India is eyeing on counting global tourist arrivals not less than 20 million by the end of 2020, and the ministry of tourism is all set to do the needful in order to achieve the target. Redevelopment of Amritsar Railway Station in Punjab as an airport-like infrastructure, proposed at the very onset of 2020, is the latest move towards the direction to accomplishing India’s tourism vision and mission.

Good news for pilgrims, tourists and NRIs! The railway station of Amritsar, one of the gateways to the Golden Temple and popular tourist places in Punjab, has been selected for redevelopment on the lines of an airport. The station will be an interface between modern world-class infrastructure and traditional Sikh architecture.

The Amritsar Railway Station redevelopment is a public private partnership venture that is expected to cost INR 300 crore. Upon completion of the project, the station will spread over an approximate area of 10, 76,464 square meters. A lotus pond supported with columns resembling lotus stems, is the most anticipated hallmark of the traditional Sikh architecture, at the grand entrance to the station premises.

The entry to the railway station of Amritsar will be through a sprawling concourse where there will be contemporary sitting arrangements for hundreds of the waiting passengers. There will be adequate provisions for hassle-free entry to and exit from the station. An area of 22,240 square meters will be redeveloped for those provisions.

The second entry to the station will provide travelers a direct route to reach the Golden Temple and the Jallianwalla Bagh memorial – the two most popular tourist attractions of Amritsar. A separate, world-class foot over bridge will be the exit point of Amritsar Railway Station post redevelopment. Similar to an airport, there will be different zones for both the departing and arriving travelers. An area of 5000 square meters has been earmarked for two foot over bridges.

Plans are underway to make the facilities of Amritsar Railway Station accessible to the disabled and passengers with difficulty movement. The station, once redeveloped, will have the makings of a green building. Easy-to-understand signage will mark the ways to different amenities and facilities across the station. The Amritsar station redevelopment will be designed in such a way so as to let adequate natural light in.

A single roof will be laid over all the platforms of the station to make sure that a comfortable ambiance prevails throughout the premises. Nagpur in Maharashtra, Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, and Sabarmati in Gujarat are the other three Indian railway stations selected for redevelopment.

Amritsar International Airport is only 12 km from Amritsar Railway Station. Indian airlines including Spicejet, IndiGo and Air Vistara are connecting Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee Airport of Amritsar with such international airlines as Emirates, Etihad Airways, British Airways, Lufthansa, and Singapore Airlines through codesharing.

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The Independence Day of India (August 15) is the day to recall sacrifices by the freedom fighters that made evergreen history for generations. The map of India is dotted with multiple sights and spots of freedom struggle as the freedom movement had spread like wild fire across the country. Some of our customers who are flying to India in the second week of August this year approached us with a request to recommend the best places to visit on Independence Day in India. Indian Eagle picks up the following:

Cellular Jail, the Andamans

The Cellular Jail in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands tops the list of the places to visit on the Independence Day of India. It is a living witness to the brutal treatment of the freedom fighters behind the bars. The Cellular Jail reminds generations of the solitary confinement that the heroes of the National Freedom Movement were sentenced to suffer for years during the colonial rule. An important chapter in the history of British India, the Cellular Jail was declared a national memorial in 1969. On display are the sculptures silently retelling the stories of atrocity that the prison inmates were subjected to.

Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar

Jallianwala Bagh is a must visit in Punjab. Located near the Golden Temple, it is the site where General Dyer shed the blood of thousands who had assembled for a meeting in protest against the Rowlatt Act in 1919. The massacre of 1919 which Jallianwala Bagh has been bearing witness to in form of bullet marks on inside of the wall is one of the most condemnable British acts during the colonial times of India. Jallianwala Bagh is a must stop during Punjab travel at any time of the year.

