“In India, the calendar of every state is full of only religious events and festivals.” If you think so, you are not absolutely right. Indian states boast of culturally rich dance and music festivals, held in different times of the year. The most celebrated music and dance festivals of India are held at seaside temples, historical sites of architecture ruins and shrines in the cave. The interface between art and history, these festivals are cultural celebrations, ceremonious galas and spectacular events, in the open air atmosphere. Indian Eagle offers an ode to the most famous dance festivals of India.

Soorya Dance Festival, Kerala

Interwoven with the cultural fabric of Kerala, the Soorya Classical Dance Festival is held in the capital city, Thiruvananthapuram, for 10 days every year. The festival is accompanied by some other cultural programs including theatre, photography, painting and seminars. Kathak, Manipuri, Odissi, Kathakali, Bharathanatyam and Kuchipudi are some of the celebrated forms of Indian classical dance which are staged by eminent artists, during the festival. Organized by Soorya Stage and Film Society, this dance festival of India continues from October 1 to 10.

Elephanta Dane Festival, Maharashtra

Among the dance and music festivals of India, Elephanta Festival is a cultural pride of Maharashtra. The festival is held in the cave shrine of Lord Shiva on Elephanta Island, a 10 km boat drive from the Gateway of India in Mumbai Harbor. Illumined with the interplay of various lights, the Lord Shiva temple in the caves of Elephanta Island comes alive as a seat of art and culture, in the month of March every year. Since its inception in 1989 by the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation, Elephanta Dance Festival celebrates the folk dance form of each Indian state.

Khajuraho Dance Festival, Madhya Pradesh

Khajuraho, situated in Madhya Pradesh, holds the cultural traditions of Central India. A small village in Bundalkhand, Khajuraho is famous for its legendary temples where the dance festival is held ceremoniously, in the month of February every year. The festival is a gripping celebration of Indian classical dances, performed in the backdrop of flamboyantly illumined temples – the Chitragupta Temple and the Vishwanatha Temple under the evening sky. Once upon a time the capital of the Chandela Dynasty, Khajuraho is a dedicated chapter in the thousands-year old Indian history.

Konark Dance Festival, Orissa

One of the most spectacular dance and music festivals of India, Konark Dance Festival is held at an open air auditorium in the backdrop of the Sun Temple which is also known as the Black Pagoda. The marvelous architecture of the Konark Sun Temple is shaped like a chariot with wheels drawn by seven horses. On the Chandrabhaga beach of Konark, near the holy city of Puri, the Konark Temple offers a wonderful ambience when lit colorfully during the festival in the month of December. Odissi Dance, an age-old cultural identity of Orissa, is an exclusive highlight of the festival. Other dance performances such as Chau dance, Manipuri, Kathak and Bharathnatyam make it a lavish feast for the eyes.

READ MORE Interesting Facts of Konark Sun Temple

Ellora Ajanta Dance Festival, Maharashtra

Held in the month of January, Ellora Ajanta Dance Festival is an interface between culture and history of India. The historic Ajanta and Ellora caves of Aurangabad are in the spotlight during the festival. Organized by Aurangabad Festival Committee in collaboration with Maharashtra Tourism Development at Soneri Mahal, the festival presents the best of classical and folk dance forms in a blend. The glittering beauty of the festival and the splendid architecture of Soneri Mahal make a rare spectacle to behold with wonder. The regional art and craft of Maharashtra is also exhibited at the festival site.

Mamallapuram Dance Festival, Tamil Nadu

Mamallapuram, a seaside temple town in Kanchipuram district of Tamil Nadu, prides itself on the popularity of the dance festival. The most important port in the Pallava Dynasty of the 7th and 8th centuries, Mamallapuram is a tourist destination known for its stone temples and monolithic rock sculptures. Arjuna’s Penance, a mammoth architecture with finely carved rock sculptures, serves as venue of the Mamallapuram Dance Festival, in the backdrop of the Bay of Bengal. Lulled by gentle breezes blowing over the sea, the atmosphere of the town is suitable for the festive mood. The festival begins in the last week of December and continues for three weeks in January every year.

