Visakha Utsav
Visakha Utsav is a festival organized by tourism department of Andhra Pradesh.Visakha Utsav is held every year from third Friday to Sunday in the month of January. This three day Utsav (festival) is organized in the Visakhapatnam district of the state.
The festival is a fascinating event bringing the festive spirit of people of Visakhapatnam to life. The festival is celebrated to showcases the art and cultures of the district of Visakhapatnam. Though it is celebrated in different parts of the state, the Visakhapatnam is the main venue chosen by the department of tourism of Andhra Pradesh to organize the festival and celebrate it with much pomp and show. The festival is visited by many tourists from across the state and country as well.
Visakha Utsav promotes and conserves the arts and cultures of Visakhapatnam district of the state. A fair held during the celebration of the Visakhapatnam displays the beautiful arts and crafts the region of Visakhapatnam. Variety of cultural programs, sports events, exhibition, food fair, fashion show, etc are seen giving charming look to the festival and thereby attracting the thousands of tourists from across the country to watch the vibrant festivities of the event.
Tag :
Indian Festivals,
History of Ajmer
The city of Ajmer is located in the middle of Rajasthan state on the slopes of Aravali Mountains on its lower side. Anasagar lake is situated at the Northern side of the city. Ajmer is an old city with recent modern developments on its outer sides. Dushyant Chauhan found Ajmer around 7THcentury; in 1193 Muhammad of Ghor conquered Ajmer but handed over the rule to Chauhan kings on payment of royalty. Ajmer was under tenancy of Delhi rule till 1365, later it was conquered by the Maharaja of Mewari. After a long fight with Marwari Kings the city was finally won by the Marwari king in 1532. In the year 1559 Mughal Emperor Akbar conquered Ajmer.
The ruler of Ajmer again changed to be Marathas in 18Th century. From then up to 1818 Ajmer many times saw change of rulers from Mewar and Marwar. Under the British Raj Ajmer was governed by an Agent to the governor General who supervised the Administrations of Rajputana region. After India’s Independence Ajmer was brought under the rule of Rajasthan state. The Pushkar town famous for Bhrama temple and Pushkar lake is just 11 Kms away from Ajmer
Tag :
Historical,
Tourist Places in Delhi
Tourist Places in Delhi
Historical city of Delhi is home to many historic monuments, tombs, buildings which serve as the main tourist attraction of the city. Besides, there are many beautiful parks and garden offering as picnic spots for many people in Delhi. Monuments and buildings with historic significance, prominent religious places, pleasant climate and above all the hospitality of the people make the city a must visit place.
Built by Shahajahan in the 17th century, Red Fort of Delhi reminds us the might of the Mughal Empire. This majestic historic structure is a prominent tourist attraction in the city. On the occasion of Independence Day the tricolor- India’s national flag flutters on the top of it. Red Fort also serves as the main venue of celebration of Independence Day.
Qutb Minar is another place of interest you should not miss on your to Delhi. Popular for its wonderful architecture, Qutb Minar is World Heritage Site recognized by UNESCO. This historic place is situated at Qutb Complex, Mehrauli. Other attraction nearby include Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, 4th century old Iron Pillar and Ala-al-Darawazaa.
Do not miss the Humayun’s Tomb, if you are on visit to this city. The tomb presents the nice example of marvelous architecture style of Mughal. A large structure, delicate designs and decoration of this historical monument are seen reaching to its peak. Jantar Mantar, Siri Fort, the Old Fort and Sardarjung’s Tomb are other places of interest to be seen in Delhi. Do not miss the historic place of Delhi Ridge as it has been witness to the bloody battle 1857.
Built by the British government in India, old government buildings are also visited by many tourists. Rashtrapati Bhavan (the Presidential residence) and the Parliament House are the main old buildings which have been luring the tourist by its majestic and unique structures.
Apart from the historical places Delhi also houses some prominent religious place like Jumma Masjid, Akshardham temple and the Lotus Temple. Chandni Chowk, Connaught Place, Delhi Zoo, India Gate, Mahatma Gandhi Memorial at Raj Ghat and Lodhi Garden serve as other tourist and picnic spots of Delhi.
Tag :
Best of India,
Fair and Festivals in Delhi
Fairs and festivals of Delhi
Delhi being a cosmopolitan city and also referred as mini India, celebrates the same festivals which are celebrated in other part of the country. However, having a long cultural and political history and being the capital city of the country, Delhi celebrates and organizes some noteworthy fairs and festivals in grand way attracting thousands of visitors. Some of the festivals and fairs also display the culture and tradition of Delhi. During the festival environs of Delhi remains cheerful and vibrant. Many visitors flock there to witness the fascinating event of the fairs and festival. Along with major festivals of nation like Diwali, Dussera, holi, Baisakhi Id-ul- fitr, Christmas etc, Delhi is known for its other fairs and festivals which it celebrates with much fanfare.
