Tourism Product

Tourism Product-Tourism Products are a combination of goods and services

demanded by a tourist during travel to and stay at a destination. These include
natural, cultural and manmade attractions and facilities such as hotels, transport
and ancillary services.
The tourism “product” is not the destination, but it is about the experiences of that
place and what happens there. – Chris Ryan
Economist M. Sinclair and Mike Stabler define the tourism product as a
“composite product involving transport, accommodation, catering, natural
resources, entertainment and other facilities and services, such as shops and
banks, travel agents and tour operators.”

Classification Or Types of Tourism Products-

 Natural Tourism Product
 Man-Made Tourism Product
 Symbiotic Tourism Product
 Event Based Tourism
 Site Based Tourism Product

Natural Tourism Product

These are the products connected to the natural environment. Natural
environment that constitutes natural resources which is related to area, climate
and its settings, and the landscapes. These natural resources are the most
important elements in a destination’s attraction. Such as countryside, climate,
natural beauty, water, flora and fauna, wildlife, beaches, deserts, islands or any
scenic attraction.

Some examples of natural tourism products in India are Marina beach- Chennai,
Darjeeling hill station-West Bengal, Islands of Andaman & Nicobar- Andaman &
Nicobar, Deserts of Thar-Rajasthan, etc

Man-Made Tourism Product

Something which is not natural, found in the destinations to attract the tourists.
These are man-made creations. As per the tourism point of view they are made
for pleasure, leisure or business.
Man-made tourism products are further divided into three subtypes:

1. Cultural aspects include those man-made products which depict the

culture of the people, civilization and are related to history. Such as
 Sites and areas of archaeological interest
 Historical buildings and monuments
 Places of historical significance of museums and art
galleries
 Political and educational institutions
 Religious institutions

1. Traditional aspects are related to traditions. Basically, it reflects the

activities, beliefs and life of people of any particular region. Such as
A. Fairs and festivals
B. Arts and handicrafts
C. Dance
D. Music
E. Folklore of native life and customs

Camel Festival
Desert Festival
Rann Utsav
Goa Carnival
Konark Dance Festival
Khajuraho Dance Festival (Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh)
Marwar Festival
Nagaur Fair
Gangaur Festival, (Jaipur)
Elephant Festival (Jaipur)
Summer Festival (Mount Abu, rajasthan)
Pongal, (Tamilnadu- Harvest festival, 70% live in villages)
Puskar Fair-The Pushkar Fair, or Pushkar Mela, as it's known locally, is the
world's largest camel fair. This weeklong fair, held at the time of the "Kartik Purnima" full
moon, is as lively as ever. One of the greatest traditional "mela" in the country, it witnesses a
congregation of more than 11,000 camels, horses and cattle. This massive gathering attracts
over 400,000 people over a period of fourteen days. Competitions such as 'matka phod', 'longest
moustache' and 'bridal competition', draw a large number of people. A recent addition to this
festival is the exhibition cricket match held between the Pushkar local club and a team of
foreign tourists.

Konark Dance Festival

The Konark Dance Festival celebrates Indian heritage with various dance forms. As the sun
sets, the open-air auditorium comes to life. The energy of musical beats and rhythmic
movements under the starlit sky proves to be a true cultural feast. A celebration of
Bharatnatyam, Chau Dances, Manipuri, Kathak and Odissi; the festival truly comes as a
memorable experience. The sound of Ghungroo bells, flute, musical instruments and the soft
melody of the waves makes it just magical. The festival is a platform for the performing artistes
and the dance connoisseurs both.

2. Entertaining aspects are those which provides some amusements,

thrills or enjoyable feel to the tourists. These include:
 Amusement and recreation parks
 Sporting events
 Zoos and oceanariums
 Cinemas and theatres
 Night life of cuisines
Examples of Man-made tourism products are Ajanta and Ellora cave-Maharashtra
(Cultural), Surajkund Craft Mela-Haryana (Traditional), Essel World-Mumbai,
etc

Symbiotic Tourism Product

This type of tourism product does not fall in any particular category because they
are a blend of nature and man but the core attraction is nature. These are the
natural resource that has been converted into a tourism product by maintaining
and managing them.

In other words, man has taken initiative to preserve the natural aspects of earth
and also managed in a way to provide best possible services to the tourists who
come for the visit, for example, accommodation, parking facilities, etc. Some
examples are National Park or Wildlife Sanctuaries, Flower Festival, Marine
Park, Aero and Water Sports, Botanical Garden etc.

In India, there are many national parks like Ranthambhore-Rajasthan, where

tigers and many animals are preserved and tourists are given facilities like a
jungle safari.

E.g. National park and wildlife sanctuaries

National Park and Wildlife Sanctuaries-

National Parks in India
The national park is an area that is strictly reserved for the betterment of the
wildlife and biodiversity, and where activities like developmental, forestry,
poaching, hunting and grazing on cultivation are not permitted. The government
can declare an area as a national park with adequate ecological, geo-
morphological and natural significance. In these parks, even private ownership
rights are not allowed. Their boundaries are well marked and circumscribed. They
are usually small reserves spreading in an area of 100 sq. km. to 500 sq. km. In
national parks, the emphasis is on the preservation of a single floral or fauna
species. Thanks to India’s biodiversity, there is at least one national park in each
state that displays the vivid flora and fauna of the region.

National Parks in India: Important Points

Largest National Park: Hemis National Park, Jammu & Kashmir

Smallest National Park: South Button Island National Park, Andaman and
Nicobar Islands

Largest Wildlife Sanctuary: Rann of Kutch, Gujarat

Smallest Wildlife Sanctuary: Bor Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra

List of National Parks in India

National parks provide a haven for wildlife away from civilization. India has
currently over 100 national parks distributed across the country, stretching across
various biomes.
The Hailey National Park is the first national park in India. It is one of the finest
examples of ecological conservation. The other national parks in India include:

1. Bandipur National Park in Karnataka

2. Bandhavgarh National Park in Madhya Pradesh
3. Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka
4. Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala
5. Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand
6. Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka
7. Dudhwa National Park in Uttar Pradesh
8. Gir National Park and Sasan Gir Sanctuary in Gujarat
9. Hemis National Park in Jammu & Kashmir
10.Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh
 11.Kaziranga National Park in Assam
12.Keoladeo Ghana National Park in Bharatpur, Rajasthan
13.Manas National Park in Assam
14.Nagarhole National Park in Karnataka
15.Panna National Park in Madhya Pradesh
16.Periyar National Park in Kerala.
17.Pench National Park in Madhya Pradesh
18.Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan
19.Sariska National Park in Rajasthan
20.Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra
21. The Great Himalayan National Park in Himachal Pradesh

Jim Corbett National Park-

Located in the Nainital District of Uttrakhand, Jim Corbett National Park was
established in 1936. The national park is located amidst a mixed terrain of
deciduous forests and mountainous pine forests. As a result, Jim Corbett National
Park is one of the most biologically diverse zones in India. Corbett National Park
is a home to the Bengal tiger, Leopard, Leopard cat, Elephants, Sambhar Deer
and Golden Jackal etc.

Wildlife Sanctuary in India

Wildlife Sanctuary is an area demarcated for the protection of a particular species
of flora and fauna. Limited human activities may be allowed by the state
authorities for the people living inside it. For e.g. Wildlife authorities may allow
livestock grazing for a particular community living there. Any exploitation of
wildlife is a punishable offense and removal of forest produce requires a
recommendation from the relevant National or State Wildlife Board.

List of Wildlife Sanctuaries in India

Following is the list of sanctuaries found in India:

1. Dichigam Wildlife Sanctuary

2. Sunderbans Wildlife Sanctuary
3. Manas Wildlife Sanctuary
4. Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary
5. Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary
 6. Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary
7. Mundanthurai Wildlife Sanctuary
8. Annamalai Wildlife Sanctuary
9. Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary
10.Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary

Initially, many of the National Parks were wildlife sanctuaries. After the adoption
of conservative measures by the Indian Government, there was a 30% rise in the
number of tigers in the year 2015. These wildlife sanctuaries and national parks
are the most visited areas in India that offer an unmatchable wilderness in various
regions. The wildlife lovers and tourists can find more opportunities for
sightseeing, safari tour, bird watching, angling, fishing, river crossing, camping,
and tiger tours at distinct tiger reserves in India. To make a better and rewarding
wildlife experience to the tourists, these destinations are made much more
extensive by the Wildlife Authority of India, thus making them as better-known
tourist spots having major attractions. There is also a provision of various kinds
of accommodations such as resorts, hotels, lodges coming in close vicinity.

Sunderbans Wildlife Sanctuary-

The protected forest area in West Bengal was declared a National Park in 1984
and is a rich biosphere reserve and the part of the Sunderbans situated at the
Ganges Delta. Sunderbans Wildlife Sanctuary is a home to a wide variety of flora
and fauna species. These include Tiger, Leopard cat, Fishing Cats and over 70
different species of endemic birds.

Event Based Tourism

Product Here event is the main source of attraction. Tourist comes to observe and
participate in the events. Events are temporary in nature and are often mounted
in order to increase the number of tourists to a particular destination.
Some events are for a short time scale while other last for longer days. Sometimes
events are mounted in those places where the tourist’s eye usually don’t reach
such as unusual exhibitions.

Some examples of event-based tourism product include Camel Polo at Jaisalmer-

Rajasthan, Kite flying in Ahmedabad-Gujarat, where tourists also participate and
observes. In Snake boat race-Kerela, one can enjoy witnessing it. Short time scale
event includes Republic Day Parade-New Delhi and long days event include
Khajuraho dance festival-Madhya Pradesh.

Site Based Tourism Product

It is a particular site or a place, permanent in nature which is the main source of
attraction for the tourists. In India examples are like Taj Mahal, Beaches of Goa,
Sunset at Kanyakumari, Temples of Khajuraho, etc.

Characteristics of Tourism Product

Following are the main characteristics of tourism products:

 Intangibility
 Inseparability
 Perishability
 Heterogeneity
 Essentially of Users Presence
 Complexity in Marketing
 Absence of Ownership

Intangibility
As discussed earlier in this chapter, tourism products are actually the services that
are being sold to the tourists, and it’s not the goods. Services can’t be seen,
smelled, felt or touched; it can only be experienced. What can be seen is their
effect.

For example, a guide’s comments can be heard. A travel agents books a ticket
from place A to B. The ticket is just a piece of paper, an entry pass for using the
service. An airline provides the service of transportation, comfort and leisure. A
thorough evaluation of the service before buying it is therefore impossible and
leads customers to use other cues to help them assess the service like the interior
of the restaurant, the appearance of the hotel entrance or the behaviour of the
receptionist.

Inseparability
A service of a tourism product cannot be separated from the provider of the
service. For most services, the producer and the seller are the same people.
Services are manufactured and consumed at the same time. In the case of
products, consumption takes place after production and often far away from the
factory.

In the case of tourism products for example a guide has to be present to explain
the attraction. A pilot has to be present to fly a plane. Both service providers and
the service user have to be physically present for mutually satisfying the exchange
of service. The visitor to a national park cannot experience counter service if the
receptionist is not present, nor can the receptionist render the service is the visitor
is absent.

