More and more people are bringing children to India. Be sure to plan ahead and involve your children in planning your trip. If you are going hiking with your children, you might want to "train" at home, to see how long your they are prepared to walk before getting tired or asking to be carried. Most treks require people to be able to walk up and downhill for four to five hours a day. Many hotels in India offer free or inexpensive baby-sitting service. Some parts of India are probably not the most ideal place to travel with young children, especially if you plan to go to high altitude places such as Leh. The terrain is rugged, and amenities are scarce. Flying If your children are two or older ask about children's airfares. As a general rule, infants under two not occupying a seat fly at greatly reduced fares or even for free. When booking confirm carry-on allowances if you're traveling with infants. In general, for babies charged 10% of the adult fare, you are allowed one carry-on bag and a collapsible stroller; if the flight is full the stroller may have to be checked or you may be limited to less. Experts agree that it's a good idea to use safety seats aloft for children weighing less than 40 pounds. Air-lines set their own policies: U.S. carriers usually require that the child be ticketed, even if he or she is young enough to ride free, since the seats must be strapped into regular seats. Do check your airline's policy about using safety seats during takeoff and landing. And since safety seats are not allowed just everywhere in the plane, get your seat assignments early. When reserving, request children's meals or a freestanding bassinet if you need them. But note that bulk-head seats, where you must sit to use the bassinet, may lack an overhead bin or storage space on the floor. Lodging Most hotels in India, allow children under a certain age to stay in their parents' room at no extra charge, or for half the cost. Still others charge them as extra adults; be sure to ask about the cut off age for children's discounts. Precautions Any precautions recommended for adults are doubly recommended for children. Only drink bottled water; be prepared for changes in food preparation; and watch closely for altitude sickness. Supplies & Equipment
Pack things to keep your children busy while traveling. For children of reading age, bring books from home; locally, literature for kids in English is hard to find. For more information on holiday packages in India contact Swan Tours, one of the leading travel agents in Connaught place New Delhi India.
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Isolated as they are, due to the high altitudes, the people of Himachal Pradesh are by and large, self-contained and have developed through the years a rich tradition of handicrafts, totally original and distinctive. These range from wood-work to leather embroidery, metal wares to carpets and woolen textiles. New designs are being added to the traditional ones and new markets. both in India and abroad, are being discovered. Carpets Brilliant hues, dragons, a garuda on a flowering tree and swastikas for luck are traditional patterns found on carpets from Himachal Pradesh. Sometimes, the weaver may capture the delicacy and color of spring flowers on his carpets. Traditional symbols like the flute, castanets, fish a ornate knots are also woven into carpet patterns. All these symbols carry a meaning behind them--flutes signify happiness, the lotus signifies purity. Most highlanders use carpets for furnishing. Even their sturdy ponies have colorful carpet saddles. 'Chuktu', a blanket, is actually a modified version of a carpet. Some of the earliest carpets were made by weaving four strips about nine inches wide and sewing them together afterwards. Ready-made Garments, Accessories and Dolls Himachal Pradesh with its sturdy hill people is well-known for its centuries old costumes and other garments. The 'Gujjar' folk have a unique mode of dress, quite different from the usual woolen sarees and gowns worn by the rest of Himachali women. Gujjar men and women alike, wear a cotton shirt known as "Kurta". Delicately embroidered with circular and linear patterns, the 'Kurtas' are in deep colors. Interestingly enough the lines and circles on the Kurta symbolize milk, and the dark background the color of the buffalo. The Chamba folk are extremely fond of adornment. Head scarves are worn by the women, and these are usually of bright printed cotton and knotted at the back. Bangles and rings made of horse-hair are the typical accessories worn by the Chamba women. To climb blithely over the rocky hill-sides, the people wear sturdy grass shoes, comfortable and warm inside and brightly patterned on the outside. The local traditional costumes are reflected in the exquisite dolls made by the Himachalis. These beautiful and life-like figurines lend charm to modern environs. Shawls Shawls are a specialist of Himachal Pradesh. In summer, the wild Himalayan goat sheds its fleece on the high mountains. From this, the hill people spin and weave exceptionally fine and valuable shawls during winter, when the fields are covered with snow. Most notable of these is the soft Pashmina Shawl made from the hair of the Pashmina Goat. The exquisite shawls of the Himachal are both plain and designed. The colour of these, largely depend upon the wool, is mixed. The right mixture can result in beautiful greys, blues, mustards and blacks. If the designs of the Himachal Shawls are varied, so are also the methods of wearing them. Every district has improvised its style of drapping the shawl, the most popular styles being 'Dhobroo' and 'Patti'. Movement in embroidery! The Chamba embroiderer has captured it on his rumals. It may be mischievous Krishna at his pranks stealing butter, or dancing with Radha. It may be a lamenting women parted from her lover, or people frolicking at a local fair. All are worked in fine detail with vivid silks and in contrasting colours. The art of