Thursday, May 19, 2011

List of major & important Hindu festivals in 2011 from January to December




January 2011
Makar Sankranti – 14th January, 2011 - (15th January in western and eastern parts of India)
Pongal – 15th January, 2011
Thai Pusam – January 20, 2011

February 2011
Vasant Panchami – Saraswati Puja – February 8, 2011

March 2011
Shivratri – 3rd March, 2011
Holi – March 20th, 2011

April 2011
Ugadi (New Year in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh) – April 4th, 2011
Gudi Padva – April 4th, 2011
Chaitra Navratri Begins - April 4th, 2011
Cheti Chand - April 5, 2011
Ram Navami – 12th April, 2011
Chithirai 1 (Tamil New Year) – 14th April, 2011
Vishu (Kerala) – 15th April, 2011
New Year in Bengal and Assam – 15th April, 2011
Hanuman Jayanti – 18th April, 2011

May 2011
Akshaya Tritiya – 6th May, 2011
Narasimha Jayanti – 16th May, 2011

June 2011
Puri Rath Yatra – 3 July, 2011
July 2011
Vyas Purnima, Guru Purnima – 15th July, 2011

August 2011
Raksha Bandan – 13th August, 2011
Sri Krishna Janmashtami – 22nd August, 2011

September 2011
Ganesh Chaturthi - 1st September, 2011
Onam - September 9, 2011
Pitru Paksha Shradh - 13th September, 2011 to 27th September
Navratri Begins – 28th September, 2011

October 2011
Durga Ashtami – 4th October, 2011
Maha Navami – 5th October, 2011
Vijaya Dashami – Dussehra – 6th October, 2011
Karva Chouth – October 13, 2011
Deepavali – Diwali – 26th October, 2011
Gujarati New Year - 27th October, 2011

November 2011
Sabarimala Mandala Kalam begins – 16th November, 2011

December 2011
Sri Dattatreya Jayanti - 09th December, 2011

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Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Coorg ( Kodagu ) Tourism : Introduction, Madikeri, Climate, Abbi Falls, Omkareshwara Temple, Somwarpet, Little Tibet & Other attraction



Introduction

Kodagu is an administrative district in Karnataka State in southern India. It is also known by its anglicised former name of Coorg. It occupies an area of 4,102 square kilometres (1,584 sq mi) of land in the Western Ghats of southwestern Karnataka. As of 2001, the population was 548,561, with some 13.74% of the population residing in the district's urban centres.

Madikeri is the headquarters of the Kodagu district. The district is bordered by Dakshina Kannada district to the northwest, Hassan district to the north, Mysore district to the east, the Kannur District of Kerala to the southwest, and the Wayanad District of Kerala to the south.

Climate of Coorg
Coorg enjoys a moderate climate. Winters are pleasantly cool at 15-20 degrees Celsius though during December to February the minimum temperature may go down to 9o C. Summers are only slightly warm at 25-35 degrees Celsius.


June, July & August are the months with heavy rainfall. During this season the weather is cool, humid and wet.

With the onset of the monsoons in June, everything becomes lush green. The glory of many seasonal waterfalls and the Cauvery flowing in all her majesty can best be seen during July - September.

How To Reach

Air : Coorg can be accessed from the nearby airports at Mysore ( 120 kms ), Mangalore ( 135 kms ) and Bangalore ( 260 kms )

Rail : The nearest railheads are at Mysore , Mangalore and Hassan. From these tations a large number of trains can be availed to reach all parts of India.

Road : Coorg is well connected by road to all the nearby major cities like Mysore, Mangalore, Bangalore and other cities of the neighboring states.

Tourist attractions in Coorg:

Abbi Falls: The meandering roads lead to the Abbi falls through a dense tree cover in the surrounding coffee plantations. The gushing water is a splendid sight with the surrounding tree cover and pool adding to the effect. The stream flows downwards to join the Cauvery River. The Abbi falls are located 7 kilometers from Coorg.


Madikeri: The capital of Coorg is the world’s largest producer of Cardamom. The beauty of the place and its surroundings has earned it the popular title of Scotland of India.

Omkareshwara Temple: This magnificent structure was built in 1820 by king Lingarajendra. The design of this popular temple is an interesting mix of South Indian, Gothic and Islamic architecture.


Somwarpet: The coffee hub of Coorg offers wonderful driving and trekking opportunities. Coffee plantations and spice gardens are the major attractions during the drive. Tourists can stop and take a look around these gardens to experience the coffee and spice making processes.

Little Tibet: This place derives its name from the settlement of Tibetan refugees in the area. Little Tibet is home to some beautiful Tibetan religious monuments including the Namdroling Monastery, the Padmasambhava Buddhist Vihara, and the Zangdogpalri temple.
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Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Ooty, short for Ootacamund (Queen of Hill) : Tourism, Introduction, How To reach, Location, Major Attractions, List of Hotels in Ooty.



Introduction
Ooty, short for Ootacamund (an anglicized name for Udhagamandalam), is a popular hill resort in the state of Tamil Nadu in Southern India.It is the the capital of Nilgiri district, is popularly known as the "Queen of hill stations' among the tourist circuits. It is situated at a distance of 105 km away from Coimbatore. The height of the hills in the Nilgiri range varies between 2280 and 2290 metres, the highest peak being Doddabetta at a height of 2623 metres.

How To Reach

By Air : The Coimbatore airport is the closest to the hills at 3-1/2 hours by road. There are flights into Coimbatore from Singapore, Sharjah, Colombo and most parts of India including Mumbai (Air Deccan, Indian Airlines,Jet and Go Air), Chennai ( Air Deccan, Paramount, Indian Airlines and Jet) and Bangalore. The Mysore airport is about 5 odd hours away from Ooty by road (but Mysore airport is currently closed and only expected to open for light aircraft), and lies to the North of Ooty. The road trip is quite scenic from either airport.


