Indian Temples: Durga Temple on Hill Top

Navratri, The nine divine night’s of festival, dedicated in the honor of Goddess Durga. The biggest annual festival is celebrated at every temple of Maa Durga across the country. There are innumerable temples throughout India, dedicated to Maa Durga. Some of the most famous Durga temples are Vaishno Devi, Chandi mandir Chandigarh, Kamakhya Temple, Dakshineswar Kali, Ambaji Mata temple and Edakkunni Sri Durga Bhagavathy Temple. There are 51 Shakti Peeth of goddess Shakti or Parvati,located throughout India and neighbor countries.

Chamundeshwari Temple:

The Chamundeshwari Temple is situated on the heights of Chamundi Hills at Mysore in the state of Karnataka. The Chamundedshwari Temple is considered to be a very religious temple having large silver gates and golden idols. Chamundi Hills is one of the best tourist attractions in Mysore, Other religious tourist attractions are Devarayanadurga, Hidimbeshwara Temple and Ekanatha Temple.

Chamundeshwari-Temple, Maysore

 

Mansa Devi Temple:

Mansa Devi is one of the most visited and most popular temple, dedicated to goddess Mansa in the holy city of Haridwar, in the Uttarakhand state. The temple is located at top of Bilwa Parvat on the Sivalik Hills, a mountain chain of the Himalayas. The Shakti Peeth is one of the famous siddh peethas along with other two Peethas are Chandi Devi Temple and Maya Devi Temple located in Haridwar.

Mansa-Devi-Temple,Haridwar

Adhar Devi Temple:

The Adhar Devi Temple is one of the popular religious destinations, Located in the Mount Abu region of Royal state Rajasthan. The temple is situated in a cave  with picturesque views of the surrounding mountains and forests. The Adhar Devi Temple is dedicated to the Goddess Durga, another world famous temple in Rajasthan is Karni Mata Temple.

Adhar-Devi-Temple, Mount Abu Rajasthan

Bamleshwari Devi Temple:

Maa Bamleshwari Temple is situated on a hilltop which is 1,600 ft high at Dongargarh in the state of Chhattisgarh. Dongargarh is one of the major tourist attraction as well as the main pilgrimage of the district and the prominent places of worship. The goddess Maa Bamleshwari temple refferd as Badi Bamleshwari, Another temple at ground level is situated about 1/2 km from the main temple is referred as Chhoti Bamleshwar. The tribal state also host one of the most famous temple called Danteshwari Temple.

Bamleshwari-Devi-Temple, Dongargarh Chhattisgarh

Saptashrungi Devi Temple:

The Saptashrungi Devi temple is located at Vani near Nashik in Maharashtra. This temple is also one among the 51 Shakti peethas located on the Indian subcontinent. The image of the Devi is huge-about 10 feet tall with 18 hands, holding various weapons, A large number of devotees visit every year. Renuka/Anusuya  Devi Temple, Ekvira Devi and Tulja Bhavani Temple are few famous temples of Goddess Durga in Maharashtra.

Saptashrungi-Devi-Temple, Nashik Maharashtra

Tara Tarini Temple:

The Shakti peeth is situated on the holy taratarini hill in the tribal state, Orissa. The Taratarini Temple is one of the most ancient shakti shrines of India, dedicated to the twin Goddesses Tara and Tarini worshiped as manifestations of Adi Shakti. The taratarini hill Shrine is one of the oldest pilgrimage centers of Mother Goddess and is one amongst the four major ancient Shakti Peethas in India.

Tara-Tarini-Maa-Temple, Orissa

Vaishno Devi Temple:

The world famous and most religious pilgrimage destination in India, Vaishno Devi Mandir is located at the height of 5300 ft on in the trikuta hills of state Jammu and Kashmir. The holy shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi is located inside a cave in a hill,  It is one of the most sacred Hindu pilgrimage site, Approximately 8 million yatris visit the temple every year. There is another famous hill temple known as Mata Balaji Sundri Temple in kathua, Jammu and Kashmir.

Vaishno Devi Temple, Jammu

Sharda Mata Temple:

Maihar wali Mata Temple is situated on a trikuta hill of maihar in the state called heart of India. The sacred and holy temple is one of the 51 Shakti Peeth of goddess Parvati,where the necklace of Sati fell. The temple is well known for the 1063 steps to the top, Millions of devotees throng the temple all round the year. Other most famous Durga temples in Madhya Pradesh are Ratangarh Wali Mata, Tulja Bhavani Devas and Salkanpur.

