Ahmedabad Festivals
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Ahmedabad
Festivals
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Most of the fairs in Gujarat state are religious festival
based. Some of the festivals celebrated here are Uttrayan or Makar sankranti or
kite festival, Navratri festival, Jaggannath raht yatra festival, Tarnetra fair,
Uttarayan celebrations, and the saptak music festival.
International Kite Festival: is held every year on 14Th
January, it coincides with the Uttarayan or Makar Sankranti festivals of the
Hindus. People celebrate these festivals, all the business comes to a grinding
halt for a few days of this celebration.Expert kite-makers and flyers comes from world to Gujarat at this time.
Rath Yatra: This festival is celebrated in the
month of June/July when Deities of Jaggannath temple are taken round in a procession from Jaggannath Temple in Jamalpur. The chariots carrying the deties are very
nicely decorated with flowers etc. the procession goes through the major street
of the city.
Navratri: The festival is dedicated to the
Goddess Shakti. The celebration goes on for nine nights when people perform
Rass Garba Dandian Dance for nine nights and enjoy dancing and feasting.Garba Dance is a popular folk Dance of Gujarat
Saptak Music fair: Usually celebrated in the month
January in Ahmadabad. The festival goes
on for eleven days where famous vocalist as well as instrumentalists
participates each year. The stage setup gives a good opportunity for showing
their talent to some good music lovers.
Tag :
Indian Festivals,
Nagaur Fair
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| Nagaur fair |
Rajasthan, famous for historic monuments and exquisite
architecture, hosts many charming fairs and festival events. Among the fairs of
Rajasthan which attracts thousands of tourists not just from other parts of India
but from abroad as well is the fair of Nagaur which is popular for its cattle
trading. It is sometimes called as the Nagaur cattle fair and boasts of being
the second largest fair in entire state of Rajasthan.
Nagaur fair is organized every year in the month of Jan-Feb.
the fair continues for eight days and draws many tourists to witness the amazing
event. The fair was started by a king Mr. Umed Singh of Jodhpur dynasty in
honor of Sh. Ramdeoji about 56 year back. It is held at Nagaur, a charming town
situated between Jodhpur and Bikaner. About 70 thousands cattle are sold and
bought every year at the fair. Here you will
get to see many camels, horses and other animals being traded.
Nagaur fair is also known as Ramdeoji cattle fair. People
dressed in colorful traditional outfit are seen fascinating the visitors. Some foreign tourists even are seen in
traditional attire of Rajasthan. Animal
like camels and horses brought here for trading are also beautifully decorated
by their owners who themselves are seen wearing beautiful vibrant Rajasthani
outfit. Though Nagaur fair is mainly related with cattle trading, there are many
fun activities that makes the fair more vibrant and fascinating. Tug of war, camel race, bullock race, cock
fight etc are some of amazing events of the fair. Rajasthani folk dance, music and other
cultural and entertaining activities are further attractions of Nagaur fair.
Tag :
Archive,
Ranthambore
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| Ranthambore |
Famous for its national park,
Ranthambore is a small town situated in Sawai Madhopur District of the state of
Rajasthan, India. Ranthambore National Park is a primarily tiger reserve. The
park is spread over an area of 392 sq km. Earlier it was a hunting place for kings of
Jaipur. It is an ideal place for wildlife lovers and is abundant with beautiful
ponds, rocky hills, fascinating ravines etc. it was earlier wildlife
sanctuary. Then in 1980 it was declared
as a National Park. Other than tiger,
its main habitat, the park also houses other species of animals. The
Ranthambore fort situated in the National Park is one of the remnants of rich
heritage of history of the region. The fort was built in 994 AD and has a
massive gate, high walls, temples and water tanks. It was built in such a way
that enemies could not make an easy entry in the fort. The temple situated in
the fort is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Temple of Lord Ganesha is another temple
situated in the fort. The fort is visited by many tourists.
