Once a famous centre of Indian Art when the water of river Saraswati flowed through the state is Bikaner. in the course of time the river and artful civilization of the city were engulfed by the growing desert., Today Bikaner is an important part of the Holiday itinerary of Best Rajasthan Tour Packages . The northern most of the state cities deep in the desert, Bikaner is so bleak that it is a wonder men have chosen to risk their lives to win such a kingdom. Bikaner, a true desert city in a camel country is situated on an elevated ground, surrounded by a seven Kms long embattled wall market by five gates. It was founded by Rao Bikaji in 1488, one of the descendants of Jodhaji, founder of Jodhpur. Infact the town derives its name from its founder. This region is well known for the best riding camels in the world and the monuments here chiselled out of red and yellow sandstone display some of the finest creations of Rajputs civilization. What to see:- 1) Junagarh Fort: Raja Raj Singh an outstanding general in the army of Mhal emperor Akbar, built this imposing fort in year l588-1593. It is the chief attraction in the city and encircled by a moat and within, has palaces made of red sand-stone and marble, with Kiosks and balconies embellishing the structure at intervals. Suraj polis the main entrance gate to the fort, Har Mandir (a Shiva temple) the majestic chapael, where the royal weddings and births were celebrated anpole. The palaces worth visiting are Anup Mahal, Karan Mahal built by Maharaja Anoop Singh in commemoration of the gallant victory of his father Maharaja Karan Singh, over attacks of Aurangzeb. Built in Mughal style, the ceilling arches bear rich paintings of 17th and 18th century including a good addition later contributed by Maharaja Gaj Singh. Bijai Mahal, Dungar Niwas, Ganga Niwas, and Rang Mahal. And some of the most beautiful palaces are Chandra Mahal and Phool Mahal. These are exquisitely ornate with mirror work, carvings and paintings. The Palaces with in, are adorned with gigantic columms, arches and graceful screens. The facade of the monument, visible above the high invincible walls offer a splendid view of pavilions protruding out, a row of balconies, kiosks and towers at intervals from a distance. 2) Lalgarh Palace: Lalgarh a magnificent 19th century red sandstone building founded by Raja Rai Singh, is distinguished by its long range of 37 pavilions. It was royal residence, and today is an hotel, marvellous in its proportions where the profusion of lattice work makes intricate lace of red sand stone. Ganga Golden Jubilee Museum: It houses an excellent collection of pre-Harappan, the Gupta and Kushan era and sculptures of the late classical time. It is one of the finest museum in state. Excursions:- Bhandasar Jain Temple: 5 Kms. It is a beautiful 16th century Jain temple of glittering crest and gilded flagstaff commanding dominant position in the city dedicated to the 23rd Teerthankar Parsvanathji. Other intersting temples are Chintamani, Adinath and Neminath, may be regarded as the most beautiful of the temples here on account of more detailed ornamentation and carvings. Camel Breeding Farm: 10 Kms. This farm is one of its kind in the whole of Asia and is preserved by the government. Bikaner's camel corps (former-Ganga Risala) was a famous fighting force and still maintains its importance in desert warfare. It's here that you'd see what an interesting animal the camel is. You could have some thick camel milk while listening to a Raika—a camel breeder's trike tell you about camels and camel-lore and how they are bred. The gamboling baby-camel make a very enchanting sight. Gajner Wildlife Sanctuary: 32 Kms. On Jaisalmer road is Gajner wildlife sanctuary. The lush foliage of the woods here have a number of Nilgai, Chinkara, Black Buck, particularly flocks of Imperial sand Grouse, living here.
A summer resort of kings is Gainer Palace, has now been converted into a hotel, is standing on the banks of a lake. For more information on holiday destinations in Rajasthan, contact Swan Tours , one of the leading travel agents in India.