Modhera Dance Festival, Gujarat

Gujarat does not lag behind other states of India when it comes to claiming fame for art, culture and history. Modhera Dance Festival, an annual cultural phenomenon in Mehsana district of the state, is held at the Sun Temple, an architectural excellence that belongs to the regime of the Solanki King Bhimdev I. Though lying in ruins, the temple exudes its historical charms when the surrounding is illumined for the festival. Dance and music performances by traditionally clad artists add to the spell of the atmosphere. Modhera Dance Festival is held in the month of January.

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Among the most interesting stories of India are stories of the few offbeat temples which are known for unusual offerings to the presiding deities. The unusual offerings to some of these Indian temples are age-old traditions, while devotees make offbeat offerings to some temples out of their unconventional beliefs. We at Travel Beats, an Indian Diaspora community portal by Indian Eagle Travel offer you a walk through some of these temples to leave you with a gaping mouth in wonder. 

Devotees Offer Chocolates to Munch Murugan in Kerala 

If you happen to visit the Chemmoth Sree Subramaniya Swami Temple in Kerala, make sure to offer Munch chocolates to the deity Munch Murugan. How the deity, the son of Lord Shiva, came to be known as Munch Murugan is one of the interesting stories of India. The deity developed a sweet tooth for chocolates since a Muslim boy offered a Munch to him. One day the boy rang the temple bell for fun and got scolded for doing so. He fell sick that night and kept chanting Murugan’s name unconsciously. The next morning, his parents took him to the temple. When the boy felt better, the priest asked him to offer something to the deity as it is a tradition. The boy took a Munch out of his pocket and put it on the altar. Since then Munch Murugan has been receiving loads of Munch chocolates from children who visit the temple to pray for good marks in examinations.

Devotees Get Books & DVDs as Prasad at Lord Shiva Temple in Kerala

Do you ever expect to get CDs, DVDs or textbooks as holy prasad in exchange of your offerings at some temple? If yes, travel to India and visit the Lord Shiva Temple at the National Heritage Center in Thrissur, Kerala. The temple authorities believe that knowledge is the best gift of God and that devotees should be blessed with it. That is why knowledge dissemination through distribution of books and writing materials is considered the holiest prasad to visitors at this temple in Kerala.

Lord Vishnu is Offered Different Types of Dosa in Madurai

Alagar Temple in Madurai is one of the unique places to visit in India for unusual offering to the deity. Originally named Kallazhagar Temple, it is a temple of Lord Vishnu. At this Madurai temple, the deity is offered different types of dosas (a South Indian delicacy) which are later distributed as prasad among devotees. Devotees on visit to the temple bring grains which are used to make crispy dosas. The first dosa is offered to Lord Vishnu and the rest is distributed to visitors after prayers.

Devotees Get Fruit Jam as Prasad at Lord Murugan Temple in Tamil Nadu

What devotes are given at Lord Murugan Temple in Tamil Nadu is among the interesting facts about Incredible India. Located in the Palani Hills, the temple is known for offering a unique prasad to devotees. The prasad is no traditional sweet but jam made of jaggery, sugar candy and five fruits. The holy jam is known as Panchamritham. The temple has got a plant where the jam is manufactured.

Liquor is Offered to Khabees Baba Temple in Uttar Pradesh

The Khabees Baba Temple at 80 km distance from Lucknow in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh is one of the most offbeat places to visit in India. Surprisingly, there is neither any idol nor any priest at this temple, except a pair of two slipper-shaped structures on an elevated platform that seems to be an altar. Visitors offer liquor to the altar at the Khabees Baba Temple in Lucknow out of devotion to a mystic saint who is believed to have lived there 150 years back. Devotees receive a portion of the liquor offered here.

Clocks and Watches are Offered to Brahma Baba Temple in Uttar Pradesh  

Image Credit: Wishesh.com

If the offering of alcohol and chocolates to deities (mentioned above) does not surprise you, visit Brahma Baba’s Temple in Uttar Pradesh and see what devotees offer to please the deity there. Devotees of all religions – Hinduism, Islam and Christianity – offer clocks and watches as tokens of gratitude towards the deity for fulfilling their wishes. Among the most interesting stories of India, the story of Brahma Baba Temple dates back to the time when a man asked the deity to bless him with driving skills. When he began to drive, he offered a clock as a thanksgiving gift to the temple. Since then it has been a tradition at Brahma Baba Temple. Surprisingly, there is neither security nor any priest to take care of the temple.