Jogi Mahal is another place of
interest in Ranthambore. It was built as rest house for the members of Jaipur
royals who came there for hunting. It is now a guest house and offers tourists
modern amenities. The structure of the Mahal is beautiful one. The place also
offers fascinating views of it surrounding natural sites. Padam Talab located
there adds to the beauty of the Mahal. Surwal Lake is another place of tourist
attraction you can visit near Ranthambore. It is situated about 25 km away from
Ranthambore. The lake mesmerizes the onlookers with its stunning views. You can
also have the fun of jungle safaris in Ranthambore National Park.
Sawai Madhopur serves as the nearest railhead to Ranthambore. The railway station is just 10 km from Ranthambore and is well linked by many trains to other parts of the country.
Best time to visit
October to February is the best
time to visit Ranthambore.
How to reach :
By Air:-
Sanganer Airport is closest airport to Ranthambore and is well connected to other major cities of the country.By Train:-
Sawai Madhopur serves as the nearest railhead to Ranthambore. The railway station is just 10 km from Ranthambore and is well linked by many trains to other parts of the country.
By Road:-
Many state run buses connect Ranthambore to Jaipur, Ajmer, Pushkar and other parts of the state and the country.Tag :
Best of India,
Culture Of Pune
Culture of Pune
The city of Pune boasts of having rich cultural heritage. The city is rightfully called as the cultural capital of Maharashtra as it serves to be a mirror of Marathi culture and traditions. The city which has seen the great development in all spheres of life has managed to preserve its rich traditions and cultures. City of Pune is such place in entire India where modernization and cultural traditions seems to be walking hand in hand. This culturally rich city of Pune has been the place of work of many great social reformer and freedom fighters. Mahatma Phule and Bal GangadharTilak are some of them. Present city of Pune also boasts of being home to the largest number of educational institutes and hence is known as Oxford of East.
Celebrating festivals with much pomp and show has been the tradition of Pune. It can be seen its celebration of Ganesh festival which is celebrated for ten day with great enthusiasm. Besides this, there are other several cultural events celebrated in the city. Sawai Gandharv Classical Music festival is one of them. The city of Pune is famous for its Lavani songs. Lavani songs which are performed by women artists have become popular throughout the state of Maharashtra. Pune has produced many Lavani artists like Surekha Punekar who is still enthralling people of Maharashtra by her performance.
Though the majority of people in Pune are Hindu the city is also home to people of other religions like, Muslim, Buddhism, Christian etc. the city has witnesses a number of people from different part of India coming to the city and making it their home. Therefore along with the Marathi culture, culture of other states can also be seen there. Marathi is the native language of the city while Hindi and English are also spoken by some.
Tag :
Indian Festivals,
History Of Pune
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| History of Pune |
History of Pune mainly deals with history of the great Maratha King Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Peshwa. The early history of Pune, according to cooper plates found in excavation, dates back to 6th century. The region at that time was under the rule of Rashtrakutas. Pataleshwar rock-cut temple complex was built in this era. Then from 9th century to 1327 the region was part of the Yadavas kings of Deoghar. Then it was ruled by Nizamshahi Sulatan till it was annexed to the Mughal Empire. In 1595 Maloji Bhosale was appointed as Jahagirdar of Pune by Mughal. Rango Babuji Deshpande who was appointed was by Shahaji Bhosale as the administrator of Pune is regarded as one of the first developers of the city. Under his supervision several constructions works were done in the city. Construction of Lal Mahal Palace was completed in the year 1640. JiJabai the mother of Shivaji is believed to have supervised the work of Kasaba Ganapati Temple in Pune. The idol of lord Ganesha in the temple is considered to be the presiding deity of the city.
