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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The Jodhpur Flamenco and Gypsy Festival is held at the Mehrangarh Fort in Rajasthan every year. The festival celebrates the music culture of the gypsy of Rajasthan by bringing alive their folk songs and dance on stage. This 3-day musical extravaganza in collaboration with the gypsy men and women of Rajasthan will commence on April 3 in 2019. It has lent a new lease of life to the gypsy culture of the desert. On Travel Beats, Indian Eagle explores the most interesting facts about the gypsy culture of Rajasthan in this article.

The gypsy tribe of Rajasthan is one of the nomad or vagabond communities in India. The origin of the tribe dates several centuries back. The people of this Rajasthani tribe belong to the lowest step of the socio-cultural and socio-economic ladder. They live a nomadic life and travel like a caravan from place to place. There is no permanent residence for them. They sleep under the open sky some times and in the shade of trees at times.

The Bopa and the Kalbeliya are two surviving groups of the gypsy tribe. The Bopa is a group of musicians and singers, whereas the Kalbeliya is a group of dancers and snake charmers. In the royal era of India, the kings of Rajasthan used to admire and patronize the people of the Bopa and the Kalbeliya for their performing arts. The musicians, singers and dancers of these two gypsy groups were often hired for entertainment on festive occasions in the royal families.

With the disappearance of royalty from Rajasthan, these tribal people have stooped to utter poverty. They have lost patronage and consequently, their traditional and decent livelihood that is live performance for entertainment at majestic palaces as well as forts. Today, they are street performers on the move. They perform to entertain a common lot, not a royal audience, in the fairs and festivals of Rajasthan. That is why the gypsy men and women of the Bopa and the Kalbeliya have become a common face of Pushkar Camel Fair in the sands of Rajasthan.

INFOGRAPHIC  The Story of Chittorgarh Fort

The Kalbeliya has many female dancers who perform and entertain on any occasion of joy in their community. Dancing is unique to their socio-cultural identity. Once a matter of cultural pride and recognition of the communal identity, dancing helps the Kalbeliya women make their ends meet. The Kalbeliya men became snake charmers for the sake of survival in the changing socio-economic scenario.

The swirling moves that gypsy women make while dancing resemble to the movements of snakes. The serpentine style of their dance is sensuous at times. They gracefully spin around themselves putting the entire body weight on their ankles. The way the gypsy women of Rajasthan are dressed is a kaleidoscopic magic of embroidery in different hues. Their red, black, yellow and orange outfits camouflage with the colorful milieu of Rajasthan. They are often referred to as queens of the desert.

READ  The Haunting Stories of the Haunted Fort

The gypsy men are accomplished masters of folk music. They have genetically inherited the art of playing different musical instruments including dholak, been, khanjari, pungi, morchang, and khuralio. The been is played to enchant and tame snacks. The khanjari is a percussion instrument, and the pungi is a woodwind instrument. The women perform in rhythm of the music produced by the men. The harmony of their performances is amazing!

The gypsy men are no less wonderful than their counterparts in look and appearance. They cover their heads with colorful turbans, which steal the show even from a distance. The piece of the garment that they wear on the upper part of the body is richly embroidered and embellished with delicate mirror work. Both men and women of the gypsy tribe wear plain silver jewellery.

The theme of the Kalbelia songs is inspired by the stories from the folklore of Rajasthan. Some in the gypsy tribe are blessed with the rare talent of composing lyrics for songs. The gypsy music passes through generations like an art of inheritance. In 2010, the UNESCO incorporated the folk songs and dance forms of Rajasthan from the Bopa and the Kalbeliya into its Intangible Heritage List.

A majority of the gypsy population in Ajmer, Chittorgarh and Udaipur belongs to the untouchable caste, which keeps them off from the mainstream society. The Satiyaa group of the gypsy men and women from Rajasthan celebrates death and mourns birth, contrary to the normal system of society. The death of any family member calls for celebration among these gypsies of Rajasthan. A procession of dancers, singers and drummers is organized to take the dead to the funeral ground for crematorium.

About Indian Eagle

Indian Eagle is a USA based leading international travel organization inspiring tourists to explore India and booking their flights at the lowest airfare. Book cheap air tickets to India to explore India’s cultural diversity and offbeat attractions.    

The post Rajasthan’s Gypsy Tribe: Interesting Facts about Kalbeliya Music and Dance appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

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.