Bundi Utsav Rajasthan – The Great Indian Carnival

Bundi Utsav Rajasthan, held in the festive month of November is one of the most fascinating festivals of India. Bundi Utsav gets its name from the place where it is held. Called Bundi, this place located in Rajasthan, India sure seems to be straight out of a picture post card. Each of places in Rajasthan have their own special significance, the very fact which has shot this destination in India to be one of the most fascinating tourist destinations in the world and it is festivals such as these, which have made Rajasthan tourism more meaningful than ever before.

Bundi Utsav Rajasthan – A cultural representation that’s spell binding

Folklore, handicrafts, dance, music and heritage...you name it and the Bundi Utsav of Rajasthan has each of these gems studded on its festive occasion to keep up the frenzy and fervor of this occasion on the pinnacle. Some of the most respected and famous artists grace the cultural shows and entertainment on the occasion of Bundi Utsav in Rajasthan.

Bundi Utsav Rajasthan – Let’s explore beyond

The Bundi Utsav of Rajasthan, India bundles a lot of vibrancy. Take for example, the colorful procession or the Shobha Yatra that is a fun filled carnival showcasing some of the finest arts and crafts of this artist rich Indian state. From arts and crafts, cultural folk dance and music to ethnic sports and exhibition, there’s no excitement that goes amiss in this impressively entertaining event. The Bundi Utsav also packs in sightseeing, turban competition, musical extravaganza, deep daan, bridal attire, musical band competition and spectacular fireworks display.

Bundi Utsav Rajasthan – Moonlit glories

During the festival of Bundi Utsav in Rajasthan, dresses up in full glory yet another town in Rajasthan, in neighborhood of Bundi, called – Keshorai. The town comes alive under the moonlight flooded sky. The villagers dress up in the traditional best, come together at the banks of River Chambal and the women spray a magical mist in the air with their ritualistic holy chants.

Picture Source:

bundi.nic.in

Ganga Mahotsav – The Dazzling Fairs and Festivals of India

Ganga Mahotsav 2010 begins! Ganga Mahotsav, one of the most awaited festivals of India, is celebrated in the month of October to November every year. The Ganga Mahotsav festival is a 5 day long beautiful affair that attracts tourists from far and wide. The celebrations of the Ganga Mahotsav begin from the Probodhini ekadashi and trail off to the Kartik poornima of the Indian lunar calendar. The venue of the Ganga Mahotsav is the Dr. Rajendra Prasad Ghat in Varanasi, a beautiful place which comes alive with all the joy and spirit and enlivens the bank of the holy Ganges.

What the Varanasi Ganga Mahotsav brings on the platter?

Ganga Mahotsav 2010 is five day long carnival, a platform that becomes the kaleidoscope of the finest craft and fantastic culture of India, all of which converge in a single place, i.e. by the bank of the River Ganges in Varanasi. While this art and culture festival of India converges the most traditional facets of the Indian cultural heritage, it is the vibrant state of Uttar Pradesh, which is the main show stealer in the Varanasi Ganga Mahotsav.

The illuminating moment of Ganga Mahotsav

The phantasmagoria of this dreamy Indian festival comes to a closure on the fifth day, when millions and millions of illuminated earthen lamps, called Diyas, are sent afloat the mystic and playful waters of the Holy Ganges. The fragrance of the burning incense fills the atmosphere impregnating the breezes with sanctity. The sacred Vedic chants on the other hand add to the holy scene by slowly transforming the Ganges bank to a celestial abode. This out of the world feeling and the scenes converges in a pair of worlds – Dev Deepavali, an enlightening event in the Ganga Mahotsav festival that brings down the curtains to this cultural bonanza of Varanasi.

