Vadodara- The Cosmopolitan Of Gujarat

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Situated on the banks of the river Vishwamitri, Vadodara is the third largest city of Gujarat and presently one of the fastest growing cities of the state. The city serves an interesting contrast between being historical and rich in heritage and at the same time being dynamic , ever-changing and alive.

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Vadodara’s rich historical background dates back to as far as 2000 years and more. However, the era of great progress and constructive achievements in all fields was marked by the great Maratha ruler, Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III who ruled the city from 1875 to 1939. The city and its excellent status today can be accredited to the great insights of this ruler who dared to initiate great socio-economic reforms that had essentially shaped the future and vast progress of the city.

With the growing prosperity, the city has also developed many tourist attractions which tell a great deal about the present and the past of the city.

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The Laxmi Vilas Palace, which is about four times larger than the Buckingham Palace, was the royal home of the Gaekwads which holds the record of being the largest abode ever built. This architectural wonder show cases the Indian touch on its exteriors while its interiors match the European luxuries.

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With an army style architecture, the EME Temple is unique because of the diversity it encloses in its premises. It depicts five main religions of India where the Kalash signifies the Hindu religion, the dome is for Islam, the tower represents Christianity, the golden structure over the tower indicates Buddhism and the entrance of the temple stands for Jainism. Since Lord Dakhshinamurthi is worshipped here and the idol is facing south, the temple is also known as Dakhshinamurthi temple.

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Built in the early 18th century, the Nazarbaug Palace is one of the oldest monuments of Vadodara and was another royal abode of the Gaekwad’s clan. The overall value of the three-storeyed monument was in billions before an alleged robbery which has left the place in ruins. However, the ruins of the monument also does a great job of transporting the visitor back into the history of the city.

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Kirti Stambh, built by the great ruler Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III in 1935 is the highest tower in the city depicting a sign of victory. The tower has a lion at the top which faces eastwards which as per Hindu Mythology is for salvation.

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The largest in the west of India, Sayaji Baugh has a 45 hectare garden and an aquarium along with two museums and is home to around 100 species of flowering plants. Visiting this place is going to be an overwhelming experience, especially for the nature lovers. The alluring garden also holds the Baroda Museum, Picture Gallery, the Sayaji Zoo and Sardar Patel Planetarium which are extremely significant stops to know more about the city and the state.

 

Varanasi – The Ancient City Of Hindus

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“Benaras is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend and looks twice as old as all of them put together.” ~ Mark Twain

Varanasi, as quoted by Mark Twain, is the oldest and the most prominent city in India, especially for the Hindus. It is glorified by Hindu mythology and sanctified in religious scriptures making it a holy pilgrimage centre that attracts millions of devotees and pilgrims from all around the country. It is popular among foreigners as well, which visit the city to witness the fine Hindu culture in its best form.

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The first ever name of Varanasi was ‘Kashi’ which is derived from the word “Kasha’ meaning brightness. Later, it was renamed as Varanasi which was created after combining the names of the two tributaries of Ganges – Varuna and Asi. Benaras in turn, is just a derivative of the original name of Varanasi among Hindus.

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Varanasi is not a typical tourist destination where a guide book will resolve all your curiosity about the city. Rather the city is more explorable by roaming without a particular destination in mind. To understand the Hindu culture in depth, absorbing into this ancient city and absorbing its people, ceremony and their lifestyle is the best way to start about it.

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The city is famous for its Ghats, of both life and death.

The entire length of the Ganges River in the city is outlined by the Ghats and populated by men who come to walk, congregate and worship the holy river. The ghats lead down to the river, giving easy access to its water for the people.

The Dashashwamedh Ghat is considered the Main Ghat and is the oldest and the most spectacular Ghat in the city. There are two mythologies regarding this ghat. One being that it was created by Lord Brahma in order to welcome Lord Shiva and the second is that Lord Brahma had sacrificed ten horses here in a Yajna. At the great festivals, the ghats are visited by Hindu devotees and pilgrims in large numbers to perform a variety of rituals and religious activities.