Delhi celebrates its Lohri festival every year in the month of January. Lohri is winter festival celebrated with great enthusiasm. Celebration of the festival includes charming activities like burning bonfires and singing and dancing around it.
Celebration of Republic Day (26th January) every year in Delhi is a major event of the city. On the occasion of this event a beautiful of parade of Indian Military offers retreat to the eyes lakhs of visitors. A celebration also includes displaying rich culture and tradition of India. These are presented by many groups of artists and performers come from all states and union territories of India.
Tourists from other countries do not miss this event which offers them glimpses of numerous cultures of India under one roof. Independence Day (15th of August) is another such event celebrated with much pomp and show.
Qutub festival is another fascinating event organized every year in the month of October. It is held at Qutub Minar complex and includes entertaining activities like classical dance and singings performed by many talented artists come from all over the country. The city of Delhi hosts other prominent event like Kite flying festival and International Mango festival. Delhi also presents the visitors Asia’s largest Auto Expo which is held once in two year. World Book Fair organized biannually at Pragati Maidan of Delhi is another big event of the city. This world book fair is participated by as many as 23 nations making it the second largest book fair in the world.
Tag :
Indian Festivals,
Tamil New Year
Tamil New Year or Puthandu is the first day of Tamil New Year falling on the Nirayanam or vernal Equinox day. Equinox occurs when the center of the Sun is in the straight line, just overhead from the equator of the earth. To be more elaborative equinox are the days in a Year when the length of the days are equal to length of night. Or if the sun rises at 6 AM the sunset should be at 6 PM. This day generally falls on the 13Th or 14Th April and is observed as a public holiday in Tamil Nadu. Apart from Tamil Nadu in India this day is also observed in Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Thailand, Nepal, Bangla Desh and Burma.
Puthandu is celebrated in different styles in different places. In Tamil Nadu there is a feasting atmosphere everywhere. Houses are decorated with neem and Mangoes which are the first batch of fruits of the season and considered to bring growth and Prosperity. In Madurai Temple Chitterai Thiruviza (Puthandu) is celebrated, an exhibition called Chitterai Porutkktchi is held every year. In Tiruvidaimarudur near Kumbakonam a large Car Festival is held. In Sri Lanka it is Sinhalese New Year time. People take some herbal bath and a game of Por-Thenkai is played. Elders present youngsters with gifts of money for good luck.
Tag :
Indian Festivals,
Culture of Agra
Agra is a most popular tourist destination in India which is frequented by not only Indians but foreign tourists as well. It is visited by millions of tourists every year mostly for its majestic monument Taj Mahal. Agra also hosts the Red Fort and Fatepur Sekri two of other popular tourist monuments. Agra falls in Brij region of Uttar Pradesh state in India; therefore one will find Brij culture (dances, festival celebrations, relationships etc.) , food habits (Snacks, Chaats, Sweets, Namkeens etc.) dresses (lengha, Sarees, Salwar Kameez, Shirt and Trousers and Dhoti Kurta etc.) and language (Brij, Hindi Khadi boli etc.) in Agra. As the city was ruled by Mohguls for a long of time one would find Mohgul culture in the heart of natives in Agra. The culture of a lace is best studied during its festival times. The Taj Mahotsav is one such festival of Agra which can provide the best chance to explore and experience the culture of Agra.
Tag :
Indian Festivals,
Culture of Delhi
Long history of Delhi has its impression on its culture and traditions. Arts, paintings, cuisines, festivals, handicrafts, jewelry, embroidery, religions etc mark the culture of the capital city of India. Paintings and other fine arts forms are parts of tradition of Delhi and they have flourished since the time of Mughal. Embroidery of Delhi is world famous. Embroidered cloths like salwar, kurtas, saris, bed sheets, etc are popular in Delhi.
After the independence of India, lakhs of people from other parts of the country flocked to Delhi for different reasons (mainly for employment) and thus made it multi-cultural place. People living there consist of different religion like Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian etc. Diwali, Dussera, Holi, Baisakhi, Basant Panchami, Id-ul- fitar, Christmas etc are some of prominent festivals celebrated in Delhi with much pomp and show. Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu are widely spoken languages of the city.
As a cosmopolitan city, Delhi offers the visitors various dishes along with famous Punjabi and Mughlai delicious dishes of Kabab and Biryanis. Famous dishes of other state like Rajasthani, Maharashtrian, Hyderabadi cuisines are also famous here. Hospitability of the people of Delhi, its handicrafts, arts, colorful tradition, etc give Delhi’s culture a vibrant look.
