Here Are The Best Attractions In Delhi For The Kids

 

BEST ATTRACTIONS IN DELHI FOR THE 

TODDLERS

If you're taking Delhi holidays with kids, it can be a children's paradise when you know where to go. Here are the best spots in Delhi for the kids:

Lohdi Gardens

Located in the heart of Delhi, these gardens are the perfect place for kids to run and release their energy. In addition, parents will love it here too, as the park is dotted with temples and various other ruins.

National Zoological Park

This wonderful zoo in a park-like setting has the most exotic wildlife and it's the only place where you can see these animals up close and personal. You and the kids will see hippos, hyenas, civet cats, brightly coloured birds, elephants and deer, among other wildlife. There are 2,000 animals located on 214 acres. You can also take a buggy ride and enjoy some sweet treats on the zoo's grounds.

Bal Bhawan National Children's Museum and Aquarium

Don't just see the land-, air- and tree-dwelling mammals. Head to this delightful combined museum and aquarium - just for children - that has everything from a collection of dolls, artwork that appeals to children, a toy train to ride, puppet shows, workshops and an aviary! Kids can also learn things like how to take care of fish, keep the tank clean and make sure their little water wonders are happily fed.

Deer Park

You'll find Deer Park in the heart of South Delhi, and you'll have a hard time believing your eyes! Did you ever imagine that in a bustling, wildly loud city you could see well-manicured green grass, shady trees and plenty of quietly grazing deer? There are also peacocks that seem to delight in showing you their shimmering fan of feathers at the most perfect moments.

Kiddyland

​If you need or want to get some shopping done, head to DLF Promenade Mall in Vasant Kunj in southwest Delhi. The reward for the kids' great behavior can be a trip to Kiddyland, an awesome play area with rope climbs, sand pits, swings, slides and plenty of places to run. There are also finger puppets, a splash zone and an eatery with a chocolate fountain. You'll be hard-pressed to find another place more worthy of the title "Kid Paradise."

Garden of the Five Senses

Kids love to explore, so take them to this wonderful garden where they can use each of their senses. They can listen to waterfalls and the bells of a giant wind chime, smell fresh flowers and see the beauty of the area. They can also take a camel ride and feel the camels' wiry hair and eat the tasty bites in the on-site food court.

Few Things You Must Experience When Travel To Kolkata During The Durga Pooja

FEW THINGS YOU MUST DO WHEN YOU TRAVEL 

TO KOLKATA DURING THE DURGA POOJA

There's no place better than Kolkata if you want to experience the real charm of Durga Puja. We would all agree to that. It is the same reason why a lot of travellers come to Kolkata just to experience this Bengali festival. While you are there in the city during the Durga Puja, here are a few things you must experience.

Pandal hopping

That goes without saying, right? If you are in Kolkata during the Durga Puja and you don’t do pandal hopping, your entire trip is a waste of time. But prepared to walk a lot and to face a lot of crowd. Trust us it is worth going through all that. Durga Puja pandals in Kolkata are known to display some of the most vivid forms of art. Each pandal is tastefully decorated there’s a full fledged competition between the Durga Puja committees to win the coveted award of being the best in the city. Right from using waste materials to steel, a lot of creativity and hard work goes into the making of a pandal. And what you get to see as a result is a theme-based pandal and a durga idol to match the same. Once you start exploring these beauties, time will fly and your camera memory will be full before you know it.

Not-to-miss pandals:
Jodhpur Park
Bosepukur
Kumartuli
Badamtala Ashar Sangha

Eat!

Bengalis are known to be one of the biggest foodie communities in the country. Bongs need an excuse to eat. The reason why you will get plenty of opportunities to sample some of the best flavours you can imagine. Right from the street food, including the fuchkas (golgappas), and the egg and chicken rolls, to the mishtis (sweets like roshogolla and authentic mishti doi) to the full fledged Bengali cuisine restaurants serving the all-time favourites like maachher jhol, and luchi-kosha maangsho, Durga Puja is the best time to be explore the entire Bengali cuisine. 

Not-to-miss eateries:
Bhojohori Manna
6 Ballygunj Place
Ice Berg roll joint at Golpark

Participate in Dhunuchi Naach

Dress yourself in the traditional Bengali attire--dhoti-kurta for men and white saree with red border for women, and participate in this frenzied yet graceful dance that takes place only during the Durga puja. When the evening aarti is done on Ashtami, earthen pots called Dhunuchis are filled with coconut shells and lit up to serve as incense burners. These are used by devotees dressed in the traditional Bengali attire to do the Dhunuchi Naachi, a form of dance that is done to the beats of that dhaks (drums). The dance acts as a form of worship to Goddess Durga while the aarti is being done by the priest. Although it's a lot of fun in doing this, devotees often get into a frenzy while expecting their faith towards the worship in the form of a dance.