Chinese Dishes are Offered to a Temple of Goddess Kali in Kolkata   

A visit to the Chinese Kali Temple in Chinatown is the most interesting things to do in Kolkata. The temple is named so since the Chinese residents of Chinatown worship Goddess Kali. They offer different Chinese dishes like noodles, dim sum and chopsuey, not traditional Indian sweets to the deity. The worshipping of Goddess Kali by the Chinese inhabitants of Chinatown in Kolkata is also an instance of religious tolerance in India.

Toy Planes are Offered to a Gurudwara in Punjab for Visa Approval  

Why Shaheed Baba Nihal Singh Gurudwara in Jalandhar is called Airplane Gurudwara or Hawai Jahaj Gurudwara is one of the interesting stories of India. Devotees offer toy airplanes as prasad to this offbeat temple in Punjab as they believe that this unconventional offering will result in visa approval for them and fulfill their dreams of going abroad. And that’s why many shops outside the temple sell toy aircrafts.

Devotees Get Prasad with Rat Saliva in Karni Mata Temple in Rajasthan  

Karni Mata Temple in Bikaner, Rajasthan, is one of the most offbeat places to visit in India. It is a temple of about 20,000 black rats which are kabbas and considered holy. The prasad brought by devotees for the deity is also offered to the rats. Then devotees receive the prasad laced with rat saliva, which is believed to bring good luck to them.

Devotees Get Cloth Moist with Menstrual Fluid at Kamakhya Temple in Assam

Kamakhya Devi Temple in Assam is one of the most offbeat destinations in India. What is offered to devotees in return of their visit to the temple during the famous Ambubachi Festival in June is one of the most unconventional and interesting stories of India. The Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati remains closed for the first three days of the festival and opens its door on the fourth day when small pieces of cloth moist with the supposedly menstrual fluid of the goddess are distributed as prasad to thousands of devotees who gather at the temple complex on this occasion.

Bottles of Wine are Offered to Kal Bhairav Nath Temple in Madhya Pradesh

Kal Bhairav Nath Temple of Ujjain is one of the most popular Shiva shrines in India. The guardian deity of Ujjain City in Madhya Pradesh, Kal Bhairav Nath is offered bottles of wine every day. Evidently wine is the only holy prasad given to devotees at Kal Bhairav Nath Temple. Different brands of wine are available outside the temple throughout the year. The temple was built during the Maratha regime, according to some Maratha legends.

Devotees Get Jaggery Water from the Mouth of Lord Vishnu Idol in Andhra Pradesh

Panakala Narasimha Swamy Temple in Andhra Pradesh is one of the few Indian temples which are known for unusual offerings to deities. An idol of Lord Vishnu in Narasimha avatar (sphinx) is worshipped at this temple on the top of Mangalagiri Hils. As per the age-old tradition of this temple, jaggery water is poured into the mouth of the idol. It is believed that when the deity feels full, half of the jaggery water comes back out of the mouth and it is distributed as holy prasad to devotees.

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What is the best today may not be the same tomorrow. Yes, India’s longest Vembanad rail bridge in Kerala will soon lose its fame to Madhya Pradesh. Indian Railways plans to build a longer rail bridge in Madhya Pradesh than the existing 4.62 km long in Kerala. So the new rail bridge will be three and a half times longer than the longest Vembanad Rail Bridge in Kerala.

While the world’s tallest rail bridge over the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir is under construction and India’s fastest train ‘Gatimaan Express’ is ready to hit the track, India is planning to get the longest rail bridge in Katni district of Madhya Pradesh. The upcoming longest bridge with railway lines in India will boast a length of 14 kilometers on the up line.

Indian Railways has already conducted an initial survey on technical aspects of the project following an official approval from the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA). Even the design of the upcoming longest rail bridge in Madhya Pradesh is ready. The construction would be completed in 5 years at the cost of INR 600 crore.

On completion, it would be India’s longest rail bridge in Madhya Pradesh. The bridge will be equipped with digital signaling to ensure safe operations of both goods and passenger trains. Digital signaling would be maintained online. Reportedly, goods trains are often delayed by two or four hours due to traffic congestion on the route through Katni Junction in Madhya Pradesh. Once the bridge is in place, delay of goods trains will considerably be reduced.

