Among the wandering monks of India, Swami Vivekananda is the first name that comes to the mind. The five years of his life on earth, from 1888 to 1893 was full of travels in search of truth, spirituality and a real India. He traveled as a Parivrajaka along the length and breadth of the country. He won the admiration of kings, felt for the suffering people, motivated the youth for a greater cause, studied many religious scriptures, visited many historic sites, gained knowledge, and visualized the future of India during his itinerary, which made a precious treasure of enlightenment for us. On the occasion of Swami Vivekananda’s birthday (January 12), we at Travel Beats, an overseas Indian community portal by Indian Eagle, offer a sneak peek into his historic and spiritual travels.

Varanasi, one of the holiest cities in India, was the first destination on his itinerary. In Varanasi, he came across the saints like Trailanga Swami, the authors like Bhudev Mukhopadhyay, and the Vedic scholars like Babu Pramadadas Mitra. From there, he made his way to Rishikesh through Ayodhya, Lucknow, Agra and Vrindavan. He interacted with and took favor from whoever came his way without caring their castes and creeds because he believed in non-duality of the soul. Some of those who were touched by his noble soul became his disciples and got initiated into service to the nation. Among them was Sharat Chandra Gupta, a railway station master in Haridwar, who came to be known as Swami Sadananda. Swamiji fondly called Sharat “the child of my spirit”.

Then, Swamiji spent days at Vaidyanath and Allahabad during his itinerary between 1889 and 1890. From Allahabad, he moved to Ghazipur where he got in touch with Pavhari Bana, a great sage. Pavhari Baba was known for his absolute knowledge of Advaita Vedanta. On meeting the sage, he felt blessed and referred to him as a great soul of bhakti and yoga in a letter to Pramadababu. In the first half of 1890, he took a break for the travel and returned to Baranagar Math in Kolkata (then Calcutta). After a short stay there, he left for a trip to the Himalayas in quest of truth. Swami Akhandananda accompanied him on the trip. After a visit to Nainital, Almora, Dehradun and Srinagar, Swamiji went to the Himalayas. Delhi was his destination by the end of January in 1891.

He visited the historical sites in and around Delhi. Then, his travel to Rajputana in west India began. This phase of the itinerary was so eventful that it constituted a big chapter of his biography. The first stopover in Rajputana was Alwar where he received a cordial welcome from both the Hindus and the Muslims. They were influenced by this wandering monk’s spiritual values and teachings. Swamiji was invited by Mangal Singh, the King of Alwar, who did not believe in the practice of idol worship because of his western outlook. A meeting with Swamiji changed his attitude towards the idol worship by the Hindus.

Swamiji’s Rajasthan travel was full of learning too. He studied Panini’s Ashtadhyayi under the tutelage of a Sanskrit Scholar in Jaipur. He visited the Dargah Sharif in Ajmer. His meeting with Ajit Singh, the King of Khetri in Mount Abu on June 4, 1891, is another important event. Out his interest in spirituality, the King became a follower of Swamiji and supported him in many ways. Swamiji studied Mahabhasya during his stay at Khetri and then, he went to Gujarat.

Limbdi, Ahmedabad, Junagadh, Kutch, Porbander, Dwaraka, Baroda, Palitana and Girnar were among his destinations in Gujarat. The Gujarat travel was full of enlightenment for him. He studied the Jain scriptures there. He got the idea of preaching Vedanta in the Western World from Thakur Saheb Jaswant Singh who he came across in Limbdi. Haridas Viharidas Desai, the Diwan of Junagadh, welcomed him as a respected guest. Impressed by his personality, the Diwan used to discuss on different topics with Swamiji till late at night. Swamiji immersed himself in philosophical studies during his nine-month long stay at Porbander. At Kathiawar in Gujarat, he got to know about the Parliament of the World’s Religions.

