With Ecstasy Feelings To Perceive The Natural Ice Lingam-Amarnath Yatra

AMARNATH YATRA

AT 

JAMMU & KASHMIR

Amarnath cave is situated in Jammu & Kashmir, the cave is located at an altitude of 3888 m, about 141 km from Srinagar the capital of Jammu & Kashmir and reached through Pahalgam town.

The Yatra trek through the mountains of south Kashmir Himalayas to the Holy Cave Shrine of Shri Amarnathji is made available only in the months of summer to pay obeisance. In the month of Shravan (July - August) the Holy Cave Shrine of Shri Amarnathji has the devout flock, where the image of Lord Shiva, in the form of a Lingam, is formed naturally of ice - stalagmite, and which waxes and wanes with the moon.

Amarnath Facts & Figures:

State: Jammu & Kashmir, India
Location: In the Kashmir valley to the north of Anantnag. The base village is Pahalgam.
Altitude: 14,500 feet or 4,420 metres above sea level
Temperature: 15 to -5 degree C
Clothing, etc. for pilgrims: Woolen clothes, stockings and trousers, jacket, raincoat, umbrella, waterproof shoes, flash light, walking stick, cap, gloves

How to Reach Amarnath:

Reaching Srinagar or Jammu (The first part of journey)
By Air: Nearest aerodrome: Srinagar, Capital of Jammu & Kashmir.
By Rail: Nearest Railway Station: Jammu, winter Capital of Jammu & Kashmir.
By Road: Jammu and Srinagar are also connected through road by buses and taxies.

Reaching the Amarnath Holy Cave
The journey from Jammu onward is by road and there are two routes:

Jammu - Pahalgam (315 km) - Holy Cave
Pahalgam - 16 km - Chandanwari - 3 km - Pissu Top - 9 km - Sheshnag - 12 km - Panchtarani - 6 km - Holy Cave

Jammu - Baltal (400km) - Holy Cave
Baltal - 2 km - Domail - 5 km - Berari Marg - 4 km - Sangam - 3 km - Holy Cave

Important Contact Addresses:

  201-203 Kanishka Shopping Plaza, 19-Ashoka Road, New Delhi-110001, Tel.: 91-011-3345373

  J&K Govt. Guest House, Kautilya Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi-1100021

  IInd Floor, 36/36-A North Usman Road, Chennai Tel.: 044-8235958

  25 North Wing, World Trade Centre, Cuffe Parade, Colaba, Mumbai, Tel.: 022-2189040

  12 Chowringhee, Kolkata, Tel.:033-2285791, Tel : 033-2285791

  Airlines House, Lal Darwaza, Ahemedabad, Tel.: 079-5503551

  5th Floor, Left Wing, Chandra Vihar Complex M.J. Road, Hyderabad Tel.: 040-4734806

  Tourist Reception Center, Vir Marg, Jammu Tel.: 0191-520432.

Step by step Registration Procedure:

The detailed procedure for issue of Yatra Permit is given below:

Yatra Permit (YPs) bearing the symbol Baltal shall be issued for the Baltal Route and those bearing Pahalgam shall be issued for the Pahalgam Route.

(i)          For each day and route, the colour of the YP will be different; the following colour scheme shall be followed:

(ii)         ii) Yatris will have to submit Application Form and Compulsory Health Certificate (CHC) to obtain OnSpot Yatra Permit Day Colour of Yatra Permit for Pahalgam Route Colour of Yatra Permit for Baltal Route Monday Lavender Lemon Chiffon Tuesday Pink Lace Blue Wednesday Beige Honeydew Thursday Peach Lavender Friday Lemon Chiffon Pink Lace Saturday Blue Beige Sunday Honeydew Peach for the Yatra.

(iii)        iii) The Formats of the Application Form, CHC and the list of doctors authorised to issue CHCs are available at Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board’s (SASB) website: www.shriamarnathjishrine.com. The Application Form and CHC shall be made available to the applicantYatris free of cost.

(iv)       iv) One Yatra Permit shall be valid for registering only one Yatri.

(v)        v) No one below the age of 13 years or above the age of 75 years and no Women with more than six weeks pregnancy shall be registered for the Yatra.

(vi)       vi) To apply for the Yatra Permit, the applicant-Yatri will submit the following documents to the Registration Officer: a) filled-in prescribed Application Form; b) copy of the prescribed Compulsory Health Certificate issued by the Authorised Doctor / Hospital; and c) four passport sized photographs.

