Vaamika Island Kochi in India

This seven-acre private island along Vembanad Lake has 2 major residences-- Sunlight Increase as well as Midday-- which live on their own islets with accessibility to private lagoons. These centuries-old Kerala houses, brought back and also moved into the island from close-by towns, included lakefront pools, gardens, massage therapy pavilions as well as an exclusive butler service.

You could reach this secluded spot (wi-fi turned on throughout) within half an hour via speedboat from Kochi's Bolgatty jetty. Take advantage of their 'dine anywhere' principle and also have your servant set up lunch by the swimming pool or along the water lily-covered pond; they create quiet, refreshing locations on hot summertime days. Complete your charming encounter by having supper at the resort's moonlit gallery-- the partly open-air space lies on the waterside and also houses old artefacts as well as sculptures from Kerala.

India Desert Festival, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan

Jaisalmer's Desert Festival is a party of the genuine desert culture of Rajasthan. Jaisalmer, situateded amidst shinning dune, is called Rajasthan's "Golden City," as well as during the three-day Desert Festival the celebrations bring out the very best of the desert society of Northern India. Colorful tasks consisting of conventional performances of music, dancing, and also dramatization provide visitors a first-hand check into the imperial mystique of this ancient land.

The Desert Festival in Jaisalmer organizes a variety of desert themed competitors including: camel races, camel polo matches, and also camel dancing and design completions. However the most one-of-a-kind events like the longest mustache competitors and the bandana linking components have proven to be the most prominent among foreigners. Visit the Desert Festival

Pushkar Camel Fair Rajasthan

The small town of Pushkar in Rajasthan is a two and a half hour drive (130 km) from the state capital Jaipur. Pushkar is the venue for the world renowned Pushkar Camel Fair and the town is located on the banks of an eponymous holy lake. 

The actual dates of the Pushkar Camel Festival vary every year as they coincide with the lunar calendar, and the festival always ends on the night of a full moon. This year the festival dates are scheduled in the beginning of November. 

As the time of the festival approaches, the sleepy little town comes alive as elaborate preparations begin for the Pushkar Fair. These activities result in the many unique events, spectacles and sights that one can experience during the fair. These include a number of ethnic cultural events such as the colorful and vibrant Rajasthani dance performances, as well as traditional sporting events to coincide with the fair. During the fair, villagers bring over 100,000 heads of cattle (about half of which are camels) to trade and sell. 

Apart from its commercial aspects, the festivities are also buoyed by a plethora of activities such as horse shows, camel races, camel and cow beauty contests, acrobatics, camel safaris and much more. Apart from being a city of 400 temples, Pushkar prides itself on being the site of the only Brahma temple dedicated solely to the worship of the Hindu God of Creation.

Group of Monuments Mahabalipuram

Mamallapuram, the city of Mamalla, is after the title of great Pallava ruler Narasimhavarman-I (AD 630-68). It was a sea-port during the time of Periplus (1st century AD) and Ptolemy (AD 140) and many Indian colonists sailed to South-East Asia through this port town. While there is some evidence of architectural activity going back to the period of Mahendravarman-I (AD 600-30), the father of Mamalla, most of the monuments like rock-cut rathas, sculptured scenes on open rocks like Arjuna's penance, the caves of Govardhanadhari and Mahishasuramardini, the Jala-Sayana Perumal temple (the sleeping Mahavishnu or Chakrin at the rear part of the Shore temple complex) are attributed to the period of Narasimhavarman-I Mamalla.

Of the nine monolithic temples found in Mahabalipuram, the most important are Five Rathas known after the famous five Pandava brothers of the Mahabharata fame. These monuments are carved out a single rock with choice of all known forms of plan and elevations. While the Dharmaraja, Arjuna and Draupadi rathas are square on plan, the Bhima and Ganesa rathas are rectangular and Sahadeva ratha apsidal.