Then, he visited Mahabaleshwar and Pune. While traveling by train in Bombay in 1892, Swamiji happened to meet Bal Gangadhar Tilak, a Nationalist in the Freedom Movement of India. They spent a few days together in Pune. He moved to Panaji in Goa from Maharashtra, and studied the Christian theology at a convent in Goa.

In the second half of 1892, he journeyed to Bangalore, his first destination in South India. There, he met the Diwan of Mysore who described him as “a magnetic personality with a divine force”. Swamiji was introduced to Chamaraja Wodeyar, the then King of Mysore and welcomed cordially to the Palace. He was further introduced to the Diwan of Cochin. His travel continued till he reached the southernmost part of India, Kanyakumari, on foot through Trissur, Ernakulam, Trivandrum, and Nagercoil. The meditation on the future of India, at the Kanyakumari Rock, was the culmination of Swamiji’s spiritual journey at the end of 1892.

Having had the vision of an individual India, Swamiji traveled to Madurai, Rameswaram, Pondicherry and Madras (now Chennai) in the beginning of 1893. He met Ramnad Bhaskara Sethupathi, the then King of Madurai, who approached him with an urge to participate in the Parliament of Religions in Chicago. Swamiji won the admiration of whoever came in touch with him during the itinerary across Tamil Nadu. Most of them became disciples and responded to his call for renunciation in service to the nation. One of his most ardent disciples in South India was Alasinga Perumal who collected funds for Swamiji’s voyage to Chicago by going from door to door. Swami Vivekananda embarked on the historic voyage to America on May 31, 1893.

Swamiji’s travel continued from America to the rest of the world till the demise of his mortal body on July 4, 1902. However, the journey of this greatest Indian traveler is as ceaseless as the eternal flow of time. It is still on the go through the spread of his message, teachings, values and vision

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India is all set to run at a breakneck speed by adding a new bullet train from Delhi to Varanasi to its list of high speed trains including Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train which was announced last year. The second bullet train will cover the distance of 782 km between Delhi and Varanasi in only 2 hours 40 minutes.

Delhi to Varanasi, part of the Delhi-Kolkata corridor, is one of the busiest routes for pilgrimage and tourism in India. The proposed Delhi-Varanasi bullet train will pass through two popular tourist places: Agra and Lucknow. Varanasi is a most popular pilgrimage destination for Hindus and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Lok Sabha Constituency.

Currently, a high-speed bullet train from Delhi to Varanasi has been proposed. The feasibility of extending the Delhi-Varanasi high-speed rail corridor up to Kolkata is being studied by a Spanish firm. The firm will submit the report in November 2016. If the extension of the corridor up to Kolkata gets approved, the bullet train will reach Kolkata from Varanasi via Patna, Gaya, Asansol and Burdwan in 2 hours 16 minutes.

The bullet train from Delhi to Varanasi will reportedly cost about INR 43,000 crore while the entire Delhi-Kolkata stretch will cost around INR 84,000. India Railways has also proposed the idea of operating high-speed double-decker trains on this corridor.

The proposed bullet train will travel from Delhi to Kolkata in only 4 hours 56 minutes, which is a far cry from the Rajdhani Express’ 18-hour journey on the same route.

Travel Beats is a digital portal for Indians and NRIs by IndianEagle, a leading international travel organization. Travel Beats publishes interesting stories and news about the worldwide Indian Community in travel, culture, entertainment and lifestyle.

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National Geographic’s latest The Story of God with Morgan Freeman documentary series features Morgan Freeman, an eminent Hollywood actor, in quest of how the perception of God has changed over centuries. Morgan Freeman who played God in two feature films, Bruce Almighty and Evan Almighty, by Tom Shadyac takes a spiritual journey through seven countries including Turkey, Egypt, India and Mexico in The Story of God, a six-part series beginning Sunday.

It is National Geographic’s The Story of God documentary that brought him to India for a maiden visit to Gaya and Varanasi last year. He found the diversity in the life and culture of those two most popular destinations for pilgrimage so riveting that he would love to return to Incredible India to make a movie.

