Puri Beach Festival

18th International Puri Beach Festival to start from 23rd Nov 2012. This was decided at a high level meeting presided by  Tourism Minister Maheswar Mohanty at here.

   A preparatory meeting was held under chairmanship of Maheswar Mohanty, Minister Tourism, Culture and P&C in his Secretariat Chamber today to discuss and finalize the programme to be held from 23rd November to 29th November, 2012. Important exhibition, food stalls, beach sports, special boat race among local fisherman, sand art show, Helium Balloon Ride, Kite fly show, Camel Ride & Horse ride on the Beach, Meena bazaar & merry go-round, Bhagabat Katha discourse will be organise like last year. 

  Information Broucher will be prepared on different visiting places of Puri for distribution to public and tourist. Arrangement of tourist guide will be made this year. Minister Sri Mohanty told that there is a growing trend in the tourist arrival to the city Puri and Odisha during the festival due to continuity of the festival. The festival is brand festival of Odisha for the past 17 years without change of date, time & venue. Mahodadhi National Award, Mahodadhi Sammana and Mahodadhi Manapatra award will be given to the important personalities for their contribution to the society.

It should be noted that since 1993 the city of Puri is hosting the Puri Beach Festival founded by then chief Minister late Biju Pattanaik, he selected the name Puri Beach Festival. Today the festival adds laurels in its formal from a State festival to International Statute, only international tourist festival of Odisha. The biggest cultural show on a sea beach in India. Each day more than five hundreds artists perform cultural programmes for a period of seven days. Hotel association of Puri being the oldest and only organization of hotel & restaurant owners of Puri city, founded in the year 1982 is the chief organizer to the festival

Artistes throng Puri to participate in annual beach festival

 Indian and foreign artistes are actively participating in the five-day-long annual Puri Beach Festival.The festival is aimed at promoting tourism in Puri, which is considered sacred by the Hindus due to the famous Jagannath Temple."It's a nice feeling that exchange of culture is taking place at the festival. We are seeing the Odissi dance performance and audience would be watching our performance as well. Artistes have come from Kolkata and Punjab, so it s a good platform to meet artistes from across India and the visitors become aware of the variety of culture and traditions present in India.

The sunrise and the sunsets, and the local fishermen wearing wide brimmed cane hats with their catamarans are a welcome sight for the tourists. A ride on their boats is a dare devil experience. Since these fishermen are also good lifeguards, the risk during sail is minimum. Women in their traditional dress line the beach selling shell, wood and bamboo artifacts. Sometimes, amazing sand sculptures made by professional artists can also be seen on the beach. It is pleasant to take a stroll along the beach and to the nearby fishing villages along the coast. 

There are restaurants and shacks which offer fresh sea food dishes, and also several beach facing hotels and guest houses for stay near by. Due to the expansion of the surrounding commercial set ups, the conservation of the beach is not up to the mark in some areas. But, overall the beach is an ideal place to spend a holiday for its beauty as well as its religious sanctity.

Read More

Hope Island

Hope Island located near Kakinada, it makes a wonderful place to visit from the hustle-bustle of the city. This island is formed 200 years ago by the drifting of sand from Godavari River. The island stretches across the Bay of Bengal and forms a Bay of Kakinada between the Island and the Kakinada coast. The northern part of the island is called as "Godavari Point" and this island protects the city of Kakinada from cyclones or tidal waves coming from the Bay of Bengal.

The sandy beaches on the island offer a refreshing atmosphere for one and all visiting the place.'The Godavari Point'  is another scenic attraction which gives a panoramic view of the entry point into Bay of Kakinada and of the Kakinada harbour.

In summer season the cold water is very enjoyable. Carrying some good food stuff, a tent and some games to play at the beach would be real adventurous around the island. Cooking and eating the fresh catch from the sea is even more fun.

To reach Island Click Here

Read More

Top Tourism Destinations in Hyderabad, India

Hyderabad is a wonderful blend of the old-world charm and vibrant city life. It is the capital city of Andhra Pradesh and reminds us of the royal grandeur which is quite obvious from its age old monuments and splendid architectures. On your tour to Hyderabad, you will come across some impressive architectural instances that bears testimony to the rich culture and heritage of this town. Sightseeing being an indispensable activity of any vacation, there are many tourist destinations in Hyderabad that would simply leave you awe-struck.

Historical Monuments: Mecca Masjid, Charminar, Golconda Fort, Qutb Shahi Tombs, Paigah Tombs, Paigah Mosque(Spanish Mosque)-Begumpet, Chow Mahalla Palace.

Religious places: Birla Mandir, Sanghi Temple, Chilkur Balaji Temple, Ananda Buddha Vihara, Charminar, Makkah Masjid, Shahi Masjid

Museums and Planetarium: Salar Jung Museum, City Museum, AP State Archaeology Museum, Birla Science Museum, Birla Planetarium

Lakes of Hyderabad: Durgam Cheruvu, Osman Sagar, Himayat Sagar, Hussain Sagar, Shamirpet Lake, Rukn ud Daula Lake, Mir Alam Tank, Saroornagar Lake.