(vii)      vii) The Registration Officer shall check the following: a) whether the Application Form has been correctly filled-in and signed by the applicant-Yatri; b) whether the CHC has been issued by an Authorized Doctor/ Medical Institutions; c) whether the CHC has been issued on or after 10 th February 2016.

(viii)    viii) If the Applicant’s Form and CHC are in order, the Registration Officer shall issue a YP to the applicant against a payment of Rs 150/- (one hundred and fifty rupees) per Yatra Permit.

(ix)       ix) The Registration Officer shall affix passport size photographs and fill-in the YP on the spot as per the details mentioned in the Application Form and CHC. The Registration official shall stamp / write the Yatra year and day of Yatra and paste the day and year so written / stamped with transparent tape.

(x)        x) The Registration Officer shall sign and apply the Registration Officer’s Seal (departmental seal) on the YP in such a way that the Seal is imprinted on the photograph of the applicant-Yatri as well as on the YP.

(xi)       xi) The Registration Officer will consolidate the total number of On-Spot Yatra Permits issued during the day and e-mail the data at sasbjk2001@gmail.com to the SASB, date-wise and route-wise, by 8 p.m. every day, as per the formats placed at Annexure A and Annexure B.

(xii)      xii) It must be ensured that proper record of Registration is maintained and the Application Forms and CHCs in respect of all Yatris registered at the counter shall be returned to CEO, SASB by 25th August, 2016 along with unused YPFs.

(xiii)    xiii) The Registration Fee collected (Rs 150/- one hundred and fifty rupees per Yatra Permit) on account of On-Spot Registration shall be deposited on daily basis in SASB’s Account [Vaishnavi Dham / Saraswati Dham to deposit the amount in YES Bank (account no. 009094600000094) Mahajan Sabha /Sangam Resort to deposit in PNB, Rehari, Jammu (account no. 0797000101212056) and TRC Nowgam in J&K Bank, Moving Sectt. Srinagar (account no. 0110040100014077)] and final accounts rendered by 25th August, 2016. xiv) At Geeta Bhawan / Ram Mandir Purani Mandi: only Sadhus shall be registered free of charge (identification of Sadhus shall be the responsibility of the District Administration). The Sadhus will be registered only when they furnish a valid CHC issued by the authorized Doctor / Institute. In this context, the District Administration shall make arrangements for medical examination and issue of CHC to sadhus at Geeta Bhawan / Ram Mandir, Purani Mandi .

Nageshwar Jyotirlinga Signifies Protection From All Sorts Of Poisons

NAGESHWAR JYOTIRLINGA

AT

DWARAKA

Located on the route between Dwarka city and Beyt Dwarka Island on the coast of Saurashtra in Gujarat is this important Lord Shiva Temple. It is enshrined by one of the 12 swayambhu (self-existent) jyothirlingas in the world, in an underground sanctum.

 A 25 m tall statue of a sitting Lord Shiva and a large garden with a pond are major attractions of this rather serene place. Some archaeological excavations claim five earlier cities at the site.

 The Jyotirlinga enshrined in the Temple of Nagnath is known as Nageshwar Mahadev and attracts thousands of pilgrims all round the year. This powerful Jyotirlinga symbolizes protection from all poisons. It is said that those who pray to the Nageshwar Linga become free of poison. The Rudra Samhita sloka refers to Nageshwar with the phrase ‘Daarukaavane Naagesham.

This Sivalingam is facing South, with the Gomugam facing East. There is a story for this position. A devotee by name Naamdev was singing bhajans in front of the Lord. Other devotees asked him to stand aside and not hide the Lord.

To this Naamdev asked them to suggest one direction in which the Lord does not exist, so that he can stand there. The enraged devotees carried him and left him on the southside. To their astonishment, they found that the Linga was now facing South with the Gomugam facing east.

The Jyotirlinga is made from a stone known popularly as Dwarka Stone, which has small wheel imprints on it. The lingam is shaped like a three-faced oval Rudraksha, which literally means the tears of Shiva.Giant statue of Lord Shiva allures the devotees with its aesthetic appeal. 

On the eve of Shivaratri, the temple premises witnesses huge turnout of devotee and which virtually changes the entire ambiance into a place of festivities.The Jyotirlinga situated in the temple is considered to protect everybody from all sort of poisons.

 

Skand Puran mentions that the King Raivat of Kushsthali was an avtaar of Takshak Nag and he ruled over this region. Interestingly, Dwarka is also known as Kushsthali in Hindu scriptures.