I would primarily like to go to India and make a movie. I’d like to be there for a while. Some time ago I had a great idea, a great movie idea. It wasn’t mine; it was someone else’s. It wasn’t well thought out, but it was a great idea and I would really like to do something like that in India. – Morgan Freeman

Both Varanasi and Bodh Gaya are part of National Geographic’s The Story of God with Morgan Freeman documentary. Bodh Gaya is the place where Prince Siddhartha was blessed with divine enlightenment and became Lord Buddha from a wandering monk in the Indian state of Bihar. Varanasi is “older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend, and looks twice as old as all of them put together,” in the words of Mark Twain. Varanasi is where the spiritual being of India lies.

India is a melting pot of myriad religions, beliefs, faiths, rituals, customs and traditions. Morgan Freeman found fascinating differences from place to place during his filmic pilgrimage to Bodh Gaya and Varanasi. Travel to India once in lifetime for an unforgettable experience. – IndianEagle

The Story of God with Morgan Freeman documentary series traces the evolution of religion and explores philosophies of the life, death and life after death cycle through the ruins of civilizations at iconic places in seven countries. Actor Morgan Freeman visited the Waiting Wall in Jerusalem, the Mayan Temples in Guatemala, the pyramids in Egypt, the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, the Bodhi Temple in Gaya, the Ghats of Varanasi and likes for shooting of the documentary by National Geographic.

Morgan Freeman in The Story of God is seen in meaningful conversations with priests, monks, swamis, lamas, rabbis and even scientists on the meaning of life, happenings after death, etc. Each of the episodes in the six-part series of the documentary shows a big picture of life, existence, death, life after death, humanity, spirituality, divinity, etc. He will be seen crawling inside an Egyptian pyramid in Sunday’s premiere on April 10. He will accompany the garland-draped corpses to cremation sites on the banks of the River Ganga in Varanasi in the next episodes.

National Geographic’s The Story of God with Morgan Freeman episodes seek to promote an understanding that religions such as Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, the Mayan faith and others unite us for good and great purposes, not divide us, by showing similarities among different faiths.

Check Varanasi Travel Infographic

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Other Details of New Luxury Trains in India

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

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

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

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Varanasi or Banaras is one of the oldest and holiest cities in the world. One of the most popular pilgrimage sites in India, Varanasi has intrigued foreigners for ages. Often called the Spiritual City of India, Varanasi finds mentions in the scriptures, epics and literature of India. Rabindranath Tagore’s novels – Chokher Bali and Naukadubi – refer to Varanasi as Kashi. Believed to be founded by Lord Shiva, one of the most revered Hindu deities, Varanasi is where Lord Buddha gave his first sermon, “The Setting in Motion of the Wheel of Dharma,” at nearby Sarnath. It is the birthplace of Kabir and Ravidas, the legendary figures of the Bhakti Movement. Guru Nanak founded Sikhism after his return from a trip to Varanasi in 1507.

The city was the center of cultural revival during the regime of Mughal Emperor Akbar. The Hindustani Classical Music owes its ‘Banaras Gharana’ form to this holy city. Varanasi houses India’s largest residential Banaras Hindu University, which evolved from the Center Hindu College, founded by Annie Besant from Bengal. Varanasi has age-old heritage of art and craft including silk cloth weaving, carpet weaving, silver work, ivory work, glass bangle making, etc. Aparajito, one of the films in Satyajit Ray’s Apu Trilogy, was shot on the ghats and in the lanes of Varanasi.

Winter, the best season to visit Varanasi, has arrived in India. Indian Eagle is up with an illustrative infographic on Varanasi Travel Guide sharing some tips on things to see and things to do in Varanasi India.

Varanasi is a must visit in lifetime. It is a city of many unheard stories and unknown tales. Mark Twain says, “Varanasi is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend, and looks twice as old as all of them put together.”