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Also, every night, a pooja ceremony is conducted at the Main Ghat where Brahmins worship to Lord Shiva and the River Ganga. The pooja begins at 6 pm and attracts a large crowd of Hindus and tourists. During the pooja one can hop onto a boat to observe the ceremony from the water. The ceremony includes lots of burning incense, fire, motions, bells ringing, and loud music in the background. The ambiance during the pooja is electrifying and a person feels deeply enlightened and spiritually lit.

While Varanasi is famously visited by the devotees who come with an intention to bathe in the holy water of the Ganges and wash away their sins, many also come here to die and either be cremated or sunk to the bottom of the river. The main burning Ghat in Varanasi is Marakarnika Ghat where the burning ceremonies take place in large numbers and a visitor can view it from a balcony situated above. There is one another burning ghat known as the Harishchandra Ghat, which is a smaller version of the other ghat.

 

LUDHIANA: A great attraction to tourists and devotees

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LUDHIANA – Located on the banks of the River Satluj, Ludhiana is one of those rare cities in India which holds a perfect contrast between the old cultural heritage and the enamoured present-day modernity. It is the largest city in the state of Punjab where the people have done a good job of retaining its old world charm along with keeping its spirituality intact. This city proves alluring by the display of its magnificent ancient buildings, the elegant Gurudwaras and the sacred shrines.

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The city attracts tourists in great numbers in form of devotees of various religions and Gods. Gurudwara Charankanwal Sahib Machhiwara is one of the most prominent Gurudwaras for the Sikh community as it is believed that its constructed on the same spot where Guru Govind Singh rested while fighting against the massive Mughal force. A religious fair is held every year in the Gurudwara in the memory of Guru Govind Singh. Gurudwara Manji Sahid, also known as Alamgir Sahib, is another Gurudwara which believed to be the resident of their tenth guru for a short period of time. It is believed that it is the same place where he shot an arrow in the ground and a spring of water appeared, known as Tirsar. Another holy place for the Sikhs is the Rara Sahib Gurudwara which is visited by devotees when they feel the need of some peace and solace from their daily problems.

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A magnificent temple of Lord Shiva, known as Shiva Sangliwala Temple, located in the Old Ludhiana is believed to be 400 years old and is visited by hindus in huge numbers during the time of Shivratri to offer the holy water of River Ganges to the idol of Lord Shiva.

Lodhi Fort, Rural Museum and Maharaja Ranjit Singh War Museum are a few places one must visit to know in depth about the cultural and political history of the city. Lodhi Fort, built by the famous Muslim ruler, Sikander Lodhi around 500 years old as a military castle to stop intruders from entering the city. Albeit in ruins, it is visited by a lot of tourists who adore the Fort and its great architecture. Rural Museum, inaugurated by Khushwant Singh, the great writer, in the year 1974 depicts the rural life of the Punjabis who are the main residents of the city and showcase their culture in the form of household equipments used during the ancient time like coins, musical instruments, pottery, jewellery, handicrafts, etc. The Maharaja Ranjit Singh War Museum was constructed by the Punjab Government in the year 1999 in the memory of the war martyrs who fought different battles for our country. This museum has 12 different galleries covering various topics of history and army. Every evening, a light and sound show is conducted in the lawn outside the building, narrating the story of war heroes and their prominent roles in the war.

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Mumbai To Goa : The Quintessential Road Trip

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Sometimes, travelling is not merely reaching a destination but more about the journey, the experience and the exploration of soul of the nature. It is undertaken to expand the mind and make memories with the loved ones which can be cherished throughout the life. Trips by roads proffer to this very idea of mesmerisation and to further narrow the idea, we have one particular route which assists to make this odyssey a reality.

You must have guessed it by now.

Yes, its the legendary ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ route.

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Despite the most astounding road journey and the most famous tourist destination of our country, we rarely see ourselves taking a road trip to Goa.  I’m sure, this is one trip that all travel lovers have mentioned in their bucket lists and wish to experience at least once in their lives and rightly so, because of the immensity of the trip appendage to the growth of the individual experience.

One of the best things about this trip from Mumbai is the moderation of the time invested. Its neither too long where one might succumb to tiredness nor too short which may leave the traveller in downhearted disappointment. Its takes just 12 hours to reach Goa by road from Mumbai which makes it the best weekend getaway destination.