Parks and Gardens: Nehru Zoological Park, NTR Gardens, Indira Park, KBR National Park, Kotla Vijayabhaskara Reddy Botanical Gardens, Lumbini Park, Lotus Pond, Mahavir Harina Vanasthali National Park, Mrugavani National Park, Public Gardens

Miscellaneous: Ramoji Film City, Ravindra Bharati, Necklace road, Laad Bazaar, Shilparamam, Shilpakala vedika, Keesara, Rachakonda, Ananthagiri hills 

Read More

World Largest river Island-Majoli(Majuli)-Assam,India

Majoli - also called Majuli, is the world's largest freshwater-river island located in the middle of the vast River Brahmaputra in Assam State of India. Garamur is the sub-divisional headquarters of Majuli.Majuli derives its name from 'Madhyajuli' meaning 'centre place between two rivers' which Majuli . 

The Majuli Island is surrounded by the Brahmaputra River on the south and the Subansiri River (the largest tributary of Brahmaputra) on the north.Majuli Island is about 25 kms north from Jorhat by ferry. Majuli Island is about 330 kms northeast of Guwahati via Jorhat.Being a wetland, Majuli is a hotspot for countless species of endemic and exotic bird. 

Island Tourism cannot be better than this. Especially when you're least expecting it. Majuli river-island is a fringed benefit - a bonus of visiting Assam State. Majuli is the world's largest riverine island encompassing about 2 lakh acres of land and is located right in the middle of River Brahmaputra near Jorhat city in Assam. Either you visit Majuli via a ferry from Jorhat city which operate twice a day or you take a full-blown river-cruise on board a ship from either Dibrugarh or from Guwahati. And another pleasant surprise that you get on this Island is the sight of large number of native and migratory birds

The people of Majuli represent the varied ethnic forms of cultural heritage. Hospitality of Majulians are remarkable. As you travel through this river island you will experience tribes with traditions you could never imagine to be in existence. Open-heart attitude, which is the hallmark of the Majulians, is sure to make carry their images all through out your life. Such is the type of love evoking lot of people the Majulians

This landmass, with a population of 1.6 Lakhs, majority being tribals, has a very rich heritage and has been the abode of Assamese Vashnavite culture with tremendous potential for spiritual and Eco-tourism. The island is a bio-diversity hotspot and has rich ecology with rare breeds of flora and fauna.

Tourist interests
The representation of all ethnic groups under one roof retaining their respective individual and traditional cultural entities is a very striking phenomenon that easily attracts the visitors to this island. With the glories history of five hundred years of Satriya living cultural tradition, the rich and colourful tribal cultural elements and the natural beauty with a unique assemblage of flora and fauna; Majuli has the charm to beckon the tourists unraveling itself as paradise on the earth. Extinct species of various migratory birds are found in Majuli which creates an environment of bird sanctuary.

Following are some of the Tourist attractions
The Vaishnava Satras were founded by Sankardeva
The colourful culture of the tribes
Migratory birds
The Ali-ai-ligang festival in Feb-March
Pottery making
Mask making
Paal Namm festival in the end of winter
The sunset in winter
Exotic homespun masks crafts

Vaishnava Satras
In Majuli, Sankardeva established the first Vaishnava Sattra in Assam during the reign of Dihingia Raja from 1497-1539 at Dhoahat –Belguri. Records show that as in 1557 the following Sattras had been established in Majuli by various apostles of Sankardeva.
•Kathbapu Sattra in 1557
•Bengana-Ati Sattra in 1662
•The group of Bar-elengi Sattra in 1558
•Auni-Ati and Dakhinpat in 1662
•Kamalabari Sattra in 1673

Bird watching
There are 3 locales for bird watching
1.The southeast of Majuli Island
2.The southwest of Majuli Island
3.The northern part of Majuli Island

The Majuli Festival (Festival of Asam)
The Majuli Festival of Assam offers you a lot of scope to make you a part of this festival. Special events are being organised during the festivals days round the clock. Cultural programmes takes place with the participation of various traditional and classical cultural troupes of Assam and troupes from rest of the country, in addition to rich cultural heritage of Majuli.

Ecological Decay
Due to relentless erosion, the very existence of the island is threatened. It is facing substantial erosion since the great earthquake of 1950 and the erosion has became acute after1974. About 1/3rd of the landmass has been eroded in the past half century. Annual floods have also been playing havoc due to shallowing of the river Brahmaputra, resulting in losses amounting to crores of rupees to the national exchequer every year without any permanent solution till now.

The issue of protection of Majuli Island has been raised at different levels during the last couple of years. Its uniqueness due to cultural and natural heritage makes it a fit case for preserving under the aegis of the UNESCO as a world heritage site. Govt. of India has already sent study teams both from Archeology and Environment Departments and findings are quite positive

To reach Majuli Click here and to read more related articles Click here

Read More

The Red Beach-China

The Red Beach is located in the Liaohe River Delta, about 30 kilometer southwest of Panjin City in

China. The beach gets its name from its appearance, which is caused by a type of sea weed that

flourishes in the saline-alkali soil. The weed that start growing during April or May remains green

during the summer.