READ MORE Tips to Make Varanasi Travel Memorable

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The Ministry of Tourism India is planning to introduce luxury tourism on the Ganga River from Haridwar to Hooghly. The plan to initiate luxury tourism on water is part of the initiative to rejuvenate the riverfront of major cities including Haridwar, Allahabad, Varanasi, Kanpur, Patna and Kolkata. It is an ambitious venture to build sustainable tourism on international levels.

The Ganga River has been home to major pilgrimage spots, a haven of religious festivals, an inspiration for cultural initiatives and a resource for industries till date. Luxury cruises and floating hotels are going to be attractions of the Ganga River tourism for the first time, in India. The projects, once executed successfully, will generate multiple employment opportunities and impressive revenues for the Government of India.

Luxury river cruise tourism is a western trend that the Ministry of Tourism India is looking to cash in on. Thousands of foreign tourist arrivals to Haridwar, Varanasi and Kolkata happen every year. Short-distance cruise trips on the Ganga River between Varanasi and Patna will be like icing on cake for foreign tourists and NRIs in North India.

River cruise tourism is being designed with aquatic ecosystem and environment in view. Cruises will integrate modern facilities like bio-toilets to ensure sustainability of environment. Another highlight of the riverfront rejuvenation plan is introducing floating hotels. Sound & light and laser shows at Haridwar, Rishikesh and Varanasi will make stay at floating hotels on the river an absolute joy. These shows will introduce tourists to the history, culture and life of these Indian cities.

The riverfront of Rishikesh, Allahabad, Haridwar and Varanasi is mostly frequented for religious ceremonies and festivals including Ganga Dussehra Festival and Ganga Mahotsav Ceremony. The Ministry of Tourism has also proposed to make the information of these religious festivals available to tourists through the use of apps for mobile devices – smartphones and tablets. The information will be disseminated in three Indian languages – Hindi, Bengali and Gujarati, and in a few foreign languages.

The Ministry is also looking to mitigate concerns about such basic facilities as transport and accommodation for tourists in the riverfront cities. The transport systems will be improved. The bed and breakfast accommodation plan will be introduced to these cities. More, the Ministry will approach renowned religious institutions to hold yoga and meditation events on the banks of the Ganga River in order to align luxury tourism, divine tourism and wellness tourism.

Get cheap flight tickets to India and experience luxury, divine & wellness tourism on the sacred banks of the River Ganga. Only IndianEagle.com offers cheap air tickets from international airlines.

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The Ganga Aarti in the evening, people bathing in the river, sadhus chanting holy mantras, devotees offering prayers to the deities, ringing of bells in the temples, hands joint in supplication, heads bowed to the sun, boats sailing in the river and burning of dead bodies on the ghats – all these frames if combined together make a very familiar picture of Varanasi which is still intriguing, enigmatic and amazing. It is the same Varanasi whose age-old stories are passed through generations and which has fascinated people from different walks of life at home as well as abroad. Indian Eagle shares a list of the things to do in Varanasi to make your visit more memorable than the previous visits.

Riding a boat in the Ganges River is one of the must-do things in Varanasi. Sunrise and sunset are the best times of the day for a boat ride. You can best catch and click the glimpses of life on the ghats of Varanasi, from the boat sailing rhythmically in the river. The 180 degree panorama of the people busy performing different activities on the banks makes the boat ride a most delightful experience.

Visit to Varanasi is one of the best photography opportunities in India. Photographers find kicks in penetrating through the lanes and alleys of the city with their cameras. There are so many things and activities to click on that the memory of your camera may fall short of a complete album. The sightseeing of Varanasi along the banks of the Ganges River is a must-not miss for photography!

Join the devotees in morning or evening prayers to the sun, on the ghats. Prayers are offered to the rising sun and the setting sun. You may be an atheist, but if you stay away from the ghats during the ceremony, the ambience, the flamboyance, the vista, the vibe and the faith would be a great miss. Moreover, morning or evening is the best time to feel the spiritual bliss of Varanasi.