By Air

The closest domestic airport to Dwarka is located at Jamnagar, which is about 137 km away. There are regular flights from Jamnagar to Mumbai International Airport. Taxi cabs are available from Jamnagar airport to Dwarka, which charges about Rs.2000.

By Train

 Daily trains availabel to Dwarka from Mumbai and other cities. The nearest railway station to nageshwar jyotirlinga temple is Dwarka Train Station which is 0 km away from Nageshwar Jyotirlinga Temple. 

By Bus

Distance from Dwarka to Nageshwar is around 18 km.

The temple is open for darshan from 7:00 am to 12:30 pm in the morning and from 5:00 pm to 9:30 pm in the evening.

 

 

Falls Water Naturally Has Therapeutic Qualities To Cure Physical Ailments-Courtallam

HERBAL FALLS

AT

COURTALLAM

An enjoyable holiday spot in South India, Courtallam is famous for its Courtallam Falls in the Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu in Tirunelveli District. Though the falls are located in Tamil Nadu, it also shares the boundary of Kollam district of Kerala State.

Also known as Kuttralam Falls, it has gained an extreme popularity, since the water here is believed to have great curative properties for a number of skin problems and even nerve disorders, as they run through a forest of herbs.

The town is famous for its pleasant climate and abundant natural beauty. There are nine places at Courtallam where the River Chittar cascades over 92 m., at varying volumes. The falls are at its best during the rainy season (July to late August) and one can see heavy flow in all the places during this time.

Besides the water falls, the town is famous for its two temples, Thirukuttralanathar dedicated to Lord Shiva and the another one dedicated to Lord Muruga. It is refreshing to take a bath in the waters of the falls and there are facilities for oil massages near the falls as well as in and around the town. Courtallam is essentially a place for rest and relaxation. But during season, the place could get crowded.

Main Falls (Peraruvi)
As its name suggests, the Main Falls or Peraruvi is the most popular and the biggest among the nine falls. Falling from a height of 60 m, it is located right inside Courtallam town. Here one can find water not only during the season but also in off season (November to January). During the peak season, this area becomes too crowded and one might have to queue up for a bath.

Near this fall, is the Thirukootachalanathar Temple, dedicated to Sri Thirukutralanathar (Shiva) or Thirukootachalapathi and Kuzhalvaimozhi Amman (Goddess). The temple has inscriptions about Chola and Pandya Kings. Chitra Sabhai nearby exhibits paintings from the Puranas and is believed to be one among the five Sabhas where Lord Nataraja is said to have presented his cosmic dance.

Small Falls (Chittaruvi )
Situated just above the Main Falls, is Chittaruvi or the Small Falls. There are steps which provides easy access to the Falls. Also, there are facilities for men and women to bathe separately here. A ticket is required to enter the area.

Shenbaga (Chembakadevi) Falls
Situated on the way to Honey Falls and about an hours ( 3km) uphill trek from the Main falls is the Chembakadevi Falls. It got its name because of its location near the small temple of Shenbagadevi. During full moon days numerous pilgrims visit this temple. Vendors sell the fragrant Shenbaga flowers on the way to the temple, which is an offering here.

Honey Falls (Thenaruvi)
It is situated 4kms from the Main falls and is named after the beehives that form on the face of the rock during dry season. The picturesque horseshoe shaped waterfall which falls vertically from three sides to join into a small lake, is worth seeing. But though the place is gifted with panoramic views of rainforests and huge rock formations, the waterfall is not easily accessible and is a risky trek. The trek will takes almost 2 hours and people are not allowed to bathe in the falls as it is very dangerous.

Tiger Falls (Puli Aruvi)
Situated 2 kms from Courtallam bus stand, it is a small waterfall with a Sastha Temple and a bathing ghat for pilgrims, nearby. It is a perfect and safe place for children to enjoy. Nearby is a old palace, now a private property.

Five Falls (Aintharuvi)
Situated  4 kms away from Courtallam, Five falls is the most beautiful waterfall at Courtallam. As the name suggests, these falls separate into five sections before cascading down close to the Aravankadu Pass.

Among the five falls, three are open to men and two for women. People have compared the cascade spread in five sections with that of the five heads of a hooded cobra. The hitch is that the place echoes with loud speakers blasting songs and advertisements continuously. There is a Swami Ayyappa Temple and Vinayaka Temple near the waterfall. There is a fruit stall nearby selling fruits like lichees, eggfruit, mangosteen, abundant in the area.