Perishability
The tourism product is highly perishable, which means it cannot be stored. For
example, a hotel room or an aeroplane seat that is not sold on a particular day, is
a lost sale. If the tourists don’t visit a particular place, the opportunity is lost. If
the opportunity is lost, the moment is lost. This adversely affects the tourism
business.

The demand has to be managed by the marketer in such a way as to ensure that
as little capacity as possible is lost. The problem is unique for the tourism
industry. Due to this reason sometimes, heavy discount is offered by hotels or
transport generating organization.

Heterogeneity
Services offered by most people are never the same. There is some degree of
variability present in almost all types of services. This may be due to the extensive
involvement of people in the production of service. This issue is not present when
a machine dominates. Depending on the mood, behaviour, working style,
efficiency and knowledge of the people variability exist.

For example, all air hostesses cannot provide the same quality service like the
other. Yet again the same individual air hostess may not perform the same
uniform service both in the morning as well as in the evening.
Even the tour package and the aircraft can’t be consistent of equal standards
because an aircraft can de-shape the travelling pleasure into a nightmare and a
holiday seaside is ruined by the prolonged rainy spell.

Another reason for variability of service is the involvement of customers in the

process of product delivery and consumption system. For example, a musician
performing at a program may not perform with uniformity. His performance will
depend on the response and appreciation of the audience. Hence service varies
from person to person, time to time and from situation to situation.

In travel and tourism businesses, service quality depends on uncontrollable

factors and there is no sure way of knowing whether the service delivered
matched what was planned or promoted, or what was expected by the customer.

Essentially of Users Presence

Presence of the user is necessary to avail the service. The customer or the guest
has to be personally present on the spot. It can’t be brought to the user. As in the
case of other tangible goods, the buyer can avail the service from anywhere or
from his home. But in the case of tourism products, it is not at all possible. The
tourist has to go to the tourist attraction to experience the tour.

However, the marketers here need an in-depth study of user’s behaviour, tastes,
preferences, likes and dislikes so that expectations and realities coincide and
satisfaction is made possible.

Complexity in Marketing
Tourism product involves complexity in marketing. It requires a lot of effort to
convince a buyer. As in the case of travel agents. In order to sell their tour package
they need to convince the customer by introducing various facilities, discounts
and services. Product demonstration is bit difficult in the case of tourism product.

Absence of Ownership
As in the case of tangible goods like television. As soon as we buy it, we become
the owner of it. But this is not the case with tourism products. A tourism product
when sold to the customer or tourist, he can only avail the service but can’t be its
owner.

For example, while buying a hotel room, while buying a seat in an aircraft or a
luxurious train, you can only take the facilities of the service for a certain time.
You can’t be its owner for lifelong.
Handicraft of India-The handicrafts of India have been loved and
respected worldwide and have left everyone awestruck. Many rural people
still earn their livelihood from their creative pieces of art and India has still
managed to preserve its artisans, its art and its handicrafts.

1. Pashmina Shawls-Pashmina is a fine type of wool. Its textiles are first

woven in Kashmir. These shawls are made from a fine type of cashmere
wool and are then transported to the valley of Kashmir in northern India,
where it is entirely hand processed. All steps from combing and
spinning, to weaving and finishing, is entirely carried out by hand by
dedicated craftsmen and women. The major centre of Pashmina fabric
production is the old district of Srinagar. The approximate craft time
put into producing a single Pashmina shawl is 180 hours. They come in
beautiful vibrant colours and have exquisite embroidery on them and at
the same time can keep you warm and are also known for their softness .

2. Woodwork- The northern states of India have a rich tradition of the

woodwork. Regions in Punjab are famous for its exquisite wooden
furniture. Kashmir is famous for its artefacts made from the walnut
trees. The artisans of Chhattisgarh specialise in wooden crafts like
masks, doors, window frames and sculptures. Jharkhand is famous for
its wooden toys which are always in a pair. The woodcarvings
of Goa are an aesthetic blend of Portuguese and Indian cultures, and the
designs are primarily floral, animal and human figures Endowed with
abundant forests, woodwork is a popular craft in South India. It is
mainly done on rosewood and sandalwood. Red sandalwood
from Andhra Pradesh is used to make cutlery, dainty boxes and paper
knives in various designs. Madurai (a city in Tamil Nadu), is popular
for its rosewood carvings. Karnataka is famous for beautiful elephants,
images and furniture made from rosewood. Sandalwood is also used to
make utility and decorative items, which are etched with designs of
flowers, creepers, birds and animals. Magnificent figurines of females
are carved out of Kumbli wood in Kerala.

3. Pottery- Pottery is considered to be the most sensual form of all arts.

The tradition of handmade pottery is prevailing in India since the time
 of Harappan Civilisation. North India is also known for various kinds
of pottery designs, ranging from colours like orange, brown and light
red in Uttar Pradesh to black and dark red in Himachal
Pradesh. In Rajasthan, Bikaner is famous for its painted pottery,
Pokhran for its pottery with geometrical patterns and Alwar for
its Kagzi pottery. The blue pottery of Jaipur is also very famous. The
potter occupies a unique position in the craft traditions of India.

4. Leather- The age-old convention of leather skill in India is proved by

ancient sages and ascetics. In the past, leather was not only used in
making clothes and footwear but also in making caps, bags, saddles,
shield etc. India is famous worldwide for its leather products. Madhya
Pradesh is also known for its leathercraft. Various leather items are
produced like shoes, bags and garments. Maharashtra is also famous for
its leather shoes called Kolhapuri chappals.

5. Brass Handicrafts- Brass is known for its durability, and this feature
adds to its advantage when used as handicrafts. Different items made of
brass like Lord Ganesha's figure in different postures, vases, tabletops,
perforated lamps, ornament boxes, wine glasses, and many more are
widely used in many Indian houses even today. These artisans dealing
with brass handicrafts are distinctively known as "Kansaris". The
manufacturing of brass handicrafts is mainly done in Rajasthan.
6. Bamboo Handicrafts- Handicrafts that are made by using bamboo are
the most eco-friendly crafts made in India. The diverse items made from
bamboo are baskets, dolls, toys, furniture, mats, wall-hangings,
crossbows, jewellery boxes and many more. Bamboo handicrafts are
predominantly prepared in West Bengal, Assam and Tripura. On the
whole; we can see that each region of India is endowed with unique
handicraft that adds charm to the state and the country as a whole. The
tradition of craft has evolved through generations, and there is a quest
for innovation and invention that continues to give each craft a
contemporary look but at the same time preserving the Indian heritage
and culture.

7. Phulkaris- Phulkari embroidery technique from the Punjab region

and Haryana literally means flower work, which was at one time used
 as the word for embroidery, but in time the word 'Phulkari' became
restricted to embroidered shawls and head scarfs. It is a kind of
embroidery that has complex designs made through vertical, horizontal
and diagonal stitches, this whole work is done with white or yellow silk
floss on cotton khaddarh and starts from the centre on the fabric called
"chashm-e-bulbul" and spreads to the whole fabric. They are bright and
colourful. Some modern fashion designers are incorporating this
embroidery into their garments, and its use has spread to jackets, bags,
cushion covers, table-mats, shoes, slipper, juttis, and kids? garments.

8. Zardozi- Zardozi embroidery work involves making elaborate designs,

using gold and silver threads along with studded pearls and precious
stones. Intricate designs in gold are made of silk, velvet and even tissue
materials famous in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Initially, the embroidery
was done with pure silver wires and real gold leaves. However, today,
craftsmen make use of a combination of copper wire, with a golden or
silver polish, and a silk thread. This embroidery work is mainly a
speciality of Lucknow, Bhopal, Hyderabad, Delhi, Agra, Kashmir,
Mumbai, Ajmer and Chennai.
9. Saris and Silk- Saree or saris is a cloth of around 4.5 metres to 8 meters
that women wrap around the waist and drape one end over the
shoulder. The east of India is also famous for its silk saris, namely the
Baluchari saris of West Bengal and Mooga and Assam silk of Assam.
Their saris come in various colours and look very rich and magnificent.
Banarasi sarees are among the finest sarees in India and are known for
their gold and silver brocade or zari, fine silk and opulent embroidery.
Weaving saris is a household tradition in rural South India. Tamil Nadu
is famous for the Kanchipuram saris. The traditional Kanchipuram saris
have been given a modern look with fewer motifs and by introducing
new colours. Andhra Pradesh is known for cotton saris with rich golden
borders and heavy pallus in Gadwal and Kothakota. In Karnataka,
cotton saris are made of dark earthy colours. Irkal is a special sari of
Karnataka which is dominated by rich colours like pomegranate red,
peacock blue, and parrot green. Maharashtra is famous for Paithani
Saris.
10. Carpet Weaving- Carpet weaving is also an important craft in
North India. Uttar Pradesh has the largest carpet weaving industries in
 the country, and the carpets are incredibly beautiful with designs such
as the Taj Mahal woven on them. More than 500 carpet manufacturing
factories spotted the city of Bidohi, which made the city home to the
leading hand-knotted carpet weaving industry hubs in South Asia.
Also, Jammu and Kashmir is known for the silk carpets, which are
mostly woven in Srinagar.

Government Approved Handicraft Shops in India

 Dilli Haat in Delhi
 Kala Madhyam in Bangalore
 MESH in Hyderabad and Delhi
 Khazana in Taj Group of Hotels
 Ekamra Haat in Bhubaneshwar
 Rajasthali in Jaipur

Most Famous Fairs and Festivals of India

India’s beauty lies in its colourful culture, enchanting history and variety of
traditions which led to numerous celebrations. India celebrates every single
event starting from harvest to lunar cycle. If you want to experience the
kaleidoscopic beauty of the land, the best time to visit is during any festival.
Here are the Most Famous Fairs and Festivals of India to explore in 2020.
. Modhera Dance Festival of Gujarat
2. Pongal of South India
3. Konark Dance Festival of Odisha
4. Jaisalmer Desert Festival
5. Goa Carnival
6. Nehru Trophy Boat Race of Kerala
7. Pushkar Mela
8. Bikaner Camel Festival
9. Hornbill Festival of Nagaland
10. Puri Rath Yatra of Odisha
11. Hemis Festival of Ladakh
12. Lohri Festival of Punjab
13. Jaipur Literature Festival
14. Elephant Festival of Jaipur
15. Rann Utsav of Kutch
16. Winter Carnival of Manali
17. Khajuraho Dance Festival
18. Marwar Festival of Jodhpur
19. Gangaur Festival of Rajasthan
20. Teej of Rajasthan
21. Holi (throughout the country)
22. Ganesh Chaturthi (throughout the country)
23. Navratri (throughout the country)
24. Durga Pooja
25. Diwali (throughout the country)
26. Christmas (throughout the country)

Modhera Dance Festival of Gujarat- Also called the Uttarardh

Mahotsavaor, this festival is a cultural celebration inside the premises of
Modhera Sun Temple. Apart from cultural performances, the locals also
present many unique rituals, art exhibition, storytelling, and others.
Every year, this festival takes place on the third week of January.
Date – 19th to 21th January 2020

2. Pongal of South India- Pongal is the harvest festival of the land. It

is celebrated with different names throughout the country. However, the best
of Pongal celebration is enjoyed in Tamil Nadu. On the eve of the festival,
locals form a bonfire to burn old things from home and fields to indicate the
end of problems in the past and a fresh start.
First day is dedicated to Sun God for the prosperity of the harvest.
Second day is dedicated to the cattle, especially oxen and cows. Many
games and cow tackling fights take place in village regions.
Third day is for family outing and to visit relatives to bond. A sweet delicacy
named Pongal is the main dish of this festival.
Date – 15th to 18th January 2020.