Sharada-Devi-Temple, Madhyapradesh

Tara Devi Temple:

The Tara Devi Temple is situated at the top of a hill called the Tara Devi Mountain in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh. It is one of the famous temple and most popular tourist attraction of the city,surrounded by lush green devdar trees, green forests and green meadow. The temple was built approximately 250 years ago, Every year thousands of pilgrims visit Tara Devi temple. Himachal Pradesh also has two other most popular Hindu temples Chamunda Devi Temple and Jawala Ji temple.

Tara-Devi-Temple, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh

Kanaka Durga Temple:

The famous Hindu temple of Goddess Kanaka Durga located at Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh. The Kanaka Durga Templeis dedicated to Goddess Kanak Durgeshwari, situated on a hill top of Indrakiladri mountain on the banks of river Krishna. It is one of the most important and second largest temple in Andhra Pradesh, Other temples are Tirupati Balaji Temple and Bhadrakali Temple.

Kanaka-Durga-Temple, Vijaywada, Andhra Pradesh

Rajasthan Tourism: Mehrangarh fort in Jodhpur

Mehrangarh fort in Jodhpur is a beautiful monument giving a sneak peek into India’s rich cultural history. Easily one of India’s most beautiful forts, it is tall and imposing in an almost invincible manner. So colossal are its proportions that Rudyard Kipling called it “the work of giants”. Today it has the distinction of being acknowledged as the finest living example of a Hindu fortress.

Mehrangarh-fort

Visitor guide gives you a run down of it’s history and all the essential information you need to plan your visit.

History

The foundation of the majestic  Mehrangarh fort was laid down by the Rajput Ruler, Rao Jodha in 1459. History has it that at the time of foundation of the fort on the hill named “Bahuchera” there was only one single inhabitant, a loner named Cheeria Nathji. Upset at being forced to move Cheeria Nathji cursed the Rajput Ruler “Jodha! May your citadel ever suffer a scarcity of water!”. Rao Jodha managed to appease the hermit by building a house and a temple in the fort very near to the cave that the hermit had used for meditation. However even to this date the area suffers from a draught every 3-4 years. Although the Fort was made by King Rao Jodha, it has major contributions by successive rulers of Jodhpur .More information about the history of the fort can be found in books such as “The house of Marwar” by Dhananajaya Singh.

About the Fort

The Mehrangarh Fort has several gates, which had observed the many battles fought in ancient times. One of the gates is “Jayapol”, put up by Maharaja Man Singh to mark his triumphs over Jaipur and Bikaner armies. Another gate, “Fattehpol”, was built by Maharaja Ajit Singh as a festivity for conquering the Mughals.

Inside-mehrangarh-fort

The “Lohapol” located near the area where the wives of war martyrs observed ‘Jauhar’, by throwing themselves in the holy fire of their husband’s pyre, and the “Surajpol” which leads to the museum, are some of the attractive gates inside the Mehrangarh Fort.

Other attractions of Mehrangarh Fort include beautiful palaces and large open courtyards inside the fort. One of the palaces is the Moti Mahal (Pearl Palace), which holds the imperial throne, the Sringar Chowki. It is the place where the royal ladies held gatherings. The Phool Mahal was the palace where royal dances took place. The stained glasses not only preserve the glitter of the gold plated ceiling but also enhances the regal beauty of it.

The Sheesh Mahal has intricate mirror-works with dazzling mosaic of mirrors on its walls and ceilings. The palaces inside the Mehrangarh Fort with their undeniable lure, and the fort, with its mighty and imposing structure, is the finest example of the hard work and skills of the Jodhpuri sculptors.

Pigions-flying-outof-mehrangarh-fort

The Mehrangarh Fort also has a museum. This museum exhibits fine galleries and exquisite rooms with a wide display of lavish royal elephant carriages, palanquins, small canons, thrones, paintings, and even a giant tent. It also has an enthralling but very lethal weapons gallery.

Best Time to visit

The best time to visit the Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur is between October and March when the weather is cold and dry, with temperatures going down to 12 degrees Celsius.

Mehrangarh Fort Timings

The Mehrangarh Fort is open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm and is open to the public all 365 days of the year.

Mehrangarh Fort Entry Fees

Ticket costs are Rs. 220 for Indians and Rs. 250 for foreigners including admission, camera and audio guide. Please check the rates before entering as they may be subject to change. Taking the audio tour or hiring a guide is highly recommended to make the most of this experience. For further details visit www.mehrangarh.org

While you are visiting …

When in Jodhpur you should also visit the Balsammand Palace which was the summer pavilion of Maharaja Sur Singh of Jodhpur. Another interesting stop would be Mandore a town 9kms from Jodhpur. It used to be the ancient capital of the Mewar and makes for a good excursion.