It was then Dadoji Kondev, the mentor of Shivaji, supervised the many construction works in the city. Thereafter the Shivaji who was crowned as Chhatrapati Shivaji in 1649 oversaw several development works in Pune. Guruwar Peth, Somwar Peth and Mangalwar Peth are some of places developed under the rule of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Budhwar Peth was constructed by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in the year 1703. After the death of great Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Maratha kingdom was managed by the Peshwas. Peshwa was the post of the minister of the highest rank in Maratha Empire. In 1720 Bajirao the first become the first Peshwa of Maratha under the rule of Chhatrapati Shahuji. The famous palace of Shaniwarwada which is situated in Pune on the banks of Mutha River was constructed in 1730. Later on the Shaniwarwada became the main stay of Peshwas and the city of Pune witnessed many temples bridges and other development work being carried out under the rule of Peshwas. Paravati Temple, Sadashiv Peth, Nana Peth etc were built during this time.
The defeat of Maratha in the third battle of Panipat resulted in to the decline of its empire. In the battle with British in 1817 at Khadki (which was then known as kirki) Maratha has to face the defeat. Pune then was captured by the British and annexed to the Bombay Presidency. Then the British established military cantonment area at the east of the city. The cantonment area is now used by the Indian Army. Pune Municipality was set up in 1858 by the British and the city witnessed other development works like Ganj Peth which was renamed as Mahatma Phule Peth after the independence. Pune continued to be ruled by the British until the independence of India.
During the rule of British in India city of Pune was an important center of political and social movement. Mahadev Govind Ranade, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Ramkrishna Gopal Bhandarkar, Maharshi Vitthal Ramji Shinde and Mahatma Jyotirao Phule are some of the prominent persons who belonged to the city of Pune. Bal Gangadhar Tilak, one of the greatest freedom fighters of India, operated his political movements from Pune. Besides, the Yerwada Jail where Mahatma Gandhi was kept as political prisoner by the British is situated in Pune.
After independence Pune has witnessed tremendous growth. Many prominent institutions like National Defense Academy and National Chemical Laboratory were set up in Pune. The city also has grown into a major sport centre of country and has hosted Common Wealth Games 2008 successfully.
Tag :
Historical,
History Of Aurangabad
Aurangabad History
Malik Amber an Ethiopian slave was the main architect of Aurangabad city which was built in 1610 A.D. at the site of village Khadki a barren land at the western end of Marathwada region. Malik Amber was an architect of great order; he designed many buildings and gates of Aurangabad. His main creation was a canalled water supply system which used to supply water for the needs of whole city of seven lacks population then.
The cannels or Nehars were built in stones or clays and ran across the whole city from their sources based in nearby mountains or other water bodies. Some of the nehars are still functional and perennially provide water to the residents. Prince Aurangzeb became viceroy of Aurangabad for second time in 1653, to pay a tribute to his mother Dilras Bano Begum his son Azam Shah built Bibi Ka Makbara in the year 1660. In the year 1720 Nizam-Ul-Mulk Asif Jha made Aurangabad as his capital but the capital was transferred to Hydrabad in 1763.
After India’s Independence in 1947 the state of Nizam refused to join Indian Union, but Aurangabad (Marathwada) was liberated and merged in Bombay state after a police action in 1948. Aurangabad (Marathwadw) was in Nizam state till 1956 when it was transferred to Bombay state. In the year 1960 Bombay was bifurgated into Gujarat and Maharashtra and Aurangabad remained with Maharashtra from then onwards. Since then Aurangabad has been prominent city in the marathwada region of Maharathwada. It is an important city in the tourist map of Maharashtra. Also an important industrial hub in the region, many important industries like liquor, automobiles, electronics and electrical goods etc are functioning here since long. Now a wagon building plant is coming up in Shendra industrial area of the city and an IT hub is a promising development planned for Aurangabad.