Konark Dance Festival of Odisha

The land has numerous dance festivals and this is one of the largest and most
colorful one. The Konark Dance Festival takes place inside the Konark Sun
Temple. This festival marks the beginning of movement of Sun, which
indicates the end of winter.
Date – 1st February to 3rd February 2020

Jaisalmer Desert Festival - the Jaisalmer Desert Festival is a tourism

festival, which marks the end of the tourism season. The Thar Desert region
will be filled with stalls where you can find numerous dance, music, and
other cultural performances. Top activities to enjoy during this festival are
fire dance, folk dance and music performances, camel race, beauty contest,
moustache contest, turban tying contests, acrobatic shows, camel safari, and
others.
Date – 17th to 19th February 2020

Goa Carnival- As the name indicates, this is a carnival, which is assumed

to be an Indian version of Cinco de Mayo. This three-day festival is all about
party, parade, celebration, and fun. The major parade of Panjim is the main
celebration of the day. People dance, sing, wear costumes, bring large
banners, and others to the parade. It is a very colorful event, which starts in
Panjim and moves to numerous destinations like Vasco da Gama, Mapusa,
and others.
Dates – 22th to 25th February 2020

Pushkar Mela- Pushkar Mela is a traditional camel fair, which was once
a trading event. The merchants stayed back in the trade ground at night and
entertained themselves with dance and music. Today, it has become a
cultural and traditional event of trading, music, dance, culture, and food.
Apart from the camel trading, you can enjoy many activities here like camel
race, camel beauty contest, camel parade, tug-of-war, folk dance and music
performances, puppet shows, acrobat shows, magic shows, and others. A
large stall will be erected where you can buy leather articles, textiles, spices,
camel milk delicacies, camel skin articles, paintings, and others. Some
people stay back in the fairground to enjoy bonfire, camping, and other
activities.
Date – 22th to 30th November 2020

Bikaner Camel Festival- This is quite similar to the Pushkar Camel

Festival. You can find many cultural activities like folk dance, music shows,
camel parade, beauty contest for camels, street acrobat shows, puppet
storytelling, fire dance, and others. The fairground also holds a large market
for shopping. The main element of the festival is the camel trading. You can
watch the traders in action. Most of these cultural shows are used by the
traders to promote their animals.

Date – 11th to 12th January 2020

Puri Rath Yatra of Odisha-

It is the annual temple car festival of the Puri Jagannath Temple. The temple
car (chariot) procession from the Puri Jagannath temple to the Gundicha
Temple and back to Puri Jagannath Temple is the main element of this
festival. During the procession, dance, music, chorus mantra chanting, and
others take place. Special rituals take place in both the temples. By evening,
many cultural performances take place inside the temple. The regions
around the temple will be filled with stalls for souvenir shopping.
Date – 22nd July to 23rd July 2020

Dance Forms in India

The 2 major dance forms in India are classical and folk dance. The
major difference between Classical and Folk dance is the origin. Classical dance
has a deep-rooted relationship with the Natya Shastra where the specific features
of each of the Classical dance forms have been mentioned.
Folk dance, on the other hand, emerged from the local tradition of the respective
state, ethnic or geographic regions.

Classical Dance in India

The classical dance form originated from the Natya Shastra. There are 8 classical
dance forms in India as per the source and scholar.
The Cultural Ministry of India has included Chhau into the list of classical dances
that makes a total of 9 classical dance forms.
The 8 basic technicalities that are expressed in the classical dance are given
below:

1. Shringar: Love
2. Hasya: Humorous
3. Karuna: Sorrow
4. Raudra: Anger
5. Veer: Heroism
6. Bhayanak: Fear
7. Bibhats: Disgust
8. Adbhoot: Wonder

Indian Classical Dances

Bharatnatyam-Bharatanatyam, a pre-eminent Indian classical dance form
presumably the oldest classical dance heritage of India is regarded as
mother of many other Indian classical dance forms. Conventionally a solo
dance performed only by women, it initiated in the Hindu temples of Tamil
Nadu and eventually flourished in South India. Theoretical base of this
form traces back to ‘Natya Shastra’, the ancient Sanskrit Hindu text on the
performing arts. A form of illustrative anecdote of Hindu religious themes
and spiritual ideas emoted by dancer with excellent footwork and
impressive gestures its performance repertoire includes nrita, nritya and
natya. Accompanists include a singer, music and particularly the guru who
directs and conducts the performance. It also continues to inspire several
art forms including paintings and sculptures starting from the spectacular
6th to 9th century CE temple sculptures.

Kathak-Kathak is one of the main genres of ancient Indian classical dance

and is traditionally regarded to have originated from the travelling bards of
North India referred as Kathakars or storytellers. These Kathakars
wandered around and communicated legendary stories via music, dance
and songs quite like the early Greek theatre. The genre developed during
the Bhakti movement, the trend of theistic devotion which evolved in
medieval Hinduism. The Kathakars communicate stories through rhythmic
foot movements, hand gestures, facial expressions and eye work. This
performing art that incorporates legends from ancient mythology and great
Indian epics, especially from the life of Lord Krishna became quite popular
in the courts of North Indian kingdoms. Three specific forms of this genre
that is three gharanas (schools), which mostly differ in emphasis given to
footwork versus acting, are more famous namely, the Jaipur gharana, the
Benaras gharana and the Lucknow gharana.

Kathakali-Kathakali’, an important genre in the Indian classical dance

form, is associated with storytelling form of this art. It is the dance drama
from the south Indian state of Kerala. Similar to other Indian classical
dance arts, the story in ‘Kathakali’ is also communicated to audience
through excellent footwork and impressive gestures of face and hands
complimented with music and vocal performance. However it can be
distinguished from the others through the intricate and vivid make-up,
unique face masks and costumes worn by dancers as also from their style
and movements that reflect the age-old martial arts and athletic
conventions prevalent in Kerala and surrounding regions. Traditionally
performed by male dancers, it developed in courts and theatres of Hindu
regions contrary to other Indian classical dances which predominantly
developed in Hindu temples and monastic schools. Although not clearly
traceable, this classical dance form is considered to have originated from
temple and folk arts that trace back to 1st millennium CE or before.

Kuchipudi-Kuchipudi, a pre-eminent Indian classical dance form counted

among ten leading classical dance forms of India, is a dance-drama
performance art that originated in a village of Krishna district of Andhra
Pradesh, India. Similar to all leading Indian classical dance forms,
Kuchipudi too evolved as a religious art rooting back to the age-old Hindu
Sanskrit text ‘Natya Shastra’ and connects traditionally with temples,
spiritual faiths and travelling bards. This ancient dance form finds place in
the 10th century copper inscriptions and in 15th century texts like
‘Machupalli Kaifat’. Traditionally it is regarded that the sanyassin of
Advaita Vedanta sect, Tirtha Narayana Yati, and his disciple Siddhendra
Yogi initiated, methodized and arranged the present day version of the
dance form in 17th century. Usually performance repertoire of Kuchipudi
that is broadly oriented on Lord Krishna and the tradition of Vaishnavism
include an invocation, dharavu – short dance, nritta – pure dance and nritya
– expressive dance respectively.

Manipuri-Manipuri dance is counted among major classical dance forms

of India, especially noted for themes based on Vaishnavism and
spectacular execution of ‘Ras Lila’, dance dramas based on love between
Radha and Krishna. Other themes included in this art form associate with
Shaktism, Shaivism and on the sylvan deities called Umang Lai during
Manipuri festival ‘Lai Haraoba’. This dance form is named after the north-
eastern state of Manipur, India from where it originated but it has its roots
in ‘Natya Shastra’, the age-old Sanskrit Hindu text. A mix of Indian and
southeast Asian culture is palpable in this form. The age-old dance tradition
of the place is manifested from great Indian epics, ‘Ramayana’ and
‘Mahabharata’, where the native dance experts of Manipur are referred as
‘Gandharvas’. The Manipuris perform this religious art that aims at
expressing spiritual values during Hindu festivals and other important
cultural occasions like marriage.

Mohiniattam-Mohiniattam or Mohiniyattam is an Indian classical dance

form that evolved in the state of Kerala, India, and is counted among the
two popular dance arts of the state, the other being Kathakali. Although its
roots date back to the age-old Sanskrit Hindu text on performing arts called
‘Natya Shastra’, similar to other Indian classical dance forms, Mohiniattam
adheres to the Lasya type that showcases a more graceful, gentle and
feminine form of dancing. Mohiniattam derives its name from the word
‘Mohini’, a female avatar of Lord Vishnu. Conventionally a solo dance
performed by female artists, it emotes a play through dancing and singing
where the song is customarily in Manipravala which is a mix of Sanskrit
and Malayalam language and the recitation may be either performed by the
dancer herself or by a vocalist with the music style being Carnatic.

Odissi-Odissi or Orissi is one of the pre-eminent classical dance forms of

India which originated in the Hindu temples of the eastern coastal state of
Odisha in India. Its theoretical base trace back to ‘Natya Shastra’, the
 ancient Sanskrit Hindu text on the performing arts. Age-old tradition of
Odissi is manifested from Odisha Hindu temples and various sites of
archaeological significance that are associated with Hinduism, Jainism and
Buddhism, the sculptures of which adorn dance postures of this art form.
A form of illustrative anecdote of mythical and religious stories, devotional
poems and spiritual ideas emoted by dancer with excellent body
movements, expressions, impressive gestures and sign languages, its
performance repertoire includes invocation, nrita, nritya, natya, and
moksha. This dance form includes themes from Vaishnavism and others
associated with Hindu gods and goddesses like Shiva, Surya and Shakti.