Rajasthan Tourism: Bagore ki Haveli, Udaipur

Located in the city of Udaipur, Bagore ki Haveli is a beautiful mansion built during the 18th century. It has now been converted into a Museum. Its splendid architecture, delicate carvings, and excellent glass work make it one of India’s most beautiful museums.

History

Bagore ki Haveli has been built by Amir Chand Badwa who used to be the Chief Minister at Mewar Royal Court. After his demise it came into possession of the Mewar State. In the year 1878 the Haveli was made residenc e of Maharana Shakti Singh of Bagore and that is how it derives its name. Unfortunately, as the years passed, the mansion was left vacant for a period of 50 years and during this period it started to dilapidate. In 1986, the building was handed over to the West Zone Cultural Centre (WZCC). The WZCC in consultation with the members of the Royal Family and some experts has managed to restore the mansion in its former glory.

Udaipur-Bagore-Ki-Haveli

About the Haveli

The Haveli houses 138 rooms and has numerous corridors & balconies, courtyards and terraces. A visit to this Haveli gives a glimpse of the lives of the royalty. One can view the private quarters of the royal ladies : their bedrooms, living rooms, worship and recreation rooms. Also put up for display are jewellery boxes, dice games, rose water sprinklers, copper vessels amongst other knick knacks native to the Royalty.

Interior-of-Bagore-Ki-Haveli

Not to Miss

Every evening between 7 and 8 pm the Haveli stages a beautiful and traditional performance known an “Dharohar” It is a musical concert combining 7 traditional Rajasthani folk dances. Its a great experience to enjoy the live dances and puppetry shows. Commentary for the show is in both English as well as Hindi.

Cultural-show-in-Bagore-Ki-Haveli

This museum also houses the biggest turban in Asia having a length of 451 metres and a width of 82 inches.

Entry Fee & Opening Times

Bagore ki Haveli is open to visitors from 9 : 30am to 7pm. The entry fee is Rs 25. However, please check the rates before entering as they may be subject to change.

Best Season to visit

The best months to visit Udaipur are between September and March, as it gets rather hot during the Summer months.

Indian Festivals: Major Mahotsav's in India

India’s famous fair and festival includes Pushkar Fair,Sonepur Fair and the grand Kumbh Mela are the major attraction of international tourist. These annual Mahotsav display a colorful image of India’s diverse culture,religions,festival,Art and crafts. Famous colorful Mahotsav of India are Ganga Mahotsav of Varanasi,Surjakund Mela,Chhath Mahotsav,Rann Mahotsav of kutch and Taj Mahotsav of Agra.

Maru Mahotsav

The world famous three-day Maru Mahotsav is the rich and colorful Rajasthani folk culture festival held every year in February at Jaisalmer. Maru Mahotsav also known as the Desert Festival is known for its unique events such as camel race,traditional dance performance, and other cultural events of royal Rajasthan.

Maru-mahotsav-Jaisalmer-Rajasthan

Kalinga Mahotsav 

The Dhauli Kalinga Mahotsav is a National Festival of Martial art Dance, held every year in the month of February in Orissa. Kalinga Mahotsav is two days long martial dance performance,celebrated to mark the victory of peace over war.

Kalinga-Mahotsav-Bhubneswar-Orrisa

Malabar Mahotsav

The famous Malabar Mahotsav is a dance and music festival held on the beach of Calicut now Kozhikode, the coastal town in Kerala. Malabar Mahotsavam display the traditional Malabar Cultural, rituals and native cuisines.

Malabar-Mahotsav-Kozhikode

Braj Mahotsav

The Braj Mahotsav is a Festival to display the culture, food and the rituals of Braj region of Mathura. Braj Mahotsav celebrate in the honor of Lord Krishna before the Holi festival,the festival of color. Raas Leela is one of the mega event of the Braj Mahotsav along with other performance by folk artists from the region.

Braj-Mahotsav-Mathura-Vrindavan

Bhoramdeo Mahotsav

The Bhoramdeo Mahotsav celebrated in the Bhoramdeo Temple of Lord Shiva at Kawardha in the tribal state Chhattisgarh. Bhoramdeo temple is old Hindu temple located between the dense forests and surrounded by Maikal mountains range, It is also known as Khajuraho of Chhattisgarh. The festival of Bhoramdeo Mahotsav is celebrated every year in the last week of the month of March.

Bhoramdeo-Mahotsav-Kawardha

Van Mahotsav

The Van Mahotsav is annual day to plant trees, celebrated during the first week of month July. Van Mahotsav is celebrated across the India by planting of trees along with small road side events about the forest conservation.

