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O Lord Ganesha possessing a large body (mahakaya) curved trunk (vakratunda), with the brilliance of a million suns (surya koti), please make all my work free of obstacles-always
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Dear Friend
As I write to you, the monsoon is bestowing its last showers upon us and we have welcomed the elephant- headed God of new beginnings, Ganesha, into our homes. Come September and the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi kicks off a season of rejoicing that will last till the New Year, taking in Navaratri (which culminates in Dassera), Pujo, Diwali and Christmas on the way. If you’ve never attended an Indian festival, celebrated the traditional way, you have a treat in store for you. An explosion of music and colour, a generous dose of spirituality, and a liberal helping of sheer exuberance, topped with a “the-more-the-merrier” attitude … yes, India is always incredible, but never more so than during her festivals. Why not celebrate
September 27th, World Tourism Day, with an India holiday? |
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India scores with Conde Nast Traveller Readers, improves 2004 rating India has made it to the 5th place on the Conde Nast Traveller’s Readers Travel Awards 2005 list, up from the 6th position in 2004. The ever popular Ananda Spa, at Ananda in the Himalayas, sweeps the category of Destination Spas, and comes in at the 2nd spot in The Top 100 list (across categories). The Oberoi Rajvilas in Jaipur, is the preferred hotel in Asia and the Indian Subcontinent, and is another Indian entry in The Top 100 list (across categories) at Number 7. The Oberoi Vanyavilas, Ranthambore, is the 9th most preferred hotel in Asia and the Indian Subcontinent.
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Fear of al-Qaeda and ETA attacks don’t prevent Britons from going to Spain, points out Fiona Dunlop of Financial Times Weekend, and The Foreign Office’s Travel Advisories shouldn’t stop them from visiting Kashmir. She herself does just that and comes away enchanted.
View article |
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Gwalior, once the capital of one of India’s richest princely states, is now on the air map. As the cradle of dynasties and home to warrior kings (and queens), poets, musicians and saints, Gwalior has an architectural and cultural heritage that is unmatched. The massive Gwalior Fort, popularly called “Gibraltar of India”, overlooks the city. It has been described, by Mughal Emperor Babur, as, "The pearl in the necklace of the forts of Hind". Jai Vilas Palace, residence of the royal family, is patterned on the style of the Palais de Versailles in France, and combines the Tuscan and Corinthian styles of architecture. Some 35 rooms have been converted into a |
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museum, giving visitors an evocative glimpse into an age long gone. |
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Kerala is planning to launch submarine tours that will allow tourists to observe marine life at close quarters. If you prefer terra firma, though, The Leela Kovalam
Beach Kerala will welcome you at India’s only cliff-top beach resort, where every room has a private deck offering stunning views of the coastline and the
enchanting beaches that flank the resort. Rejuvenate, as you enjoy the group’s signature style of luxurious hospitality that won it the prestigious 2005 Five Star
Diamond Award earlier this year from the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences. |
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| India is becoming a lot more environmentally friendly. Plastic bags are banned in a number of states and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is becoming the fuel of choice for public transport in big cities. |
Buses in new Delhi and taxis in Mumbai are use CNG instead of petrol and diesel, and Indian Railways are test running a four-compartment train that runs on CNG.
100 year old 19th-century engineering marvels are still going strong. Kalka-Simla toy train, which runs in the Himalayas passing through 103 tunnels en route, is available for charters. |
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The cave paintings of India record the progress of humankind from the earliest days:
The paintings in the rock shelters of Bhimbetka, in the foothills of the Vindhyan Mountains, are 5000 to 20000 years old, dating from the Mesolithic period right through to the Historical period.
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| The cave paintings of Ajanta, done between the 1st century BC and the 7th century AD, influenced the paintings in Horyuji temple, one of Japan’s oldest temples. |
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Amitabh Kant
Joint Secretary, Ministry of Tourism,
Transport Bhawan, Parliament Street,
New Delhi - 110 001.
T: 91 + 11 + 23715084
F: 91 + 11 + 23710518
M: amitabhk@incredibleindia.org
W: http://www.incredibleindia.org |
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While others may claim breathtaking locales, the mysticism of the east, the draw of civilization, the call of the wild.... India is that and much more.....
It is a journey of mind and soul.
It is a journey of the five senses
It is a journey of self-discovery
It is a journey of self-fulfillment. |
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