Indian Folk Dances

Central India
East India
North East India
North India
South India
South West India
West India

Folk Dance In English

 Maharashtra – Lavni, Tamasha, Lezim

 Goa – Fugdi, Koli Dekhini, Dhanger
 Gujrat – Garba, Dandia, Bhavai, Tippani Dance
 Telangana – Perini Sivathandavam, Gusadi, Burrakatha, Dappu,
Bhatakumma
 Madhya Pradesh – Matki, Jawara
 Arunachala Pradesh – Bardo Chham, Popir
 Assam – Bihu Dance, Ali Ai Liland, Bagurumba, Jhumar
 Manipur – Thang Ta, Nupapala, Pung Cholam, Khambo, Thoibi,
Dhal Cholam
 Meghalaya – Laho, Nongkrem
 Nagaland – Chang Lo, Sua Lua, Zeliang
 Mizoram – Cheraw Dance, Khullam, Zangtalam, Sarlamkai
  Haryana – Dharmal Dance, Loor Dance, Gugga Dance, Manjira
Dance, Khoria
 Himachal Pradesh – Nati, Kimauri Nati
 Jammu & Kashmir – Rauf, Dumbal, Hafiza, Hikkat
 Bihar – Jat Jatin, Bakho Bakhim, Fagua, Bidesia
 Uttar Pradesh – Nautanki, Naqqal, Raas Leela, Mayr Nritya, Thora,
Kajri
 Uttarakhand – Langvir Nritya, Barada Nati, Bhotiya Dance, Shotiya,
Garwali
 Jharkhand – Karma, Munda, Chhau, Santhal
 Chhattisgarh – Panthi, Raut Nacha, Gaur Maria Dance
 Puducherry – Garadi
 Panjab – Bhangra, Giddha, Gatka, Kikli
 Rajasthan – Ghoomer, Ganagor, Jhulan, Kalbelia, Kachchhi Ghodi,
Kathputli Dance
 Tamil Nadu – Devarattam, Karakattam
 Lakshadeep – Lava Dance, Kalkali Dance, Parichakali
 Madhya Pradesh – Matki Dance, Jawara
 Andhra Pradesh – Kolattam
 Dadar Nagar Haweli – Tarpa Dance, Bhawada Dance, Dhal Dance

List of Best Art Galleries in India - For the Hidden Artist in

You

Art has the power to engage the soul and display emotions that can't be said
or written. India has been blessed with brilliant artists and art forms. Since
ancient times, art sculptures and paintings have been an innate part of the
Indian culture. In modern times, there are some art galleries in India which
preserve the old age art creations as well as provide a platform to upcoming
artists to showcase their talent and also promote the importance of art in India.
Below mentioned are some of the most significant art galleries in India:

1. Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata

Established in 1933, the Academy of Fine Arts in Kolkata is one of the most
significant art galleries in India. Various famous paintings by eminent Indian
and foreign artists are displayed here. Some of the famous paintings include
'Girl with a pitcher' and 'A Winter's Evening' by Rabindra Nath Tagore. Works
of artists like Jamini Roy, Nandalal Bose, M.F.Hussain, etc, are also
showcased at the academy.

2.The Government Museum and Art Gallery, Chandigarh

Sculptures are also on display apart from paintings at this prominent museum
located in Chandigarh. Started for the public in 1968, the museum features
different sections for sculpture, architecture and art paintings. The best
sections of the museum consist of sections for Indian miniature paintings,
contemporary art, portraits, etc. Paintings by some of the most illustrious
artists like Raja Ravi Varma, Amrita Sher-Gil, Jamini Roy, Rabindranath
Tagore, Nandalal Bose, Abanindranath Tagore, etc are part of the museum.

3.Government Museum, Chennai

Also known as the Madras Museum, the Government Museum in Chennai is
the second oldest museum and art gallery in India. Established in the year
1851, it witnesses a heavy footfall of visitors each year. The National Art
Gallery, which forms a part of the museum, has paintings of legendary artists
like Raja Ravi Varma on display. Traditional paintings of Tanjore, Rajput and
Mughal era along with paintings of the contemporary period can be found
here.

4.Indian Museum, Kolkata

Established in 1814, the Indian Museum is known for preserving the heritage
artworks of India. The museum is divided into six sections and the art gallery
of the museum is divided into 4 sections which feature Mughal Painting
Gallery, Bengal Painting Gallery, Decorative Art and Textile Gallery along
with South East Asian Gallery .

5.Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai

Established in 1952, Jehangir Art Gallery in Mumbai is owned by a private
organization and has paintings of almost all famous Indian artists from Jamini
Roy to Arpita Singh. Artists from India and abroad line up to get their work
exhibited at this gallery. It is a must visit for art lovers as you will get to see
some of the finest art creations of the world at this gallery.

6. National Gallery of Modern Art, Bangalore

One of the newer art galleries in India, the National Gallery of Modern Art
was inaugurated in 2009 in Bangalore. Currently, the art gallery houses more
than 500 paintings from both traditional and modern genres. Paintings on
display are works of honourable artists like Raja Ravi Varma, Amrita Sher-
Gil, Jamini Roy, etc. The paintings are sorted and displayed according to time
periods, artists and school of art.

7. National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi

National Gallery of Modern Art in Delhi is an initiative by the government of
India. Established in 1954, the gallery features a collection of over 14,000
paintings by artists from India and abroad. Paintings in this wide assortment
include works of Raja Ravi Varma, Tagore brothers, Jamini Roy etc. It is one
of the finest Art Galleries in India.

8. National Museum, New Delhi

The National Museum in New Delhi has been operating since 1949 and is
unbeatable when it comes to the collection of art paintings. The art gallery
here features the biggest collection of miniature paintings in the country.
Paintings by modern artists along with Mughal, Deccan, Rajasthan, Sikh and
Kashmiri artists are showcased here. The artworks here range from the time
periods of 10th to 20th century.

9. Victoria Memorial, Kolkata

Victoria Memorial was launched for the public in the year 1921. The gallery
sports different sections for Indian and foreign paintings, Calcutta Gallery,
Royal Gallery, Indian paintings, miniatures, etc, being some of those. The
Royal Gallery is dedicated to paintings of Queen Victoria. The collection of
western paintings includes paintings from the likes of Charles D'oyly, Johann
Zoffany, William Hadges, William Simpson, etc .

10. Aakriti Art Gallery

Aakriti Art gallery has evolved as one of the prominent modern Art Galleri es
in India. The gallery operates from two centres, one in Kolkata and one in
New Delhi. Traditional paintings, sculptures, printmaking, video art and
installations are on display here. Art lovers have the option to buy modern and
contemporary art paintings from an online art shop too. The gallery has
reinforced the Gen-next exhibitions which deliver modern art and reaches to
the young crowd of India.

11. Gallery Kolkata

Gallery Kolkata has been created space since 2004 working with luminaries,
mid-career and an imaging artist. With the support, co-operation and blessings
of many of the artists we worked with, we stand tall and steady in 2018. With
the burgeoning of technological advancement, it becomes essential to use the
same to our advantage. Keeping this in mind Gallery Kolkata has built a
world-class website, which is now near ready.? A well maintained online
presence can give an artwork and artist a world-wide exposure and reach. We
came across you're your works recently and would be really excited to work
with your good self. We have a large stock of painting, sculpture and other
artworks by eminent and imaging artist.

MUSICAL FORMS OF HINDUSTANI VOCAL MUSIC

Types of Indian Music includes multiple varieties of Punjabi Music, classical
music, folk music, filmi, Indian rock, and Indian pop. India‘s
classical music tradition, including Hindustani music and Carnatic, has a history
spanning millennia and developed over several areas. Music in India began as an
integral part of socio-religious life. India is a country known for its unity in
diversity and different types of indian music styles. India is made up of
innumerable and varied cultures that inhabit various regions of the country. In
every region of the India, there is different type of indian music which makes it
different from other countries. Though this country is made up of Twenty-Nine
States, each one having its own mother tongue, culture, traditions, types of indian
music styles and art forms, these states have varied regional cultures. Every
region has its own unique art forms, Hindi Shayri, poetry, prose, handicrafts,
paintings, etc. But let’s start with the history of indian music:
The beauty of our Indian culture is entrenched within the art of Hindustani
Classical Music that displays the rich cultural grandeur of our country. At
Furtados School of Music, we aspire to exalt the essence of Hindustani music
vocals that are an integral part of Indian culture. Our Hindustani music classes are
the ideal opportunity for every passionate artist to dive into the world of classical
music. As they learn Hindustani music under the guidance of dignified music
educators, students will be introduced to the twelve distinct forms of Hindustani
music that form the foundation of Hindustani vocals.
The distinct musical forms in rendering compositions are as follows,

Classical music - Classical music is art music produced or rooted in

the traditions of Western culture, including both liturgical(religious)
and secular music. While a more precise term is also used to refer to the period
from 1750 to 1820 (the Classical period), this article is about the broad span of
time from before the 6th century AD to the present day, which includes the
Classical period and various other periods. The central norms of this tradition
became codified between 1550 and 1900, which is known as the common-
practice period. Indian classical music continues to gain tremendously in
popularity in the West and is now taught widely. In addition to many
opportunities to learn it at universities or in specialized instruction, more general
resources are appearing.

HINDUSTANI MUSIC
The convention of Hindustani music goes back to Vedic occasions where the
hymns in the Sama Veda, an old religious content, were sung as Samagana and
not recited. It separated from Carnatic music around the thirteenth fourteenth
hundreds of years CE, principally because of Islamic influences.[citation needed]
Developing a solid and various custom more than a few centuries, it has
contemporary conventions set up essentially in India yet in addition in Pakistan
and Bangladesh. As opposed to Carnatic music, the other primary Indian old style
music convention starting from the South, Hindustani music was not just affected
by antiquated Hindu melodic customs, chronicled Vedic way of thinking and
local Indian sounds yet additionally improved by the Persian execution practices
of the Mughals. Traditional classifications are dhrupad, dhamar, khyal, tarana and
sadra, and there are additionally a few semi-old style structures.
 CARNATIC MUSIC
Carnatic music can be followed to the fourteenth – fifteenth hundreds of years
AD and from that point. It began in South India during the standard of the
Vijayanagar Empire. Like Hindustani music, it is melodic, with ad libbed
varieties, however will in general have progressively fixed sytheses. Around 300
ragams are being used today. Annamayya is the principal known author in
Carnatic music. He is generally viewed as the Andhra Pada kavitā Pitāmaha
(Godfather of Telugu melody composing). Purandara Dasa is viewed as the dad
of Carnatic music, while the later artists Tyagaraja, Shyama Shastry, and
Muthuswami Dikshitar are viewed as the trinity of Carnatic music.

Folk Music-
Folk Music has always been an important aspect in the lives of Indian people.
India’s rich cultural diversity has greatly contributed to various forms of folk
music. Almost every region in India has its own folk music, which reflects the
way of life. From the peppy bhangra of Punjab to Garba of Gujarat to Bhavageete
of Karnataka, the tradition of folk music in India is indeed great. Folk music is
closely associated with farming and other such professions and evolved to
alleviate the hardship and break the monotony of the routine life. Even though
folk music lost its popularity with the advent of contemporary music like pop and
rap, but no traditional festival or celebration is complete without folk
music.

BHANGRA AND GIDDHA

Bhangra is a type of move situated people music of Punjab. The present melodic
style is gotten from non-conventional melodic backup to the riffs of Punjab called
by a similar name. The female move of Punjab district is known as Giddha.

