CITY PALACE

THE CITY PALACE

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ALWAR

The City Palace is situated in Alwar district of Rajasthan State of India.

The City Palace of Alwar is known as the Vinay Vilas Mahal. It is standing huge in the heart of Alwar City of Rajasthan. The City Palace, of Alwar, was built up by Raja Bakhtayar Singh in the year 1793.

 The prehistoric city of Alwar is settled at the slopes of the Aravalli Hills has converted into a crowded trade center in recent times. But its rich history has left many examples through many temples, forts, tombs, gardens and palaces.

Alwar is the best place where you can take a relaxed walk through the many forts and tombs that depicts the picture of olden times.The monument of City Palace of Alwar gives you a perfect example of the Indo Islamic architecture.

 It is a huge monument, which can be entered through an entrance with projecting balconies on either side. Jai Pol, Suraj Pol, Laxman Pol, Chand Pol, Kishan Pol and Andheri Gate are some of the entry gates. Beyond the gate lies an open ground with Krishna temples on all four sides.

In the golden Durbar Hall at the City Palace there is a raised platform upon which rests a gold and velvet throne. On the walls and ceiling of the palace there is a fabulous collection of murals and mirror work can be seen. The City Museum, located on the upper floors of the Palace has a splendid range of miniature paintings of the Alwar School.

Alwar is a historic city and the best thing to do here is go fort-hopping. It has some magnificent forts like the Neemrana fort and Bala Qila. You can go shopping in Alwar for saris and jewelry.

The Alwar festival and Matsya festival held here are great events that showcase Rajasthani music and culture. A wildlife safari at the nearby Sariska tiger reserve is a must for wildlife enthusiasts.

By Air

The nearest airport is the Sanganer Airport at Jaipur, about 162 km from Alwar. Taxis are available from the airport to Alwar. Jaipur is well-connected to metro cities like Mumbai and Delhi. Travelers from abroad can take connecting flights from Delhi and Mumbai.

By Train

Alwar railway station is well-connected to Jaipur and Delhi. Taxi services are available at the station.

By Road

Alwar is well-connected to all cities in Rajasthan by state-owned bus services. Special private buses are available to Alwar from Jaipur. Buses run from 5 am to 10 pm on most of the days. Delhi is nearly 365 km away and super deluxe buses are available from Delhi to Alwar.

Open All days of the week except Monday.

Entry Fees : Indians for Rs.5/- Non-indians for Rs.50/-

YERCAUD

HILL STATION 

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YERCAUD

Yercaud is a hill station in Salem District, in Tamil Nadu, India. It located in the Shevaroys range of hills in the Eastern Ghats; the Yercaud hill area is called the Shevaroy Hills.

 It is situated at an altitude of 1515 metres (4970 ft) above sea level, and the highest point in Yercaud is the Servarayan temple, at 5,326 feet (1,623 m).

Yercaud is fastly gaining popularity among the locals and foreign tourists. The name Yercaud is derived from two Tamil words – ‘Yeri’ (lake) and ‘Kadu’ (forest).

Yercaud is known for its plantations majorly of coffee, orange, jackfruit, guava, cardamom and black pepper. Coffee is the main produce and was brought to Yercaud by the Scottish Collector Mr. M. D. Cockburn in 1820 from Africa.

There is also a reserve forest, which has the woods and wildlife in the original unexploited state.

Even though Yercaud is a hill station it never gets extreme temperatures, making it easier to pack clothes for the tourists and avoid those heavy winter wear which is difficult to carry.

Apart from sightseeing tourists can opt for trekking around Yercaud, and if visiting during the month of May, the Summer Festival is a must see which is a spectacle consisting of fairs, boat races, flower and dog shows.

Some of the most popular tourist attractions in Yercaud are Big Lake, Bear's Cave, Lady's Seat, Gent's Seat and Children's Seat, Arthur's Seat, Anna Park, Botanical Garden, Montfort School, Servarayan Temple, Sri Raja Rajeswari Temple and Tipperary View Point.

By Air

The nearest airport is at Trichy (165 km). You can also arrive at the Coimbatore Airport and then plan a further trip to Yercaud via Salem. From the airport take a cab or a bus to get to Yercaud.

By Train

The nearest railway station is in Salem (36kms) and Salem Town (33kms). Also there are direct trains to Yercaud from Chennai, Coimbatore and Bangalore.

By Bus

Yercaud is 190 km from Coimbatore, 220km from Bangalore and 357kms from Chennai and is well connected to all these cities through an efficient road network system. Many buses pass through Yercaud on their way to and from Salem, which is a mid-size industrial town.

GANGTOK

HILL STATION 

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GANGTOK

Gangtok is located at an altitude of 5,410 ft in East-Sikkim. This is one place which many tourists like to combine along with a visit to Darjeeling. In fact the combined trip of Darjeeling-Gangtok is a common recipe when people think about visiting this part of the country.

Gangtok is the capital of the northern Indian state of Sikkim.This beautiful land is well-known as the land of monasteries. It has large area bounded by lush green forests located on the Shivalik Hills.

Gangtok being an eminent Buddhist pilgrimage center in India as well as an ideal hill station for leisure travellers encircling some high altitude lakes and mountain passes is well connected by road to other mighty hill stations as well as nearby cities.

Nestled in the clouds and surrounded by the plush greenery, deep valleys and scenic view of Khangchendzonga (Kanchenjunga),the beautiful hill town is a business, political, cultural, education and tourism hub of the state where a good number of tourists(both business and leisure tourists) come throughout the year.

There are also numerous attractions in & around Gangtok to visit. Some of the wonderful and popular tourist places to visit in & around Gangtok are the following. Rumtek Monestery,Himalayan Zoological park,Nathula,Ganesh tok, Tosmgo lake, Temi tea garden, Hanuman Tok, Banjhakri falls, Ropeway.