A passage through the lanes and alleys of Varanasi will help to rediscover the gastronome in you. Roaming in and around the city without eating the street food is simply impossible! The street food of Varanasi is as varied and delicious as that of Agra, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Indore and Lucknow. Let you taste buds have a twist with lassi, thandai, jalebi and kachori.

What to take home as a souvenir from Varanasi? What to buy in the markets of Varanasi? Though there are many things to purchase for religious or nonreligious purposes, Banarasi saree is a must buy. The Banarasi saree is famous all over India. It sells at a higher price in the bustling shopping area near the Vishwanath Temple. So make sure to get it at reasonable prices in any other market.

Don’t miss a visit to the cremation sites or burning ghats of Varanasi where you can experience a concrete picture of the Hindu philosophy of life and death on earth. Human corpses are ceremonially cremated on the Manikarnika Ghat and the Harishchandra Ghat in central Varanasi. According to the philosophy, if a person is cremated here after death, his body goes back to earth and the soul journeys to the heaven.

Ganga Dussehra and Ganga Mahotsav are the greatest and most spectacular festivals of Varanasi. The Ganga Dussehra Festival will commence on June 8 this year and continue for 10 days in Varanasi, Haridwar and Rishikesh. Check our previous post on the Ganga Dussehra Festival to know more.

IndianEagle.com not only encourages devotees to visit the divine destinations like Varanasi but also offers the cheapest flights tickets to India on all occasions.

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India has many reasons to fetch Indian Americans this summer. “Cozy Pilgrimage” in AC tourist trains is one of the reasons. We coined the phrase “Cozy Pilgrimage” because journey by an AC train through the diverse geography of India is an exclusive experience. Pilgrimage by a new AC tourist train to a few popular Hindu and Buddhist religious destinations in India and Nepal is worth flights from America.

Triveni Sangam in Allahabad

The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has proposed to run a pilgrimage special AC tourist train from May 11 this year. IRCTC has taken the move to lure both tourists and pilgrims equally. The train will journey from Chennai to Nepal through Ayodha, Allahabad, Varanasi, Pokhara, Kathmandu, Manakamana, Lumbini and Kushinagar. The tour is a round trip spanning from May 11 to May 23.

Pilgrims from Andhra Pradesh can board the train at Vijayawada and Warangal. The tour is a complete package including AC hotel accommodation for vegetarian food, night stay at different places, and AC buses for transfer and sightseeing. The travelers will be served exclusive vegetarian dishes both on board and off board. The AC train pilgrimage tour is available as a package in three different categories – “Luxury”, “Deluxe”, and “Comfort”.

The tour is a good opportunity for pilgrim cum tourists to take a holy bath at Triveni Sangam in Allahabad. They can visit the Vishwanath Temple and the Visalakshi Temple in Varanasi. A visit to the Pashupatinath Temple, the Swayambhunath Temple and the Budha Nilkantha Temple in Kathmandu is a great advantage of the itinerary. Moreover, the itinerary includes two precious destinations – Lumbini where Lord Buddha was born, and Kushinagar where he left his mortal body.

The train consists of four 1AC coaches, three 2AC coaches and one 3AC coach. Tours by this AC train can be booked online at Railtourismindia.com.

The lowest airfare is another reason to fly to India this summer. Log on to IndianEagle.com for cheap flight deals.

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Every religious festival is a celebration of the faith of the Indians in the Divine and the Supreme. Maha Shivaratri, one of the greatest Hindu festivals, is observed through ceremonious worshiping of Lord Shiva in the temples all over India. This festival is a spectacular celebration of reverence and devotion to Lord Shiva at the spots of pilgrimage in different parts of the country. IndianEagle takes you on a virtual pilgrimage to some of the best Shiva temples in India this Maha Shivaratri.

