India Travel Fun – Making of tourism fun

India Travel Fun – Making of tourism fun
My regular blog readers might be wondering over my long absence from blogosphere but a few of you might know about my professional life related with visulaisation of concepts and shaping them into informative source for the internet in the form of a web site or web portal. Since last 2-3 months I was over busy with my professional life, two of simultaneously on going projects renovation of http://www.thesindhuworld.com/ premier community portal of global Sindhi community and designing http://www.indiatravelfun.com/ a web portal dedicated to tourism of India. As both of these were time bonding projects so it was hard to find off time for my passion. The Sindhu World was completing two years on 29-08-2008 so the renovation work was to be completed before that and by the blessings of Waheguru we had launched renovated version of site on 01-09-2008 though http://www.thesindhuworld.com/ is still not matching with my dream designing but surely this new version is more user friendly and enriched with information.
We had decided, World Tourism Day [27-09-2008] as the deadline for launching our project http://www.indiatravelfun.com/ related to tourism industry and tourist info of India. Surely this second task was more stressful and truly a challenge for our creative team as there are numerous sites already exists for providing information about India tourism. The work started with searching of a suitable domain name, extensive search, a true long exchange of thoughts, and deep insight helped us almost finalizing the domain name and we were just one step away – making click on “Book this domain”, when all of sudden a lightening went through my thought process and finalized domain name was altered. For what purpose we use the word tourism, when another word “travel” best known to masses is there, surely just because this traveling is different, this is travel for the fun, starts with fun, loaded with fun and ends with fun hence before going online I was certain about the domain name and fortunately my search for http://www.indiatravelfun.com/ showed the availability of domain name so without vesting a single second, the domain name was booked.
As the work got momentum with designing the hugeness of information and time available started threatening us because visiting more than 150 cities which we intended to include in “City List” of the site in the time period of less than 40 days and collecting information related with Hotels and Travel agents for every city was truly high asking, finally this was decided to go with available information for the “Travel Tools” and for the rest provision should be made for the online registration. Major part of “Hotel and Travel assistance listing” is free so we believe all the Indian hotel owners, travel agents and tour operators will become part of this information as and when they came to know.
We are strong believer and confident about the utility of information available at http://www.indiatravelfun.com/ alike for the Indian and foreigner travel lovers just because the information is inclusive of 50 + Beaches40 + Churches50 + Monuments and World Heritage Sites25+ Gurudwara [Sikh Temples]50+ Hill Stations50+ Masjids & Dargahs200+ famous temples [Hindu & Jain temples]50+ Wild life destinations125+ Cities Once I had read somewhere “The best tool for sharpening your creativity is be critic of own”. Surely I will like to have a critic look at my own work and share my conclusions with all of you.

Why to Visit India

Why to Visit India

People often ask this question just because in the past this happens to be vision of some people to look at India as the backward, facility less and land of religiously divided narrow minded citizens where sufis and sadhus are busy in cheating huge illiterate masses. These people had tried to disperses their this wrong vision about the land of Vedas, Work field of Buddha and Mahatama Gandhi, a country among the top seven countries in terms of land, second in population, highly populated democratic set up of ruling, country with almost 1000 languages and dialects, a true diversity in religious faith with about 80% Hindu population but freedom for Muslim, Shikh, Zoroastrians, Jains, Buddhists and all other small communities, a country from which citizens have highest ratio in the technical staff of companies like Microsoft, Doctors, Engineers and other professional of which country are always in demand in European countries, America and United Kingdom and above all world’s most progress economy of last 2-3 decades.

I am aware of the fact many of you might undergoing the disputed and confused mental status about traveling and tourism in Incredible India, so I am putting another seven important reason for India tourism.

1] Probably India is the only country with a long, over 7000 kilometer long coastline, hence there is beyond imagining attractions for lovers of aqueous. Water streams of north Indian states like Jammu Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttara Pradesh etc. are ideal places for water sports like, for skiing, fishing, yachting, kayaking etc.

2] From Goa to Adman Nicobar Island you will find a great number of beaches. India is the only country where you can plan a beach tour for the duration of your vacation and still either you have to make hurry or leave something unseen for the next vacation.

3] There is Himalayan mountain range as northern boundary of the country; South and east are the land of Indo- Gangetic area, where as in the west one can find desert like Thar, with all these diversified landscape no other country can match with India in greatest opportunities available for the eco tourism.

4] Mountain Railways, included in the list of World Heritage Sites of UNESCO is a life time memory and one of major reason for visiting India. There are some luxurious train tours like “Palace on Wheel” where almost all five star tourist hotel facilities can be enjoyed while traveling. One can find these trains in many Indian states like Rajasthan and Maharashtra.

5] With being the land of World Oldest knowledge books “Vedas” and largest university at “Nalanda & Takshshila” country is in abundance with historical monuments. This is ideal place for historical research scholar and citizen having interest in knowing about the historical facts of development of human societies. Tajmahal of Agra included in Seven Wonders of the World is one of the major attractions of India tourism for the world travelers. India is also land of forts and Palaces [many of palaces are turned into tourist stay homes hence this provided a chance of living with kingly status] that creates opportunity in looking back into history.