By Air

The airport nearest to Gangtok is about 124 kilometres away in Bagdogra, West Bengal. From the airport, you can hire a shared taxi or a private vehicle that will get you to Gangtok in a matter of two hours. From Bagdogra, you can also take a TSA helicopter to get to Gangtok in just 20 minutes.

By Train

The nearest railway station to Gangtok is about 148 kilometres away in New Jalpaiguri in Siliguri. The station is well-connected to major cities like Kolkata and New Delhi. From New Jalpaiguri you can take a taxi to Gangtok or go to Siliguri Bus Station and catch a state-run bus to Gangtok, which will take you about 5-6 hours.

By Road

The road routes from Bagdogra, NJP and Siliguri all meet the Sevoke Road which leads to the National Highway NH31A. Tourists rolling in nearby places like Siliguri, Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kolkata prefer to drive to Gangtok. The roads are well-maintained, except in a few places.

SUMMER FESTIVAL

SUMMER FESTIVAL

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 MOUNT ABU

Summer Festival is organised every year by Rajasthan Tourism in the beautiful hill station Mount Abu, which serves as an ideal location for the festival because of its attractive location, rocky terrain, serene lakes and pleasant climate.

The Summer festival is held every year during the month of May on Budh Poornima. The festival celebrates the warmth and cheerfulness of the people of hill station, who welcome the tourist from the depth of their hearts.

 The hospitality of the people, their colorful culture and exotic location made this festival a never to be forgotten experience.

The festival begins with a ceremonial procession, which starts from the RTDC Hotel Shikhar and gather at the Nakki Lake Chowk followed by folk performances of Rajasthan & Gujrat states.

A variety of sporting events and competitions like Skating Race, Boat Race, Horse Race, Tug-of-War, Panihari Matka Race, Deepdan are organised too and adds to the thrill of the celebration.

 The Sham-e-Qawwali is a much anticipated musical show where well-known qawwali singers enthral the audience.

The second and third day of the festival is more interesting because of various competitions that take place the whole day. Skating Race, skater’s Show, CRPF Band Show, Boat Race, Horse Race, Tug of War, Panihari Matka Race and Deepdan add to the excitements of the celebration.

The Summer Festival in Mount Abu concludes with stunning fireworks, bringing an end to the festivities.

By Rail

Abu Road is the nearest railway station just 28 KM from the main city, Which is very well connected by rail routes to New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, and Mumbai. From Abu Road you can opt for state transport service (usually every hour) or Taxis on both sharing and private basis.

By Air:

The nearest airport is Udaipur at a distance of 185 km, But Ahmedabad is having better connectivity and daily flights with other parts of the country and is just 221 KM from Mount Abu.
By Road

 Mount Abu is well connected by road with major cities of the country, Many government run (Rajasthan State Transport Corporation) buses operate from nearby cites to Mount Abu. In addition to a number of state transport buses, many private buses ply regularly to this hill station.

KOTTIYOOR FESTIVAL

KOTTIYOOR FESTIVAL

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KANNUR

Kottiyoor  is a famous Hindu pilgrim center devoted to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. The proper name of the temple here is Sri Kottiyoor Mahadeva Kshetram.

 Kottiyoor temple is located near Kelakam in Kannur district of the southern state Kerala. Sri Kottiyoor temple is also known as the "Dakshina Kashi" or "Varanasi of the South" and attracts lakhs of devotees every year during the "Vaisakha Maholsavam" celebrations.

The Kottiyoor festival is unique as it involves two temples - Akkare Kottiyoor and Ikkare Kottiyoor, on the opposite banks of River Bavali. Situated in Kannur district, the annual Kottiyoor festival is celebrated for twenty-eight days and it falls during the months of May and June.

Here, the Neyyattam ritual on the first day and the Thirukalasattu ritual on the concluding day are attended by hundreds of devotees.

The Vaisakha Maholsavam celebrations begin with the ritual of bringing a sword from Muthirerikavu from Wayanad. On the following day, on Visakham star Bhandaram Ezhunnallath ritual is held.

Gold, Silver vessels, heavenly ornaments etc are brought from nearby Manathana village to Kottiyoor.

An important ritual during the festival is the 'Elaneer Vayppu' or submitting tender coconuts before the swayambhu Shiva linga.

On this special day, thousands of tender coconuts carried from different parts of Malabar by the devotees are submitted. The following day, the main priest of the temple, pours the collected coconut water on to the idol which is known as 'Elaneeraattam'.

Rohini Aaradhana is a very important ritual which is not seen in any other temple. The priest embraces the swayambhu Shiva linga as part of the ritual.

The belief behind this ritual is that Brahma himself worships Lord Shiva to pacify for the loss of Sati.

Kottiyoor is also known by the names Kudiyoor, Dakshina Kashi. Thricherumana, Vdakkumkaavu, Kizhakkumkaavu and Vadakeeswaram.

By Air

The nearest airport is at Karipur, Kozhikode which is about 93km south. The Mangalore airport is 170kms north of Kannur.

By Train

Kannur is an important railhead of the Southern Railways and the major railway station on Shornur-Mangalore line. There are trains from Mumbai, Goa, Mangaloe, Madras, Trivandrum, Kochi, Kozhikode and Coimbatore. All major trains going North through the Konkan and beyond stop at Kannur.

By Road

Kannur is 155kms south of Mangalore and 535 kms north of Thiruvanathapuram. An excellent road transport system connects the town to all the major towns of south india. There are frequent bus services from Mangalore,. Bangalore, Kochi, Trivandrum and Kozhikode.