The Vembanad Rail Bridge from Edapally to Vallarpadam in Kochi was built over the Vembanad Lake in 2010. The 80% of the bridge is over water offering beautiful views of the serene landscape. Madhya Pradesh’s Katni Railway Junction is located in a forested area. So the upcoming longest rail bridge in Madhya Pradesh is expected to be built across a scenic route crossing the Katni River.

Jabalpur is the nearest airport at 100km distance from Katni. Katni has good road connectivity with Bhopal, Nagpur, Varanasi, Allahabad, Hyderabad and Bangalore. Among the tourist places in Madhya Pradesh, Bandhavgarh National Park is in proximity to Katni.

Travel Beats is a fast-growing news portal by IndianEagle, a leading international travel organization. It publishes the latest news from India, USA, Canada, aviation, tourism and NRI communities.

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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

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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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Are you looking to ring in the New Year with a travel wishlist in hand? If yes, we are here to recommend a few tourist destinations for your India travel wishlist 2015. A travel wishlist comes handy when you plan vacations at the onset of a new year. It is an altogether different pleasure to explore the lesser-known tourist destinations rather than visiting the most frequented places in India. Hope, our choice will help you to create a wishlist for India travel in 2015.

Hampi in Karnataka

One of the UNESCO World Heritage sites in India, Hampi is a historic treasure of rocks and ruins. The erstwhile capital of the Vijayanagar Empire in the 13^th and 14^th centuries, Hampi was the world’s second most populous city. Do listen to the stories of the architectural ruins dotting the rocky landscape of Hampi.

Fatehpur Sikri in Agra 

If you have already visited the Taj Mahal, add Fatehpur Sikri to your travel wishlist 2015. Though no wonder of white marbles, Fatehpur Sikri is a sprawling UNESCO World Heritage Site of red bricks and stones. The monument complex boasts of the world’s largest doorway, the Buland Darwaja. Once the capital of the Mughal Empire in Akbar’s regime; Fatehpur Sikri is a living witness to the stories of the Mughal.

Read more The Agra Travel Food Guide

Gandikota in Andhra Pradesh 

Founded in 1123 by a subordinate of a Chalukyan King of Kalyana on the right bank of the River Pennar, Gandikota is a small historical village. The Gandikota Fort was one of the remarkable constructions in the Kakatiya, the Vijayanagara and the Qutub Shahi regime. It is a tourist destination not only for its historic significance but also its geographic beauty. Gandikota’s geography resembles Arizona’s Grand Canyon in the United States.

Mandu in Madhya Pradesh

A ruined city of historic tales dating from the 6^th century till the Maratha regime in the 18^th century, Mandu occupies a significant role in the history of India. Home to palaces, forts, temples and other monuments on a rocky outcrop, Mandu was renamed Shadiabad by Allauddin Khilji in 1305. Mandu was blessed with prosperity when the Ghuri Dynasty was in power. It was incorporated to the Mughal Empire during Akbar’s regime. Later, the Maratha ruler Peshwa Bajirao the First captured Mandu in 1732.

Bishnupur in West Bengal 

Located in the rural tourism circle of West Bengal, Bishnupur is famous not only for the history of the Gupta Period but also terracotta (clay work), a popular handicraft of Bengal. 132 km away from Kolkata, Bishnupur is known for its age-old temples which are adorned with terracotta sculpture depicting the scriptural stories of ancient India. Bishnupur’s terracotta pottery, artifacts, jewellery and home décor items are exported to the overseas markets.

Raghurajpur in Odisha 

 One of the lesser-known places in the rural backwaters of Odisha, Raghurajpur is a handicraft village of patachitra painters and artists. A tourist destination for art lovers in rural India, Raghurajpur has kept alive patachitra, an ancient art of India or an art form of ancient India. The patachitra artists breathe life to the mythological stories and folk tales of India on perched palm leaves and clothes through a rare palette of natural colors. Their creation is not just an art but an enchanting poetry.

Know more about The Artists of Raghunathpur

Silent Valley in Kerala

One of the least explored and lesser-known tourist destinations in India, Silent Valley is part of the green forest belt in Kerala. It was converted into a national park in 1980 and is under consideration for a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A natural habitat of rare species of birds, the Silent Valley in Kerala is an ideal destination for green travel in the Nilgiri Hills.

Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu 

One of the holiest cities in India, the modern-day Kanchi was the erstwhile capital, Kanchipuram, of the Pallava Kingdom. Most of the temples in Kanchi are dedicated to Lord Bishnu and Lord Shiva. Kanchi’s every nook and corner is full of history of different eras when the Pallavas, the Cholas, the Pandyas, the Vijayangar dynasty were in power. Kanchi is a must visit to photograph the delicately sculpted South Indian temples.

Kumbhalgarh in Rajasthan 

Kumbhalgarh is famous for its age-old hilltop fort, one of the tourist attractions in Rajasthan. The Kumbhalgarh Fort is famous for its 36-km long wall with watchtowers which command breathtaking views of the peaks of the Aravalli Mountain range. Many tourists do not know that the Kumbhalgarh Fort Wall is known as the Great Wall of India. Listed among the offbeat tourist attractions in India, it is the second largest wall in the world.

Read more The Great Wall of India

Ravangla in Sikkim 

Of the least explored tourist destinations in Northeast India, Ravangla should be on your India travel wishlist 2015. Ravangla is a small town at a height of 7,000 feet in Sikkim. A summer habitat of several species of Himalayan birds, Ravangla is known for its quiet ambience, soulful environment, meditative beauty, simple ways of life, and tryst with nature.

Indian Eagle will help to make your travel wishlist come true in 2015 by giving you the best itineraries to India at the lowest airfare from the United States & Canada. The cheapest flight to India is guaranteed! Just click the button below & choose your travel dates to get the best deal:  

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Khajuraho temples are the only monuments in India which are famous for erotic sculptures, not for architecture unlike other monuments. The Khajuraho complex of temples is a UNESCO recognized world heritage site, one of the popular tourist attractions in the Madhya Pradesh travel guide. A pillar of Madhya Pradesh tourism, Khajuraho speaks of society’s liberal view of human sexuality in the bygone era. It symbolizes human passion, while the Taj Mahal stands for love. IndianEagle takes on the world famous Khajuraho sculpture in a different way. 

Khajuraho Temples stand for human passion  

Apart from the Khajuraho history, there is a legend. The curiosity about the origin of Khajuraho temples runs high until the legend is explored. According to the legend, the creators of Khajuraho were descendants of the moon god in Indian mythology. It begins with the story of Hemavati, daughter of a Brahmin priest. Attracted to her maiden beauty, the moon god descended on earth and seduced her when she was bathing, on one evening. It was the intense passion that made her give in to his advances. He could not resist the spell of her maiden charm. Their union gave birth to a son, Chandravarman.

The then society did not welcome the apparently unusual union of a god and a mortal as it was not solemnized as per traditions and through rituals. Being unwed mother of a son, Hemavati suffered harassment in society. Stung by unkind words, she retreated to the dense forest of present Madhya Pradesh in Central India. She brought up the child in the wilderness. When the boy grew up, he became founder of the Chandela dynasty.

After he became a powerful ruler, his mother visited him in dream and requested him to build temples that would concretize human passions in form of art. She told him that passion is nothing but an overwhelming human desire for love. Touched by the emptiness of his mother’s life, Chandravarman commissioned the construction of the first group of Khajuraho temples. The other temples in Khajuraho Town were built by his successors. If the legend is believed, the temples stand for love in Khajuraho.

Khajuraho sculpture was a study of eroticism

The erotic art of Khajuraho Temples has been interpreted in different ways in different times. The most popular theory refers to an important purpose of erotic sculpture on the outer surface of the temples in Khajuraho. The purpose was to teach boys the art of eroticism and its significance in human life once they attained manhood after the Brahmacharya phase of life in hermitage. The study of human passion depicted by Khajuraho sculptures was part of their preparation for the worldly role of householder.

Another popular theory of the erotic art refers to the then belief in the power of Tantrism, in the Chandela era between 950 and 1150. The ardent followers of Tantrism believed that the infinite could be achieved through the fulfillment of earthly desires. As the Chandelas were diehard believers of Tantrism, they patronized the study of eroticism in form of sculpture.

