Tourists Gather Malshej For Monsoon Magic

State Director of Tourism Satish Soni said that almost total reservation is at Malshej, Bhandardhara, Matheran, Karla, Chikaldhara and Tadoba are at 90 per cent for the next two months

Malshej Ghat is located 700 metres above sea level amid the ranges of Western

Ghats, and is equidistant from Mumbai and Pune.

Malshej Ghat has emerged as the most popular tourist attraction in the state this monsoon, with government resorts packed with bookings for the next two months. Bhandardhara is a close second, with Matheran and Karla also avidly sought after by tourists, mainly from Pune, Mumbai and Nashik.

State Director of Tourism Satish Soni told The Indian Express that while the occupancy rate at the 22 resorts run by the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) is almost 60 per cent, those at Malshej, Bhandardhara, Matheran, Karla, Chikaldhara and Tadoba are at 90 per cent for the next two months.

MTDC officials said the rush this year could be attributed to the abundant rain, thanks to which these weekend getaways are likely to remain tourist hotspots till September. 

Malshej Ghat is located 700 metres above sea level amid the ranges of Western Ghats, and is equidistant from Mumbai and Pune. Approximately 154 km north-west of Pune, the rugged landscape is thickly forested and laced with several rivers. The hills come alive with cascading waterfalls during the monsoon.

Despite the recent landslide that blocked the road to Malshej Ghat, the rush of tourists is unabated. “A massive landslide had toppled a truck into the valley and we have urged visitors to be careful. The road has been opened up just a day before and highway police are ensuring smooth travel for visitors,” Soni said.

In the Vidarbha region, Chikaldhara and Tadoba have had high occupancy rates and bookings are full for the next two months, Soni said. While Tarkarli and Ganpatipule MTDC resorts have a high occupancy rate throughout the year, visitors prefer to visit these places after September, as the Konkan region witnesses very heavy rain, he explained.

The hill station of Mahabaleshwar, too, has its share of tourist rush, but Malshej has emerged the hottest tourist destination this monsoon.

After online bookings showed a high occupancy rate, MTDC officials said they started getting personal calls for accommodation. “We have now decided to introduce package tours from August at affordable rates,” Soni said.

A one-day Mumbai-Malshej-Mumbai tour has been arranged for Rs 900. Other tours, such as Mumbai-Bhandardhara- Mumbai and Mumbai-Shirdi-Bhandardhara, are also being offered. “We anticipate more rush with long weekends coming up during Independence Day and Ganesh Chaturthi,” Soni said.

UNESCO Declared World Heritage Sites In Tamil Nadu - Darasuram

UNESCO DECLARED WORLD HERITAGE SITES IN TAMIL NADU 

DARASURAM

Darasuram is 4 Kms from Kumbakonam. This temple built by Raja Raja Chola dedicated to Lord Siva, is either called as Drasuram temple orAiravateswara Temple. This is well preserved temple of  the 12th century Chola Kingdom. The columns of the temple have unique and excellent miniature sculptures. This is termed as one of the Great Living Chola Temples along with Big Temple and the Gangaikondan Cholapuram temple.

During the 14th century the large stone statues surrounding the temple was replaced with brick and mortar statues similar to that of Big Temple at Thanjavur. Achaeological Survey of India has restored the temple. UNESCO declared it as World Heritage Monument in its 2004 list.  

                                                                                                 

Somnath Temple - One Of The Most Legendary Temples Of The Western Coast Of India

SOMNATH TEMPLE

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JUNAGADH

Somnath temple stands at the shore of the Arabian ocean on the western corner of Indian subcontinent in Veraval District of Gujarat State. This pilgrimage is one of the oldest and finds its reference in the ancient texts like Skandpuran, Shreemad Bhagavat, Shivpuran etc.

 It is the holy place of the Aadi Jyotirling Shree Somnath Mahadev and the sacred soil from where Bhagvan Shri Krishna took his last journey to his neejdham ( Dont forget to visit Bhalkatirth, the temple with a unique idol of Lord Krishna along with the hunter who shot the Lord in his feet with his spear).

Somnath temple of Gujarat is one of the 12 jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva which is situated 79 kms from Junagadh and 25kms from Chorwad. Somnath Temple is located in the prabhas kshetra near veraval and is one of the most legendary temples of the western coast of India.

This most sacred and very important pilgrim centre for Hindus, is also called Prabhas Teerth - the Prabhas pilgrimage place. Here it is said, that Lord Shiva ended his incarnated form and returned to his celestial abode.

The legends says that somnath is as old as creation which is built by none other than the moon God himself. The remains of this temple of somnath depicts the story of a city which withstood the shocks of time and survived the attacks of destroyers.

The temple has an imposing architecture and is a beautiful sight facing the blue expanse of the Arabian Sea. A short distance from the Somnath temple is Bakhla Tirth located, where Lord Krishna was said to have been struck by the stray arrow of a Bhil tribal.

 The present temple, kailash Mahameru Prasada is built in the chalukya style of temple architecture and reflects the inherent skill of Sompuras, Gujarat’s master masons.

Somnath temple is being regarded as the ideal sacred place of the Hindus that survived the ravages of time. The study of Indian history reveals that the somnath temple was invaded by the different conquerors who came to India and even some looted its wealth and others destroyed some parts of it.

 Many legends are attached to the somnath temple regarding its origin and existence. The other names of the temple of somnath are deo pattan,Prabhas pattan, or somnath pattan in the past, the somnath temple was considered as the treasure trove of wealth and goodies that were looted away by muslim rulers.

