Nagaraja Temple - A Visit Here Is Sure To Leave You With A Blissful Experience

NAGARAJA TEMPLE

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NAGARCOIL

Located in the Nagercoil town of Kanyakumari district in Tamil Nadu, the ‘Nagaraja Temple’ is dedicated to the serpent king Vasuki. The presiding deity of this temple is the five-headed Naga God and is visited by hordes of devotees, especially on Sundays when special Pooja is performed offering milk and turmeric to the deity. 

The temple sees an uncountable footfall of people suffering from Naga Dosha during the Tamil month of Avani (August and September) when some distinct rituals are performed for 12 days.

According to folk tales and legends, once a village girl was cutting grass in the area when all of a sudden she noticed blood oozing out of her axe after accidentally hitting a stone. She hurriedly went to the village and brought few villagers here, out of which one villager recognized the stone as an idol of a five headed snake. 

Thereafter, the temple dedicated to Nagaraja was built with its walls made of mud and roof made of coconut leaves. The main sanctum of the temple still has these mud walls and thatched roof with the small stone idol of Nagaraja placed on the soil. 

The soil underneath the idol remains wet as it is believed that the blood is still oozing out of the deity till date. It is believed that this soil holds special powers and can cure any skin ailments; the soil is also given as prasadam to the visitors of the temple.

The architecture of the temple is quite simple with scores of sculptures and images of different snakes adorning the walls, trees and pond around. The main sanctum enshrines the deity and is guarded by two huge statues of five-headed serpents. Inside the temple premises, you will also find Shivlinga and idol of Vishnu in Anant Shayana position.

One of the very unique temples in India located amidst tranquil and peaceful settings, a visit here is sure to leave you with a blissful experience.

Thai Brahmmotsavam in January-February; Aavani Sundays and Aavani Aslesha (Aayilyam) star day and Krishna Jayanthi in August-September; Navarathri in September-October and Tirukarthikai in November-December are the festivals celebrated in the temple.

The temple is located in heart of town Nagercoil, and is around 4 KMs from nearest railway station Nagercoil . There are frequent public transportations available to reach Nagaraja temple from other places.The nearest airport is at Thiruvanathapuram.

Chilika Lake - It Is Queen Of Natural Scenery In Odisha

CHILIKA LAKE

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PURI

Asia's largest brackish water lagoon with water spread ranging from 1165 sq km m the rainy season to 906 sq km in the dry season is nestled in the heart of the coastal Odisha (Orissa). It extends from Bhusandpur in Puri district in the North to Rambha-Malud in Ganjan district in the South, separated from the Bay of Bengal by a 60 km long narrow strip of marshy islands and sand-flats.

Chilika Lake, popularly known as Chilka, the queen of Natural scenery in Odisha, also known as the Swiss-lake in the continent. Nestling in the heart of coastal Odisha, Chilika is India's biggest inland lake. Spread over 1165 square kilometres during the monsoon season and 906 square kilometres during dry season, it runs along the borders of three districts of Puri , Khurda and Ganjam and finally joins the Bay of Bengal through a narrow mouth, forming an enormous lagoon of brackish water. 

Chilika is the largest brackish water lagoon of Asia situated on east coast of India. It is situated between 19028' and 19054' North latitude and 85005' and 5038' East longitude. Due to its high productive ecosystem, rich biodiversity and socio-economic importance, Chilika was designated as a Ramsarsite in October 1981, under the convention of wetlands of international importance.

In winter Chilika lagoon flutters with thousands of migratory birds and water-fowls from as far as the Siberia, Caspian sea, Lake Baikal, Aral sea, remote parts of Russia, Kirghiz steppes of Mangolia, central and south east Asia, Ladakh and the Himalayas for feeding, resting and roosting. Every year the birds start coming to the lake around the second and third week of October and stay up to March. They start their homeward journey at commencement of summer.

The lake is famous for bareheaded geese and common geese,etc. chilika is home to a rich variety of aquatic flora and fauna. Chilika is veritable wonder of nature. Containing a large variety of fish the lake privides livelihood to thousands of fishermen. Hundreds of boats sail out daily on the lake's blue expanse in search of mackerel, prawn and crabs, this sight providing an insight into the pageant of rural India at its colourful best.

Enriched by picturesque hills all along its arched shape, its colour changing in Kalidoscopic glory with passing clouds and the moving Sun, its body rolling in languid abandon, excited by the gentle breeze wafted from the Bay of Bengal. It is said that any visit to Puri remains incomplete without a visit to Chilika Lake. 

Chilika provides an opportunity to visit nature and natural beauties through its vast coverage of bluish water, small green mountains and islands in it and the clean bluish sky with floating clouds. That is why Chilika has attracted many poets, nature lovers, bird watchers and even the general public and tourists every year.