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After having been for nearly three weeks in the Almora hills, I am more than ever amazed why our people need to go to Europe... MAHATMA GANDHI Almora extends along a 5 km-long horse saddle-shaped ridge, 68 kms north of Nainital. Surrounded by dense forests of pine and fir, the town's sylvan surroundings have attracted people for centuries. Its illustrious visitors include Swami Vivekananda, Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore. Jawaharlal Nehru spent an involuntary period in when he was incarcerated here in 1942, during the Quit India movement. Over the years, many cultural centres have come up here, including the Vivekananda Library and Memorial, Uday Shankar India Cultural Centre and Tagore Bhawan where the Nobel Laureate supposedly penned Gitanjali, earning Almora the title of the 'cultural capital of Kumaon'. Almora is one of the few hill stations in north India which was not founded by the British. It became the capital of the Chand rulers of Kumaon in 1560 and remained with them till the British took over in 1815. Almora's chequered past is reflected in its architecture: one can see indigenous hill cottages with bungalow trimmings, and semi-Indianised British bungalows with stone slab roofs. Like other hill stations, here too the Mall Road is the epicentre of all activity. Uttarakhand holiday packages organised by Swan Tours includes the sightseeing of The fiudden Memorial Church, in Almora Bazaar, is a significant British landmark, as is the Post Office, built in 1905, while the Clock Tower facing the tourist office is a mix of different architecture styles. The Collectorate, was once the Almora Fort and gives stunning views of the surrounding hills. A walk through the Khajanchi Mohalla (literally treasurer's area), gives one many delightful examples of old style Kumaoni architecture. GB Pant Museum houses archaeological and ethnographic exhibits, including articles belonging to rulers of the Chand dynasty and letters written by freedom fighters. Open Mon-Saturday; time. 10.30 am-4.30 pm. A visit to the colourful Lala and Chowk Bazaars is also worthwhile for their woollens - shawls, woven tweeds - and tatitha (hand-beaten copperware) and silverware. Carrying on its Gandhian legacy, Almora has a significant production of khadi or home-spun cotton. Gandhi Ashram is a good place to buy the fabric. Food lovers must sample Almora's famous sweets, bal mithai, and singauri. One of the more popular shops is Khim Singh and Mohan Singh Rautela's sweet shop in the main market. The town and its surrounding hills are dotted with temples. The ancient Nanda Devi Temple is built in the typical Kumaoni style of stone temple architecture, and shows intricate carvings on its walls. Swami Vivekananda is believed to have meditated at Kasar Devi Temple (6 kms from Almora). The temple stands on Crank's Ridge, formerly a haunt of artists and writers. D. H. Lawrence, the English novelist, is known to have spent two summers here. The locally popular Chitai Temple (8 kms) is dedicated to Golu Devta, who supposedly grants every wish made with a clear conscience. Further on is the 800-year old Katarmal Temple (17 kms from Almora). Lakhudiyar (20 kms), meaning one lakh entrances, has a cluster of ancient cave shelters. For more information on Hill holidays in India, contact Swan Tours, a leading best travel agent in India promoting tourism since 1995.
Ignoring the dust and braving the quite long distances, spend some time exploring the Jaipur overspill. Ram Singh 11's splendid cultural park is hard by the city walls, and its museum is a real treat. The splendid Rambagh Palace is south of it, and the beautiful Sisodia Palace lies out to the east. Ram Singh II laid out his Ram Niwas Gardens right outside New Gate, employing a certain Dr de Fabeck to landscape what is now reduced to 14.5 hectares (36 acres). The view down the central road, Jawaharlal Nehru Marg, is closed by the palatial Central Museum. On the way there it passes first the Gallery of Modem Art, the zoo, a crocodile breeding farm and the Maharaja College (founded 1845) which taught Urdu, Persian and English. Ram Singh 11 also founded the School of Art (1868) which revived and promoted so many of Jaipur's crafts, including the well-known blue pottery. The Albert Hall, housing the Central Museum, is the park centerpiece. It is a triumph of Raj influence, having been modelled on the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The Prince of Wales laid the foundation stone on his 1876 visit and the architect was Colonel Sir Samuel Swinton Jacob (1841-1917), a British engineer whose knowledge of Indian buildings later earned him a job as consultant for the British capital of New Delhi. Inside the thoroughly Indian palace, locals wander about enjoying models of their festivals, collections of