Somnath Temple, Gujarat

One of the best Shiv temples in India is Gujarat’s Somnath Temple. It is believed to be in existence from the era before the birth of some religions in the world. The Somnath Temple was the victim of several invasions by the Muslim rulers including the Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni. Despite its destruction, the temple was brought back to life by the Hindu Kings of Gujarat. It was reconstructed after the independence of India, the last time. The reconstruction was commissioned by Vallbhbhai Patel, the first Home Minister of India.

Kedarnath Temple, Uttarakhand

Kedarnath Temple is the most popular and frequented spot of pilgrimage in the Himalayan region of Uttarakhand. The region remains covered in snow and therefore inaccessible in winters. May to October is the best time to visit the temple and offer prayers to the Lord Shiva. When the Kedarnath Temple was founded is a legend associated with the mythical story of the Pandavas in the Mahabharata. The area around the temple is landscaped by hills which make the visit a thing of joy.

Lingaraj Temple, Bhubaneswar

A rare specimen of the Kalinga architecture in Bhubaneswar, the capital of Orissa, the Lingaraj Temple is one of the top 10 Shiva temples in the country. Believed to be built by the Ganga rulers of Kalinga which Orissa was known as, the temple is a historic spot of pilgrimage in the golden triangle of the state. Besides the main temple with the 180-ft tall tower where Lord Shiva is worshiped as Harihara, there are 50 shrines on the premise. Recognized by the Archaeological Survey of India, the Lingaraj Temple receives a whopping number of devotees during the Shivaratri Festival.

Ramanathaswamy Temple, Rameshwaram

Ramanathaswamy Temple of Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu is on the map of the Char Dham Yatra in India. One of the Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva in different parts of the country, this South Indian temple is visited by hundreds of thousands of pilgrims every year. The foundation of the temple is believed to date back to the pre-historic times of the Ramayana. It is said that Lord Rama had built the temple on the way back from the country of demons after his victory over the demon King Ravana. Rameshwaram because of its location on an island in the Bay of Bengal is full of visual treats.

Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Varanasi

One of the most revered twelve Jyotirling temples of Lord Shiva is the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi by the River Ganga. The holy ambience of the surrounding of the temple in the morning and the evening is like a magnet fetching crowds of devotees here. The spectacular Ganga aarati is the biggest draw of pilgrimage in Banaras. The three domes and the spire of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple are wrapped in sheets of pure gold.

Baidyanath Temple, Deogarh

Located in Deogarh in the state of Jharkhand, the Baidyanath Temple is popularly known as Baba Dham. Though visited by pilgrims throughout the year, the temple receives the biggest crowd of devotees in the months of rainy season or monsoon which means Shravan in Hindi. According to the Hindu Mythology, Deogarh is the place where Ravana the King of Demons worshipped Lord Shiva and offered his ten heads at His obedience to receive powerful boons from Him. The Baidyanath Temple is intermingled with the faith of North Indians in religion and divinity.

Mahakaleshwar Temple, Ujjain

Mahakaleshwar Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, has put Madhya Pradesh on the map of pilgrimage in India. It is located on the bank of the Raudra Sagar Lake in Ujjain, a historic city in Central India. Not only pilgrims but also historians visit the temple. Lord Shiva is worshipped in the lingam form here. In the Middle Ages, the Mahakaleshwar Temple was known as a treasure trove of gold and jewels which were looted by the then Sultani rulers.

Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple, Srisailam

Andhra Pradesh has its share of the fame for being the location of one of the twelve Jyotirling temples. The Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple in Srisailam is a scared spot of divinity for the Hindu pilgrims from the country over. The construction of the temple and the foundation of the Shiva Lingam are associated with a mythological story of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Srisailam is a hill station by the Krishna River whose beautiful panorama is a call of nature to photographers. It is the best visit in monsoon and winter.

The cheapest air ticket for flight to India is the opportunity for you to walk down the path of divine faith to these Shiva temples this Maha Shivaratri. First, click your way to IndianEagle.com.