By train : The Nilagiri Express (Train No. 2671) leaves from Chennai at night, and reaches Mettupalayam (which Indian Rail spells Metupalaiyam), a small town at the foothills of the Nilgiris early the next morning. The train The Nilgiri Mountain Railway leaves

By Road :
Distance from Ooty to various cities:
  • Coonoor (17 km)
  • Coorg (225 km)
  • Kodaikanal (236 km)
  • Munnar (282 km)
  • Bangalore (297 km)
  • Calicut (187 km)

Major Attraction :

  1. Ooty Botanical Gardens
  2. Doddabetta peak
  3. Ooty Rose gardens
  4. Wax World - (Wax Museum)
  5. Sims Park (Coonoor)
  6. The Tea Factory
  7. Boating at Pykara
  8. Falls at Pykara
  9. Historical Dam with Power station at Pykara
  10. Hidden Valley
  11. Echo Rock


Hotels in Ooty

  • Savoy Hotel, Ooty
  • Holiday Inn, Ooty
  • Regency Villas Palace, Ooty
  • Fortune Resort Sullivan Court, Ooty
  • Nahar Residency, Ooty
  • Sunshine Inn (Vascoda Hotels & Resorts), Ooty
  • Hotel Sinclairs, Ooty
  • Kluney Manor, Ooty
  • Ooty Elkhill, Ooty
  • Hotel Sapphire Grand, Ooty
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Monday, May 9, 2011

Munnar Hill Station Tourism : Introduction, Location, How to Reach, Major Tourist Attractions, List of Hotels in Munnar



Introduction
Munnar hills is siatuated at an altitude of 5000 to 8000 Ft above sea level. and is situated at the confluence of three mountain streams - Mudrapuzha, Nallathani & Kundala. This beautiful hill station was once the summer resort of the erstwhile British Government in South India. Sprawling Tea plantations, picture book towns, winding lanes, and holiday facilities make this a popular resort town.

Munnar also has the highest peak in South India - Anamudi , which towers over 2695 m. Anamudi is an ideal spot for trekking. The high ranges of Munnar were earlier known as Kannan Devan Hills,named after a certain Kannan Devan,who had been land lord in the Anchanad Valley on the eastern side of the district. The main cultivation crops in Munnar are Tea and Coffee
Among the exotic flora found in the forests and grasslands in Munar is the Neelakurinji. This flower which bathes the hills in the blue every twelve years, will bloom next in 2006 AD.


The town is divided into two parts, Old Munnar, where the tourist information office is, and Munnar, where the bus station and most guest houses are located.

How To Reach

By Air
Cochin International airport (IATA: COK), ICAO: VOCI), also known as Nedumbassery Airport and CIAL is the nearest airport. It is around 135 km from the Munnar by car.

By Train
The nearest railway station is Aluva, 120 km. Ernakulam is 140 km and may be more comfortable if you are coming from the south.

By car
  • From Kochi: Munnar is 140 km (about 3 hr) from Kochi
  • From Aluva: Aluva is nearly 120 km from Munnar.
  • From Coimbatore: Munnar is about 160 km from Coimbatore and 120 km from Pollachi.
  • From Kodaikanal: Kodaikanal is nearly 170 km from Munnar.

Major Tourist Attractions


  • Atukkad Waterfalls
  • Chithirapuram
  • Blossam Park,
  • Pothamedu View Point
  • Mattupetti Indo-Swiss Farm
  • Mattupetti Dam
  • Echo Point
  • Elephant Arrival Spot,
  • Kundala Lake
  • Salim Ali (Thattekkad) Bird Sanctuary,
  • Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary,


Hotels in Munnar

5 Star Hotel
Club Mahindra Lakeview Resort

4 Star Hotels in Munnar
BlackBerry Hills Mountain Lodges
Fort Munnar

3 Star Hotels in Munnar
Abad Copper Castle
Camelot Resort
Deshadan Mountain Resort |
Edassery Eastend |
Forest Haven Resort
Great Escapes Resort
Igloo Nature Resort
Mermaid Hotel
Munnar Woods Resort
Oak Fields
Sterling Resort
T & U Leisure Hotel
The Siena Village
The Tall Trees
The Whispering Meadows
Westwood Riverside Garden Resort
Tea County
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Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Akshaya Tritiya : Also known as Akha Teej, Introduction, Meaning, Significance, Auspicious Day for buying gold



Akshaya Tritiya, also known as Akha Teej is a Hindu and Jain holy day, that falls on the third Tithi (Lunar day) of Bright Half (Shukla Paksha) of Hindi month of Vaishakha.

Akshaya Tritiya - the most auspicious day for wearing Gold and many people wait for the day to make investments in gold.

Akshaya Tritiya, is traditionally the birthday of Lord Parasurama, the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. People conduct special Pujas on this day, bathe in holy rivers, make a charity, offer barley in a sacred fire, and worship Lord Ganesha & Devi Lakshmi on this day.

The word "Akshaya" means imperishable or eternal - that which never diminishes. Initiations made or valuables bought on this day are considered to bring success or good fortune. Buying gold is a popular activity on Akshaya Tritiya, as it is the ultimate symbol of wealth and prosperity. Gold and gold jewelry bought and worn on this day signify never diminishing good fortune. Indians celebrate weddings, begin new business ventures, and even plan long journeys on this day.

Jainism

Akshay Tritiiya is a holy day in Jain Calendar as well. People who observe the year-long alternative day fasting finish their Tapsaya this day.

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