Van-Mahotsav-Madhya-Pradesh

Buddha Mahotsav

The Buddha Mahotsav is a three day long festival of traditional Buddhist Customary and cultural practice, held on the occasion of Buddha Purnima in Arunachal Pradesh. Buddha Mahotsav festival is also celebrated at Bodhgaya,Ladakh,Sarnath and Kushinagar

Buddha-Mahotsav-Tawang

Ganga Mahotsav

The famous Ganga Mahotsav is a five day event held in the cultural capital of India and one of the oldest living city of India,Varanasi or Banaras or Kashi. Ganga Mahotsav reflects the traditional and cultural heritage of the Varanasi at the Ghats of holy river Gange, Every Ghats of Varanasi are lightest with lamps during this annual grand festival celebrated on the occasion of Kartik Poornima.

Ganga-Mahotsav-Varanasi

Raas Mahotsav

The Majuli Raas Mahotsav held every year in November at Howly town in the island of Majuli in Assam. Raas Mahotsav is a place to explore traditions of majuli people and Brahmaputra river culture along with art and crafts, fold dances and color of Assam.

Raas-Mahotsav-Howli

Lucknow Mahotsav

The famous Lucknow Mahotsav organized to promote the Art, Culture and Tourism of Uttar Pradesh. The 10 days long festival is the right destination for traditional dramas, Indian classical Kathak dances, music Gharana along with arts & crafts.

Lucknow-Mahotsav-Lucknow

Rann Mahotsav

The Rann Mahotsav or Rann Utsav of Kutch is a cultural festival of the unique region of Gujarat. Rann Utsav display the true flavor and cultural of the beautiful region of great rann of Kutch through the many cultural events such as Traditional Dance performance, folk songs and Thar desert safari. Rann Mahotsav held every year in November–December month and one of the major event of the Gujarat Tourism campaign Khushboo Gujarat Ki.

Rann-mahotsav-Kutch-Gujarat

Taj Mahotsav

The annual 10 day Mahotsav of Agra held in February near the majestic Taj Mahal in Agra,Uttar Pradesh. Taj Mahotsav brings the opportunity to display works of art,majestic craft work and magnetic performances of the artistes came from different parts of India .

Taj-mahotsav-Agra-Uttarpradesh

Forts of India: Sindhudurg Fort

India is full of interesting historical forts. A beautiful and well preserved example is the spectacular Sindhudurg Fort in Maharashtra, looking out over the Arabian Sea.

Sindhudurg-Fort

HISTORY

Sindhudurg Fort was built in 1664 by King Shivaji. The strategic rocky island location was carefully chosen to counter foreign forces, and to keep the nearby villages in check.

Located 510kms south of Mumbai and 130kms north of Goa the construction was done under the supervision of Hiroji Indulkar, an able architect. It is said that Shivaji invited 100 Portuguese experts from Goa for the construction of the fort and that 3000 workers were employed round the clock for three years to build Sindhudurg.

Watchtower-Sindhudurg-Fort

After Shivaji, Sindhudurg passed through the hands of Rajaram-Tarabai, Angres, Peshwa and the Bhosales of Kolhapur. It was briefly captured by the British in 1765 Ad And was renamed by them as ‘Fort Augustus’. Later in 1818 AD, the British dismantled the fort’s defence structures.

STRUCTURE

The 48 acre Sindhudurg fort has a four km long zigzag line of a 9 metres high and 3 metres wide rampart with 42 bastions.

The fort is approachable from the Malavan pier by a boat through a narrow navigable channel between two smaller islands of Dhontara and Padmagad. The main gate, flanked by massive bastions, faces the city.

West-wall-Sindhudurg-Fort

One of the most interesting features of this port is that the design of main door is an enigma, a hallmark of Maratha Architecture of fort building so that the entry can’t be located by attacking forces. The technique was so deceptive that the entrance was concealed due to blind curves. The zigzag pattern of outer wall was so built that the enemy would be visible from any point inside the fort and the troops inside could fire their guns and cannons effectively.