Indian Coffee House, Kolkata

If you are in Kolkata this Independence Day, do visit Coffee House nearby Presidency University on College Street, have a cup of brewing coffee, and take a walk down the memory lane to the bygone decades when the College Street Coffee House used to be a hotbed of debates on politics, art, music, cinema and culture in the then Calcutta. A favorite haunt of the elite, the literati, and intellectuals of Bengal, including Satyajit Ray, Amartya Sen, Mrinal Sen, Ritwik Ghatak, Samaresh Majumdar, Sunil Ganguly and likes, Coffee House was also frequented by the then political revolutionaries. In the post-independence era, Kolkatas College Street Coffee House witnessed to several mass agitations and movements in the changing socio-political landscape of Bengal. Integral to the cultural history of Bengal, Indian Coffee House in Kolkata is one of the best places to visit on the Independence Day of India.

Also Check: Proposed Museum on History of College Street and Coffee House

Sabarmati Gandhi Ashram

The Sabarmati Ashram was Mahatma Gandhijis workplace for social activism and his activities for National Freedom Movement. He spent 12 years of his life here. The ashram is the place where Satyagraha, Civil Disobedience Movement and Swadeshi Movement had gathered momentum at. Situated on the bank of the Sabarmati River, the ashram is one of the best places to visit in Ahmedabad.Gandhijis Dandi March to disobey the Salt Act implemented by the British began from the ashram in 1930. The Sabarmati Ashram introduces visitors to Gandhijis values, philosophy, vision and support for self-reliance.

India Gate, New Delhi

The India Gate, one of the most popular Delhi attractions, is not just a monumental architecture but also a war memorial. Also known as the All India War Memorial, the India Gate has been carrying the names of nearly 70, 000 soldiers who fought and died in the First World War, and the names of some 12, 516 Indian soldiers who embraced martyrdom on the North-west Frontier. Designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, the India Gate and the Flame of the Immortal Soldier under the archway stand for the martyrs of India. It is a must see during Independence Day celebrations on August 15.

Santi Institute Library, Kolkata

A most significant among the age-old, red-brick buildings in Kolkatas Bowbazar is the Santi Institute. The 100-year-old building of the Santi Institute is not just an iconic library of 41000 books of various genres but also a lesser-known historical place. Founded as a haven of peaceful reading after the First World War, the library was started with just 27 books and 21 young members. Gradually, it grew into a hub of stimulating discussions and animated debates among the then liberals, revolutionaries and freedom fighters. A favorite of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, the Santi Institute Library in Bowbazar was also frequented by Bipin Behari Ganguli, Surendranath Banerjee, the educationist Triguna Sen, the historian Ramesh Chandra Majumdar, and the the famous lawyer Radhabinod Pal.

Agra Fort, Agra

The Agra Fort, an integral part of the Mughal history of India, is associated with the history of British India as well. One of the world heritage sites recognized by UNESCO, the Agra Fort was the site of the Indian Rebellion of 1857. Also known as the Sepoy Mutiny, it was the first seed of the National Freedom Movement. Located by the Yamuna River, the fort features a unique blend of Hindu and Islamic styles in construction as well as design.

Netaji Bhawan, Kolkata

Netaji Bhawan or Netaji Shubhash Chandra Boses residence in Kolkata City is among the places that remind of British India, freedom fighters and national movement. It is the place where he was put under house arrest and where he escaped from to Berlin in 1941. A part of Netajis life, struggle and mission for freedom of India, the house has got a museum and a library today.

Viceregal Lodge, Shimla

Viceregal Lodge, a splendid English Renaissance architecture of colonial times in India, is not just a tourist attraction of Shimla but also a historic place. Viceregal Lodge was the summer residence of Lord Dufferin, the Viceroy of British India, and the place where discussions on the most fateful India-Pakistan partition were held. Also known as Rashtrapati Niwas, this colossal landmark in Shimla houses a museum exhibiting some stories of Indian freedom movement.