Tag :
Indian Festivals,
History of Delhi
History of Delhi
Interesting city of Delhi boasts of having equally interesting history which has seen many kingdoms. The history of the city goes back to 1450 BC when it was first founded as a fortress of Indraprastha -the capital place of Pandavas. Then thereafter many kingdoms founded their fortress cities there. Rajput Tomaras built the city of Lal Kot or Quila Rai Pithora at Qutub Minar in 1060 AD. It was further extended by Prithviraj Chauhan, Rajput king. Then the city of Delhi saw the rule of Qutb-ud-din Aybak of Slave Dynasty who established Delhi Sultanate. Qutub Minar built by Qutb-ud-din is still present there attracting many tourists.
After the fall of Slave Dynasty many Afgan and Turkic dynasties invaded the city and established their own forts and fortress there. Khiliji dynasties, Sayyid Dynasty, Tughluk Dynasty are some of the dynasties which had set up their citadels, townships and forts there in medieval period.
Delhi witnessed the rule of the Mughal Empire which ruled it for more than three hundred years. Sher Shah Suri, Akbar, Shahajan etc are some of rulers who belonged to Mughal Empire and rule the city and thereby the most part of India. Influence of Mughal Empire started to decline when Maratha kingdom rose to prominence. The defeat of Maratha in third battle of Panipat made the entry easy for the British which ruled the Delhi and the country until August 1947. It was in 1911 that the capital of British India was transformed from Kolkata to Delhi. A British architect named Edwin Lutvens designed a new administrative and political area known as New Delhi. It was also officially made the capital of independent India.
Tag :
Historical,
Taj Mahotsav, Fairs & Festivals in Agra
 |
| Taj Mahal |
All the festivals like Diwali, Holi, Idd-ul-Fitr, Id-Ul-Adha, muharram and Guruparab etc. are celebrated in Agra,Uttar Pradesh. Other cultural festivals celebrated here are Taj mahotsav, Taj Food Festival etc.
Taj Mahotsav was started in 1992 and celebrated from 18th to 27th February every year at Shilpgram near Taj mahal. The ten days Taj Mahotsav is organized by Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department.
Taj Mahotsav hosts various cultural extravaganzas like Folk music, Classical dances and singing, Shayaris, Elephants rides and camel rides, traditional dress displays, Art forms like pottery making, puppetry, marble inlays, wood carvings, brass & metal ware making, Blue Potteries, Chikan work, Silk making, Exotic Cuisines and other traditional art forms of India.
A grand parade of Elephants, Camels, Horses, drumbeaters, folk artists and master craftsmen marks the beginning of 10 days festival. The old golden mogul era is brought to life in these festivals. Other national festivals are celebrated in Agra as elsewhere in the country. Some of the other local festivals are Kailash Fair, Bateshwar Fair, and Ram Barat etc.
- [Up to 5 years] - Free
- (5 years to 10 years) - Rs. 10/- [per Person]
- Adult : Rs. 50/- [per Person]
Taj Mahotsav was started in 1992 and celebrated from 18th to 27th February every year at Shilpgram near Taj mahal. The ten days Taj Mahotsav is organized by Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department.
Taj Mahotsav hosts various cultural extravaganzas like Folk music, Classical dances and singing, Shayaris, Elephants rides and camel rides, traditional dress displays, Art forms like pottery making, puppetry, marble inlays, wood carvings, brass & metal ware making, Blue Potteries, Chikan work, Silk making, Exotic Cuisines and other traditional art forms of India.
 |
| Wood Carving |
Entry fee for the Taj Mahotsav would be :
- [Up to 5 years] - Free
- (5 years to 10 years) - Rs. 10/- [per Person]
- Adult : Rs. 50/- [per Person]
Tag :
Indian Festivals,
History of Agra
Agra is a historical city situated in Uttar Pradesh mainly linked to Mogul rulers but it has its connections to Mahabharat times and times of Angira Muni about 1000 BC back. The common theory says that Agra was founded by Sultan Sikandar Lodhi in 1504 AD. Later his son Ibharim Lodhi ruled over Agra till 1526 when he succumbed fighting with Babar in First Battle of Panipath. Later Samrat Hem Chander Vikramaditya of Vikramaditya Dynasty conquered Agra and Delhi from Moguls and established Hindu Rule in North India on 7Th October 1556. Mughal rule under Akbar, Jahangir and Shah Jahan was a golden period for Agra city. Then the city was known as Akbarabad. Many mohgul emperors build various monuments in the city. First planned garden was built by Babar. Akbar build huge walls around Red fort, Agra was made a learning center for arts, commerce and religion during Akbar’s time, and He also build Fatehpur Sikri as a military camp. After the decline of Moguls Marathas and Jats took over the rule of Agra till British rule was established. Agra is known as the place of origin for the religion Din-E-Ilahai. Radhaswami Satsang Ashram Faith originated here. Presently Agra has three UNESCO World Heritage Sites the Taj Mahal, The Agra Fort and The Fatehpur Sikri.The occupation in Agra is mainly self employment; it comes second in the
country after Varanasi, Bhopal, Indore and Patna follow afterwards
Tag :
Historical,