Poovar Island - UltraMarine Of The Ocean Create A Magical Ambience Around You.

POOVAR ISLAND

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TRIVANDRUM  

Poovar island is located about 30 kilometers south of Trivandrum and is accessible by boat only. Kovalam beach is just 12 kilometers away.

Poovar itself has a tradition of sea trade that can be traced back even to the days of King Solomon. Ancient texts describe Poovar as the port Ophir. 

Also, the central mosque here is one of the earliest mosques of Kerala. It was initially build around 1400 years ago, by Malik bin Dinar. History talks of him as the Arabian missionary who brought Islam to Kerala.

King Marthanda Varma, the legendary king of Travancore spent his days of exile here, before winning back his throne. According to a popular story, the king one day saw flower petals floating along the river. He called the place Poovar -the river of flowers- and the name came into being from then on.

Swaying coconut palms, endless golden sands, the ultramarine of the ocean, emerald backwaters, crimson sunsets and lush green vegetation create a magical ambience around you. 

It is the ideal remote getaway location for a quiet holiday in spectacular natural surroundings. you can choose between floating cottages and land cottages for accommodation and enjoy a boat cruise along the palm-fringed shores of bewitching backwaters.

What sets Poovar Island aside is its immense natural beauty, which fortunately remains unspoilt.Beach, island, backwater, river and sea – all meeting in a single locale casts a magical charm unique to Poovar.

Dense growth of spices and flowering plants amidst coconut and banana groves make the place a pleasing mix of green.For those who seek to stay at Poovar Island, there are three main beach resorts and a few small scale establishments. 

Poovar Beach Resort, Isola de cocco and the Estuary Island Resort – all three upmarket places offer similar amenities and have own boat jetty. Poovar Beach Resort has some interesting floating cottages.

By Air

 Trivandrum International Airport at 20 Kms

By Train

Trivandrum Central station at 22 Kms, Nemomrailway station at 12 Kms, Neyyattinkara station at 10 Kms

By Bus

Trivandrum, Nemon and Neyyattinkara

Chitrakoot Falls - The Shape Of The Waterfall Is Like A Horse-Shoe

CHITRAKOOT FALLS

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JAGDULPUR

The Chitrakoot Falls is located on the Indravati River. The river originates in the kalahandi region of Orissa, in the Vindhya Range of hills, flows westward and then forms a fall at Chitrakoot, enters Andhra Pradesh and finally flows into the Godavari River, after traversing 240 miles (390 km) in the state, at Bhadrakali.

The free drop of the falls is a sheer height of about 30 metres (98 ft). It is located at a distance of 38 kilometres (24 mi) to the west of Jagadlpur. During the rainy season, from July and October, rainbows are created with sun rays reflecting on mist from the waterfall.

Chitrakoot waterfalls, popularly known as Niagara falls of india, is the largest waterfall in India that falls from a height of about 100 feet and widens up to 150 meters in peak rainy season.

 The horseshoe shaped fall is located near Jagdalpur, a small city in the state of Chhattisgarh. This fall is situated in Vindhyachal Ranges, which are stretched between Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.

River Indravati, a tributary of Narmada, is the main source of this waterfall. During monsoon the waterfall turns wild and violent. Chitrakoot waterfall is best seen during and after the monsoon, between July and October.

The chitrakoot is also a religious Hindu Pilgrimage center. Thousands of pilgrims come here for Hari darshan and pay their homage to the God Hari. Who ever comes to Chitrakoot makes sure to visit Chitrakoot Waterfall at least once.

Chitrakoot does not have wide-range of accommodation options. Government resort has got its own restaurants which prepares decent regular meals.

 Some resorts are built on the ridge opposite to waterfall offering spectacular views from the balconies of most of the rooms. Besides resort, there are also bamboo huts overlooking the waterfalls.

The water color changes from season to season. In monsoon because of silt it turns a little brown in shade whereas in summer it’s white and clear. The shape of the waterfall is like a horse-shoe.

 Tourists can stay here at the government owned resorts or at the camps near the banks of river. There are also various resorts and lodges available on the Jagdalpur-Chitrakoot Road which are nice and comfortable for the visitors to stay.