Misconceptions about Khajuraho temple sculptures

According to historians and archaeologists, only 10% of the sculptural carvings on the outer surface of the walls of Khajuraho architecture depict eroticism as an art. The rest of the carvings depict day-to-day life of different people such as farmers, potters, musicians and carpenters from different walks of society. The erotic sculpture depicting sexual indulgence of humans of opposite genders is often wrongly referred to as Kamasutra. The Khajuraho sculpture is an aesthetic art depicting eroticism without rawness and vulgarity. It neither titillates the senses nor excites basic instincts. Many fail to perceive the purity and aestheticism of Khajuraho art.

Khajuraho is accessible from Delhi, Agra and Varanasi by air. You can catch Khajuraho flights at the domestic terminal of Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi. You can travel by train from Khajuraho to Orcha and Jhansi, two historic destinations in Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh.

IndianEagle.com books cheap flights to New Delhi IGI Airport. You can check and book cheap flight tickets to India on our website at any time.

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Today is World Environment Day, the day to take initiatives, drive campaigns and make promises to keep the world green for healthy living of the next generation. Green travel is one such a great step taken by most of today’s environment-conscious travelers and trippers. India is the ultimate destination for green travel in Asia. There are many green tourism hubs along the length and breadth of the country. Indian Eagle takes you through different ways of green travel in India.

The skyline of metro cities in India is getting chock-a-block with skyscrapers and flyovers. Environment activists have already started referring to tier I capital cities as concrete jungles. But, a few tier I and tier II Indian cities are blessed with greenery. There are Gandhinagar, Chandigarh, Nagpur, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Guwahati, Bhopal, Pune, Jamshedpur and Thiruvananthapuram. Bangalore, the Silicon Valley of India, is popularly known as the Garden City for its green landscape dotted with gardens, parks and lakes. The cityscape of Gandhinagar on the banks of the Sabarmati River is dotted with 33 lakh trees.

Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala with backwaters and beaches, is one of the greenest cities in the world. The lush green landscape of Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh, is dominated by 33 beautiful lakes. The city of lakes is located at the upper edge of the Vindhya mountain range. Built at the foot of the Shivalik mountain range, Chandigarh is known for its Rock Garden and Rose Garden. This union territory of India is not just best planned but the greenest city in the country. Jamshedpur, the Steel City of India in Jharkhand, is meticulously beautified with scenic greenery sprawling over lakes, parks and sanctuaries.

Green travel in India is synonymous with hill stations from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. South Indian hill stations are as green as North Indian hill stations are covered in snow. If you look down while flying over Kerala, it looks like a pool of green waves on the map of South India. It won’t be an exaggeration to call Kerala a state of hill stations considering the great number of hill stations there. Unlike the Himalayan towns and tourist destinations, the hill stations of Kerala and Tamil Nadu like Munnar, Ooty, Kodaikanal, Wayanad, and Idduki brim with green beauty throughout the year.

Darjeeling is the greenest of all hill stations in other states of India. The green belt of Darjeeling mainly consists of tea estates at the foothill of mountains. It becomes greener during monsoon. Mount Abu is the green paradise of Rajasthan in West India. It is an oasis of greenery in the sands of Rajasthan. There is a wildlife sanctuary too. Pachmarhi, the only hill station in Central India, is a laurel of green in the range of Satpura Mountains. Buzzing waterfalls and flower-carpeted meadows make Pachmarhi a must-visit destination for green travel.

The hill stations of Maharashtra are the natural hubs of greenery in monsoon and winter. Most of these green holiday tourist destinations are located between Mumbai and Pune in Maharashtra. Mahabaleshwar, Panchgani, Matheran, Khandala, Amboli, Lonavala and Dapoli are the most popular hills stations, far from the madding crowd. These less-frequented destinations boast of green sightseeing spots, breathtaking sunset points, beautiful lakes and mountains with rolling waves of green. Waterfalls in the Sahyadri Mountain range encircling some of the hill stations look like white streaks on a deep green canvas, from a distance.

If you are a diehard biker, take road trips to travel green in India. There are green routes, long and short, for scenic road trips in the Himalayan and coastal regions of India. A road trip from Mumbai to Goa along the west coast of the country is a journey into the green land. The same is true about the Bangalore to Goa route for road trippers. Road trips from Mumbai to Lonavala, Chennai to Kanyakumari, from Shillong to Cherrapunji, and from Dehradun to Nainital are like dives into a green sea.