Picture Source: 

visitinrajasthan.com

flickr.com/photos/spyrosp

india-forums.com

Welcome to the Grand Sonepur Mela 2010 – India’s Pride, the Sonepur Cattle Fair

The Sonepur Mela or the Sonepur Cattle Fair is a beautiful villagey festival, held in the month of November in the pretty hamlet of Sonepur in Bihar. The Sonepur Cattle Fair is celebrated on the mesmerizingly beautiful confluence of the Holy Rivers – Ganga and Gandak. Also, sometimes just known as the Harihar Kshetra Mela, the Sonepur fair attracts visitors from far and wide, especially from all across Asia. The Sonepur Cattle Fair happens be Asia’s grandest cattle fair and is believed to have been celebrated since the ancient days. The Sonepur mela 2010 is just round the corner, so come, let’s explore more about this wonder cattle festival of Bihar in words and pictures, before you (who knows!) may finally decide to land up there and witness all the grandeur of a cattle festival with your own eyes !!

Sonepur Cattle Fair 2010 – the dates

The Sonepur mela or the Sonepur fair 2010 is all set to begin on November 21st and stretch till December 15th. This is a fortnight festival which begins from the day of Kartik Shukla Paksh or Kartik Purnima of the Kartik (November) month of the Hindu calendar, which is a full moon day. This fifteen day cattle festival of Bihar often some years extends to a month.

Sonepur Mela – the legends to remember

The Sonepur fair gets its inspiration from the legendary story of King Indrayamuna and the Gandharva chief called Huhu. It is believed, that these two men were cursed and turned into elephant and crocodile respectively by the influential sages Dewala and Agasthya muni. One day, the crocodile caught the leg of the elephant and both of them fought for several years with their herd. Finally, the King Elephant started to give up and went praying for his protection to the supreme God Vishnu. Lord Vishnu heard the prayers of the king and killed the crocodile with his “Chakra.” This released Huhu from his crocodile curse and simultaneously, also released king Indrayamuna from his elephant curse. Then, God Vishnu took both to his aboard in Vaikuntha. Since that time, the Sonepur cattle fair has been celebrated in their honor.

Sonepur Cattle Fair – an engaging tale of history

In the historical years, it was the great emperor of India, Chandragupta Maurya, who used to buy horses and elephants across the holy river of Ganges. Then, the Sonepur cattle fair became the platform for trading cattle. The fair began to attract traders from places far and wide, most notably from Central Asia. Originally, the locus of the Sonepur mela was Hajipur, where the puja used to be held in the Sonepur Harihar Nath temple. But, when the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb came to power, the Sonepur fair venue was shifted from Hajipur to Sonepur. Legends have it, the Harihar Nath temple in Sonepur, Bihar was originally erected by Lord Rama to offer prayers to God on his way to King Janak’s court, where he intended to win the hand of Sita. Many historical accounts also refer to Raja Man Singh having undertaken the repair and renovation of the Sonepur Harihar Nath temple in Bihar. The temple, as it stands with pride and all holiness today, was rebuilt in the late Mughal era, by an influential person called Raja Ram Narain.

Sonepur Mela – the cattle trade

The Sonepur fair is an interesting event in the fairs and festivals calendar of India, when almost every kind of animal is brought to the fair grounds for trading. Some of the most notable animals brought in the Sonepur cattle fair include Persian horses, camels, cats, ponies, donkeys, buffaloes and sheep. Animals like chimps, elephants, monkeys, guinea pigs, cats, bears and dogs are also brought in and lined up for trade. But that’s not all that is to this biggest cattle fair of Asia. The Sonepur mela also bustles with stalls which sell almost every kind of good imaginable ranging from garments, utensils, handicrafts and jewelries to furniture, toys, agricultural equipments and weapons.

So, if you want to be a part of Sonepur fair 2010 – the grandest cattle festival of Asia go ahead, witness the fun, capture them in your lenses and be a part of this interesting and unique grandeur!