puppets and costumes, and exhibitions of top-quality Jaipur brasswork. The separate room at the front is the Durbar Hall, usually locked, but just ask and it will be opened. It houses several exquisite carpets including the magnificent Persian Garden Carpet, one of India's finest art treasures. Made in 1632 in Kerman, Persia, its design is a paradise garden on char-bagh lines. Fish swim in canals and mother birds feed their young in blossoming trees. It is one of the best of its kind, its fine silk colours still fresh and bright. (Free on Monday, closed Friday). Also Visit - Luxury Golden Triangle Tour Packages India Further down the road, Narain Singh Marg leads past Narain Niwas, a thakur townhouse. Built in 1881 by Narain Singh, Madho Singh Its emissary, it was furnished in the heavy Raj taste so fashionable at the Jaipur court. At the end of the road, Lilly Pool Palace opposite is where the Raj Mata of Jaipur lives. She is the widow of the last Maharaja. Man Singh II Her autobiography, A Princess Remembers, describes a queen’s fairy tale life before Independence and, to a great extent, after it. The Rajmata lived much of her married life at Rambagh Palace, found by turning left down Sawai Ram Singh Road then right at the large crossroads. It was Ram Singh II who made what were originally a few pleasure pavilions outside the city into a hunting lodge, Ram Bagh (garden of Ram). Hunts played an important role in the court calendar Just as Akbar had used hunts to disguise his soldiers' manoeuvres when making his alliances with the Rajputs, so the Rajput prince used large hunting expeditions around his kingdom to visit local thakurs (landowners), deal with political and administrative business and keep himself informed. He could be hawking, using trained cheetahs to catch antelopes, hunting tigers or wild boar, or duck shooting. With Sir Swinton Jacob's help, Madho Singh II later transformed Ram Bagh hunting lodge into a royal playground, with English herbaceous borders, squash court, tennis court, indoor swimming pool complete with trapeze, and polo field next door, Not surprisingly, his adopted son, who succeeded him as Man Singh II in 1922 aged just 11 years, later chose it as his principal home. And when in 1940 he made a love-match marriage with his third wife, Gayatri Devi, Lalique fountains and the latest sleek black marble bathrooms and bold geometric furniture were added. Here the handsome, glamorous couple known to friends as Jai and Ayesha lived, ruled and played out a fairy tale life, mixing medieval with thoroughly modem. The Maharaja's water was brought in daily from a special well by four men and a soldier guard, yet the couple jetted about the world to New York, London and elsewhere. Jai died after a fall during a polo game at Cirencester in England in 1970. Today the palace is a hotel, so the courtyards, public rooms and glorious gardens are easy to see (good shops; drinks in the Polo Bar or overlooking the lawn a treat). And Madho Singh's polo grounds next door are also fun to visit if there is a game on or even a practice—the annual season is March. From here, you can look south to Moti Doongri, the fort, built like a Scottish castle, where the royal treasure was once stored. You can then move west and see Jai and Ayesha's later home, the relatively modest Raj Mahal Palace, built as the British Residency and now, like the Rambagh, a hotel. Here they entertained Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, on his 1965 visit which coincided with the Hindu festival of Holi. His letter of thanks shows that the couple, although by then reduced to commoner status, could still entertain royally: 'Every moment was sheer joy and it's only the bruises from polo and the pink stain On my fingers which remain to convince me that the whole thing wasn't some marvellous dream' One last trip makes a delightful end to a city day. Just outside town, on the road eastwards out of the Ghat Gate towards Agra, Jaipur's great architect is honoured with a little garden, Vidyadharji ka Bagh, which is now sadly in need of some restoration. Almost opposite, Sisodia Rani ka Bagh is pristine perfect. This country palace was built by Jai Singh II for his Udaipur queen whom he married to cement a Rajput alliance Large, chirpy, bright murals surround the exterior, lush terraced gardens overlook the open plains, and the watchman will unlock the palace to show you a hideaway home still full of royal atmosphere. Drive on behind the palace to the hillside Hanuman Temple dedicated to the monkey-god. It surges into life each day at 4 pm. Crowds of langur monkeys come to meet the priest who arrives in an auto-rickshaw with sacks of bananas which the animals grab greedily and then sit gobbling in mid-road. The keen can do a small hike from here, up to Galta's hilltop Temple of the Sun God-worth it for its spectacular views.