By Air

The nearest airport is Keshod. Located at a distance of about 55 km from Somnath, this domestic airport is well connected to Mumbai. There are flights at regular intervals from Mumbai to Keshod. Mumbai is in turn well connected to all important cities in the country as well as to various other important places in the world. After reaching Keshod airport one can easily avail of any local means of transportation like bus or else hire a car to reach Somnath.

By Train

Veraval is the nearest rail head which is merely 7 km from Somnath. A special train "Somnath Express" runs from Ahmedabad to Veraval. Ahmedabad is the state capital of Gujarat and is well linked by rail not only to different places in the state of Gujarat but also to many of the prime cities in India.

BY Bus

 A good network of roads connects Somnath to the different important places in the state of Gujarat. The state capital Ahmedabad is 400 km away; Junagadh, Bhavnagar and Porbandar are at a distance of 85, 266 and 122 km respectively but all of them are well linked to Somnath by roads and buses ply on these road routes. In fact Bombay which is 889 km from Somnath is also connected to it by road.

Tripura Sundari Temple - It Has A Quadrangle Formed Hut With A Sharp Dome

TRIPURA SUNDARI TEMPLE 

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AGARTALA

Tripura Sundari Temple is situated about 67 kms from Agartala. This temple is also known as Matabari and located in the ancient capital, Udaipur on the top of hillock Dhanisagar in the middle of the 16th century.

 The deity is Goddess Kali.

This is one of the 51 Pithas mentioned in the Tantras. The temple is served by red robed priests and is the location of the large fair during Diwali festival in October-November.

Beyond this age-old temple there is a big tank called Dhani Sagar, the abode of old tortoises, sacred to pilgrims for food offerings.

It is said that when any of these wise tortoises is to die, it approaches the altar of the temple and breathes its last.The temple has a square shaped sanctum that resembles to typical Bengali hut with a conical dome.

 It was constructed in 1501 by Maharaja Dhanya Manikya Debbarma. The temple has two identical images of the deity which is known as Tripura Sundari (5 feet tall) and Chhotima (2 feet tall).

The temple structure is also known as Kurma Pitha as the temple premises resembles kurma or tortoise.

Durga puja is celebrated joyously in Tripura Sundari temple.

Every year during Diwali, a popular fair is organized near the temple which is visited by lakhs of pilgrims.

People come here to take bathe in the fish-filled tank which is located near the temple.

Fairs are also held on the occasion of ‘Uttarayan Sankranti’ and ‘Shiva –Chaturdashi’.

Daily, the goddess is offered with ‘anna-bhog’ (rice). Besides this, various types of seasonal fruit is also offered to the goddess.

By Air

 The closest airport is at Agartala from where temple can be reached by road.

By Train

The nearest rail head is Kumarghat which is 140 km from Agartala. From here buses and taxis are available to reach the temple.

By Road

 The temple is located at 55 km from Agartala, the capital of Tripura. It is well connected by all towns of Tripura. The nearby bus stand is Matabari.

Wild Planet Resort – It Is Amidst And Surrounded By The Hill Tea Plantation

WILD PLANET RESORT 

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NILGIRIS 

Devala is located in Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu state of India.Wild Jungle resort is located at Devala-(The Chirapunji of South India), in the Nilgiris, the border of Wayanad hills and Mudumalai tiger reserve.

Wild Planet Resort is an intimate, secluded, luxurious resort located in the middle of a dense rain forest. Nestled in the natural beauty of the wilds, Wild Planet Jungle resort is located at Devala-(The Chirapunji of South India), in the Nilgiris, the border of Wayanad hills and Mudumalai tiger reserve.

 It is an iconic Indian retreat, set in 100 acres of land which is hidden inside the secluded 3300 square kilometers of tropical rain forest in the midst of Nilgiris mountain range- the meeting point of Eastern and Western Ghats.

Built on family owned land about 1300m above sea level, this hill station is renowned for its coffee, tea and pepper plantations. Mountains and forests combine to create numerous outback trails, trekking routes and opportunities for other adventure sports.

Wild Planets mission is to share this unique part of the world, while maintaining respect for the natural environment and challenging accepted notions of luxury. Dedicated to environmentally conscious hospitality, Wild Planet Jungle resort is no ordinary tourist destination!

Our Hill Top Cottages are spacious (650 sq. each) and luxuriously done accommodations. The cottages are atop a hillock in the middle of a tea plantation providing a green blanket on the slopes. The balcony overlooks the surrounding rain forest and the Nilgiri mountain range, as far as the eye can see.

The resort has various activities available for you to enjoy at the resort including outdoor games like Badminton, Basket Ball, Archery and indoor games like Pool, Table Tennis, Caroms and other board games.

 We offer a free nature walk inside the property and trekking options are also available for those who want to refresh themselves amid nature. We can arrange for fishing in a pond inside the property. Also we do arrange for day trips to nearby sightseeing places like Mudumalai wild life sanctuary, Bandipur, Ooty and Wayanad.

By Air

Nearest airport is Calicut, Bangalore, Coimbatore, Mysore.

By Train

- Nearest railway station is Calicut, Bangalore, Coimbatore, Mysore.

By Road

Bangalore – Mysore – Gundalpet – Bandipur – Gudalur – Devala – Wild Planet (260 KM)

Calicut – Thamarassery – Chundale – Meppadi – Devala – Wild Planet (125 KM)

Coimbatore -Mettupalayam – Ooty – Gudalur – Devala – Wild Planet (160 KM)

Cochin – Thrissur – Perinthalmanna – Nilambur – Devala – Wild Planet (238 KM)

Mangalore – Kasargod – Taliparamba – Iritty – Manathavady – Ambalavayal – Devala – Wild Planet (312 KM).

Devala,

Between Wayanad Hills & Mudumalai Tiger Reserve,

Nilgiris, Kerala – Tamil Nadu Border, South India.