Tag :
Historical,
Culture of Aurangabad
Aurangabad Culture
Basically Aurangabad and whole of Marathwada region was ruled by Mughals for about 350 years form 1600 A.D. till its Independence in 1950. Hence a fair influence of Mughals / Nizams can be seen in its language, culture and cuisines etc. Though a good number of Maharashtrian people live here, a clear touch of Hyderabadi Hindi can be noticed in the general communication of the masses. Similarly people generally favor Maharshtrain food but muglai cuisines also occupy a prominent place in the larger cooking menus. Recently due to Industrial expansion of the city, people from other regions have migrated to Aurangabad and there is a cultural mix in the society. We see people from many regional backgrounds coming to Aurangabad. Different festivals are organized by different societies. Aurangabad region was the center of Sikh, Buddhist, Muslims, Hindus and jains culture. Important Buddhist and jains sculptures and paintings can be seen in Ajanta and Ellora caves. There are important Hindu temples at Mahur, Paithan, Grishneshwar, Aundha, Parli and Ambejogai. Nanded hosts the Samadhi of Sikh Guru Guru Gobind Singhji. Saint Samarth Ramdas belonged to Jalamb in Jalna District. Khultabad has the shrines of most famous sufi saints of Marathwada. Tomb of Moghul emperor Aurangzeb is also located in Khultabad.
Tag :
Indian Festivals,
Tourist Places in Mumbai
The Mumbai is the financial and commercial capital of India as well as capital of Maharashtra state.Mumbai is famous around the world for it's attractions and number of tourist increasingly day by day .Attractions of the city can be categorized in Colonial buildings,Museums, Beaches,Religious places,Zoos,parks. Overall 40% tax comes from this single city from the total tax in India.The numbers of important financial institutions like Reserve Bank of India, Bombay Stock Exchange and National Stock Exchange is placed in the cream area of Mumbai. The city is also the house of most famous Bollywood(Hindi film industry)
Essel World
It is the first and largest amusement park which spread over 64 acres of land.It is located on Gorai Island in Borivali (West) area of Bombay.There are 34 major rides, it consists of two parks-Essel world proper and Water Kingdom.
Haji Ali Mosque
Located on a small island. It is the most popular tourist destination and a pilgrim site for people from all over the world.There is walkway which connects the sandy shore to the holy shrine.This Durgah is not accessible during high tide becouse walkway gets immersed in the waters.
Mahalaxmi Temple
Is one of the most famous temples of Mumbai situated on Bhulabhai Desai Road.It is dedicated to Mahalakshmi the central deity of Devi Mahatmyam. There are three idols of Mahakali, Mahalakshmi, and Mahasaraswthi.
Elephanta Caves, Mumbai
Earlier called Gharapuri is today's Elephanta Island, which is known for embracing the remarkable Elephanta Caves.To be found about 10 kms off the eastern coast of Mumbai, Elephanta Caves has been given the position of a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The Portuguese called the island Elephanta on seeing its huge gigantic statue of an Elephant at the entrance.
Siddhivinayak Temple
Is a Hindu temple dedicated to Ganesh,located in Prabhadevi, Mumbai, Maharashtra.It was originally built by Mr. Laxman Vithu and Mrs. Deubai Patil on November 19, 1801.The temple has a small mandap (hall)The wooden doors to the sanctum are carved with images of the Ashtavinayak (the eight manifestations of Ganesh in Maharashtra). The inner roof of the sanctum is plated with gold, and the central statue is of Ganesh. In the periphery of the temple, there is a Hanuman temple as well.
Tag :
Best of India,
Kalidas Festival Ramtek
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| Kalidas Festival Ramtek |
Ramtek hill is a place near Nagpur (about 30 Kms) where Lord Rama stayed during his exile. Devils used to trouble saints conducting their devotional offerings there. Lord Rama then made a vow to eliminate such devils, hence the name Ramtek where Tek means Vow. Kalidas composer of historical drama Shakuntala and the epic poem Meghdoot is supposed have written Meghdoot on these hills, hence the Kalidas festival is arranged by Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation to celebrate the rich culture of the place. An old temple of lord Rama stands here where worship has been done science ages. A Kalidas memorial has been built by the Maharashtra government tourism department. It is at these backdrops that the Kalidas festival is celebrated ever year. Some finest music and Dance performances are held in the Kalidas festival which is spread over two days and nights the festival brings to life old golden era of Vidharba region.
Tag :
Indian Festivals,