For more information on Gardens and Palaces in Modern Jaipur Rajasthan contact Swan Tours one of the leading Best Tour & Travels Delhi The Himachal Pradesh people are deeply religious and god-fearing but their Hinduism is different from that of the plains. It appears that the grandeur of the natural features, the Himalayas, and the magnitude of the physical forces arraigned against man pohas led the inhabitants to assign supernatural powers to natural environments, some benevolent but mostly malevolent. To the children of the mountains, the 'Himalayas are the gods'. Along with the major gods, who are represented in the Thakardwaras and the Shivalas mostly in the towns, the people worship the godlings or the village deities, the Deotas, the Rishis, the Munis, the Siddhas, the Pandavas, the hill tops, the trees, the joginis or wood fairies, the kali, the shakti, the nagas and even a host of devils and deities of the aborigines. The water courses, the sprouting seeds, the ripening corn ear are all in charge of separate spirits who are duly propitiated. Animal sacrifice is a major religious rite and is performed at weddings, funerals, and festivals, harvest time, on the beginning of the ploughing or thanks giving. Lamaistic Buddhism is practiced in the trans-Himalayan areas. It is said that the great Padma Sambhava, who was responsible for the spread of Buddhism in Tibet in the eighth century, lived for some time at Riwalsar, near Mandi, where there is a temple for him who is visited by Buddhists not only from the Himalayan areas but also from Tibet and Bhutan. Lamaistic Buddhism assimilates the mysticism of the northern school of Buddhism, the Vajra-Yana, with the magic and devil worship of the Tantras and the cult of the Shakti, Tara. The priest or the lama is the friend, philosopher and guide in the life of the Buddhists who mostly live in the border areas. He guides them in spiritual matters, foretells events, determines lucky and unlucky days, practices medicine, exorcises evil spirits, performs magic and regulates the destiny of the living and the dead. The Muslims in the villages follow Pir Lakh Data and also pray and light earthen lamps at the shrines of other saints. Hindi is the State language but people mostly converse among themselves in Pahari, which according to Y.S. Parmar has various dialects or 'sub-languages'. Grierson in his linguistic survey had called it 'Western Pahari`, and had demarcated its area from Jaunsar Bawar in the U.P. hills (near Dehradun) to Bhadarwah in Jammu and Kashmir. It was on the basis of their distinctive language and culture besides other factors that the hill people in Himachal and Punjab demanded their union and finally got it in 1966. The various dialects of Pahari spoken in the region are :
For more information on what to see and things to do in Himachal Pradesh during you trip contact Swan Tours one of the leading travel agents in India offers Rajasthan tour packages at best price. 8/28/2017 1 Comment Sightseeing in Agra - Swan ToursThe citizens of Agra lived near the fort, outside Delhi Gate (now closed) on the north side. Court patronage abounded, crafts flourished and Agra became a major Centre for textiles and jewelry as well as banking and trade. Although starved of court patronage when the Mughals declined, the city continued to thrive at a quieter level and still does today. A stroll around these lanes brings alive the atmosphere of Mughal Agra. If you get lost, it does not matter much as the area is quite small; but enlist some local help to seek out specific craftsmen. By exploring through a grand old gateway, you may discover Mughal hamams (baths) now used as vegetable storehouses; by peeking through doorways into havelis (courtyard houses), you may see a busy atelier of marble inlay works; by looking behind a shop, you may discover a forgotten Mughal noble's mansion. While on Golden Triangle tour package covering Delhi, Jaipur and Agra, the tour highlights of Agra would be as below: The Jama Masjid (Friday mosque, 1648) is the heart of the old city, in Mantola area, its zigzag red and white domes rising above the lanes. It was built by Shah Jahan in the name of his favorite and loyal daughter, Jahanara. Beside its main entrance stands Agra's one forgivable tourist shop, Mughal Marble Emporium, which stocks splendidly gaudy replicas of the Taj made of soapstone with red and yellow plastic trees, fairy lights and glass baubles, each scene enclosed in a glass box. Opposite, the pot-seller's kiosk overflows onto the road. These beautiful spherical water-pots are natural fridges which keep water cool and fresh but apparently only do their job for a few weeks, keeping their sellers in