Picture Sources:

bharatonline.com

goforindia.com

folknet.in

Pushkar Fair in Rajasthan – The Colorful Fairs and Festivals of India

With the month of November comes the time to celebrate the Pushkar Fair in Rajasthan. Pushkar fair in Rajasthan is the time when the sleepy, quaint little town of Pushkar in Rajasthan suddenly comes alive with frenzy and there flows a riot rainbow colors everywhere. The beautiful occasion of Pushkar fair 2010 is all set to begin very soon.

Pushkar fair 2010 dates

The dates for the Pushkar fair 2010 are November 12 to November 21 (as in the recent years, the celebrations is prolonged by several days for its tremendous craze). Pushkar fair Rajasthan is celebrated for five frenzied days. Pushkar fair in India is considered one of the world’s largest camels fair. The celebrations of this camel fair in Rajasthan are held around the full moon day of the Kartik month of Hindu Calender. Usually this period is called the Pushkar fair season which stretches from mid November or Kartik ekadashi to early December or Kartik Poornima. The day of the full moon is considered the main day of the Pushkar fair in Rajasthan, which commemorates the legends of Lord Brahma.

Legends of Pushkar Fair

The history of Pushkar festival in Rajasthan is written in the Hindu scriptures. The town of Pushkar in Rajasthan is counted amongst the five sacred cities of ancient India. There are some 400 temples in this small town, which makes it year round tourist attraction of Rajasthan. According to the Pushkar Fair legend, on the full moon night or the day of Poornima, all the 330 million Hindu Gods assemble around the holy Pushkar Lake. Legend of Pushkar festival also has it that on this very day and from this very Pushkar Lake, the creator of Life in Hinduism i.e. Lord Brahma had sprung up.

Pushkar Camel Fair Attractions

The Pushkar camel fair 2010 is all gearing up to usher in the fun and festive spirit like all the other years. This is the time when the desert life dances and dazzles in thousand colors.

The pilgrims, the lake and the temple - The occasion of Pushkar camel fair in Rajasthan is when the Hindu pilgrims gather in this picturesque dessert town to take a holy dip in the sacred Pushkar Lake. A dip in the holy Pushkar Lake is believed to rinse away all the sins of the person. The pilgrims pay their obeisance in the Brahma Temple of Pushkar. The Pushkar Brahma temple happens to be the only Brahma Temple in the entire world. That apart, on this day, people also buy and sell livestock like sheeps, camels, goats and cows.

Treat for onlookers - For the onlookers, the Pushkar fair grounds and the sights that it beholds becomes the live canvas of vibrancy and a spirited atmosphere. The Pushkar fair, locally known as Pushkar ka Mela or Pushkar Mela is an annual five day camel and livestock festival. On this day, Pushkar becomes one of the most visited tourist attractions in Rajasthan.The fun highlights of the Pushkar fair in Rajasthan are Bridal competition, matka phod, longest moustache and so on. In the recent years, Pushkar fair grounds have also been hosting cricket match between the local Pushkar club and the foreign tourists.

Stalls and exhibitions - Women crowd at the stalls well stocked with lovely bangles, bracelets, jewelry, clothes and fabrics of all kinds. One of the main attractions of Pushkar fair in Rajasthan is the came race. There are also other musical competitions, shows and exhibitions which follow one after the other keeping the spectators happily busy with entertainment galore.

Pushkar camel fair tents - For the Pushkar fair, a special tented city is created just closeby the holy Puskar Lake. Many pushkar fair pilgrims and tourists prefer to stay in these lovely Pushkar fair tents. Often the participants in the camel races, drama, music, dance and competitions and also the traders stay in these beautiful and comfortable Pushkar fair tents.

Pushkar Fair Tour

Paahun Tour Managers, a one of a kind luxury India specialist Tour Company is offering the best and the most luxurious Pushkar fair tour at the cheapest rate possible!!! The magical sojourn of mystical Rajasthan coupled with the frenzies of the colorful Pushkar camel fair 2010 are not to be missed. So, take this grand opportunity and be a part of the glorious and world famous Puskar Fair 2010 and tour in élan the myriad tourist attractions of Pushkar and Rajasthan.

