Dudhni Lake, Silvassa

Sunset view, Dudhni lake

In the recent years, Dudhni lake has emerged as a famous tourist attraction. It is located approx. 40 kms from Silvassa, the capital of the Dadara and Nagar Haveli(UT).  Dudhni lake  is a huge reservoir - a water front formed due to construction of Madhuban Dam on Daman Ganga river.  The tourism department of Dadar and Nagar Haveli has invested in making Dudhni lake a popular destination for water sports.

Dudhni lake

Dudhni is  an  ideal  place  for  scenic  landscape  formed by sparkling water  body  and surrounding hillocks, water sports and the  opportunity  to interact  with  and  explore  the  local tribal of this area. 
Quite clean, Untouched by commercialization and extremely   aesthetic  and   serene Dudhni...  Should all these make up for a good  holiday plan or a one-day picnic, it is a must visit  place. A  large  number  of tourists  visit  the place ever year for adventure spots in the enchanting landscape of Dudhni.

Boating at Dudhni lake

It has  boating  and other  watersports like   kayaking, speed boats,  canoeing  and  jet  skiing.  The  colorful  shikaras are beautiful indeed.  You can  enjoy an enchanting sunset while boating. Staying back for a night at a nearby hotel to witness the amazing sight of sunrise is also a good idea.

There are a few food facilities available around there. A few shops for snacks, tea-coffee and juice etc. are available here. There are other eating joints offering variety of food at decent prices. There are budget as well as luxury hotels available for accommodation. There is also a government guest house in the area. 

Except for May, the temperature varies in the range of 28-33 degree Celsius throughout the year. The best time to visit Dudhni is July to February.

Map to Dudhni from Silvassa

Kanyakumari - Journey to the end of INDIA

Kanyakumari

Kanyakumari is a town located at the extreme southern tip of India in the  state of Tamilnadu surrounded ob three sides by the  Indian  Ocean,  Arabian  Sea  and Bay of Bengal.  It is a popular tourist destination.  The name  Kanyakumari  comes from the name of the goddess Kanyakumari. 

KanyaKumari is a significant pilgrim as well as tourist place. Goddess Kanyakumari is considered to be Lord Krishna's sister. The temple of godess Kanyakumari is a Shaktipeeth, one of the holiest shrines of the Mother goddess. Women pray to her for marriage. It is believed that the goddess removes the rigidity of mind.

A rare phenomenon and depending on the weather, at certain times of the year the setting sun and rising moon can be witnessed in the twilight. The town is easily walkable and does not require any public transport.

Market place - Kanyakumari

Tourists can buy a lot of interesting items like straw hats, sea shells, conchs, cheap electronics etc., There are some small shops where one can get a customized conch with name or quotes inscribed. These items can serve as a memorable item of your trip.

South Indian and Punjabi dishes

Classic and typical South Indian style vegetarian food is available here. The varieties are idlis, sambar, dosa, uttapam etc.  In some cases, they may serve you the food on the traditional banana leaf. North-Indian style meals are available in some Rajasthani/Punjabi style restaurants.

Places to visit in Kanyakumari

Thiruvalluvar Statue

Thiruvalluvar Statue

The Thiruvalluvar Statue is 95 feet (29 m) atll and it stands upon a 38 feet (11.5 m) rock that represents the 38 chapters of "virtue" in the Thirukkural. 

Vivekanand Rock Memorial

Vivekanand Rock Memorial

The Vivekanand Rock Memorial is a well known tourist monument. It is built in 1970 on a rock located about 500 metres east of the mainland in honour of Swami Vivekanand who is said to have attained enlightenment on this rock.

Other places are Gandhi Memorial Mandapam, Tsunami Memorial Park, Bhagavathy Amman temple and Kamarajar Mani Mantapa monument.

Periyar Lake at Thekkady, Kerala | India

Periyar lake, Thekkady

The Periyar Lake at Thekkady in the state of Kerala was formed by the construction of the Mullaperiyar dam across the Mullaperiyar River in 1895. The lake measuring 26 km2 (10 sq mi) harbors within itself a unique aquatic ecosystem. There are number of small islets in the lake. 

Periyar National Park is surrounded by mountainous area of the Cardamom Hills. In the north and the east it is bounded by mountain ridges of over 1,700 m (5,600 ft) altitude and toward the west it expands into a 1,200 m (3,900 ft) high plateau. The sanctuary surrounds Periyar Lake.

The temperature varies between 15° Celsius in December-January and 31° Celsius in April-May. Summers are warm with some precipitation in April and winters are cold.

Deciduous and semi evergreen trees like teak, rosewoods, terminalias, sandalwoods etc. are found in the forests. The park is surrounded by agricultural regions, especially plantations of crops like tea, cardamom and coffee.

Boat cruise, Periyar lake

The best way to watch the beauty of the lake, the submerged trees in the lake, wild life and birds is a boat cruise on the Lake. The cruise are very well organized by KTDC and forest departments with due care of safety of passengers. 

Periyar wildlife

There are 35 species of mammals recorded in the park, including many threatened species. It is an important tiger and elephant reserve. Many other mammals like gaur, sambar, wild pig, monkeys etc. are found here.