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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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Needless to say, India earned freedom at the expense of numerous sacrifices which incurred overwhelming loss and inflicted incurable pain to its people. The biggest sacrifice that Mother India made was giving up a part of her being, which is an independent nation today. The partition of India in 1947, one of the greatest migrations in the history of mankind, left millions of wounds behind in time warp on both sides of the border. The horrors and ordeals of the partition are timeless bitter memories which are being preserved in different shapes and formats, abstract and concrete, by India’s Partition Museum in Amritsar.

The first of its kind in India, the Partition Museum showcases rare exhibits of the undivided colonial India, including personal artifacts of the survivors of the 1947 partition. The recorded oral stories and experiences of those who lived through the pains during and after the partition are on display in the museum. A belated tribute to the victims of the bloodiest migration of the 20^th century, it helps memorialize what continues to shape India, what schoolbooks are devoid of, and what Indian millennials are unaware of.

Founded by the Arts and Cultural Heritage Trust, the Partition Museum of India is the first such museum in the world. A must-visit tourist place in Punjab, the museum is part of the recently inaugurated Heritage Street from the Golden Temple to the Town Hall in Amritsar. The first phase of the museum opened to the public in October 2016. The second and last phase will be completed before August 15, 2017 and inaugurated on the occasion of the 70^th year of the 1947 Partition.

Punjab and Bengal were the worst victims of the partition and the epicenters of violence. These two states suffered major blows of violence, atrocity, hunger and disease after the line of division was sketched on the map of undivided India. The museum’s collection of personal articles, which forms the legacy of a bygone era, is mostly from Bengal and Punjab. That’s why the Partition Museum in Punjab is being touted as a people’s museum and a physical memorial.

The Partition Museum of India portrays intimate stories of loss, separation, bereavement, pain, rootlessness and existential crisis through its collection of exhibits. For instance, two articles in the collection belong to a betrothed couple who got separated in the turmoil of the partition. Accidentally, they found each other in a refugee camp in Amritsar. They tied their nuptial knot in 1948. In another instance, a Punjabi businessman’s wife and daughter narrowly escaped the violence in Peshwar (in Pakistan) and reached a refugees camp for Hindus and Sikhs. The only things they managed to keep with them were wedding jewelry and a radio. The radio is on display at the Partition Museum in Amritsar.

The stories of dismay, distress, disappointment, and depression in the refugee camps on both sides of the border have also found eloquence in paintings at the museum. The paintings by artist Sardari Lal Parasher, one of the survivors and a camp commander at one of the refugee camps, have brought those unheard stories alive. His sketches depict the gloom and melancholy he had experienced at the camp.

The Partition Museum of India offers inspirational stories of bravery and courage alongside the heart-rending stories of partition. The Gallery of Hope at the museum tells the stories of those who survived the onslaughts of partition and rebuilt their fortune almost out of nothing in the post-independence era. One such inspiring story of bravery is that of the Manjul Family that gritted their teeth to survive with a small bicycle business and ended up establishing Hero Honda, a reputed motorcycle brand in India, after having left everything behind in Pakistan.

Among the tourist attractions of Punjab, Amritsar’s Partition Museum is undoubtedly next to the Jallianwala Bagh Memorial in terms of historical significance. This museum of memories, some painful while some inspiring, will be continuing to make the next generations learn what Mother India and her children went through before, during and after the partition in 1947.

Travel Beats is a digital publication for Indian Diaspora by Indian Eagle, a trusted travel partner of Indians in USA. Indian Eagle books flight tickets to India from USA at the best prices. The best deals for flights to Delhi, Amritsar and other Indian cities are available at Indian Eagle.

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What 2017 has in store for you or us can only be guessed. But the New Year is certainly a promising one for Indian teen golfer Aadil Bedi from Chandigarh. Aadil is eagerly waiting to welcome 2017 as he is all set to play in three golf world cups in the United States. He has already qualified for the IMG World Cup in San Diego, the World Star of Junior Golf in Las Vegas, and the Optimist International in Florida. All these tournaments will be held in 2017.