BIHU OF ASSAM
Bihu is the celebration of New Year of Assam falling in mid-April. This is a
celebration of nature and mother earth where the main day is for the dairy animals
and wild oxen. The second day of the celebration is for the man. Bihu moves and
melodies joined by conventional drums and wind instruments are a basic piece of
this celebration. Bihu tunes are enthusiastic and with beats to respect the happy
spring.
 DANDIYA
Dandiya or Raas is a type of Gujarati social move that is performed with sticks.
The present melodic style is gotten from the conventional melodic backup to the
people move. It is rehearsed essentially in the territory of Gujarat. There is
likewise another kind of move and music related with Dandiya/Raas called
Garba.

JHUMAIR AND DOMKACH

Jhumair and Domkach are Nagpuri society music. The melodic instruments
utilized in people music and move are Dhol, Mandar, Bansi, Nagara, Dhak,
Shehnai, Khartal, Narsinga and so forth.

LAVANI
Lavani originates from the word Lavanya which signifies “excellence”. This is
one of the most well known types of move and music that is rehearsed all over
Maharashtra. It has, truth be told, turned into an important piece of the
Maharashtrian people move exhibitions. Customarily, the tunes are sung by
female specialists, yet male craftsmen may at times sing Lavanis.

The move configuration related with Lavani is known as Tamasha. Lavani is a

mix of customary tune and move, which especially performed to the captivating
thumps of ‘Dholaki’, a drum-like instrument. The move is performed by
appealing ladies wearing nine-yard saris. They are sung in a fast beat. Lavani
started in the bone-dry district of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.

RAJASTHAN
Rajasthan has a differing social gathering of artist ranks, including Langas,
Sapera, Bhopa, Jogi and Manganiyar (lit. “the ones who ask/ask”). Rajasthan
Diary cites it as a deep, full-throated music with agreeable decent variety. The
songs of Rajasthan originate from an assortment of instruments. The stringed
assortment incorporates the Sarangi, Ravanahatha, Kamayacha, Morsing and
Ektara. Percussion instruments come in all shapes and sizes from the colossal
Nagaras and Dhols to the small Damrus.

SUFI ROCK
Sufi people shake contains components of present day hard shake and
conventional society music with Sufi verse. While it was spearheaded by groups
like Junoon in Pakistan it turned out to be famous, particularly in north India. In
2005, Rabbi Shergill discharged a Sufi shake tune called “Bulla Ki Jaana”, which
turned into a diagram topper in India and Pakistan. All the more as of late, the
sufi society shake tune “Bulleya” from the 2016 film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil turned
into a mammoth hit.

UTTARAKHANDI MUSIC
Uttarakhandi people music had its root in the lap of nature and the uneven
landscape of the locale. Basic topics in the society music of Uttarakhand are the
magnificence of nature, different seasons, celebrations, religious conventions,
social practices, people stories, authentic characters, and the fortitude of
predecessors. The society melodies of Uttarakhand are an impression of the social
legacy and the manner in which individuals live their lives in the Himalayas.
Melodic instruments utilized in Uttarakhand music incorporate the Dhol,
Damoun, Hudka, Turri, Ransingha, Dholki, Daur, Thali, Bhankora and
Masakbhaja.

FILMI MUSIC
The greatest type of Indian prominent music is filmi or tunes from Indian movies,
it makes up 72% of the music deals in India. The film business of India bolstered
music by concurring respect to old-style music while using western coordination
to help Indian tunes. Music authors, similar to R. D. Burman, Shankar Jaikishan,
S. D. Burman, Madan Mohan, Bhupen Hazarika, Naushad Ali, O. P. Nayyar,
Hemant Kumar, C. Ramchandra, Salil Chowdhury, Kalyanji Anandji, Ilaiyaraaja,
A. R. Rahman, Jatin Lalit, Anu Malik, Nadeem-Shravan, Harris Jayaraj, Himesh
Reshammiya, Vidyasagar, Shankar Ehsaan Loy, Salim-Sulaiman, Pritam, M.S.
Viswanathan, K. V. Mahadevan, Ghantasala and S. D. Batish utilized the
standards of concordance while holding an old-style and people season. Rumored
names in the space of Indian traditional music like Ravi Shankar, Vilayat Khan,
Ali Akbar Khan, and Ram Narayan have likewise made music for movies.
Customarily, in Indian movies, the voice for the tunes isn’t given by the on-screen
characters, they are given by the expert playback vocalists, to sound increasingly
created, musical and deep, while entertainers lipsynch on the screen. Before, just
a bunch of vocalists gave the voice in Hindi movies. These incorporate Kishore
Kumar, K. J. Yesudas, Mohammed Rafi, Mukesh, S.P. Balasubrahmanyam, T.M.
Soundararajan, Hemant Kumar, Manna Dey, P. Susheela, Lata Mangeshkar, Asha
Bhonsle, K.S. Chitra, Geeta Dutt, S. Janaki, Shamshad Begum, Suraiya,
Noorjahan and Suman Kalyanpur. Late playback artists incorporate Udit
Narayan, Kumar Sanu, Kailash Kher, Alisha Chinai, KK, Shaan, Madhushree,
Shreya Ghoshal, Nihira Joshi, Kavita Krishnamurthy, Hariharan (vocalist),
Ilaiyaraaja, A.R. Rahman, Sonu Nigam, Sukhwinder Singh, Kunal Ganjawala,
Anu Malik, Sunidhi Chauhan, Anushka Manchanda, Raja Hasan, Arijit Singh and
Alka Yagnik. Musical gangs like Indus Creed, Indian Ocean, Silk Route and
Euphoria have increased mass intrigue with the coming of link music
TV.

INDIAN POP MUSIC

Indian popular music depends on an amalgamation of Indian society and old-style
music, and present-day beats from various pieces of the world. Popular music
truly began in the South Asian area with the playback artist Ahmed Rushdi’s
melody ‘Ko Korina’ in 1966, pursued at first by Mohammad Rafi in the late 1960s
and after that by Kishore Kumar in the mid-1970s. From that point onward, quite
a bit of Indian Pop music originates from the Indian Film Industry, and until the
1990s, a couple of artists like Usha Uthup, Sharon Prabhakar, and Peenaz Masani
outside it were well known. From that point forward, pop artists in the last
gathering have included Daler Mehndi, Baba Sehgal, Alisha Chinai, KK,
Shantanu Mukherjee a.k.a. Shaan, Sagarika, Colonial Cousins (Hariharan, Leslie
Lewis), Lucky Ali, and Sonu Nigam, and music writers like Zila Khan or Jawahar
Wattal, who made top-selling collections with, Daler Mehndi, Shubha Mudgal,
Baba Sehgal, Shweta Shetty, and Hans Raj Hans.

Some Other Musical Form:

Khayal:

Khayal is a Hindustani musical form that encapsulates the essence of romantic

poetry by allowing the vocalist to dive into his creative genius by artistically
demonstrating his imaginative prowess. It finds its roots in the Persian/Arabic
word meaning “imagination”. It gives the performer the freedom to eloquently
express himself through extensively ornamented ragas, which calls for more
technical deftness and intellectual artistry.

Dhrupad:

The oldest surviving musical form of Hindustani music is derived from dhruva-
pada which means “refrain”. This classical art is introduced by a somber and
controlled set of recurrent syllables known as an alap. This emphasizes the purity
and clarity within each classical note that is fiercely extolled by the vocalist. Like
the other distinct forms of classical music, Dhrupad is monophonic and modal,
with a single melodic line and no harmonic parts. It is performed by a solo singer
or a small group of singers in unison, to the beat of a barrel drum, the mridangam,
or pakhawaj, and can be accompanied by a sitar. The songs are highly devotional
in nature and are used as a meditative tool to attain self-realization.

Dhamar:

The classical art form of Dhamar has a lot of similarities to dhrupad. It is

additionally a compositional structure like Dhrupad which is sung to the backup
of Pakhawaj. Its themes are in accordance with reverential obeisance towards
Lord Krishna and the festival of Holi. It is typically performed in dhamar tala of
fourteen beats.

Tappa:

Tappa, one of the Hindustani music forms, is said to have its origins in the songs
of the camel drivers from Punjab. It espouses ideas pertaining to love, separation,
and union which are intricately woven with the soulful symphonies that display
dramatic twists and turns on vowels and consonants. The unpredictable quality of
these melodic patterns is created by the quicksilver taans or swift phrases. Tappas
are set to taals like Punjabi, Pashto, and Sitarkhani, and other compositions that
elaborately display rhythmic dexterity in the realm of creating a melodic-
rhythmic tension. Tappas has been primarily presented by Gwalior and Banaras
Gharana vocalists.

Tarana:

This form of Hindustani music perfectly captures a vocalist’s urge to dive into
the soulful essence of instrumental music. It uses syllables like dere, naa, deem,
tana, and pakhawaj syllables. Therefore, these syllables are used to voice a
musical narrative that is imbued with melody and rhythm that unburdens an artist
from the restrictions posed by literal language.

Thumri

It is derived from the Hindi verb thumakna, which means "to walk with dancing
steps so as to make the ankle-bells tinkle." This artistic form thereby represents
the art of sensuality within classical dance forms along with dramatic gestures
that are infused in evocative love poetry and folk songs. Thumri texts are highly
romantic or devotional in nature which portrays greater flexibility within the raga.

Hori:

This musical form is semi-classical in nature that can be beautifully adorned with
a Bhairavi or a Thumri. It comes in a series of season songs, like Chaiti, Sawani,
and Kajari, and is traditionally sung in the villages and towns of Uttar Pradesh:
around Banaras, Mirzapur, Mathura, Allahabad, and the Bhojpur regions
of Bihar.

Bhajan:

The musical form of Bhajan upholds reverential attributes of Hindustani music

that extols religious themes or spiritual ideas within the Indian subcontinent. It
does not follow a prescribed pattern and is based on melodic ragas. It perfectly
captures the ideas from scriptures, legendary epics, the teachings of saints, and
an intense feeling of devotional longing towards a deity.

Dadara:

It is a light classical vocal form that comprises a Hindustani classical tala which
is a rhythmic cycle consisting of six beats in two equal divisions of three. The
most commonly accepted theka or basic pattern for this tala is dha dhi na, dha tu
na. It is mostly performed in Agra and in the Bundelkhand region

Chaiti:

Chaiti is a semi-classical song sung during the month of Chait. These songs are
rendered during the Holy month of Sri Rama Navami and fall under the light
classical form of Hindustani classical music. It comes in a series of seasonal
songs, like Kajari, Hori, and Sawani, and is traditionally sung in the villages and
towns of Uttar Pradesh.

Chaturanga and Trivat:

Trivat and chaturanga are compositions that combine multiple styles of

vocalization. A trivat is a combination of three styles, while chaturanga is a
combination of four styles. The styles entail meaningful lyrics, wordless syllables
as in a tarana, sol-fa syllables (called sargam), and vocal recitation of pakhavaj
compositions (padhant). All or several of these are combined together and set to
melody following the rules of raga and rhythm. Thus, the twelve distinct forms
of Hindustani vocal music continue to uphold the essence of our Indian culture.

