’ to her credit.

Alberto Manguel – a widely published Canadian writer, critic, translator and editor. He is a winner of several international awards for his novels including ‘All Men are Liars’, ‘The Library at Night’, and ‘The Dictionary of Imagery Places’.

Amish Tripathi – India’s first literary popstar whose Shiva trilogy – ‘The Immortals of Meluha’, ‘The Secret of the Nagas,’ and ‘The Oath of the Vayuputras’ is the bestselling book series.

Amit Chaudhuri – an award-winning, eminent author and critic whose latest novel ‘Odysseus Abroad’ is the talk of the literary town worldwide.

Anita Anand – a London-based political journalist for BBC Television. She has interviewed Prime Ministers including P V Narasimah Rao, Benazir Bhutto, Tony Blair, Shaikh Hasina, Pervez Musharaf, Nawaz Sharif, Chandrika Kumaratunga and Shaikh Hasina.

Arshia Sattar – an award-winning writer whose translations of ‘Valmiki Ramayana’ and ‘Tales from Kathasaritsagara’ are widely read. Her latest book is ‘The Mouse Merchant: Tales of Money in Ancient India’.

Anupama Chopra – a film critic, author and Bollywood writer whose book ‘Sholay: The Making of a Classic’ won the National Award in 2001.

Ashwin Sanghi – one of the most eminent Indian English author with the bestselling series of ‘The Rozabal Line’, ‘Chanakya’s Chant, and ‘The Krishna Key’ to his credit.

Caryl Ferey – a global traveler who toured the world at the age of 20. His novel Mapuche tells the battle of the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo in Argentina.

Elizabeth Gilbert – an acclaimed fiction and non-fiction writer whose latest novel, ‘The Signature of All Things,’ is named the Best Book of the Year 2013 by the New York Times, and the Chicago Tribune.

James Astill – the Political Editor for The Economist whose book ‘The Great Tamasha: Cricket, Corruption and the Turbulent Ride of Modern India’ records the social history of Indian cricket.

Indrajit Hazra – a novelist and journalist with three novels including ‘The Burnt Forehead of Max Saul’, ‘The Garden of Earthly Delights’, and ‘The Bioscope Man’ to his credit. His first famous book in the non-fiction category is ‘Grand Delusions: A Short Biography of Kolkata.

Kai Bird – a Pulitzer-winning historian and journalist whose latest book is the bestselling biography of a CIA officer, ‘The Good Spy: The Life and Death of Robert Ames’.

Kalyan Ray: an eminent professor of English Literature in India and the USA with several books of translation and novels including ‘No Country’, ‘City of Memories’, and ‘Emperor Babur’s Prayer’ to his credit.

Llewelyn Morgan – a Classicist at Oxford University and author of ‘The Buddhas of Bamiyan’. He is fond of Roman poetry.

Madhu Trehan: the founding editor of the news magazine India Today, and author of the bestselling ‘Prism Me a Lie, Tell Me a Truth – Tehelka as Metaphor’. She is a pioneer in investigative journalist.

Neel Mukherjee – one of the contemporary Indian English writers with two novels – ‘Past Continuous’, and ‘The Lives of Others’ to his credit. The first novel won the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain Award.

Rajiv Malhotra – an Indian American researcher in Princeton, the USA. He is the founder of Infinity Foundation, and author of ‘Being Different’, ‘Breaking India’, and ‘Indra’s Net’.

Raj Kamal Jha: chief editor of The Indian Express and author of ‘The Blue Bedspread’ which won the Common Wealth Writers’ Prize for Best First Book in 2000. ‘She Will Build Him A City’ is his upcoming novel.

Sudha Murthy – the chairperson of Infosys Foundation and a prolific Indian English writer. She has won several awards including the R.K. Narayan Award, the Padma Shri and the Attimabbe Award for excellence in Kannada Literature.

Sandip Roy – a Kolkata-based fiction writer who has authored ‘Don’t Let Him Know’. He is a senior editor with Firstpost.com, a leading news portal in India.

Tom Holland – a published author and documentary writer with four books on ancient and early medieval history – ‘Rubicon, Persian Fire, Millennium, and ‘In the Shadow of the Sword’ to his credit.

Tim Supple – a theatre director and writer at the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company. He has directed the internationally acclaimed ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, and others.

Sam Miller – the author of ‘Delhi: Adventures in a Megacity’, ‘Blue Guide: India’, ‘A Strange Kind of Paradise: India through Foreign Eyes.

Travel to India and witness the love for literature this year. IndianEagle.com is booking cheap flights to India from USA at the best prices. Don’t miss the opportunity to attend the world’s largest free literary fest! 

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Teej Festival is as important an occasion as Karva Chauth for the womenfolk of Rajasthan. This regional festivity is a celebration of Goddess Parvati’s reunion with Lord Shiva and a tradition for women to pray for the wellbeing of their husbands. The religious significance and the social implication of Teej Festival are fused in the celebration. According to the locals, the festivity also marks the arrival of rains in the desert of Rajasthan. So, it symbolizes the bliss of rejuvenation in aridity.

Worshipping Goddess Parvati and seeking her blessings for marital happiness is the core of Teej Festival. According to the Hindu philosophy, the universe is a manifestation of the Supreme Power or Adi Shakti in a feminine form that refers to Goddess Parvati. She endows with power and devotion that women need for marital felicity. Like other festivals of Rajasthan, the worship of the Goddess entails a series of rituals.

Teej is a three-day long festivity. The first day is known as Sinjahara; Teej is the second day; Badi Teej is the third day. Sinjahara is marked by the Mehendi ritual among the married women and the would-be married girls. They customarily beautify their hands with Mehendi designs and receive gifts from their in-laws. The gifts mainly include lehariya saree, bangles, jewelry, Mehendi, sindoor (vermillion), makeup items and some sweets. The in-laws also receive gifts from the parents of their daughters-in-law.

It is a tradition for the married women to celebrate the festival at their parents’ homes. Fasting in honor of Goddess Parvati and for the longevity of husbands or would-be husbands is the most important custom to be performed on the second day of the festival. Women keep rigorous fasting the whole day. Another rigorous ritual is to keep an oil lamp lit all night. If the lamp is extinguished or blown out, it is anticipated as a premonition.

A procession with the adorned idol of Goddess Parvati is another important ceremony of the Teej Festival celebration in Jaipur. The idols of the goddess are dressed in colorful clothes and adorned with jewelry. The procession on the streets makes a spectacular show. It is accompanied by folk dance forms and songs.

The glittering procession from the City Palace has become a tourist attraction of Jaipur. The life-size idol of the goddess is placed in a gold and silver palanquin which the royal guards of the City Palace carry ahead of folk dancers, ornamented camels, embellished elephants and bedecked horses. Kacchi ghodi, kalbeliya, algoza, bahrupia, and chakri dance are some of the folk dance performances adding to the attraction of the procession.

The main celebration (second day) of Teej Festival is scheduled on July 30 this year. Many NRIs in the Marwari community fly to India on this occasion and celebrate the festivity with the native folks. Most of them book online cheap flights to Rajasthan and other states of India.

If you have not yet booked your trip to India for Teej Festival, log on to IndianEagle.com and get the cheapest airfare.

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