If you are looking to travel green by trains, India is one of the best destinations in the world. The mountain railways of India promise a life-enriching green travel experience. A green journey on wheels running through forested areas, coastal regions, mountain terrains and steep plateaus is full of natural bliss. The Kalka Shimla Railway in Himachal Pradesh, the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway in West Bengal, the Nilgiri Mountain Railway in Tamil Nadu, and the Konkan Railway in the Western Ghats are the greenest routes offering the greenest glimpses of nature to green travelers.

Indian Eagle wishes you happy World Environment Day! We would like to conclude with a quote by Barack Obama, the US President: “Only when I saw the Earth from space, in all its ineffable beauty and fragility, did I realize that humankind’s most urgent task is to cherish and preserve it for future generations.”

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“A civilization is a heritage of beliefs, customs, and knowledge slowly accumulated in the course of centuries”. This famous quote by some historian is true about India, a civilization of heritage. It is the age-old monumental heritage that has eternalized the Indian civilization in the world history by inspiring generations to explore the art and culture of India. Most of the monuments including palaces and forts have not inched from their position despite the testing time has hurled blows to them over hundreds of years, but their invaders, captivators and rulers have faded into the wood. Indian Eagle salutes to the immortal heritage of India, on the World Heritage Day (April 14), with reference to some of the best and most celebrated monuments that Indians as well as NRIs are proud of.

The Taj Mahal, Agra

The one and only heritage that represents India in international tourism is the Taj Mahal of Agra, a living witness to the age-old Mughal History of India. Celebrated as an eternal memento of love, this mighty Mughal architecture is a symbol of peace, harmony and religious tolerance that India stands for. A flight to India, irrespective of the purpose, is incomplete without a glimpse of the Taj Mahal under the open sky washed by the bright sunrays or flooded by the soft moonbeams.

The Victoria Memorial, Kolkata

The Victoria Memorial, another wonder of white marble, is called the Taj Mahal of Bengal. Commissioned by Lord Curzon, the then Viceroy of British India, in the memory of Queen Victoria, the marvelous architecture is the most precious gem in the treasure of Kolkata. Located in the heart of the city, the Victoria Memorial keeps Kolkata’s colonial history alive against the ravaging flow of time. It has become a pride of Kolkatans through cultural evolutions over the years. Some of you might have exclaimed in joy, “Hey, it is my Kolkata”, to see the heritage in Pradeep Sarkar’s Parineeta starring Vidya Balan.

The India Gate, Delhi

The India Gate is not just another heritage of India. It is more than a brand icon and a historic landmark of New Delhi. The Indian Gate was built in the memory of thousands of unsung soldiers who Mother India lost in the First World War, the Northwest Frontier and the Third Afghan War. A sacred tribute to the heroism, bravery, fortitude and sacrifice that India has been known for in the annals of the world history, this war memorial has been seen as a venue of mass protest against socio-political injustices in a few Bollywood movies such as Rang De Basanti and No One Killed Jessica.

The Charminar, Hyderabad

The Charminar, a monumental architecture, is the most recognized Islamic heritage of Hyderabad. The construction of the monument coincided with the foundation of the city in 1591. Why Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah commissioned the construction of the Charminar is still shrouded in mysteries due to unanimous arguments of the historians. Though intermingled with the Islamic culture and history of the city, it has been losing its sheen. Surrounded by crowded bazaars on four sides and polluted by heavy vehicular traffic around, this pride of Hyderabad is no more a glory in contrast to the cosmopolitan cum cyber image of the city.

The Gwalior Fort, Gwalior

The Gwalior Fort, the heritage of Madhya Pradesh, is a colossal defensive structure consisting of beautiful palaces and temples inside. A most important figure in the history of Central India, the fort has been standing tall through the regimes of several rulers in Madhya Pradesh. It retells the age-old stories of the Pal Dynasty, the Pratihara Dynasty, the Tomar Dynasty, the Suri Dynasty, the Mughal Dynasty, the Rana Jat Dynasty and the Maratha Dynasty. The mighty being of the Gwalior Fort has been carrying the scars inflicted by the British during the repression of the Sepoy Mutiny (The Rebellion of 1857). Gurjari Mahal and Man Mandir are the greatest attractions of this architecture.