The Draupadi ratha is a simple hut like kutagara shrine while the Arjuna ratha is a dvitala vimana with a mukhamandapa. The Bhima ratha is rectangular on plan with a salakara wagon-vaulted roof. The Dharmaraja ratha is a tritala vimana having functional shrines at all the talas. The Nakula-Sahadeva ratha with an apsidal plan and elevation indicate the experimental tendency of the architect.

Though monolithic sculpturing, both cut-in and cut-out, continued even during later periods (Atiranachanda cave, Pidari rathas and Tiger-cave), the structural architecture was introduced on a grand scale by Pallava Rajasimha (AD 700-28), culminating in erection of the world famous Shore temple. The Shore temple is a complex of three temples, viz, Rajasimhesvara (a small tritala vimana facing west), the Kshatriyasimhesvara (the larger east facing vimana) and Nripatisimha Pallava Vishnugriha (an east facing, oblong, flat-roofed mandapa shrine) housing the reclining Vishnu. These shrines are enclosed by two prakara walls with openings constructed in later times. The inner surface of prakara walls once contained panel sculptures which are worn out now.

The notable cave temples here are the Varaha mandapa, Mahisamardini mandapa, Paramesvara Mahavaraha Vishnugriha (Adivaraha cave). These are in the Mamalla style while the Adiranchanda caves temples belong to the Mahendra period.

The caves here were once plastered and painted as indicated by the remains. After Rajasimha, there is lull in the architectural activity of the place, save a few additions during late-Pallava and Chola times. The grandiose Vijayanagara phase here is represented by the Raja Gopurams and the Sthala-Sayana temple, juxtaposed to the carved boulder of Arjuna's penance.

Recent excavations to the north and south of the Shore Temple have revealed rock-cut figures representing religious themes of period prior to the construction to the temple. Besides, a monolithic Bhuvaraha, a reclining image of Vishnu, the base of Durga shrine with deer and a square socket possibly to accommodate mahastambha have also been exposed. To the south of the Shore Temple was exposed a stepped ghat facing the sea.

Bikaner Camel City of Rajasthan

Bikaner is popularly referred to as the 'Camel City of Rajasthan'. Bikaner lies on the ancient caravan routes that linked Western/Central Asia and North India with the seaports of Gujarat. Bikaner thus flourished as a major trade center during the medieval period. The kingdom of Bikaner  was established by a Rathore Prince, Rao Bikaji, son of the founder of Jodhpur, Rao Jodhaji in 1488 A.D. He was able to carve out a state named after him after hardship of 30 years.

Tours to Bikaner comprises of visit to some of the major attractions of the city. Lal Garh Fort is 3 km from the city. It houses the Shri Sadul Museum in the first floor established in 1076 AD. The rich treasure house of the artifacts and personal possessions of the Maharajas of Bikaner will impress you. Most remarkable artifact in the museum is the brass vessel known as a tokna, which was used to collect revenue and then transported to the Bikaner State Treasury by camel. The Royal Train of the Maharaja looks elegant in the front of the palace.

Junagarh Museum cannot be missed while on Bikaner. Raja Jai Singh, a General in the Mughal Army of the Emperor Akbar constructed the Junagarh Fort. It was started in 1588 AD and was completed by 1593 AD. The huge fort has a 986 m-long wall with 37 ramparts, a moat and two entrances of which the Surajpol or the Sun Gate is the main entrance.

Shiva Bari Temple is at a distance of 6 km from Bikaner. You must visit the beautiful temple with carvings and perfect finishing while on tour of the city. The bronze statue of Nandi and a Shiva lingam are noteworthy.

Tour to Bikaner is more enjoyable at the time of the much-famed Camel Festival. The Department of Tourism, Art and Culture of the Government of Rajasthan organize the festival every year in the month of January. It is an exclusive camel festival where sale and purchase of camels takes place. The festival is made entertaining by the song and dance festivals and other competitions.