Winter is the best time to go Chilika, from October to March, when the lake is crowded with large number of migrating birds from different countries. Avoid rainy season from June to September. In January visitors also congregate in huge numbers at kalijai temple, situated on Kalijai island in Chilka Lake, during Makar Sankranti to pray Goddess Kalijai.

By Air

Nearest Airport is at Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India 

By Train

Nearest Railway Station is at Balugaon and Rambha on S. E, 

By Bus

National High Way No. 5 touches Chilika at Balugaon, Barkul and Rambha.

Wular Lake - Beauty Of Mountains Around The Lake Make Visitors Paradise

WULAR LAKE

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JAMMU & KASHMIR

Wular Lake is a large fresh water lake of Asia. It is located in Bandipura district of northernmost state of Jammu & Kashmir. The basin of Kashmir’s largest freshwater lake was created as a result of ancient tectonic activity. Wular Lake is fed by the waters of River Jhelum and varies in size from 30 to 260 sq km (12 to 100 square miles); as per the changing seasons. Wular Lake is also visited by the waters of mountain streams by the name of Madmati, Erin and Bohnar.

Wular Lake is calm and placid across most seasons of the year. However, it is often flooded by melting snow and large volumes of water draining in from Pohru stream. Embankments and small dams are being constructed at strategic places to prevent dangers of any natural calamity. Sharp winds can create turbulence in the Lake and lead to unwarranted accidents and fatal mishaps. Tourists should get an insight on the prevailing weather conditions before visiting the lake.

Wular Lake is a scenic getaway for tourists looking forward to memorable moments in the valleys of Kashmir. They can hire houseboats, sailing boats and doongas to cruise along designated mooring places in the region. The most noteworthy amongst them are located at Ningal Kiuhnus Bay, Nullah and Ajus Spur.The beauty of mountains in the background and silence prevailing around this lake make it a place worth visiting

Scenic terrains of Wular Lake attract thousands of tourists. Sparkling waters of this lake offer plenty of opportunities for boating, fishing and water skiing. Along with a host of other outdoor water sports and activities, Wular Lake is a much loved destination for trekkers, picnic lovers and students on an excursion.

Most of the exciting water sports and other events are organized by Government of India, in collaboration with the agencies nominated by the departments connected with Jammu and Kashmir Tourism and Kerala Tourism. The contractual agreement for site operation and water sports was awarded in 2011. Ever since, tourists have been spoil for choice by the growing range of aquatic activities at their disposal.

Tourists love to savor the delightful world of colorful fish and other aquatic life in this region. Some of the main species of fish inhabiting Wular Lake include rosy barb, common carp, and mosquito fish and snow trouts— along with hundreds of others. Thousands of local fishermen employed by co-operative societies earn their livelihood by catching fish in the sparkling waters of Wullar.

Bird watchers are awed by the rich collection of avian specie in and around the vicinity of Wular Lake. Some of the common terrestrial birds spotted here include the Eurasian Sparrow hawk, Black-eared Kite, Short-toed Eagle, Himalayan Monal, Himalayan Golden Eagle, Chukar Partridge, Rock Dove, Koklass Pheasant, Woodpecker, Golden Oriole, Hoopoe, Barn Swallow, Common Cuckoo and so forth.

Tourists visiting the natural bounties of Wular Lake also like to experience the delights of shopping for woolen carpets at Bandipore. The lake can also be approached from Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary, which is a paradise for bird watchers.

By Air

Srinagar is the nearest airport, connected by Indian Airlines daily (75mts). Jet Airways connects Srinagar with mumbai and new delhi with daily flights. : Jammu-Srinagar (13:35) and Delhi-Srinagar (11:15).

By Train

Jammu Tawi is the nearest railhead(290km). Major Indian cities like Kolkata, Mumbai are also linked to Jammu by train. Direct train services are available from Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore and Trivandrum. 

By Bus

Located in the Bandipore district the Wular Lake can be reached by a few minutes drive from the main city. Srinagar to Bandipur the distance is distance is 40 KM

Vellore Fort - Its Prime Attraction Is Completely Made In Granite stones

VELLORE FORT

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TAMILNADU

Vellore Fort is a large Fort situated in the heart of the vellore city, in the state of Tamil Nadu State Of India. The Fort was at one time the Headquarters of the Aravidu Dynasty of the Vijaanagara Empire.

Vellore is popularly known as the Fort City of Tamil Nadu. Now a very calm and understated place, it was once a battleground and has seen many wars. The name Vellore also means a City of Spears. Vellore has an enriching legacy reflecting the early Dravidian culture. It has been ruled by the Pallavas, Cholas, Vijayanagara Empire, Rashtrakutas, Carnatic kingdom and the British. 