Importance of Religious and historical center Sarnath &

Varanasi
About Varanasi- Varanasi (or Benares, Banaras, Kashi), on the left bank
of the Ganges, is one of the seven sacred cities of the Hindus (Ayodhya,
Mathura, Maya (Haridwar), Kasi (Varanasi), Kanchi (Kanchipuram),
Avantika (Ujjain) and Dvaravati (Dwarka). Among the oldest continuously
inhabited cities in the world, its early history is that of the first Aryan settlement
in the middle Ganges valley. By late 2nd millennium BCE, Varanasi was a seat
of Aryan religion and philosophy and a commercial and industrial centre famous
for its muslin and silk fabrics, perfumes, ivory works, and sculpture. The capital
of the kingdom of Kashi during the time of the Buddha (6th century BCE), who
gave his first sermon at nearby Sarnath, it remained a centre of religious,
educational, and artistic activities as attested by the celebrated Chinese traveler
Hsüan-tsang, who visited it in c. 635 CE and said that the city extended for about
5 km along the western bank of the Ganges.
Varanasi declined during the early centuries of Muslim rule in India, from 1194.
Its temples were destroyed and its scholars fled to other parts of India. In the 16th
century, Akbar brought some relief to the city's religious and cultural activities.
Setbacks came again during the reign of Aurangzeb but the Marathas later
sponsored a revival. It became an independent kingdom in the 18th century; under
British rule it remained a commercial and religious centre, and in 1910, the British
made Varanasi a new Indian state (until 1949). Varanasi has the finest [religious]
river frontage in India, with miles of ghats (steps) for bathing; an array of shrines,
temples, and palaces rises tier on tier from the bank. More than a million pilgrims
visit each year; many hope to die there in old age. A center of Hindu learning
through the ages, it has lots of schools and countless Brahmin pandits. Its three
universities include the large and important Banaras Hindu University (1915) and
over a dozen colleges. A centre of arts, crafts, music and dance, it is also famous
for its production of silks and brocades with gold and silver thread work, as well
as for wooden toys, bangles made of glass, ivory work, and brassware.
 Varanasi has also been a great center of learning for ages. Varanasi is
associated with promotion of spiritualism, mysticism, Sanskrit, yoga and Hindi
language and honored authors such as the ever-famous novelist Prem Chand and
Tulsi Das, the famous saint-poet who wrote Ram Charit Manas. Aptly called as
the cultural capital of India, Varanasi has provided the right platform for all
cultural activities to flourish. Many exponents of dance and music have come
from Varanasi. Ravi Shankar, the internationally renowned Sitar maestro and
Ustad Bismillah Khan, (the famous Shehnai player) are all sons of the blessed
city or have lived here for major part of their lives. With Sarnath, the place where
Buddha preached his first sermon after enlightenment, just 10 km away, Varanasi
has been a symbol of Hindu renaissance. Knowledge, philosophy, culture,
devotion to Gods, Indian arts and crafts have all flourished here for centuries.
Also, a pilgrimage place for Jains, Varanasi is believed to be the birthplace of
Parsvanath, the twenty-third Tirthankar. Vaishnavism and Shaivism have co-
existed in Varanasi harmoniously. Varanasi has also been a great center of
learning for ages. Varanasi is associated with promotion of spiritualism,
mysticism, Sanskrit, yoga and Hindi language and honored authors such as the
ever-famous novelist Prem Chand and Tulsi Das, the famous saint-poet who
wrote Ram Charit Manas. Aptly called as the cultural capital of India, Varanasi
has provided the right platform for all cultural activities to flourish. Many
exponents of dance and music have come from Varanasi. Ravi Shankar, the
internationally renowned Sitar maestro and Ustad Bismillah Khan, (the famous
Shehnai player) are all sons of the blessed city or have lived here for major part
of their lives.

BHARAT MATA TEMPLE

Built by Babu Shiv Prasad Gupt and inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi in 1936 the
Bhart Mata Temple is a model of undivided India. The temple is located in the
Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth campus in Varanasi and is amongst the most
visited tourist destination of Varanasi. The most striking aspect of Bharat Mata
Temple is that instead of gods and goddesses, the temple houses a relief map of
undivided India, carved out of marble. The temple is a rare instance of something
attributed to nationalism and a tribute to everyone who participated in the making
of India.
GHATS OF VARANASI

The great well-constructed river banks are called Ghats. On these ghats, are
located high pavilions, palaces, temples and terraces, which add further charm to
the beautiful river bank. The ghats are frequented by the people which include
early morning bathers, priests, people practicing meditation and yoga, students
and tourists as well. The eternal crematorium is located at Manikarnika Ghat. It
is believed that the person, who is creamed at this place, attains salvation from
the cycle of birth and death. For centuries, pilgrims have traced the perimeter of
the city by a ritual parikrama (circumambulation) paying homage to shrines on
the way. Among the most popular routes is the Panchatirthi Yatra, which takes in
the Pancha (five) Trithi (crossing) of Assi, Dashashwamedha, Adi Keshva,
Panchganga and finally Manikarnika. The devotee, accompanied by a priest,
recites a sankalpa (statement of intent) and performs a ritual at each stage of the
journey. A very relaxed way to see the ghats and its life in the morning and
evening is by a boat.

KASHI VISHWANATH TEMPLE

Also known as the Golden Temple, it is dedicated to Lord Shiva, the presiding
deity of the city. Varanasi is said to be the point at which the first jyotirlinga, the
fiery pillar of light by which Shiva manifested his supremacy over other gods,
broke through the earth's crust and flared towards the heavens. To reach here,
tourists have to pass through Kashi Vishwanath Gali, famous for its shops selling
pooja items and sweets. There’s also a popular ladies corner in its alleyway that
tourists explore for affordable shopping. Adjacent to Kashi Vishwanath Mandir
are Annapoorna Temple, Dundiraj Vinayak and Gyanwapi which is regularly
frequented by pilgrims.

Varanasi: Hub of Adventure and Water sports (Assi Ghat)

Varanasi is not only the city of temples and Ghats but the city also attracts
adventure and water sports lovers. These activities like: Speed Boat, Para Motor,
Bummpy Ride, Desert Bike, Jetski, Para Sailing, Banana Ride and many more
have thumped the banks of the holy river Ganga.
Banaras Darshan with Cruise Boat.

If you come to Varanasi and do not take boat ride, then Varanasi Darshan remain
incomplete. With the common boats can take rite with Cruise Boats also.

ABOUT SARNATH- Sarnath is a Buddhist pilgrim spot located

near Varanasi. The city is famous for being the first place where Lord
Buddha preached for the first time after gaining enlightenment. Later, kings
who followed Buddhism like King Ashoka built a lot of stupas and
structures here that are focused on Buddhism. Buddhist pilgrims from
various parts of the world visit Sarnath every year. Sarnath is also famous
for the Ashoka pillar, which is now the country’s national emblem. It is also
a pilgrimage spot for Jains.

Sarnath History
Sarnath was an important spot in ancient India where holy men lived. After
attaining enlightenment in Bodh Gaya, Lord Buddha visited Sarnath to get
back to his fellow monks in Sarnath. Buddha and preached five of his
companions. This was his first ever sermon. Lord Buddha spend the next
rainy season in Sarnath where the number of holy men gathering grew to 60.
After Buddha, many elite monks lived in Sarnath. About 500 monks studied
in Hinayana, a learning center in Sarnath. In 389 BC, King Ashoka visited
Sarnath where he built many stupas. He built a pillar which holds the
emblem of the country. By the end of 3 AD, Sarnath became a center for art,
culture and learning. By the end of 12th century, Turkish invaders ransacked
the place, took away the building materials and destroyed many monuments.
Sarnath is also the birthplace of many Jain monks and 11th teerthankar. A
2200-year-old pillar stands in the place of kalyanak of Shri Shreyansnath
Bhagwan.
1. Thai Temple
Thai temple is a monastery that is built in Thai architecture style. The
Buddha statue in the Thai temple is the most predominant attraction. This
statue is the one that you can spot from Chaukhandi Stupa. A lush garden is
located outside the temple. It is known for its calm surrounding.

2. Archeological museum of Sarnath

This museum holds Artifacts from 3rd century to 12th century. The museum
was inaugurated in 1910. The museum is open from 9 in the morning until
5 in the evening.

3. Ashoka Pillar
Ashoka Pillar marks the visit of King Ashoka to Sarnath. This 50m long
pillar has four lions on top of it. This is the emblem of the country. Below
the lions, there are four animals; bull, lion, elephant and horse. These four
represent the phases of Lord Buddha’s life. There is another pre-Ashokan
pillar which marks the spot of the first sermon of Lord Buddha.

4. Tibetan Temple
This shrine is built in Tibetan style. The temple has a statue of Shakyamuni,
a form of Buddha. Prayer wheels are found outside the temple. On rotating
the wheel, you can find paper scrolls releasing from the wheels. The scrolls
contain the prayers.

4. Mulagandhakuti Vihara
This is the main attraction of Sarnath. It is a large tower temple which is
110 ft tall. This is the place where Lord Buddha lived when he visits
Sarnath. A Buddha Walk made with blue stone and a small lake that borders
a park are some of the attractions near this temple. A small zoo is also found
near the temple.

5. Bodhi tree
This tree is grown from a cut taken from the original Bodhi tree of Bodh
Gaya. There is a Sri Lankan monastery near the tree.
 Khajuraho
Khajuraho was an ancient city in the Madhya Pradesh region of northern India.
From the 10th to 12th century CE it was the capital of the Chandella kings who
ruled Bundelkhand. Despite Khajuraho's once great reputation as an important
cultural centre there are no surviving non-religious buildings, but the presence of
35 Hindu and Jain temples make it one of the most significant historical sites in
India today and worthy of its name given by the 11th century CE Muslim
historian Abu Rihan Alberuni as 'the City of the Gods'. Khajuraho is listed by
UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The Khajuraho Group of Monuments
(Temples) in Madhya Pradesh is a splendid saga of architectural brilliance
that draws tourists from all over the world. With a history of around 1000
years, these temples are a living example of India’s artistic and cultural
heritage. The erotic sculptures in these temples are among the finest ones in
the world that depict passion in a spellbinding manner. These temples also
feature sculptures that portray the symbolic values and daily life in ancient
Indian culture. Undoubtedly, Khajuraho is one of the top heritage
monuments in the country. Till the end of the 12 th-century, these temples
were active places of worship. But from 13 th-century to 18 th-century, these
temples suffered massive destruction as the region came under the control
of different Muslim dynasties. These temples were also the target of
Sikandar Lodi’s drive in the 15 th-century to destroy Hindu temples. After a
long period of destruction and neglect, the temples at Khajuraho were
rediscovered by T.S. Burt, a British surveyor, in the 1830s. Since then, the
temples have gained popularity among travellers from all around the world.