People can spend hours just sitting here and enjoying the scenic beauty of the place. The loud noise during monsoon is breathtaking.

 During the rains, this waterfall widens upto 150 meters. During the rainy seasons, people don't visit this waterfall, owing to its extreme form. But once, the winter season arrives, the water becomes lighter, and the atmosphere here is worth seeing. 

By Air

There are no regular flights from other major cities of the country to Jagdalpur. Nearest airport is Visakhapatnam Airport.

Jagdalpur 192 km away visakhapatnam Airport. 

By Train 

Jagdalpur is well connected to other major cities of the country via regular trains.Railway Station(s): Jagdalpur (JDB)

By Bus 

Chitrakoot falls is connected with public buses. The buses to chitrakoot falls depart from agrasen trisquare. There are only 3-4 buses in a day and journey time is nearly 2 hours as bus will stop at all the village hats en route.

Bhimtal Hill Station - It Is Named After The Legendary Bhima Of Mahabharata

 HILL STATION

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BHIMTAL

Located at an altitude of 4,500 feet in the Nainital District of Uttarakhand, Bhimtal is a popular hill-station for leisure tourists and honeymooning couples alike.

Bhimtal is named after the legendary Bhima of Mahabharata,bhimtal is a beautiful lake centered amidst green mountains.there is an ancient Bhimeshwara Mahadev Temple on the banks of Bhimtal which was built by Bhima during the exile period of the Pandavas.

 Blessed with a pleasant climate and breath-taking natural beauty spanning the length of Naukuchiatal Lake, the mountain valley and the reserve forest, hosting a variety of beautiful and colorful birds and exotic wildlife, Bhimtal offers a well-deserved break from the frenetic pace of life.

Easily accessible from Nainital, Dehradun, Haridwar and Rishikesh, Bhimtal has many tourist attractions of historical as well as spiritual significance such as Hanuman Garhi, Folk Culture Museum, Hidimba Parvat and lots more, in close proximity to make your travel itinerary complete.

Bhimtal lake is kept clean because of increasing tourist inflow. And every year, new activities are coming up to ensure that tourists get enough to enjoy the place.

Boating, Kayaking, zorbing etc are offered in the lake.

Bhimtal is also growing very fast and it will be another Nainital in few years, with lot of concrete buildings all around. As you move towards Almora/Sattal, you see lot of new colonies coming up in Bhimtal.

 The valley on the left of this road is almost full of huge houses. This place is preferred by lot of Delhites for building their houses because of reachability.

Bhimtal is 295 kilometers from Delhi and it's a beautiful journey, especially during monsoons. 

During summers, you find lot of mango laden trees on the way. Away from the screeching noise of the city and crowded hills stations, Bhimtal Lake is a spot of solitude, tranquility and beauty. The pristine lake much bigger in size than Naini Lake.

By Air

Raipur Airport is the nearest airport that sits in the state’s capital. Bhimtal does not have an individual airport. Hiring a Bhimtal travel guide, you get to know everything regarding the routes and popular destinations as well as hotels.

By Train

The railway stations that connect this town to various places include Bhilai Power House Railway Station, Bhilai Nagar Railway Station, and Bhilai Railway Station. The Durg Railway Station is another one which is the most popular.

By Bus

You can also take an Uttarakhand Volvo bus to reach Bhimtal by road

So Far Above 70000 Pilgrims Performed The Amarnath Yatra 2016

AMARNATH YATRA

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JAMMU @ KASHMIR

An official of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) that manages the affairs of the annual pilgrimage said, " A total of 1,612 pilgrims comprising 1,266 males and 346 females left Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas today (Thursday) in 35 buses and 22 light motor vehicles in a convoy escorted by security forces for the Valley."

"Since the Yatra started on July 2, two pilgrims have so far died of natural causes."

An ice stalagmite structure inside the cave situated at 3,888 feet above the sea level wanes and waxes with the phases of the moon.

Devotees believe the ice stalagmite structure called the 'Lingam' symbolises mythical powers of Lord Shiva.