The upcoming travel to USA for the golf world cups is not Aadil Bedi’s first experience. He has already got into an international tryst with golfing. He made two national wins: the Northern India Junior Golf Championship, and the Karnataka Junior Golf Championship. In 2011, he achieved the first ranking in D Category of Indian Golf Union (10 years and under), and got the sixth position in the 2016 Optimist International in Florida.

Not many people know that Aadil Bedi started playing golf at the very tender age of 4. He made his first visit to USA for the Junior World Cup in San Diego in 2010 when he was only 9. It was his first tournament in the US, and he ranked 18th. He was very thin then. His physique was not as strong and sturdy as American golf players of his age. That’s when he realized how different it was playing in India than playing in USA. It made him feel that he was nowhere close to winning an international golf tournament.

It is more competitive to win in the US than in India. Each and every state has its own teen golfers in USA, and the best are selected from them. Even aspiring golfers from China and Japan undergo training in the US itself. 130-150 players are there from 35 nations. Only top two players qualify from each of the countries. I have traveled to USA five times till date. – Aadil Bedi

Indian teen golfer Aadil Bedi from Punjab opines that the United States has better golf courses than India does have. There are various types of golf courses, including windy golf courses, style golf courses and courses near the sea with very high-quality grass. The golf courses are professionally maintained in the US. American golfers are very aggressive and sincere, according to him. Especially those who are 15 are fit and fierce. They undergo very scientific training throughout the year. However, “golfers in the US are not very friendly,” he says.

Among the young Indians, Aadil Bedi is a child prodigy with golfing in his blood. He inherited it from his father and maternal uncles who are golfers too. He was fond of cricket before he was fond of cricket before he was initiated into golfing. He got his first golf clubs from the US. Initially, he used to practice with his father, who he says, is a consummate golfer. Tiger Woods and Jeev Milkha are his idols in sports.

Golfer Aadil Bedi is indebted to his parents for the making of his career in golf and their support in all possible ways. His parents have sold almost half of their property to provide for his coaching in USA, participation in Indian tournaments, golfing equipment and intensive diet. Dr. Bob Byman, his coach in Las Vegas, charges $400 per hour. One trip to the US costs approximately $10,000 – $12,000. Even playing 10 to 11 golf tournaments in India, costs INR 5 to 6 lakhs a year. There is a separate budget for his diet and training in India.

In addition to the upcoming world cup golf tournaments in USA, Aadil is looking forward to the Asian Games and the Youth Olympics. Once he becomes pro, his destination will be the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. Youth Olympics 2018 is one of his targets in the near future.

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Indian American students are bringing accolades to their community by shining bright in the field of education. Sharon Nat from Santa Monica College in California is one of them. She is traveling to India to study Punjabi while more and more Indian students choose to pursue higher studies in the United States.

Sharon Nat, an Indian American undergraduate, has received a US Department of State Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) to study Punjabi in Chandigarh, a union territory and capital city in India.

She is one of the 560 students selected from over 200 colleges and universities across USA for the cultural immersion program. It is an all-expenses-paid linguistic program sponsored by the US government to encourage more and more American students to become proficient in the foreign languages which are critical to the socio-political affairs of the nation.

Sharon will be accompanied by 12 other students selected from USA to study Punjabi at the American Institute of Indian Studies Chandigarh Language Center. The rest of the 560 students will be studying various foreign languages like Arabic, Chinese, Punjabi, Persian, Swahili, etc. for 8 to 10 weeks at 24 locations across the world.

Born to an Indian-Punjabi father and Mexican-American mother, Sharon Nat grew up learning Punjabi but she could not master the language in speaking, writing and reading after the sudden demise of her father. She gradually lost her grip on Punjabi language due to distance from her Indian relatives.

The US Department of State Critical Language Scholarship is an incredible opportunity for her to visit India and revive her tryst with Punjabi in Chandigarh. She will meet her relatives in India.

On being asked what she felt about the opportunity to learn Punjabi, she exclaimed in joy and said, “I want to be a psychologist, to work with people who speak English, Punjabi and Spanish. It is necessary for a psychologist to understand the psyche of people and know what they are going through. I need to speak and know the language to connect with them.”