Architectural Highlights
Most of the temples at Khajuraho were built using sandstone but four also used
granite in their construction. In the latter group is the Chaunsat Yogini (64 tantric
goddesses), built c. 875-900 CE, which has 64 shrine rooms arranged around a
rectangular courtyard. Next in the site's development came the Lalguan
Mahadeva, Brahma, and Matangesvara temples which are all quite plain in design
and decoration compared to the later temples. The majority of temples at
Khajuraho were constructed between 950 and 1050 CE and are either Hindu
(Saiva or Vaisnava) or Jain. The most famous is the Kandariya Mahadeo built in
the early 11th century CE and dedicated to Shiva. The more or less contemporary
Laksmana temple was built in 954 CE by King Dhanga (r. 950-999 CE) to
celebrate independence from the Gurjara-Pratihara rulers and has a similar layout
and exterior to the Kandariya Mahadeo. So too does the Visvanatha temple (c.
1002 CE) which was designed by Sutradhara Chhichchha. Both temples have
shrines at each corner of their terrace platforms. The Laksmana was dedicated
to Vishnu and its terrace is of particular note as it carries a narrative frieze running
around all four sides: Elephants, warriors, hunters, and musicians form a
procession watched by a ruler and his female attendants. Other notable temples
at the site include the single-towered Caturbhuja and Vamana, the squat
Matulunga, and the rectangular, more austere Parshvanatha Jain temple with its
unique shrine added to the rear of the building (c. 950-970 CE). Probably the
latest temple at Khajuraho is the Duladeo which was built on a star-plan.

Islamic Architecture in India -

 Mecca Masjid, Hyderabad. Mecca Masjid
 Jama Masjid, Delhi. Jama Masjid, Delhi
 Malik Deenar, Kerala. Malik Deenar, Kerala
 Tipu Sultan Shahi Mosque, Kolkata. Tipu Sultan Shahi Mosque
 Bara Imambara, Lucknow. Bara Imambara
 Taj Mahal, Agra.

Jama Masjid, Delhi.

Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan built the Jama Masjid between 1650 and 1656, at
the highest point of Shahjahanabad. ... The khutba was recited by the Mughal
emperor during the Friday noon prayer, legitimising his rule. The mosque was
hence a symbol of Mughal sovereignty in India, carrying political significance.
History of Jama Masjid
Following the death of his wife, Mughal emperor Shah Jahan decided to shift
his capital from Agra to Delhi and founded the walled city of Shahajahanabad.
It remained the capital of the Mughals succeeding him and evolved to what we
now know as Old Delhi. The Jama Masjid was commissioned to be the central
mosque of the new city. Built by more than 5000 artisans under the supervision
of Wazir Saadullah Khan, the mosque designed by architect Ustad Khalil, took
6 years to be completed. The mosque was inaugurated by Sayed Abdul
Ghafoor Shah BukhariI, a mullah from Bukhara (now Uzbekistan), on 23 July
1656, on the invitation from Shah Jahan, whom he bequeathed the title Shahi
Imam and appointed to the high office of Imamat-e-Uzma. The cost to build
the mosque came to a whopping 1 million rupees at the time.The mosque
houses several relics of Islamic religious significance like an age old transcript
of the Quran printed on deer skin, the footmarks, sandals, and a red beard-hair
of the Holy Prophet Mohammad.
Design & Architecture
The austere grandeur of this structure is sure to impress at the first glimpse.
The mosque is built on an expansive elevated stone platform that is accessible
through flights of stairs from three sides, east (35 steps), north (39 steps) and
south (33 steps). The eastern gate is the largest and served as the Royal
entrance, remains closed on weekdays. The mosque faces west towards the
Holy city of Mecca. Three sides of the mosque are covered by open arched
colonnades, featuring a lofty tower-like archway in the center. The roof of the
mosque is capped with three marble domes with alternating striping in black
and white marble. The mosque measures 80 m in length and 27 m in breadth
and houses the main prayer hall with seven arched entrances facing the west
(facing Mecca) with the traditional mihrab (altar) for the prayer leader. The
walls of the mosque are covered with marbles up to waist-level height. Over
these arched entrances there are tablets of white marble, 1.2 m by 0.76 m, inlaid
with inscriptions in black marble detailing the history of the mosque along with
praising the reign and virtues of Shah Jahan. The slab over the central arch is
inscribed with two simple words "The Guide!” A huge hall featuring 260
columns is located on the western side of the mosque and is adorned with
sculptures in the Jain and Hindu architectural pattern. Ornamentations with
floral motifs or calligraphic inscriptions adorn the arches, walls, under arches
and under domes, columns, and floor of the mosque.
Red Fort-
Built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan as the palace fort of his capital
Shahjahanabad, the Red Fort is famous for its massive enclosing walls. The fort's
construction was completed over a span of ten years, between 1638 and 1648.
Fast Facts
Location: Old Delhi, India
Built By: Shah Jahan
Built in the Year:1648
Purpose: Main residence of Mughal emperors
Area: 254.67 acres
Architect: Ustad Ahmad Lahauri
Architectural styles: Mughal, Indo-Islamic
Current Status: UNESCO World Heritage Site
Open: Tuesday-Sunday; Monday closed
Timings: Sunrise to Sunset
Sound & Light Shows: 6pm onwards in English and Hindi
The Red Fort, which is also known as the Lal Qila, was constructed by one of
the most famous Mughal emperors, Shah Jahan. Built on the banks of river
Yamuna, the fortress-palace was designed by architect Ustad Ahmad Lahauri.
It took 8 years and 10 months to build the magnificent fort. The fort served as
the royal residence of the Mughal emperors from 1648 to 1857. It took over
the honor of royal residence from the famous Agra Fort when Shah Jahan
decided to shift his capital from Agra to Delhi. The Red Fort derives its name
from the red-sandstone walls, which make the fort almost impregnable. The
fort, which is located at Old Delhi, is one of the massive and prominent
structures of India and is a fine example of Mughal architecture. It is often
considered as the pinnacle of Mughal creativity. In modern times, the fort is of
importance to the people of India as the Indian Prime Minister delivers his
 Independence Day speech from the fort, every year on August 15. In 2007, it
was declared as UNESCO World Heritage Site.

What is the history of the Red Fort?

Shah Jehan’s architect in chief, Ustad Ahmad Lahori, the genius behind the Taj
Mahal, is believed to have been the principal designer of the palace. The red
sandstone used throughout is the same stone Akbar, Shah Jehan’s grandfather,
chose for his great capital at Fatepur Sikri, and which was used in the construction
of the Mughal fortress-palace in Agra. As with these two older monuments,
Delhi’s Red Fort also made extensive use of white marble to create wonderful
inlay around doorways and parapets, and for some of the most lavishly decorated
royal apartments inside. From the outside, the towering walls, crenellated
ramparts and fortified gateways leave you in no doubt that this was a building
designed to repel attacks. Inside, though, the architecture tells a different story.
Some of the most delicate and beautiful buildings ever made in the medieval
world were created for the emperor, his queens, consorts, children, courtiers and
servants – a population of several thousand, most of whom lived in unimaginable
luxury, surrounded by silk carpets and exquisite art. Miniature paintings from the
period record the extravagant music, dance and poetry recitals held in the palace
gardens, the sumptuous processions of caparisoned elephants staged in the streets
outside, and the great Durbars in which rulers from across the empire would come
to pay their respects in the vast pillared audience halls at the heart of the fort.

Top hill stations of India-With the highest mountain ranges in the world, the
Himalayas, running north to east and the stunning Aravalli and Vindhya ranges
flanking the western and central parts, the best hill stations in India offer some of
the most spectacular landscapes in the world. From the misty valley of Coorg to
adventure-packed Manali, here are some of India’s most-loved hill stations
Darjeeling, West Bengal- Surrounded by infinite slopes of emerald-green tea
plantations and set against a backdrop of jagged white Himalayan
peaks, Darjeeling is nestled away in the northern regions of West Bengal. A
journey on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway fondly known as the ‘Toy train’ is
a great way to explore and soak in the magnificent surroundings of this hill
station.

Top sightseeing spots: Tiger Hill, Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, Batasia

Loop, Japanese Peace Pagoda, Himalayan Mountaineering Institute,
Observatory Hill, Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park and Rock Garden.

For how long: Explore Darjeeling in 3-4 days.

How to reach: Bagdogra is the nearest airport to Darjeeling. It is located about

95 kilometres away from the city. Direct flights from the cities like Kolkata,
New Delhi and Guwahati operate to and fro Darjeeling. Taxis are easily
available outside the airport to reach Darjeeling, and it normally takes 3 hours to
reach the destination.
Shillong, Meghalaya
The capital city of Meghalaya, Shillong sits amidst the Khasi Hills. One of the
most charming hill stations of India, it’s famous for receiving the highest
rainfall in the world and for its dynamic music scene—being home to the
country’s favourite Blues band, Soulmate and India's most popular blues man,
Lou Majaw.

Top sightseeing spots: Elephant Falls, Don Bosco Centre for Indigenous
Cultures, Nohkalikai Falls, Spread Eagle Falls and Lady Hydari Park.

For how long: Shillong can be explored in 2-3 days.

How to reach: The nearest railway station is at Guwahati located at a distance

of 104 kilometres from Shillong. Meghalaya Transport Corporation (MTC) runs
buses for Guwahati from the railway station. The bus service starts from
Guwahati at 6 AM in the morning and the last bus leaves at till 5 PM.
Coorg, Karnataka
Spread out on the Western Ghats, the misty valley of Coorg is enveloped in
emerald landscapes and acres of coffee, tea and spice plantations. Fondly
referred to as the ‘Scotland of India’ due to its verdant beauty and pleasant
weather conditions, Coorg is a major centre for spice and coffee production. So,
just back and watch the fog roll by.
Top sightseeing spots: Abbey Falls, Namdrolling Monastery, Nagarhole
National Park, Talacauvery, Iruppu Falls, Burude Falls, Tadiandamol Lake
Mallialli Falls and Nalakunda Palace.

For how long: Set aside 4 days for vacationing in Coorg.

How to reach: The nearest domestic airport to Coorg is the Mangalore

International Airport situated about 160 kilometres away. K.S.R.T.C deluxe
buses, which run daily to and fro Bengaluru, Mysore and Mangalore are also
available.
Ooty, Tamil Nadu
Established as a summer retreat by the British and nicknamed ‘Snooty
Ooty',Ooty is a visual delight filled with pretty cottages, fenced flower gardens,
thatched-roof churches and terraced botanical gardens. Venture a few
kilometres out and you'll find yourself surrounded by greener, quieter areas
dotted with an abundance of pine trees.

Top sightseeing spots: Pykara Falls and Lake, Mudumalai, Doddabetta, Tea
Estate Viewpoint, Wax Museum, Hidden Valley, Echo Rock and Emerald Dam.

For how long: Visit Ooty for a period of 3-4 days.

How to reach: Coimbatore is the nearest domestic airport from Ooty located 88
kilometres away from the latter. It is well-connected with most of the Indian
cities. The nearest railhead is Mettupalyam situated 40 kilometres from Ooty.
Coonoor, Tamil Nadu
Smaller and quieter than its neighbour Ooty, Coonoor is nestled in the Nilgiri
Mountains and is surrounded by rolling hills and tea and coffee plantations. The
ride on the Nilgiri Mountain Railway’s quaint toy train—from Coonoor to
Ooty—covers the region’s most scenic spots including the cantonment area of
Wellington.