Old Falls (Pazhaya Courtallam) 
Situated 10 km from the center of the town, along the road to Tenkasi, is the Old Falls (200 ft). Here steps are cut out into the rocks to break the water's free fall. It is comparatively less crowded here, especially late at night. There are facilities for oil massages, and men and women have areas to bathe separately.

The other important falls at Courtallam are Fruit Garden or Orchard Falls (Pazhathotta Aruvi); and New Falls (Puthu Aruvi), situated amidst forests gives beautiful views of Courtallam town and is very attractive. Then there is the Agasthiyar falls, more than half an hour away, the first waterfall on the way to Courtallam by road, and the scenic Papanasham or Tambiraparani river dam with its serene lake and surrounding mountains, 45kms or one hour drive from Courtallam.

By Air

Nearest Domestic  Airport is  Tuticorin Airport (TCR) well  connected with Chennai. Spice jet Airlines operating two flights daily.  Madurai is the  another nearest airport, which has flights connecting to Chennai. You can reach Courtallam by bus, train or by hiring a taxi from Madurai. The journey takes about 3 hours and the Nearest International Airport is  Trivandrum International Airport which is at a distance of 110  km from Courtallam. Trivandrum airport is well connected with many major cities in India and abroad. Direct flights from many gulf countries are available from Trivandrum.

By Train

Nearest railhead is Tenkasi, 6km from Courtallam. From here one can take a private auto, bus or share van to Courtallam. Tirunelveli junction has many trains coming in from Chennai, and Shengottai is another railhead on the Kollam- Madurai route.

By Road

Many national highways links Courtallam by road to surrounding towns. Government run Transport buses and private buses are available from Tenkasi (6km), Tirunelveli (58km), Tuticorin (86 km), Sivakasi (105 km), Madurai (160 km) to reach Courtallam.

Pyramid Shape Of Mahal Appearances The Lord Krishna Crown - Hawa Mahal

HAWA MAHAL

AT

JAIPUR

The renowned 'Palace Of The Winds', or Hawa Mahal, is one of the prominent tourist attractions in Jaipur city. Located in the heart of Jaipur, this beautiful five-storey palace was constructed in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh who belonged to Kachhwaha Rajput dynasty.

Jaipur, the Pink City is the best example of royal Culture. It houses several monuments and places which hold the rich history and heritage of our ancient times. Hawa Mahal or the “Palace of winds” is the best symbol of such historic places. Located in the Heart of the Pink City, it is one of the most visiting places in Jaipur and attracts tourists from all over the world.

The main architect of this palace built of red and pink sandstone, is Lal Chand Ustad and the palace is believed to have been constructed in the form of the crown of Krishna, the Hindu god.

 Considered as an embodiment of Rajputana architecture, the main highlight of Hawa Mahal is its pyramid shape and its 953 windows or 'Jharokhas' which are decorated with intricate designs.

 The main intention behind the construction of the Mahal was to facilitate the royal women and provide them a view of everyday life through the windows, as they never appeared in public. Read further to know more about Hawa Mahal, its history, architecture and its visiting hours.

Hawa Mahal was a window to the outer world for the royal ladies and the Rajput ruler who ordered its construction in the year 1799 was Sawai Raja Pratap Singh.

The interior of the Hawa Mahal is stark and plain with passages and pillars reaching to the top storey. The building does not have stairs to reach the upper floors; the storeys are connected by slopes. From Hawa Mahal, you have an excellent view of the city. The monument also has an archeological museum.

The Hawa Mahal is built on one edge of the City Palace and extends to Zenana which is the women’s chambers. The high screen wall was built so that women of the royal family could look at the festivals on the streets.

This was done in order to avoid the Royal women to be visible to commoners.The entire structure was designed to resemble the crown of Lord Krishna.The palace looks amazing when the early rays of sunlight hit, it gleams in golden light.

 

The Hawa Mahal is located on the a big road intersection known as Badi Chaupad, one of the prime areas of Jaipur.

By Air

The Jaipur Airport is situated at Sanganer, 7 km (domestic terminal) and 10 km (international terminal) from the main city. It connects the city to all the major parts of India as well as some of the major overseas countries. It has the facility of daily domestic flights to Delhi, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Aurangabad, Hyderabad, Goa, Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Bangalore, Indore and Pune.