Travel Beats is a digital news portal for Indian Diaspora by IndianEagle, a leading international organization booking trips to India for Indians in USA. Subscribe to Travel Beats for the latest updates from USA and India.

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Since the first trailer of Disney’s The Jungle Book hit the Internet on February 7, Mowgli who is the only human character among various species of animals in Rudyard Kipling’s classic tale has been lavished with attention from all around. The surging mass interest in the character of Mowgli is because of Neel Sethi, an Indian-American boy in New York City, who is playing Mowgli in Disney’s The Jungle Book.

‘Who is Neel Sethi in The Jungle Book?’ has been trending on social media. He is an 11-year-old elementary school student of Indian origin from the state of Punjab in India. His Indian American parents are settled in New York. Disney’s The Jungle Book is Neel Sethi’s debut into acting on celluloid. He is the only human actor to work in this Hollywood film. The other characters are computer-generated graphics figures with voiceover.

‘How did casting of Neel Sethi in The Jungle Book happen?’ is a story. This New York based Indian-American boy was selected from among thousands of contestants for the role of Mowgli during auditions in the United States, the UK, Canada and New Zealand. Director John Favreau is confident about the casting and sanguine about the success of Neel Sethi as Mowgli in The Jungle Book.

In one of his recent interviews during the promotion of Disney’s The Jungle Book in India, Neel Sethi said that he had been to India from USA five times. He shared that he is fond of actress Priyanka Chopra who has voiced one of the animal characters in the Hindi version of film and that his favorite is pani puri from the street food of India.

Both director and casting director are eloquent in praise of Neel Sethi’s talent, attitude, positivity, intelligence and charisma. According to casting director Sarah Finn, he is warm, accessible, and mature beyond his years. He is a show stealer in the entire production unit of the film.

Neel Sethi has no experience in professional acting. But his inherent talent, passion for acting, and natural charisma best complement it for the role of Mowgli in The Jungle Book. – Sarah Finn

The trailer of Disney’s The Jungle Book opens with a ‘chase’ scene featuring Neel Sethi as Mowgli on the run and a black panther behind him. The Black Panther Bagheera is another important character in the film. The Oscar-winning actor Sir Ben Kingsley, who played Mahatma Gandhi in the film Gandhi (1982), has lent his voice to Bagheera.

Scarlett Johnson, Bill Murray, Idris Elba, Christopher Walken and Lupita Nyong did voiceovers for other animal characters in Disney’s The Jungle Book. According to director John Favreau, Neel has become a favorite of these Hollywood artists.

Walt Disney’s The Jungle Book is an upcoming American 3D animation film on Mowgli’s adventure in an Indian jungle. It is an advanced remake of the 1967 film on the book of the same name by Rudyard Kipling, an India-born Nobel Laureate in English literature.

The release of the film is scheduled on April 15 in the United States. The world has been waiting to see Neel Sethi in The Jungle Book as Rudyard Kipling’s most popular character Mowgli.

20-year-old Indian American singer Sonika Vaid has impressed the judges of American Idol 2016 with her soulful voice, among the finalists. She has been hailed as the most potential winner of this season. Read more about Sonika Vaid. – IndianEagle

Travel Beats is a fast-growing news portal for NRIs by IndianEagle, a leading international travel booking organization. It publishes interesting stories about Indian diaspora, India, USA, Canada, aviation and tourism.

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The wealth of India was the envy of many in the bygone eras. That is why the Arabs, the Turks, and the Afghans invaded and looted the treasures of kingdoms in different provinces of India. The most of Indian history comprises the stories of invasions and wars, which changed the fate of many, even that of Koh-i-Noor. The most coveted diamond of all times, Koh-i-Noor traveled from the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh to London through several dynasties including the Kakatiya, the Khilji, the Mughal, the Afghans and the British over a long span of time. The dazzling beauty of this rare diamond was so irresistible that it enslaved the senses of mighty emperors and kings. This infographic by Indian Eagle depicts the eventful journey of Koh-i-Noor from a mine in India to the Tower of London, on Travel Beats.