There are usually two common and best routes undertaken by travellers for a Mumbai Goa road trip; one via NH4 and the other is the Bombay Goa Highway via NH66.

Bombay to Goa via NH4 :

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This is the best preferred route by the travellers who suffer from motion-sickness as it is a smooth and straight four lane road with minimum tussle. The journey approximately takes 10 hours 30 minutes  which starts with the Mumbai-Pune Expressway leading to Belgaum(NH4) which further leads to our destination Goa.

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The main milestones on this journey are Satara, Kohlapur and Sankeshwar which can be further explored if one is not on a tight schedule. These include the beautiful Rankala Lake, the Panhala Fort and the Jyotika Temple. On the next stop of Belgaum, the Belgaum Fort and the Bhimgad Wildlife sanctuary are the two famous places worth exploring. Belgaum is also appropriate to have a night halt if one wishes.

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Bombay Goa Highway via NH66:

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It takes around 12 hours and 30 minutes to reach Goa from this route. This is the best option for the nature loving travellers as this route has ample amount of scenic beauty. This route is filled with paddy fields, coconut and area nut plantations which offers amazing views of luxurious greenery all around and throughout the journey. This route exudes a peaceful environment only interrupted by the sounds of the regional birds and the distinct smell of the forest which enhances the trip further.

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Again, if one has time in hand, this route has various places worth stopping and visiting. A beach side halt at Ganpatipule is worthy as it is claimed to be as alluring as the beaches of Maldives. Despite being small, the Karnala Bird sanctuary in the Taluka of Panvel is home to more than 150 species of birds making it a must stop for nature and bird lovers. One can also take a small ride of Pen, a historically important port city which is now famous for being a major centre for manufacturing huge Ganesha idols for worshipping.

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As this route is also a commercially important one, the road has numerous minor stoppage places like hotels, restaurants, repair shops and petrol pumps. The main milestones are the small towns of Kolad, Indapur and Mangaon. Chiplun is yet another great place for a break which is famous for its waterfalls, the Parshuram Temple, Kokam and the delicious Ratnagiri mangoes which are a must try if one is visiting during the summer.

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This is the trip I reckon you do not pretermit.

 

Take A Trip To Nagpur – One Of The Greenest Smart Cities Of India

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Nagpur is the third largest city of Maharashtra. It is also the State’s winter capital. It is famously known as the ‘Orange City’ for being a major trade centre of the Nagpuri oranges cultivated in the region.

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The most interesting attribute of the city is that it is located at the exact centre of our country. The ‘Zero Mile’ stone of Nagpur which is located in the geographical centre of India was erected by the British, who used this point to measure all the distance within the country. This stone consists of four horses and a pillar made of sandstone and each horse denotes a cardinal direction.

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Nagpur ranks amongst the top greenest cities in India thanks to the parks and wildlife sanctuaries situated there which contributes to the scenic beauty of the city. To witness the breathtaking view of Nagpur, take a tour to the top of the Seminary Hill, which is just 6 km away from the city.

While you are at the Seminary Hill, don’t forget to visit the alluring Japanese Rose Garden at the foothills. The garden is prominent for the recherché species of roses and is an absolute paradise for the nature lovers because of the innumerable rows of roses, bushes and tall trees. It also attracts a wide range of birds promising birdwatchers a tremendous time.

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The Nagzira Wildlife Santuary, located in the Satpura Mountain range, serves as a magnificent destination to explore the exquisiteness of nature and contributes massively to the conservation of wildlife. It is an abode to lot of endangered species of flora and fauna. This sanctuary is open to visitors at this time of the year and is another exemplary destination for the nature lovers.

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Ambazari Lake is the largest lake in the city of Nagpur and is the originating point of the popular Nag river. The lake derived its name from ‘Amba’ which means mango in the local language as the lake is surrounded by numerous mango trees. The lake also has a garden residing beside it with the same name. Various activities like musical fountain, numerous electric rides and amusement games along with boating facilities and walking trials ensures a great time for the people visiting the lake.

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