The Amba Vilas Palace, Mysore

Popularly known as the Palace of Mysore, the Amba Vilas Palace is one of the few heritage citadels which was demolished and rebuilt multiple times. Originally built in the 14th century, the Mysore Palace went through a series of renovations till 1912. The official residence of the Wodeyar Kings, the palace is synonymous with the majesty and royalty of Mysore in Karnataka. One of the most popular tourist destinations in South India, the Mysore Palace features the finest blend of the Hindu, Muslim and Gothic architectural styles. The illumination of the palace is the mightiest attraction of the Vijaya Dashami or Dusshera festival in Mysore.

We regret having not listed, here, the majestic palaces and historic forts of the Rajputana states which are among the best heritage of India.

However, the heritage tour of India requires several trips to Indian cities. No need to worry when IndianEagle.com offers the lowest airfare throughout the year!

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Pachmarhi is like a laurel of glory for Madhya Pradesh tourism. Encircled by the range of Satpura Mountains, Pachmarhi is the best hill station in Central India. Making it an ideal summer tourist destination is the beauty of nature in harmony with the diversity of geography. Buzzing waterfalls, mystic caves, scenic sunrise points, flower-carpeted meadows, echoing hills, and age-old rock paintings are some of the attractions of Pachmarhi, which never fail to enchant the senses. Serene Solitude or solitude of serenity is the most suitable phrase to define the ambience of Pachmarhi, which is a must visit to not just unwind but to fall in love with India as well. If you are not convinced, Indian Eagle reasons further why visit Pachmarhi…

Pandav Caves

Among the best tourist attractions of Pachmarhi Hill station is the Pandav Caves, which has mythological references to the Mahabharata, one of the greatest Indian epics. As per the archaeological evidences from around the caves, it is assumed to be one of the shelters for the Pandavas in the exile. Nagdwari, whose head Nagraj Vasu had married off his daughter to Arjuna, one of the five Pandava brothers, is about 15 km away from Pachmarhi. Nagdwari is famous for the Nagpanchami Fair. The caves are named after the Pandava brothers and their wife Draupadi.

Bade Mahadeo Cave

Bade Mahadeo Cave is a spot of pilgrimage lending an air of spirituality to the ambience of Pachmarhi. Over the years, the cave has become a legendary tourist attraction with a mythological belief that King Bhasmasur was killed by Lord Vishnu disguised as Mohini here. The 60-feet long cave houses the life-size idols of Vishnu, Brahma, Mahesh and Ganesha. The serpentine road to the cave is a green landscape dotted with trees and shrubs. The Shivalinga is enshrined in the interior of the cave. There is a holy kund (small water body) in the middle of the cave.

Bee Falls

The 150-feet Bee Falls is the most spectacular attraction of Pachmarhi. Known as Jamuna Prapat to the locals, the waterfall flows into a pool below and fills the surrounding with an overwhelming buzz. A bath under the natural shower of the fall and in the pool is an irresistible temptation. Youngsters can ride on adventure from the stream to Rajat Prapat, another bathing pool, through the Bee Falls. The beauty of the waterfall, a photographer’s delight, will never let you forget the Pachmarhi trip.

Dhoopgarh

The highest point in Pachmarhi, Dhoopgarh is located 4429 feet above the sea level. To be precise, it is the sunrise and sunset point at this hill station in Madhya Pradesh. Make sure to spend some time with your dear ones in the solitude of nature at Dhoopgarh when the sun is rising or setting in the backdrop. Photograph the beauty and feel the silent eloquence of the place, which is beyond verbal expression.

Apsara Vihar

Apsara Vihar is another must-see tourist attraction in Pachmarhi. Called ‘kund’ in the local language, Apsara Vihar is a small bathing pool at a distance about 13 km from the Pachmari Bus stand. The unseen glory of the place is a magic that works like a spell on the tourists. The water of the kund feels like enchanting the mind and the senses. Bathing in the pool is believed to be a holy practice.

If the cost of air travel holds you back from flying to Madhya Pradesh, book your trip at the lowest airfare on IndianEagle.com. The cheapest flight is guaranteed. Please, no more excuse!

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