embroidery is largely based upon the indigenous Kangra and Chamba schools of paintings. The stitches are so close by, spaced that no gaps are visible. The word 'Rumal' may conjure up visions of a handkerchief to the layman but to the Chamba people, it is a form of adornment. Men drape these colourful embroidered rumals over their shoulders and the women use them as flowing veils. A Chamba rumal is such a priceless possession, that a bride's trousseau would be incomplete without it. Today, Chamba rumal are also used as wall-hangings, door and fire screens, cushion covers while the designs have been adopted for table cloth and bed-spreads. Leather Craft The origin of the present Chamba Chappal makes a very interesting story. An English adviser to the Raja of Chamba State wanted a pair of Chamba Chappals. But the original pattern was too heavy and uncomfortable, so he designed his own chappals and explained to the local cobbler exactly how they should be made. But the chappals eventually produced were nowhere like the ones he had in mind. They were better. The open toe and the partly woven vamp proved exceptionally comfortable and light, and worn with leather socks were ideal for walking and hiking. The Chamba Chappal has survived till today, plain as well as embroidered with Lanthana flowers, leaves and other belt which the locals use to lend glamour to their dresses. Today, in keeping with the modern trends, new varieties and designs of leather goods have been added to the traditional list, fancy shoes, sandals, embroidered leathers, socks and belts. Paintings Himachal Pradesh is the home of the Chamba and Kangra schools of painting--well reputed in the world of art for their excellent portrayal of court and romantic scenes blending of colours and minute details of figures. But there is yet another school of painting that survives in Himachal--the Gompa School. It is Buddhist in origin and at one time was limited only to the Buddhist monasteries. Gradually however, some of the romantic influences of the Chamba and Kangra schools seeped into the Gompa style. New local craftsmen have incorporated the Gompa art of painting into contemporary patchwork pictures. Rugs and Namdas High on the Himalayan reaches of Himachal, the hill-folk rear sheep and goats for the famous wool and hair that goes into the making of traditional blankets, rugs and namdas. Gudma is the name given to the fleecy soft blanket that is made from the wool of Giangi sheep. Gudma weaving is mainly done in the Giabong and Kullu valleys, as these areas have special kind of clay which is used for cleaning and finishing a Gudma. The Gudma usually comes in natural wool colours finished with a warm red or black edging. Thobis (Floor coverings) and Kharcha (a mattress) are made from goat hair, while 'Pattoo' cloth, carpets and yarn are made from the soft wool sheep. Of more recent origin is the making of namdas of floor coverings. These are made by felting the wool and then embroidering on it. This looks really attractive and gives greater wear to the namda. Some typical designs are Himachal flowers and animals. Woodcrafts and Wicker works Amidst the abundant pine and deodar forests of Himachal also grow walnut, horse chestnut, wild black mulberry and birch--the basic material for Himachal woodcraft. Woodcraft is an ancient traditional art prized for its delicacy and detail. Ancient treatises have been written on the subjects of carpentry and carving on wood. Wood workers occupied an esteemed-place in society for they made the chariots for the warriors, and also drove them. Evidence of Himachal woodcraft is to be found in old buildings-on seats, doors, windows and panels. Most notable was the Vice-regal Lodge at Shimla with its beautifully carved ceilings and panels. The present day wood work displays all the intricacy of the old. The main objects of work are fruit-bowls, beer mugs, wooden jewellery and carved images, both romantic and mythological in origin. All along the crystal clear streams of Himachal grow the bamboo and the willow. When winter approaches, the hill people strip the bamboo. And when the country-side is blanketed with snow they sit around cosy fires and fashion intricate and sturdy bowls, trays and baskets out of the dried bamboo. Oval-shaped, lotus-shaped or egg baskets with tall graceful handles are some of the typical basket patterns of Himachal Pradesh. Metalcrafts and Jewellery
Matalcraft is one of the most ancient and developed crafts of Himachal Pradesh. The traditional metals are pure copper and silver. Local craftsmenship in casting, ornamenting and engraving, show great skill, delicacy and taste. Legend has it that Sita, in the great Indian epic, the Ramayana wore jewelled butterflies and other precious ornaments in her hair and that these types of ornaments were made by the silversmiths of Himachal Pradesh. Jewellery is still a popular product of the Himachal silversmiths. And although the designs are still traditional, the ornaments are lighter and more practical. Modern innovations in the crafts include the making of intricately carved silver lamp stands, tea pots, wine or butter cups and metal sculpture. These follow indigenous shapes and are decorated with finely carved patterns, which in addition to the local flora and fauna, depict stories from the epics. For more information about Handicrafts & Handloom and Himachal Pradesh tour packages, for more information contact Swan Tours one of the leading best travel agency in India. 1. Salooni Chamba is surrounded by places of interest to the enterprising tourist and special look-out points, commanding panoramic views abound on all sides. The river Ravi rises in the snow-peaks of Bara Bangahal in Chamba, and the river Beas from a glacial lake near Rohtang. The last snow range is DhaulaDhar running parallel to the PirPanjal, south of it. Both these ranges enclose the attractive Kullu Valley. The Beas cuts a fantastic gorge through DhaulaDhar at Larji. A smaller and more or less continuous range about 2,000 metres (6,561 ft), high runs south of the snowy ranges, Salooni, at a height of 1,829 metres (6,000 ft) and 56 km from Chamba, offers a breath-taking panoramic view of the snow-covered hills and peaks. Situated at the top of a ridge and opening into the Bhandal Valley, this scenic spot of great beauty leads also to Bhaderwah. 