Vellore has many historic and religious attractions. The famous Sripuram Srilakshmi Golden Temple is situated near Vellore. The Vellore Fort is prime attraction in the town completely made of granite stone. The Fort might have been built during the rule of Chinna Bommi Nayak (1526 to 1595 AD).

The Fort is one of the most perfect specimens of Military architecture in South India. The Jalakandeswarar Temple inside the Fort is a very fine example of Vijayanagar architecture. The other important attractions of Vellore include the Clock Tower, the State Government Museum, the French Bungalow, Science Park, Vainu Bappu Observatory, Amirthi Zoological Park, Big Mosque, St. Johns Church and the Pearl Palace.

Vellore is a popular and one of the oldest cities of South India. It is the administrative headquarters of Vellore district in Tamil Nadu situated on the banks of Palar River. Vellore along with Sripuram is among popular weekend getaways from Chennai for a 2 day tour and it is a major historical site in Tamilnadu. Vellore is also one of the top Tourist places in Tamilnadu.

Vellore has very good connectivity with major towns in Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Katpadi Junction on the outskirts of Vellore has frequent train connectivity with cities like Chennai, Bangalore, Tirupati, Vijayawada, Mangalore, Trivandrum, Coimbatore, etc. Vellore Bus Station is connected with frequent buses to above cities along with nearby towns like Kanchipuram, Pondicherry, Chittoor, Tirupathi, etc.

The best time to visit Vellore is between the months of October to March. It usually takes a full day to visit important places in Vellore.

By Air

Nearest Airport: Chennai - Menmbarkam Airport (131 Kms)

By Train

Nearest Train Station: Vellore Town Railway Station (0 Kms)

Katpadi Junction (6 Kms)

By Bus

Nearest Bus Station: Vellore Central Bus Station (2.5 Kms)

Chandragiri Fort - It Was Built On Huge Rock

CHANDRAGIRI FORT

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TIRUPATI

Chandragiri Fort is Under the control of Archaeological Survey Of India, and it is situated in Chandragiri near Tirupati  of Chitoor District in Andra pradesh state of India.

Chandragiri Fort was built on huge rock by Vijayanagar Rulers in 1000 AD. Surrounded by eight ruined temples, the fort complex has Raja Mahal, Rani Mahal and other ruined structures. The Archaeological Museum houses in three storied Raja Mahal and displays good collection of artifacts and sculptures relating to Chola and Vijayanagar period.

The Chandragiri Fort is located at Chandragiri which was once upon a time the Capital city of the Vijayanagara Empire and is linked with the Aravidu dynasty. The Chandragiri Fort dates back to 1000 AD. Overtime, more and more improvements were made to it to make it more beautiful and elegant to look. 

The fort is strategically located over the top of a small 183m hill. The southern side of the hill is enclosed by strong walls, surrounded by a ditch so as to prevent any intruder from entering into the fort. The remains of the lower fort contain the two Mahals, the lower portion of which is built in stone and the upper in brick. The main building known as the 'Raj (Chandragiri) Mahal' is majestic in appearance and with the modern colorful lighting system introduced, the Mahal is a delight to the eyes and gives a nice view to the eyes during night. The modern town of Chandragiri lies to the east of the hill on which the fort stands.

The Raja Mahal palace is now an Archaeological museum, which houses a great collection of metal and stone sculptures dating back to 2nd BC. The museum can be categorised into Bronze Gallery, stone Gallery, Model Gallery and Yaganti Gallery.

Bronze Gallery host articrafts that wer made out of Pancha loha, a mixture of Copper, brass white lead, silver and golder metals. The gallery hosts a collection of utensils, coins, temple ware, dating back to 10th centure A.D. The highlights of the bronze collection are the bells, harathi plates, idols of Lord Vishnu, Navaneetha Krishna, Sita and Ram, Lord Vishnu with Sridevi and Bhudevi, Veerbadra incarnation of Lord Shiva with four hands. There is also a lion leg which is made out of Bronze.

Sound & LightShow is conducted here:

1st Show (Telugu): Nov-Feb: 6.30 pm to 7.15 pm; Mar-Oct: 7.00 pm to 7.45 pm

2nd Show (English): Nov-Feb: 7.30 pm to 8.15pm; Mar-Oct: 8.00pm to 8.45 pm

Ticket Cost: Adult: Rs.20/- Child: Rs.10/-

By Air

Nearest airport is Tirupati with 57 km.

By Train

Nearest railway station is Chittoor. 

By Bus

Buses and private vehicles are available from other cities to Chittoor.