good business. The cloth market runs round behind the mosque, bustling with ladies bargaining for silks and cottons; the main street, Johri Bazar, runs off to the right. Along here are local dhurrie shops such as Damodar Das Mammo Mal's on the left, men's cloth shops where locals meet to gossip over tea, photographers to hire for special occasions, shops selling glitzy braid and other essential wedding accessories, carts loaded with fresh walnuts or crispy gujak, shoe shops (a major Agra trade) and, on the right, a wonderful shop packed with fancy walking sticks. Further on, Kinari Bazar has the jewellery shops, while Panni Gali off it (found with difficulty via Fulati Guli) has Agra's top master of zari (gold) embroidery work, Sham Uddin. He and his craftsmen work in his family haveli (his name is on the door) with the family pigeons strutting about the roof. Back towards the Jama Masjid, a lane to the left leads eventually to Malka Bazar, street of the great kite-makers, such as Sando and Allo Jamalo, whose creations are flown by children from the flat roofs, fluttering until they are trapped in a tree. Another good area to explore is Nai ki Mandi, found north-west of Jama Masjid and across Hing ki Mandi Road. Here shoemakers work in tiny kiosks, women pile up water-pots to dry beside the canal, cows stand motionless mid-lane and marble craftsmen work quietly behind the old carved doors piercing the whitewashed walls of the narrow lanes. Marble Inlayers Descendants of Taj Mahal Craftsmen Nai ki Mandi is an area north of the Jama Masjid in old Agra. The narrow whitewashed lanes are punctuated by high stone steps leading to blue-painted doors. Behind many of them, groups of Agra's 5,000 pietra dura craftsmen sit on the courtyard floors quietly creating delicate floral patterns like those worked by their distant forefathers for the fort and the Taj Mahal. Mohammad Naseem, a Muslim like most marble workers, is a master crafts-man who runs a typical workshop. His dozen craftsmen work in the shaded, blue-pillared courtyard of his family haveli. He hopes his sons will follow his trade. An apprentice begins young, at eight years old, becomes full-time when schooling ends at 14, and is trained by 20-22 years old. The trained craftsman specializes as a marble-cutter, gem-cutter, gem-setter or chiseller, making his own simple tools and helping his master with special pieces. The expensive raw materials are supplied to the head of the workshop by the merchant. The hard, non-porous (and so non-staining) white marble comes from Makrana, near Jaipur. The precious and semiprecious stones come from all over the world and include turquoise, coral, pink rhodonite, golden tiger eye and the rare, gold-speckled blue lapis lazuli. Naseem's work is distinguished by the fine chrysanthemum designs with feather-light petals. He uses coral, turquoise and malachite for their purity of colour, and lapis lazuli for its colour and luminosity. Such fine work, originally introduced from Persia, takes time and considerable patience. First, the paper design is agreed upon between craftsman and merchant. The marble is cut, coated with red water-based paint and the design drawn through. The stones are selected for colour and clarity—a green might be of jade, malachite, variscite or amazonite. Then the slow precision work of cutting each stone and chiselling a bed for it begins. A large design is tackled by area, a small piece in one go. Big flowers are cut first, such as the fine chrysanthemum petals; Naseem often works with the hard and difficult lapis and cornelian because of the glorious finish they give. Each stone is cut, fitted, fine-tuned with an emery paste wheel and then glued and heated to fuse the stone. Leaves are done next, and finally the stems. To finish, the surface is polished with increasingly fine emery. To make a large tray adorned in multi-coloured flowers takes three workers about six months, working 9 am-9 pm except on Friday, the Muslim holiday. A small box takes ten days, and the top of a box about three. The master craftsman oversees and checks each piece, for it all goes out under his name. Such painstakingly slow work means it takes about 25 Agra workshops to keep Sttbhash Emporium in Gwalior Road well stocked. And when you go to browse and, inevitably, to buy, the Hindu family of Bansal brothers who run Subhash will show you some of Naseem's award-winning pieces. For more info on sightseeing in Agra contact Swan Tours, One of the leading travel agents in India promoting tourism in Agra , Jaipur and Delhi. |
AuthorSwan Tours one of the leading travel agnets in India Archives
January 2018
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