Visit the Bonedi Baaris

Durga Puja celebrations held in the Bonedi Baaris of Kolkata is something that you just can't afford to miss. Bonedi Baari refers to the heritage Bengali houses that are there in the city. These houses are ancient and are known to have housed some of the biggest families of Bengal. If you want to see Durga Puja in its most authentic form, you must visit these houses. The puja done here is based on centuries of tradition and is closely attached to the roots of Bengali culture. Entire family trees become one in these houses every year during the Durga Puja celebrations. Right from the attire to the rituals, Durga Puja is done in its truest form in the Bonedi Baaris.

Not-to-miss Bonedi Baaris:
Shovabazar Raj Bari
Chatubabu Latubabu Baari

Participate in the Bhashaan rituals

Bhashaaan is the Bengali world for Visarjan or immersion ceremony. Done on the day of Dashami or Dussehra, this ceremony is held in order to mark the end of the Durga Puja festivities. Married women dressed in traditional Bengali sarees follow a ritual called shindoor khela, a ceremony very similar to Holi, wherein vermillion is used instead of colours. When the Durga idol is taken to the bank of river Ganga for immersion, it turns into an altogether different kind of celebration. Right from the time the idol is lifted from the pandal to the time it is immersed at the riverbank, people tirelessly dance to the beats of the drums. The kind of enthusiasm that goes into the dancing clearly shows that everyone wants to make the most of the last few moments of Durga Puja, which happens to be the celebration for Bengalis. Take time out to join the procession and dance all your worries away--there can't be a better to celebrate life.

 

Adorable Traveller Must Visit These Undervalued Destinations In India

SOME UNDERVALUED INDIAN DESTINATIONS

 EVERY PASSIONATE TRAVELLER MUST VISIT

When it comes to diversity in the kind of destinations, India lies somewhere lies somewhere at the top of the list. In fact, there are so many destinations, that a lifetime is not enough to explore each one of them. Where you choose to travel, depends totally on the kind of traveller you are--if you are someone who likes to check out the popular tourist destinations, then you are likely to have a handful of options only. But if you are someone, who likes to take the road less travelled, you are always in the lookout for destinations that give you the chance to explore and discover things most people haven't.

We bring you a list of destinations that are underrated, yet have plenty to offer to a traveller. Which one would you go to?

Osian village, Rajasthan

If you are planning to visit Rajasthan and feel that you are done with the same old forts and palaces of Jaipur, here's another part of the colourful state you must explore sometime. The Osian village is located in the Jodhpur district and acts as a pleasant surprise in the form of an oasis in the middle of the Thar desert. As a traveller, you would be amazed by the centuries of history and finesse in ancient architecture displayed by the heritage temples here, which were built between the 8th and 11th centuries.

Haflong, Assam

The only hill station in the verdant state of Assam is a place a traveller must never miss out on. A place known for soothing weather conditions and picturesque views around, haflong happens to be at the centre of the Dima Hasao district. In fact, when you visit the Haflong Lake, you would want to spend hours by its side soaking in the serenity around. If you are a foodie, don't miss out on the local liquor and a delicious local preparation of pork.

Tarkarli, Maharashtra

Beach lovers would understand that it's not always a nice feeling to be surrounded by too many people when you are at a beach. After all, you don't want the chatter of a crowd and the sight of waste at a beach you want to spend some quality time on. Thank God for Tarkarli, one of the most non-commercialised beaches in the country. Located in the Sindhudurg district in Maharashtra, the place is known for pristine waters and a beach that displays the best of natural beauty.

Chaukori, Uttarakhand

Most likely, you have never heard about this place. But this is one place where you can actually do a digital and mental detox. Chaukori is a quaint hamlet perched within the depths of the Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand. All you can do here is sit with a cup of your favourite beverage and enjoy panoramic views of the majestic Panchachuli massif and other Himalayan ranges at the distance, while enjoying a soothing breeze pass by you at all times.

Lepchajagat, West Bengal

When you visit Darjeeling, the home of tea estates, try and squeeze out a day or two for the neighbouring village of Lepchajagat. Very few people know about this place--it's a small settlement on the way to Mirik from Darjeeling, and is quite easy to miss. Located at a distance of 19 km from Darjeeling, Lepchajagat is surrounded by lush green woods and offers unmatched views of the Kanchendzonga peak.

Dholavira, Gujarat

Easy to miss, yet hard to ignore--that's what Dholavira is. Located close to the popular tourist destination of Rann of Kutch in Gujarat, this is one destination where a traveller can explore some significant history of the human race. Believed to be larger than the Indus Valley Civilisation, the ruins of this place date back to the pre-historic times. If not anything, this place will make you think hard.