For more information on Paahun Tour Managers–

Visit – www.paahun.com

Email – manishjha@paahun.com

Dial up –

India - + 91 - 80 – 42021383

Australia - + 61 - 2 – 80034494

United Kingdom - + 44 - 20 – 81440037

United States of America - + 1 - 347 - 4149002

Image courtesy -

hellotravel.com

pushkarfaircamps.com

Indian Tourist Visa Information for Travelling to India

If you are planning an India travel in the near future, then get ready with Indian tourist visa. Only when you are authorized with an Indian tourist visa, will you be permitted by the Indian government to visit India. All international travellers coming for an India tour need a valid Indian tourist visa, except the tourists coming from neighboring Bhutan and Nepal. Currently, India is offering an “Indian travel Visa on Arrival” facility for international tourists travelling to India from Japan, Luxembourg, Singapore, New Zealand and Finland. However, if you belong to a different country other than the ones mentioned, then, you must obtain an Indian visa before your India travel. Here are the things you need to know before you make your India visa application.

Types of Visa available for India tour

International travellers who are planning an India travel for 72 hours or less, can obtain an Indian travel visa called ‘Transit visa’. In other cases, the traveller will be needed to obtain an Indian tourist visa. The Indian tourist visas are usually issued for a period of six months, during which you can get enough time to tour the various tourist destinations of India. However, that again depends on the nationality of the tourist. Most India tourist visas are multiple entry visas, and so, you can obtain Indian travel visas valid for as short as three months or as long as one whole year! If you are a tourist travelling to India from the United States, then, you can jolly well obtain ten year India tour visas from your country. The Indian tourist embassies of select 18 countries even offer Indian tourist visas which remain valid for 5 years. These include the following countries – France, Vietnam, Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium, Finland, Netherlands, Spain, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Argentina, Chile, Brazil and Mexico. However, irrespective of the duration of your India travel visa, no international tourist is permitted to stay in India for more than 180 days at a stretch. Moreover, the 5 years India travel visas only allow the travellers to stay for a period of 90 days in India at a stretch.

Cost of Indian tourist visa

The Indian tourist visa cost differs from one country to another, according to the tourism agreements between the government of India and the individual countries. For example, if you want a six month tourist visa for your India tour, you can expect to shell out 70 dollars in the U.S, 30 pounds in the U.K and 90 dollars in Australia. But if you are from any of these countries like Japan, Argentina, Mongolia, Jamaica and South Africa, there’s good news for you! These countries have special agreements with the Ministry of Tourism in India, which relaxes the cost of the Indian tourist visas for the tourists coming from these countries. So, you pay comparatively less for your Indian visa when you are a tourist visiting India from any of these countries!

Indian Visa Application

One excellent news is that the Indian Embassy now has started to outsource the Indian visa application process to a host of private Indian tourist visa agencies in different countries to make the process easier, faster and definitely more efficient. So, if want to travel to India from U.S.A, you can acquire Indian visa for your India tours and travels from Travisa Outsourcing. If you are a tourist from another country planning to visit India, you can get in touch with the VSF India visa centers for acquiring VSF India visas. These VSF India centers are located in France, Thailand, Sri Lanka, United Kingdom, China and Australia. To apply for Indian visa, you need to acquire the Indian visa application form from the Indian Embassy in your own country. To make the process easier and faster, you can simply fill up an online visa application form, always available on the Indian visa application processing agencies. To obtain your Indian tourist visa, you have to submit your tourist visa application, fee and passport, a recent passport sized photograph and your tour itinerary details. However, if you want things to get further easier and faster for you, just get in touch with –

Paahun Tour Managers

India - + 91 - 80 - 42021383

Australia - + 61 - 2 - 80034494

United Kingdom - + 44 - 20 – 81440037

United States of America - + 1 - 347 - 4149002

Picture Sources:

civil.iitm.ac.in

paahun.com