Tea gardens

Tea gardens, coffee plantation and herbal gardens are also worth visiting in this area. Club Mahindra, Thekkady organised the visit to these places for me.

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Poovar - A must visit place in Kerala, INDIA

Poovar - A must visit place in Kerala, INDIA

Beach at Poovar

Poovar is a beautiful tourist place near Thiruvananthapuram (Trivendram) - the capital of Kerala state, India. Poovar,  situated around 30kms at the extreme southern tip of Thiruvananthapuram has scenic beaches which attracts  tourists from all over the world.

Golden sand beach

Poovar has an estuary which connects with the sea during high tide period. An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Poovar is also known for it’s backwaters, pristine beaches and exotic resorts.

  

The 56 km long Neyyar River passes through Neyyattinkara taluka(province) into the Arabian Sea near Poovar. The natural environment around it is really attractive for tourists and especially photography lovers.

Resort at Poovar

One must visit Poovar to experience beautiful natural sights of the Neyyar river, Gold sand beach at the estuary, mangroves, Poovar lake and also a number of exotic resorts and floating restaurants. Various tour operators offer tour packages as per your budget. Club Mahindra in Poovar has a lovely resort at Poovar which also offers back water boating facility. 

Common kingfisher, Mallard & Cormorant

Green bee eater, White chested kingfisher & Western reef egret

Wide variety of birds are the another attraction of bird lovers. Flora and Fauna of the area is a delight for any nature lover.

Beside these, there are places to visit around Poovar like Vizhinjam, Azhimala and Kovalam.  Tourists can also visit the Lighthouse, Lighthouse beach, Hawa beach, Vizhinjam Marine Aquarium, Halcyon castle, Vizhinjam harbour and  the Vellayani lake.  Many resorts, hotels and restaurants offering variety of food are situated here.

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Periyar Lake at Thekkady, Kerala | INDIA

Manali - Places.. Streets.. People.. #5

Handloom - Shawls and Pattus

The loom

Himachal Pradesh is known for it's unique traditions. The handlooms and handicrafts are integral part of cultural tradition of this state. The primary occupations with rural Himachal is agriculture, horticulture, handloom & handicraft. 

Shawl and Pattu weaving

Handloom  weaver at work

The Himalayan Handlooms are recognised across the globe for their purity and utility. The weavers put significant efforts to prepare a fine blend of tradition and creativity. To watch the workers weaving a shawl using their hands and feet is indeed admirable.

Handloom shop

The patterns woven on shawls and pattus describes ethnicity of colour contrasts as well as depiction of natural colours

Warp and Weft

The famous handloom products are -

Shawls: Shawl weaving is one of the most flourishing industries in Manali and surrounding regions these days. The Himachali shawl is made of wool. Merino wool, local sheep wool, pashmina, angora and mixture of these are commonly used. Yak hairs are also used to add variety. These shawls are either plain shawls or with different patterns. Their geometric designs give a strong feel of central Asian influence. 

Pattu: A woolen fabric draped by women like a sarong, used for everyday wear are plain or checkered with simple borders. 

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Manali - Places.. Streets.. People.. #1
Manali - Places.. Streets.. People.. #2
Manali - Places.. Streets.. People.. #3
Manali - Places.. Streets.. People.. #4

Manali - Places.. Streets.. People.. #4

The village...streets...people...

Beside the beautiful mountains and valleys, Manali is also famous for its bustling streets full of life. Old Manali is a village with an exotic charm. It is mix of ancient and modern. Old Manali has its own lovely world guarded by Manalsu river. The bridge over the river is between the two worlds - Manali and Old Manali. 

The beautiful village

Old wooden house

Stone and wood work

The streets, the river, the houses of Manali reminds you of a fairy tale. They look attractive during day as well as night. Though it creates an image of an old era, on the flip side it is exposed to all the facilities of modern world. Also, because of the growing tourism, you can find modern hotels, guest houses, residences, shops etc. and also a mix of different culture. Everything with its own distinct space is unique in its own style. 

Mall road, Manali

The mall road of Manali is the heart of the town. In the peak season it is with full of life and colors. Tourists from across the glob are found here. The entire street is full of hotels, eateries, various kind of shops buzzing with activities from morning to night. Also, tourist information centres and bus stand are located here. Hand woven clothes, hand painted articles, key-chains etc. are the shoppers' delight. 

Manali is kind of a cosmo town. Ladakhis, Kullus, Lahaulis and Kashmiris live peacefully and harmoniously. Tibetans as well as people from other parts of India have also settled down in Manali making it multi-cultural and multi-ethnic town. Lifestyle of people is simple and traditional. Hinduism and Buddhism are main religions of the region.

Farming was the primary occupation of Manali people. With passage of time, tourism has taken over as the primary industry followed by handloom weaving and other occupations mainly catering to tourists

The traditional wear of the Manali people is usually spun out of wool because of the cold climatic condition.

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Manali - Places.. Streets.. People.. #1
Manali - Places.. Streets.. People.. #2
Manali - Places.. Streets.. People.. #3
Manali - Places.. Streets.. People.. #5

To be continued...