By Train

Jaipur is well connected to almost every part of India through the means of Indian Railways. There are several trains which connect this city to Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Agra, Kota, Alwar, Jodhpur, Alwar, Ajmer, Kota, Chittorgarh, Bikaner, Udaipur, Barmer, Jammu, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Kolkata, Ludhiana, Pathankot, Haridwar, Indore, Gwalior, Bhopal, Jabalpur, Roorkee, and Kanpur. The train service to Jaipur is available from all the major parts of the country.

By Bus

Jaipur, the pink city is linked with the all the major cities of India through the network of National Highways 8, 11 and 12 to name a few. There's also a very good bus service between Jaipur and Delhi provided by Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation (RSRTC) with the buses at about every half an hour to and from both sides. There are non-AC and AC Volvo buses in which the fare of the AC bus is more.

 

 

 

Constant Climate All Throughout The Year-Candolim Beach

CANDOLIM BEACH

AT

GOA

Amongst the most popular Beaches in Goa is the Candolim beach in North Goa. The Candolim beach in Goa is a peaceful beach which is located quiet close to the Aguada beach. Most of the tourists in Goa prefer going to the Candolim beach owing to its serene and tranquil environment. 

Candolim is very much popular for its pristine touch and a lot of amusement options all around. Located very close to Baga, this beach is counted amongst the loveliest spot for honeymoon couples, friends or families.

It is endorsed by a crest of the dunes and lapped by the warm Arabian Ocean. Just 14 km away from the north of Panaji, the white sandy beach of Candolim normally embellished by the scrub-covered dunes and draws a large number of travel enthusiasts from all across the world.

On the other side, the main road named as the Candolim Calangute road is fully packed with shops and restaurants, but no doubt the beach front has plenty of water activities like water-skiing, parasailing, bump rides, jet-skiing, catamaran sailing, banana rides and wind surfing.

 Apart from all these, fishing is also popular for the one who want peaceful environment. Side by side, meditation, yoga and massage have also gained huge popularity as visitors love to experience and enjoy such pleasant atmosphere.

With a huge variety of seafood, different cuisines cooked in Goan style to handicrafts items and casual garments, everything you'll get there what you seek for.

The long and straight Candolim beach is dotted with dunes that offer little shelter. Also offering comfortable accommodation at the Candolim beach in Goa are the many hotels, guest houses and beach resorts.

At the Candolim beach one will often see a mixed crowd of tourists and locals alike. One can enjoy a lot here as the beach offers a lot of water sport activities such as water-skiing and parasailing. The evenings at the beach offer beautiful views of the sunset and one can really rejuvenate and relax themselves. 

Special beach excursions are also arranged in Candolim beach wherein a tourist is taken right to the core of the sea from where he can capture some memorable sunsets.

Candolim Nightlife is something that you should not miss during your stay.It's one of the interesting places to see after the sunset. The nightlife combines with gauzy surprise and entertainment.

 Discos and clubs like SinQ, Shiro Nightclubs, Club LPK-- Love Passion Karma, Pharaos, are the main attractions in Candolim, where a large number of tourists flock this place to enjoy drinking, dance and music.

These are the best place to listen to some hip hop and rock type DJ's music.

The party over here goes overnight ensuring perpetual fun and craziness.

 During your stay, you may try the Stone House on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday for cocktails & live music, raffles for the karaoke/Neil Diamond-sort of experience or if you wanna listen to Indian music, you may go 'Over the Flames' that is held on Monday & Thursday.

There are a number of buses that help people reach Candolim from Mapusa and Calangute. The nearest interstate bus station is at Mapusa, which is the KTC bus station. Buses from Panjim stops frequently, at the bus stand opposite to the Casa Sea Shell.The Dabolim airport provide the connectivity through air.

By Air

The Goa International Airport which is also known as Dabolim Airport caters to the entire state of Goa. The airport is located at Dabolim and is around 30 km away from Panjim, the capital city. The airport caters to domestic flights from major cities in India and also caters to international flights. Pre-paid taxis and buses can be easily availed from the airport.

By Train

The state of Goa has two rail lines; one is operated the South Western Railway and the other is operated by the Konkan Railway. The main railway station is Madgaon station in Margao. There are other railway stations in the state like Pernem, Thivim, Karmali and Canacona which are also well connected by trains.

By Road

Goa is well linked with National Highway Numbers 66, 4A, 366, 566 and 768. Goa has a total of 224 km of national highways, 232 km of state highway and 815 km of district highway.