Top sightseeing spots: Lamb’s Rock, Dolphin’s Nose, Law’s Falls, The Taj
Garden Retreat, Sim’s Park and the shopping markets.

For how long: Coonoor can be best explored in a minimum span of 3 days.
How to reach: You can also reach Coonor via bus services as there are
numerous regular buses from Ooty, Bangalore, Mysore, Coimbatore, Erode,
Calicut, Kanyakumari, Tirupati, Trichy, Salem and Cochin. Coimbatore
International Airport is the nearest to the city, located just 54 km away.
Manali, Himachal Pradesh
With mountain adventures beckoning from all directions, Manali is one of the
best hill stations in North India for those looking to unwind. Backpackers come
to hang around in the villages near the main town and adventure tourists come for
trekking, paragliding, rafting and skiing. About 53 km away from Manali is the
famous Rohtang Pass which offers breathtaking sights of glaciers, peaks and
valleys.
Mcleodganj, Himachal Pradesh
Mcleodganj, the home of Dalai Lama is the destination for many travellers
visiting Dharamshala. Walk along the Temple road, hop into one of the many
colourful shops, spin the Tibetan prayer wheels or simply devour steaming hot
momos—there are a lot of charming things packed in just a couple of blocks.

Top sightseeing spots: Namgyal Monastery, Tsuglagkhang, Tibetan Museum,

Bhagsunath Temple, Bhagsu Falls, Triund, Dal Lake and Church of St. Johns.

For how long: A 2-day trip is recommended for Mcleodganj.

How to reach: Gaggal airport in Dharamsala is the nearest airport located about
20 kilometres away. Kangra Mandir (25 kilometres) is the nearest railhead,
which is a narrow-gauge railway station. Pathankot railway station (90
kilometres) has direct trains coming from Ludhiana, Panipat, Ahmedabad,
Kanpur, Jalandhar and other cities. State transport buses and private buses run
daily between Mcleodganj and other Indian cities
Munnar, Kerala
Sprawling tea plantations, picture-perfect vistas and winding lanes
make Munnar a favourite amongst Indian hill stations. Although the town itself
is forever alive with activity, wander a few kilometres out and you’ll be
engulfed in a thousand shades of green.

Top sightseeing spots: Eravikulam National Park, Matupetty Dam, Anuamudi,

Devikulam, Munnar Tea Museum and Fun Forest.
For how long: A minimum of 3 days are required to explore Munnar.

How to reach: By Train. The nearest railway station from Munnar is at Aluva,
which is at a distance of 110 kilometres from Munnar. The Ernakulam Railway
Station is 130 kilometres away while the Madurai Railway Station is at a
distance of 135 kilometres.
Nainital, Uttarakhand
An erstwhile summer retreat of the British, Nainital is a small town settled
amidst Uttrakhand’s Kumaon range. There’s a busy town bazaar and a web of
walking tracks around the forested hillsides, which have enticed travellers since
pre-independence days to retreat to Nainital.
Top sightseeing spots: Naini Lake, Naina Devi Temple, Snow View Point and
Dorothy’s Seat – Tiffin Top.

For how long: Nainital can be explored in a span of 2 days.

How to reach: Kathgodam is the nearest railway station located at a distance of

34 kilometres from Nainital. It is well-connected to New Delhi, Lucknow and
Howrah among other Indian cities.
Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir
The scenic splendour of Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir has attracted people to
this hill station since time immemorial. Famous for its charming houseboats,
historic gardens and a mild summer climate, Srinagar rests in the Kashmir Valley
along and around the banks of the Jhelum River and ranks among the best hill
stations in North India.

Matheran, Maharashtra
Shady forests, criss-crossing foot trails and breathtaking lookouts define
Maharashtra’s most loved hill-station, Matheran, also known as one of the best
hill stations in West India. Motor vehicles are banned within Matheran and
getting up to the town is half the fun of going there. Arrive on a narrow-gauge
toy train that chugs along a 21 km scenic route, or trek up the scenic path that
makes its way through train tracks and hillsides.

Top sightseeing spots: Karnala Fort Trek, Trek to Chanderi Caves, Neral-
Matheran Toy Train, Louisa Point, Echo Point, Charlotte Lake and One Tree
Hill.

For how long: A 2 day trip is recommended.

How to reach: Matheran is well-connected by rail both, from Mumbai and

Pune up to Neral Junction Station. A toy Train (narrow gauge) runs through a
zigzag route from Neral covering about 21 kilometres to Matheran.
Shimla, Himachal Pradesh
Snow-capped Himalayan peaks and green pastures surround Shimla, the capital
of Himachal Pradesh. Spectacular hills blend with structures from the colonial
era and the town’s lower bazaars flow with local life and shops selling
souvenirs, fabrics and spices.

Top sightseeing spots: The Ridge, Rashtrapati Niwas, The Mall Road, Christ
Church, Gordon Castle, Himachal State Museum and Sankat Mochan Temple

For how long: Visit Shimla for 2-3 days for the best experience.

How to reach: Shimla has its own airport called Jubbarhatti, situated 23
kilometres from the heart of town. Flights such as Jagson Airlines from New
Delhi, Chandigarh and Kullu operate on a daily basis. Kalka is the nearest
railhead. By road, Shimla can be reached from Delhi in duration of 8 hours by
bus or car. The national highways are well-kept.
Mussoorie, Uttarakhand
Offering stunning views of the green Doon Valley and the distant white-capped
Himalayan peaks, Mussoorie—located 34 km from Dehradun—is popularly
known as the ‘Queen of the Hills’. You can walk up and down the famous Mall
road, or sit and admire the mist-covered hills from Mussoorie’s highest point
called Lal Tibba.

Top sightseeing spots: Jharipani Fall and Kempty Falls, Camel Back Road,
Soham Heritage Art Centre, Mussoorie Lake, Lal Tibba and Clouds End.

For how long: 3 days are sufficient to enjoy a holiday in Mussoorie.

How to reach: Delhi is the nearest International Airport and Jollygrant Airport
is the nearest national airport located 60 kilometres away from Mussoorie.
There are no regular flights to Jollygrant Airport. Indian Airlines connects Jolly
Grant Airport with New Delhi. Taxis and state transport buses are daily ply to
and fro Mussoorie-Dehradun-Delhi.
Wayanad, Kerala
Wayanad’s landscape combines epic mountain scenery, rice paddies, bamboo
trees spiky ginger fields and rubber, cardamom and coffee plantations.
Encompassing a part of a forest reserve, this quiet district in north-eastern
Kerala is home to a variety of animals, including tigers, elephants and sloth
bears.

Top sightseeing spots: Edakkal Caves, Soochipara Falls, Pookot Lake,

Banasura Dam, Kuruva Dweep and Chembra Peak.

For how long: Wayanad can be explored in duration of 4 days.

How to reach: The railhead nearest to Wayanad is Kozhikode which is located

about 110 kilometres away. Taxis are available to reach the station. Kozhikode
is directly connected to cities like Trivandrum, Kochi, Chennai and Bangalore
via railways.
awang, Arunachal Pradesh
A heady mix of religion, history and nature, Tawang is one of the least
discovered towns in Arunachal Pradesh. Dotted with Buddhist monasteries and
mystical gompas on one end and a war memorial on another, it begins to work
its magic on travellers the moment they ascend the hills.

Top sightseeing spots: Bum La Pass and Sela Pass, Madhuri Lake, Nuranang
Falls, Tawang Monastery and Gyangong Ani Gompa.

For how long: Ideally, 3-4 days are enough to explore Tawang.

How to reach: Take a 4-hour drive to Tezpur from the Guwahati airport and
take a Tata Sumo or Mahindra Bolero from Tezpur to reach Tawang. Salonibari
Airport is the airport situated closest to Tezpur, Assam. Lokapriya Gopinath
Bordoloi International Airport is the official airport in Guwahati.
 Famous beaches in India
India has a coastline of 7516.6 km (Mainland: 5422.6 km; Island Territories: 2094
km). The Konkan/Malabar Coast of Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka and Goa are
located on Western Ghats. While on the eastern side, a wider area stretches
between Bay of Bengal and Eastern Ghat, called as the Coromandel Coast. In this
article, we are giving the list of Famous Beaches in India, which is very useful
for the competitive examinations like UPSC-prelims, SSC, State Services, NDA,
CDS, and Railways etc
ndia has a coastline of 7516.6 km (Mainland: 5422.6 km; Island Territories: 2094
km). It is bounded by the Indian Ocean – in particular, by the Arabian Sea on the
west, the Lakshadweep Sea to the southwest, the Bay of Bengal on the east, and
the Indian Ocean proper to the South. The Konkan/Malabar Coast of
Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka and Goa are located on Western Ghats. While on
the eastern side, a wider area stretches between Bay of Bengal and Eastern Ghat,
called as the Coromandel Coast. Indian States like Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa,
Karnataka, Daman & Diu and Lakshadweep facing Arabian Sea. West Bengal,
Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Pudducherry and Andaman & Nicobar
Island facing the Bay of Bengal.

Andhra Pradesh- Rishikonda Beach, Bheemunipatnam, Manginapudi Beach,

Vodarevu Beach, Mypad Beach.

Goa- Colva Beach, Dona Paula, Miramar, Anjuna, Vagator Beach, Arambol
Beach, Angoda Beach

Gujarat- Porbandar Beach, Chorwad Beach, Beyt Dwarka, Somnath & Veraval
Beach, Mandavi Beach, Gopnath Beach.

Karnataka- Devbagh Beach, Om Beach and the Kutle Beach, Parambur Beach,
Ullal Beach, Murudeshwar, Malpe Beach, Maravanthe, Karwar Beach.

Kerala- Lighthouse Beach, Rockholm Beach, Samudra Beach, Ashoka Beach,

Kappad, Kovalam, Varkala, Thirumullavaram, Vypeen and Gundu Island, Cherai
Beach, Alleppey Beach, Veli Beach, Bekal Beach, Shangumugham Beach,
Kovalam Beach.

Lakshadweep- Kavaratti, Minicoy, Kadamat, Bangaram.

Maharashtra- Ganapatipule, Velneshwar, Marve, Manori & Gorai, Juhu,
Chowpatty, Bassien, Alibag Murud Janjira, Dahanu, Mandwa, Kihim Beach,
Shriwardhan, Harihareshwar, Vijaydurg and Sindhudurg, Vengurla, Malvan.

Odisha- Puri, Chandipur, Gopalpur-on-sea, Gahirmatha Beach, Paradeep,

Bolighai Beach, Konark Beach.

Andaman & Nicobar island- Corbyn's Cove, Beaches of Havelock Island,

Beaches of Neil Island, Beaches of Chiriya Tapu, Wandoor.

Tamil Nadu- Pulicat, Covelong, Marina Beach, Pichavaram, Kurusada Islands,

Vattikotai, Sadurangapattinam Beach, Mandapam, Mahabalipuram.

West Bengal- Digha Beach, Shankarpur Beach, Frazerganj, Ganga Sagar.

Daman-Devka (or Dwarka beach), Jaypore Beach.

Diu- Jallandhar Beach, Chakratith Beach, Nagoa Beach.