2. Bhandal Valley For lovers of wild life, this beautiful spot 22 km from Saloon' and linked to it by road, offers a wonderful opportunity for a pleasant week-end. The Bhandal Valley, at a height of 1,831 meters (6,006 ft) links Chamba with Jammu & Kashmir. 3. Bharmaur-Ancient Capital Travelling eastwards along the Ravi, one comes to the ancient capital of Chamba, Bharmour, at a height of 1,981 meters (6,500 ft) and 69 km from the new capital. Linked by a road, 46 km are motorable, while 21 km are jeepable. Capital of the state for 400 years, Charmour possesses ancient temples built in the 8th, 9th and 10th centuries. Built in the Shikhara style with a spire, the ancient Pahari architecture fascinates, as does the friendliness of the people. River terraces in Chamba, are developed between 1,000 and 2,000 meters and hence fairly well populated. The people, called Chambials, are very fair complexioned and have attractive features. Indeed, some think them to be the most beautiful race in India. From Bharmour it is an arduous trek over high mountains to the beautiful lake known as Mani-Mahesh where thousands of devout pilgrims gather year after year to offer puja on festive occasions. At an altitude of 4,267 metres (14,000 ft) and 34 km from Bharmour, Mani-Mahesh, Shikhara style temple is one of the most ancient and beautiful in all Himachal. Suggestion Article : Route Information on Delhi to Himachal Pradesh road trip 4. Sarol—Aplan Retreat Just 11 km from Chamba is a remarkable picnic spot where, along with beautiful Agricultural gardens and a Sheep Breeding Farm, there is a Bee-keeping Centre. The honey from the apiary is delicious. To reach this charming spot one has to travel 8 km by bus and the rest on foot. 5. Killar Killar, 137 km north east of Chamba is situated in the deep and narrow gorge of the Chenab river. It can also be reached through the Sach pass. Here you are in the high Himalayas, in the scenic beauty of the valley. It isthe desire of many a hardy trekker to visit these lands of pretty faces, beautiful dances and scenic splendour. From Killar one can trek north west to Kishtwar in Jammu and Kashmir or turn east about half way to Kishtwar and cross Umasi La Pass into the Zanskar valley. One can also takt south east trek to Keylong and Mandi and while trekking Killar to Lahaul one will come across a very beautiful place, Purthi known for one of the best forest nursuries and historical - Rest House on the right bank of Chandra Bhaga. There are many Rest Houses managed by PWD and Forest Department at reasonable distances in the entire Pangi Valley. For more information on Himachal Pradesh holiday packages contact Swan Tours, one of the leading travel agents in Connaught place. sAll the fun of the fair, mixed with the music of the Sitar, Sarangi and Drum is the order of the day practically every other month of the year in this happy high altitude state when the air resounds with the bells of the exuberant dancers and the strains of immortal and haunting Pahari melodies. Travelling on Manali Tour Packages one would realize that the Kullu and Kargra valleys hold some of the most picturesque fairs and religious festivals in India, when all worries and cares are thrown to the winds and God is praised in melody and music for all His meritorious gift rendered to His people. The magical power of the Himalayas is an indefinite blend of myth and reality; the silvered heights etched against the sky, towering over dark gorges stately pine forests and manicured tea gardens in an atmosphere redolent with the history of battles both between the gods and the mere mortals who fought to defend the Valley of the Gods', and charm and reality to the festivals, making even the unbeliever pause and reconsider his ideas Early in the year, five to six thousand people flock to the Shivratri fair to pay homage to Shiva in the month of February - March. Shivratri Photos Near the lovely town of Palampur in the Kangra Valley is Neugal Khad, a 300 metres wide chasm through which the Bandla stream goes roaring through in the form of a gushing torrent in monsoon. A short drive from here is Baijnath where the main Kangra Valley seems to end and where is situated the Vaidyanath temple, the remarkable features of which are the proportions. The inter-relationship of sculpture and architecture in this shrine is of great artistic value. Here and at Sarbari and Kung Darwar is held the great Shivaratri Fair. Shortly after Shivaratri in March-April is the festival of Holi celebrated with great gusto all over India, but in Himachal the air of the verdant wood lend eclat to the event filled with joyous songs and dances, all over the valley, but specially at Sujanpur Tira and Hamirpur, where from 5 to 10 thousand gather with gay abandon setting even the air aflame with a riot of colour, song and dance. Holi is over but the spirits are still boisterous and something has got to give--so in all their wisdom of the hills; Holi Photos The people of the Kangra valley arrange wrestling matches at Salina and the tea gardens of Palampur. Here, between March-April muscle is matched with music and melody. On the same day, at Khannihara and Kanrgra besides the wrestling is a beauty parade--of all the prize cattle of the country. Both the cattle show and the wrestling matches at all four places, attract from 5 to 10 thousand people. Kangra Valley Photos For more information on holiday packages in Himachal Pradesh contact Swan Tours, one of the leading travel agents in Connaught Place New Delhi India.
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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