6] Another tourist attraction for India tourism is religious tourism, Char Dham Yatra, Kailash Mansarovar are the famous pilgrimage traveling. Urse of Khaja Mainuddin Chishti, at Ajmer in Rajasthan attracts Muslim devotees from all parts of globe. Dharamshala in the Himachal Pradesh is major activity center of Dalai Lama, Sanchi is centre of Buddhist religion, Golden Temple Amritsar is the most scared worshiped place of Sikhism, In the states of Kerala and Goa not only higher population of Christians can be observed but also one can find many historic Churches, Cathedrals and monuments related with the history of Christianity. Cave temples of Ajantha, Ellora, Elephanta and Badami are also among the tourist attractions of India.

7] Along with diversity of human culture, customs and traditions, India is richer with the huge number of flora & Fauna, hence is an ideal spot for the nature lovers. There are numerous reserve forests, National Parks and Bird Sanctuaries with tourist stay facilities to welcome one who find it interesting and thrilling to watch the wildlife in natural habitat. Abundance of forests provides scope for herbal treatment of diseases, Kerala beaches are world famous for herbal body massage.

With the high speed roads, mega highways, government help for developing the infra structural tourist facilities, increased internal air travel facilities and economically less expensive India is turning into” treasure trove" in true sense. I am sure for your next vacation; your dream tourist destination will be none else but India, Incredible India, a traveler’s paradise in all means.

Visit http://www.thesindhuworld.com/india for all the essential details and information related with your traveling in India.

Red Fort - Delhi - India

Red Fort - Delhi - India
Among the recent addition to world heritage sites of UNESCO, India's contribution is the magnificence architectural wonder of the Mugal era, Red Fort from the capital city Delhi. It was around the 1638 that King Shahjahan decided to shift the capital from Agra to Delhi and started construction for the architectural beauty craved in the Red sandstone on banks of river Yamuna, after almost 10 years of work this huge fort came in the existence on 16th April 1648. This, one of most significant architect of the Mugal era covers an area of almost 2 km. Though king Nadir Shah has taken many precious stones from the interiors of the fort along with famous "Peacock Throne" 1739 but still construction is true expression for the famous Persian couplet inscribed on its wall reminds us of its former magnificence: "If on earth be an eden on bliss, it is this, it is this, none but this."

The interiors of the fort includes

The Lahore Gate : The Lahore Gate of the palace is veiled by the Babar added by Aurangzeb, a Mughal emperor. The gate is from where the Prime Minister addresses the nation and unfurls the National Flag on August 15, Independence Day.

Chatta Chowk : The entrance of the Gate leads through a long covered bazaar called the Chatta Chowk. From Chatta Chowk follows the Naqqar Khana(Drum Room) also called Naubat Khana or the Welcome Room, which earlier formed part of a square enclosure with apartments for the umrah (Nobles) on duty. It was at this point that everyone other than the Emperor had to dismount from their elephants and walk towards the magnificent Diwan-e-Am(hall of public audience) where the Emperor used to listen to the grievances of the common man.

Naqqar Khana : The Naqqar Khana is 49 feet high with an open arched hall at the top which served as a music gallery from where the strains of music filtered down to welcome the Emperor or to bid him a safe journey. The War Memorial Museum is housed on the first floor. The Diwan-e-Am is built of red sandstone and is set atop an impressive plinth. The southwest and northwest corners of the pavilion are articulated by small chhattris.

Diwan-i-Am : The Fort also houses the Diwan-i-Am or "the Hall of Public Audiences", where the Emperor would sit and hear complaints of the common folk. His alcove in the wall was marble-paneled, and was set with precious stones, many of which were looted, after the Mutiny of 1857.

Diwan-i-Khas : The Diwan-i-Khas is "the Hall of Private Audiences", where the Emperor held private meetings. This hall is made of marble, and its center-piece used to be the "Peacock Throne", which was carried away to Iran by Nadir Shah in 1739. Today, the Diwan-i-Khas is only a pale shadow of its original glory, yet the famous Persian couplet inscribed on its wall reminds us of its former magnificence: "If on earth be an eden on bliss, it is this, it is this, none but this."

Hammam : On the north of the Diwan-i-Khas lies the bathroom set or Hammam, consisting of three apartments separated by corridors. The floors and dados of these apartments are built with marble, inlaid with floral patterns of multicoloured stones. The two rooms on either side of the present entrance were used.

Moti - Masjid : To the west of the Hammam lies the small mosque, called the Moti-Masjid (Pearl Mosque), built by Aurangzeb for his personal use. The prayer-hall of the mosque is inlaid with outlines of 'Musallas' (small carpets for prayers) in black marble, and it stands at a higher level than the courtyard.

Rang Mahal : Rang Mahal or the 'Palace of Colours' as it is known, holds a spectacular Lotus shaped fountain, made out of a single piece of marble, and housed the Emperor's wives and mistresses. The palace was decorated with excellent paintings, gold bordered projections, mosaics of mirrors and the ceiling was made with gold and silver which wonderfully reflected in a central pool in the marble floor.

Lal Quila is now a busy market place called the 'Meena Bazaar'. This bazaar has an excellent collection of antiques, miniature paintings and skillfully crafted fake ivory jewellery. The bazaar also sells some fabulous carpets beautifully woven. Just beyond the Lahori gate, is the heart of the fort called Naubat Khana, or the Drum House. Musicians used to play for the emperor from the Naubat Khana, and the arrival of princes and royalty was heralded from here.

Sound and light shows or son et lumiere as it is better known, highlighting particular phases of history are held here. The shows are in Hindi and English available at the Fort in the evening.