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Indian Eagle is a USA based leading international travel organization inspiring tourists to travel and explore India at the lowest airfare from major USA cities throughout the year. 

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Unsurprisingly, the calendar of India for the month of April is full of festivals, most of which fall in the religious and agricultural categories. In April, the list of Indian festivals begins with Mahavir Jayanti, the birth anniversary of Lord Mahavir, and ends with Mohini Ekadashi. Mahavir Jayanti, Hanuman Jayanti, Good Friday, Easter and Ganga Saptami are the religious festivals of India in April, whereas Baisakhi and Bohag Bihu are harvest festivals. India also celebrates World Heritage Day, World Book Day, Ambedkar Jayanti, and Jallianwala Bagh Day outside the religious category this month. Thus the festivals of India in April 2015 collectively bear out to the country’s cultural diversity. Indian Eagle gives a brief picture of the major Indian festivals in April through this infographic:

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Diversity is the only word that best describes the geography, demography, culture and festivals of India. Let a festival come, and you will see the diverse ways of celebration in different parts of the country. Diwali and Holi apart, Makar Sankranti is the festival that Indians celebrate in different names and different fashions. Everything from delicacies to rituals reflects the diversity of India on the occasion of Makar Sankranti, which has different names such as Pongal, Bihu, Uttarayan, and Lohri across the country. Indian Eagle takes on the culinary diversity of Makar Sankranti celebration in India.

Til Ke Ladoo

Til or sesame is one of the main harvests of winter season all over India. Til ke Ladoo is a traditional flavor of Makar Sankranti that most of Indian households are identified with this time. It is made from a mix of til and jaggery. It is said that those who eat til ke ladoos speak sweet words.

Sakkarai Pongal

South India celebrates Pongal Festival on the day of Makar Sankranti. Sweetening mouths and treating guests with Sakkarai Pongal is unique to the way Pongal is celebrated in South Indian states – Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Jaggery and rice are the main ingredients of this traditional Indian sweetmeat.

Jaggery Roti

There is another Maharashtrian delicacy prepared and consumed on the occasion of Makar Sankranti. It is Gulachi Poli or Jaggery Roti stuffed with a mix of jaggery and gram flour. It is prepared like flat bread roasted in pure ghee.

Til Chikki

When it comes to celebrating Makar Sankranti with platefuls of sweets, Gujarat has its own variety. Til Chikki (a sweet of sesame seeds, peanuts and jaggery) is the Gujarati version of the Makar Sankranti delicacy.

Kurmure Chikki

Maharashtra has its own traditional sweet delicacies to boast of during Makar Sankranti. Kurmure Chikki is the Makar Sankranti special Maharashtrian dish. This delicacy is a blend of puffed rice and jaggery. It is an auspicious custom for the people of Maharashtra to prepare Kurmure Chikki.

Til Pitha

If the focus is turned to the Makar Sankranti celebration in Northeast India, Assam is present on the traditional culinary map. The Assamese are known for their gastronomic preparation that is Til Pitha, a pancake made of rice and til mixed with jaggery.

Patishapta Pitha

India owes its most delicious Makar Sankranti sweetmeats to Bengalis. Makar Sankranti is known as Pous Sankranti in West Bengal where multiple ingredients including milk, rice, khoya, coconut, date palm jaggery, dried fruits, rose water and rose petals are used to make varieties of Pitha and Patishapta. Puli Pitha is a sweet dumpling dipped in creamy milk syrup, while Patishapta is stuffed with different fillings.

Rewari 

Rewari is a most popular Makar Sankranti dish in Punjab and Rajasthan. Especially Punjabis are much fond of this delicacy. Unlike the Makar Sankranti sweets in the rest of India, Rewari is a hard candy type.

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