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Today is World Tourism Day; the day which each of the countries on earth celebrates in common by launching infrastructural programs and announcing development plans. Tourism is an ever-evolving and thriving industry that contributes to the economic wellbeing of every nation and generates lakhs of employment opportunities in different niches – aviation, travel, hospitality and food. Tourism holds a mirror to the diversity of culture across geographies. Evidently, the day deserves a grand celebration the world over.

India is a booming travel and tourism market in Asia. Expected to be worth Rs. 95 billion by 2015, tourism is a vehicle of economic and employment growth in the country. The Union Ministry of Tourism has recently taken many initiatives to improve the travel and tourism infrastructure in every state of the country. Internationalization of Agartala and Imphal airports, cruise liner service across 17 beaches between Mumbai and Porbandar, the plan to transform “Khau gallis” into food hubs in Pune, the proposal for 17 new airports in small cities, visa on arrival facility, and “I respect women” badge for Indian tourism personnel are some of the most remarkable initiatives.

Today, India celebrated World Tourism Day in different places and different ways. Indian Eagle holds a composite picture of the celebration that swept across the country.

Coimbatore

The Tourism Department of Karnataka in collaboration with the Nilgiris District Administration celebrated World Tourism Day by welcoming the tourists on visit to Ooty, one of the best hill stations in the state, with flowers and sweets. Several groups of local college students, tour operators and tourist guides greeted domestic as well as foreign tourists in a traditional way. Their act of cleaning Ooty Lake is a good effort to make tourists aware of the need to keep tourist spots clean.

Varanasi

Varanasi joined the nationwide celebration of World Tourism Day by conveying a hearty welcome to tourists in the city. The Tourist Department of Uttar Pradesh in collaboration with several academic institutions offered a taste of Indian hospitality to domestic and foreign tourists at different spots in the holy city. The students of Banaras Hindu University, Institute of Tourism Studies, and History of Art and Tourism Administration participated in the program, on this occasion.

Mumbai

The Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation which recently hit headlines for Diwali celebration at Times Square in New York City this 22nd September organized surprise welcome for tourists in Mumbai. As a mark of the World Tourism Day celebration, the tourists from across the globe were offered free entry to the water park in Karla. The gifting of souvenirs to the guests staying in the MTDC resorts made the celebration memorable. Moreover, the State Tourism Department announced the launch of a tourism photography and videography competition in Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur and other prime cities. A whopping cash prize of 39,000 rupees will be given to the winners in different categories of the competition.

Jaipur

The Tourism Government of Rajasthan celebrated World Tourism Day in the capital city Jaipur, with a unique mission in the public eye. “Prevent Terrorism & Promote Tourism” has been the theme of the celebration this year. According to the Tourist Guides Association of Jaipur, terrorism is the bane of tourism in the country, and it will conduct some programs in association with the Union Ministry of Tourism, to get the voice in support of tourism and in protest against terrorism heart all over the state. “Ballet on Kargil”, a program on patriotism and a lecture on the history of Jaipur added to the celebration.

Kolkata

The Government of West Bengal observed World Tourism Day with cheers at Digha, a seaside destination accessible from Kolkata. The lamps were lit and a dove was released to inaugurate the celebration. The visitors from Kolkata were greeted with rose buds and received wholeheartedly. Musical programs were held to entertain the crowd. The attending government officials announced to launch new adventure sports at Digha and other seaside destinations.

Hyderabad

The State Government of Andhra Pradesh has organized a special travel and tourism exhibition in order to celebrate World Tourism Day in the capital Hyderabad. The exhibition kicked off today and will run for the next two days. The tourism units of other states including Karnataka, Goa, Pondicherry and others have joined the exhibition.

The celebration was a glittering ceremony in other cities of India such as Goa, Ahmedabad, Imphal, Indore and Bengaluru, too. On World Tourism Day, we would like to share with you one of our favorite travel quotes by Mark Twain:

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

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