Manali - Places.. Streets.. People.. #3

Buddhist monasteries

Buddham sharanam gachchhami

Manali is also the home of Tibetan Monasteries. These are one of the major tourist attraction and feature chiefly as an important pilgrim itinerary. Tibetan Monasteries has been set up because of the large population of Tibetan people settled over here. Monasteries represent the rich culture and history of the Tibetan people.

The famous monasteries are Himalayan Nyingmapa Gompa, Von Ngari  and Gadhan Thekchhokling Gompa. Constructed by Tibetan refugees, these monasteries are a must visit for one wanting to get a glimpse of Tibetan Buddhist culture. 

Buddhist monasteries at Manali

The monasteries are located close to the Mall in Manali. 

Pagoda style architecture

The monasteries are built in Pagoda style. The architecture of the monasteries represents the Tibetan style of architecture with hued frescoes. The statue of Lord Buddha presides in the monastery. The colorful ambiance, lighting and the aromatic fragrance of the Tibetan incense sticks lit in the Monasteries create an enchanting impression on the tourists and lures them to visit the monastery again. 

The Prayer wheel

Inside the monastries, the paintings depict events of the life of Lord Buddh. The Kalchakra i.e. the wheel of life painted on the wall of the monastery shows the circle of life. The atmosphere here gives peace to mind. During my tour of 10 days, I visited the monasteries thrice. I spent my time observing the paintings, the architecture, talking with Lamas and clicking photographs.  

Prayer time

Public prayers are performed every Sunday and on special occasions. Also, festivals and special occasions are celebrated at monasteries by large number of local people.

Lamas are trained as preachers and performers of religious rites in the monastery. The monastery also runs a Thanka school of arts and a carpet-weaving centre. Resident Tibetan and immigrants of Tibet produce handicraft articles to attract the tourists.The primary objective is to preserve ancient Tibetan art. 

A cafeteria is also there in Von Ngari monastery. Tourits can sit there and have refreshment. The specialty of this cafeteria is "butter tea". 

Cafeteria at Von Ngari 

Cafeteria at Von Ngari 

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Manali - Places.. Streets.. People.. #1
Manali - Places.. Streets.. People.. #2
Manali - Places.. Streets.. People.. #4
Manali - Places.. Streets.. People.. #5

To be continued...

Manali - Places.. Streets.. People.. #2

Beside the landscapes and trekking trails, there are some beautiful places in and around Manali. Ancient temples attract the tourists and of course photography lovers. 

Hadimba devi temple

Hadimba Devi Temple, surrounded by a cedar forest, is one of the worth visiting places in Manali. It is built over a huge rock inside a cave where Hadimba(wife of Bhimsen) used to perform meditation. The temple was built in 1553 by local king. 

Hadimba devi temple

Temple of Veer Ghatotkach

Temple of Veer Ghatotkach(son of Hadimba and Bhimsen) is nicely nestled in a cedar tree. A temple without a roof. It is located about seventy metres away from Hadimba temple. 

Temple of Veer Ghatotkach

Manu temple

Architectured in pagoda style, the Manu temple is also a place of attraction in Manali. It offers some scenic views from its location. It is located near Beas River and is in close proximity to Mall Manali - the market place. Not much history is available about the temple. 

Manu temple

Vashishth Kund (hot water springs)

Situated across the Beas River, Vashishth kund is at a distance of  approx.5 kilometers from Manali. The village of Vashist is famous for its sulphurous Hot Water Springs and is a popular attraction among tourist and pilgrims. The village is also famous for its stone temples which are dedicated to a local saint Vashisth.

Vashishth kund

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Manali - Places.. Streets.. People.. #1
Manali - Places.. Streets.. People.. #3
Manali - Places.. Streets.. People.. #4
Manali - Places.. Streets.. People.. #5

To be continued...

Manali - Places.. Streets.. People.. #1

Manali - 'Manu-Alay' which literally means 'The abode of Manu' - the Hindu lawgiver, located in the mountains of the Himachal Pradesh state of India near the northern end of Kullu, at an altitude of 2,050 m (6,726 ft) in the vally of Beas River.

I went to Manali by road from New Delhi. The tour was organized by Dolphin Nature Club. It was a pleasant experience from a photography lover's view point. The landscapes, curvy roads passing through mountains, springs, snow covered picks of mountains and beautiful trees tempted me to keep on my camera shutter making noise all the way. 

On the way to Manali

A spring in the wally - Manali

The Beas river - Manali

The Pir Panjal mountain range of the Himalaya passes through Himachal Pradesh. It is a centre of attraction for nature lovers and adventurous folks. Many trekking programmes are arranged by various organizations every year.

Beautiful snowy pics - Manali

The weather sometime is unpredictable. Sunny morning turns into cloudy noon with cold breeze and it may shower making the climate colder. 

A cloudy evening - Manali

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Manali - Places.. Streets.. People.. #2
Manali - Places.. Streets.. People.. #3
Manali - Places.. Streets.. People.. #4
Manali - Places.. Streets.. People.. #5

To be continued...