Sisodia Rani ka Bagh is 8 km from Bikaner on the Bikaner - Agra road. It is a garden palace constructed for the second wife of Jai Singh. The pyramidal gardens looks beautiful over the small hillock with watercourses. There are pavilions also in the garden ornamented with wall paintings.

Camel Research Farm is a government-run camel station nearly 8 km from Bikaner. It is probably one of its kind of a farm in whole of Asia. There are about 230 camels at the research farm and three different breeds are reared here. Enjoy the camel ride, look at the baby camels and explore the small museum.

Kerala Tours - Ayurveda Expeinecs

Ayurveda - harmony of body, mind and soul

Ayurveda evolved around 600 BC in India. This new system of medicine stressed on the prevention of body ailments in addition to curing them. Followed by the Dravidians and Aryans alike, Ayurveda has been practised ever since. Today, it's a unique, indispensable branch of medicine - a complete naturalistic system that depends on the diagnosis of your body's humours vata, pitta and kapha - to achieve the right balance. Ayurveda believes in the treatment of not just the affected part, but the individual as a whole. Making it the natural way to refresh you, eliminate all toxic imbalances from the body and thus regain resistance and good health.

Kerala, the land of Ayurveda

Kerala's equable climate, natural abundance of forests (with a wealth of herbs and medicinal plants), and the cool monsoon season (June to July and October to November) are best suited for Ayurveda's curative and restorative packages. In fact, today, Kerala is the only State in India which practises this system of medicine with absolute dedication.

Monsoon, the ideal time for rejuvenation

Traditional texts reveal that the monsoon is the best season for rejuvenation programmes. The atmosphere remains dust-free and cool, opening the pores of the body to the maximum, making it most receptive to herbal oils and therapy.

Rejuvenation,Therap(Rasayana Chikitsa)

 Tones up the skin and rejuvenates and strengthens all the tissues so as to achieve ideal health and longevity. Increases 'Ojas' (primary vitality) and improves 'Sattva' (mental clarity) and thereby increases the resistance of the body. Includes head and face massage with medicated oils and creams, body massage with herbal oil or powder by hand and foot, internal rejuvenative medicines and medicated steam bath. Herbal baths are also used.  

 Body immunisation and longevity treatment (Kayakalpa Chikitsa) It is a prime treatment for retarding the ageing process, arresting the degeneration of body cells and immunisation of the system. This includes intake of Rasayana (special Ayurvedic medicines and diet) and comprehensive body care programmes. The treatment is most effective for either sex if undertaken before the age of 50.  

 Body Sudation (Sweda Karma)

Medicated steam bath eliminates impurities from the body, improves the tone and complexion of the skin, reduces fat and is recommended for certain rheumatic diseases, particularly for pain. Precious herbs and herbal leaves are boiled and the steam is passed over the entire body for 10 to 20 minutes daily. Hand massage with herbal oils or herbal powder improves blood circulation and tones up the muscles.   

 Body slimming & Beauty care

Medicated herbal powder and medicated herbal oil massages, an Ayurvedic diet of herbal juices etc. are part of the programme.   
Herbal face pack, herbal oil massage, intake of herbal tea etc. improves complexion and beautifies the body.   

Mental and physical well being (Meditation and Yoga)

Mental and physical exercises meant to isolate ego  from the body and mind - designed to hone your concentration, improve health and help attain peace of mind through eight stages of training : 1. Disciplined behaviour (yama) 2. Self purification (niyama) 3. Bodily postures such as the lotus position (asana) 4. Control of breathing (pranayama) 5. Control of the senses (pratyahara) 6. Fixing of the mind on a chosen object (dharana) 7. Meditation (dhyana) and 8. Samadhi - a state of being where you experience absolute tranquility and well being. 

kerala Tours Information: Ayurveda Expeinecs

kerala Tours Information: Ayurveda Expeinecs: Ayurveda - harmony of body, mind and soul Ayurveda evolved around 600 BC in India. This new system of medicine stressed on the prevention ...