In autumn, this weed turns flaming red, and the beach looks as if it was covered by an infinite red

carpet that creates a rare red sea landscape. Most of the Red Beach is a nature reserve and closed to the public. Only a small, remote, section is open for tourists.

To read more about water Gate ways Click here

Read More

Top 10 Highest Waterfalls in India

Kunchikal Falls: The Kunchikal falls is the highest waterfalls in India and second highest in Asia. The tallest waterfall of India with a height of 1,493 ft is located near Agumbe in Shimoga district of Karnatak. Agumbe valley is among the places in India that receive very heavy rainfall and it has the only permanent rain forest research station in India. The India’s biggest waterfall is formed by the Varahi river and lies in the Western Ghats:The Ghats is well famous for its Giant Indian squirrel, Indian bullfrog and other unique birds, rare reptiles and bizarre wild animals 

Barehipani Falls: The Barehipani is a picturesque waterfall situated in the core area of Simlipal National Park in Mayurbhanj district of Orissa. This waterfall is second highest waterfalls of India with a height of 1,309 ft. The gorgeous fall is surrounded by deep forest which again adds the wildness to its beauty. This two-tiered’ waterfall is originating near the Bay of Bengal. The Barehipani and Joranda falls are counted amongst the most popular attractions of tribal state Orissa

Langshiang Falls: The Langshiang Falls at Meghalaya is one of the largest waterfalls in West Khasi hills district of Meghalaya. Langshiang falls formed immediately after the confluence of the diverged streams of the Kynshi river and the water falls from a height of 1,106 ft. 

Nohkalikai Falls: The Nohkalikai falls is one of the tallest waterfalls in India. It is located near Cherrapunji, one of the wettest places on Earth in East Khasi Hills district  

Meghalaya:The 3rd highest waterfalls in India with a height of 1100 feet. Cherrapunji is very famous for Hills, rainfall, living bridges and oranges. The other highest and popular waterfalls in Meghalaya are Nohsngithiang falls and Kynrem falls, These are also counted in top 10 highest water falls in India.

Dudhsagar Falls: Dudhsagar waterfalls or The Sea of Milk is well renowned for its spectacular trajectory. Dudhsagar is the fifth highest waterfall in India falling from a height of 1020ft. Dudhsagar falls is obviously one of the most popular falls in the country and a great tourist attraction of Goa apart from its exotic beaches. During the monsoon season however, the falls are transformed into one of the most powerful falls in India. Dudhsagar waterfalls are among top 100 waterfalls of the world.

Meenmutty Falls: Meenmutty waterfalls is one of the most beautiful waterfalls, falling from a height of some 980 ft in Wayanad district of Kerala. It is one of the famous tourist spot in south India. The peak is famous for its wilderness and Meenmutty Falls is the largest and most spectacular waterfall in Wayanad. Meenmutty falls is the biggest Water falls in The Land of God, Kerala.

Thalaiyar Falls: Thalaiyar waterfalls also known as rat tail falls situated in Dindigul district of Tamilnadu. It is one of the biggest water fall form a height 974 ft and one of one of the tallest falls in Asia. The widest falls is very popular for its dangerous place and dark caves. The spot is still unexplored because there is no road to reach here

Jog Falls: The Jog water falls created by the Sharavathi river in sharavathi valley in Shimoga district of Karnataka. Its breathtaking spectacle when sharavathi river falling from a height of 829 ft. It is the most impressive and one of the highest plunge waterfalls in India. The Barkana falls formed by the Sita River is another highest waterfall in karnataka. It is a wonderful location for sightseeing and counted among the ten highest waterfalls in India.

Kune Falls: The Kune falls is one of the breathtaking waterfalls situated in the heart of Lonavla-Khandala valley in the green city Pune, Maharashtra. The sparkling waters are falling form a height of 660 ft and making a magnificent and breathtaking waterfall. It is one of the most beautiful tourist spot in Khandala. 

Vantawng Falls: The nick point of the waterfall is situated at a height of 751 feet in Serchhip district of Mizoram. This is largest and most famous waterfall in Mizoram.The most magnificent falls is surrounded by lush forest teeming and a vast stretch of thick bamboo forests.The Tribal states of India Jharkhand,

Madhya Pradesh and Chhattishgarh also surrounded by some of the popular waterfalls in India, few of them are counted as Lodh falls, Chachai falls and Teerathgarh falls.

Want to read about more Water Gateways Click here

Read More

Drive-in beach in Kerala(Muzhappilangad Beach)

The Muzhappilangad Beach is the only drive-in beach in Kerala where one can drive down to the beach on the way that is almost 4 km. It is an amazing experience to drive down near the water. The beach has been mentioned in the world tourism map.

Tsunhe unpaved road going through the coconut trees leading to the beach will be one of the most beautiful experiences in one s visit. Strong black rocks all around the beach act as protectors for the beach from strong currents of the ocean.

It is great fun to swim in this natural shallow pool of water and take a sun bath. The beach is also a lover s paradise with a number of couples coming here to spend time together.

want to drive in beach then click here

Read More