Pilgrims use the north Kashmir Baltal and the south Kashmir Nunwan (Pahalgam) base camps to reach the cave Shrine.

From Baltal in Ganderbal district, pilgrims have to trek 14 km to reach the cave while those using the traditional Pahalgam route have to trek 46 km.

The south Kashmir Pahalgam route passes through Chandanwari, Sheshnag, Pissu Top and Panchtarni.

According to Hindu scriptures, this route that Lord Shiva used to reach the cave is where he told goddess Parvati the study of immortality and eternal life.

Helicopter services are also available for the pilgrims from Baltal and Pahalgam to and fro the shrine.

Due to heightened militant activities in the Valley this year, extra security measures have been taken to provide protection to the pilgrims.

A three-tier security cover manned by the Army, Indo Tibetan Border Police Force, Central Reserve Police Force and state police are in place to secure the Jammu-Srinagar national highway which is the only surface link used by the pilgrims.

The 48-day long Yatra will conclude on August 17 coinciding with Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan festivals.

Dharamshala - It Is A Palpable Atmosphere Of Tranquility And Calm,Making It A Difficult Place To Forget.

HILL STATION

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DHARAMSHALA

Situated in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, Dharamshala is famous as the residence of the 14^th Dalai Lama, Nobel Laureate Tenzin Gyatso, of Buddhism’s Tibetan sect.

It is also the headquarters of the Central Tibetan Administration and centre of Tibetan exiles of the world. Its mystic hills and panoramic views of the Himalayas make Dharamshala a tranquil and popular tourist spot.

Dharamshala has two sections – ‘Lower Dharamshala’ is the commercial centre of the city with the Kotwali Bazaar, markets, and courts, and ‘Upper Dharamshala’ has the famous suburb McLeod Ganj, as well as Forsyth Ganj and St. John’s Church.

variety of tourist spots can be found in Dharamshala.  If you are an art lover, first thing to do is to visit Norbulingka Institute of Tibetan Culture, which reflects the ancient Tibetan culture and heritage.

Then head to Kangra fort which is one of the oldest forts of India and then to Kangra art museum where rich paintings, rare coins, sculptures and other arts can be found.

Dharamshala is a boon to adventure freaks. There are many trekking trails in and around Dharamshala. Most of them are in Kangra valley. Some of the trails are Dharamshala to Chamba valley, Dharamshala to Triund, Dharamshala to Kullu through Sari pass, etc.

 Many trails are alluring and challenging since they pass throughsparkling streams, tough terrains, steep mountains and dense forests.

You can enjoy the panoramic beauty of Kangra valley and scenic deodar forests riding on a well trained horse.

A full-day or a half-day tour here will be accompanied with a horse along with a guide

Fresh mountain air, alluring tracks, lingering fragrances of lovely flowers, scenic rural area: all these add joy to classic mountain biking activity in Dharamshala.

So for those who have a passion for environment and love cycling, Dharamshala is the perfect place. Renting a cycle is very easy in this valley as there are many agencies that encourage the sport. So you can explore the whole town on a cycle and have a rejuvenating experience.

Dharamshala has a palpable atmosphere of tranquility and calm, making it a difficult place to forget.

Steeped in Tibetan Buddhist culture and surrounded by marvels of nature, Dharamshala receives thousands of tourists every year who want to experience this marvellous place

Many western visitors come to Dharamshala in search of spiritual guidance and an audience with the Dalai Lama. 

By air

 Dharamshala can be accessed by air from Delhi and the nearest airport is at Gaggla, just 13-km away from the town. Spicejet and Air India operate flights every day in the morning from New Delhi.

By rail

 Pathankot is 85-km and is the nearest railhead for Dharamshala. Trains from all over the country make a stopover at Pathankot and from here it is a three hour journey to Dharamshala.

By road

 From Manali too bus services are available to this place. One can drive from Delhi via Chandigarh, Kiratpur, Bilaspur and it’s an 8-hours journey. From Delhi and Shimla, luxury buses ply to Dharamshala.