Sindhudurg-Fort-beach

INTERESTING FACTS AND ATTRACTIONS INSIDE THE FORT

• Shivaji’s palm and footprints are preserved here on dried lime slabs in a tower. Inside the Fort, temples of Bhavanimata, Shambhu Mahadev, Jirimiri, Mahapurush and Shivajeshwar are worth seeing, all of which are in good condition.
• Chatrapati Shivaji’s younger son Rajaram in his remembrance built this temple. Shivaji’s idol stands in a boatman’s attire inside the temple and probably only one of its’ kind in the country – where the image of Shivaji is without a beard.
• Outside the southern wall there is a small beach, called Ranichi Vela (Queen’s private beach), where Queen Tarabai, daughter-in law of Shivaji, used to enjoy her sea-bath.
• Inside the fort there are three wells of drinkable water, which is a nature’s marvel as sea surrounds the fort on all four sides.
• On a rocky island between Sindhudurg and the coast stood the small fort of Padmagad, now in ruins. It acted as a shield for Sindhudurg and was also used for shipbuilding
• The fort also houses a coconut tree which has a branch and also gives fruit. (No other coconut tree has a branch.)
• There is a hidden passage that starts in a temple that looks like a water reservoir and goes under the island for 3 km, under the sea for 12 km, and from there 12 km to a nearby village. The tunnel was used as an escape route for the women if the enemy entered the fort. However, the British partially closed this passage after the fort was abandoned.

Maharashtra Tourism: Things to see in Panchgani

Panchgani is a delightful hill station in the Sahyadri hills in Maharashtra. The unhurried relaxed charm, fresh air, strawberry farms, ravines and rivers and quaint old bungalows make it the perfect getaway.

We look at some of the places in Panchgani to explore. If the weather is good head out into the great outdoors with a picnic. Pack your baskets, fold up your sheets, get out and enjoy the sights of this delightful hill station.

Panchgani-view

Tableland

Panchgani’s crowning glory, this is a vast stretch of flat plateau offering great views of the hill station. Situated at an elevation of 4,550 ft, Tableland is a laterite rock formation, said to be the second-highest volcanic mountain plateau in Asia. The plateau gets covered with gorgeous blue bonnets and star and grasses from August-October. During peak season, there’s lots to do here with Ferris wheels, a merry-go-round, toy train, pony and horse rides and games stalls.

Parsi Point

A popular picnic spot with beautiful views of the Dhom Dam backwaters and the lush Krishna Valley. It used to be a favourite spot for the Parsis of Panchgani at one time, hence the name.

Sydney Point

Situated upon a small hillock facing the Krishna Valley, Sidney point presents enchanting views of the valley and the tranquil lake of the Dhom Dam.

Panchgani-sydney-point

Dhom Dam 

The Boat Club on the waters of the dam provides water bicycles and steamers.

Devil’s Kitchen

This cave is located in the southern part of Tableland and is believed to have served briefly as a shelter for the Pandavas during their exile.

Venna Lake

Venna Lake is located on the Panchgani – Mahabaleshwar road. Fishing and boating are popular here and you can also enjoy the mini train ride and stalls offering food and drinks and some games.

Panchgani-venna-lake

Kate’s Point

Located about 5 km away from Venna Lake towards Panchgani, this place has a beautiful view of the Krishna Valley and the Dhom Dam. It was named after the daughter of Sir John Malcom, who ‘founded’ Mahabaleshwar as a British hill station.

Panchgani-kates-point

Sherbaug

Located just beyond the Check Post, this place has a huge cacti collection, a restaurant and a children’s park.

Mapro farm

You can get a delicious lunch of cheese sandwiches, pizzas and strawberry creams at the Mapro farm, a couple of kilometers towards Mahabaleshwar. Don’t forget to pick up some fresh jam and syrups.

GETTING TO PANCHGANI

Panchgani is 98 km from Pune, 266 km from Mumbai, and 20 km from Mahabaleshwar. You can take the NH4, via Pune, Surul and Wai or come down NH17, via Poladpur. The nearest airport is Pune. By rail: Nearest rail head is Wathar.

Delhi Tourism: Picnic spots in Delhi

A jazz festival in Nehru Park, a football game in the Mahatma Gandhi Park and a long walk with your dog in Lodhi gardens – the parks and gardens of Delhi have finally got their sheen back and ‘Delhi-walahs’ are enjoying them to the max! Once you have exhausted yourself with all the historical monuments, museums and galleries, what could be a better place to relax, pack your picnic baskets and dust your Frisbees and head out to any of these parks.

1. Lodhi Gardens – 

A set of weathered yet timeless monuments make a wonderful backdrop to the well manicured Lodhi gardens. A walker’s paradise, you can also spread your fare and enjoy a day with the family in a nice shady spot! Children and pets enjoy the maximum as there is plenty space to run freely. Don’t forget to clean up after the picnic! Lodhi Gardens is accessible by auto rickshaws from any part of Delhi. Use the meter fare for getting here. The closest metro station is Jor Bagh from where it is minimum fare in an auto.

Lodhi-garden

2. Nehru Park – 

If you have a soft spot for pets and love making new furry friends, you will find many like mined people with their pets here. It’s also a great venue for outdoor festivals and concerts which usually allow people to bring their dogs. Centrally located, many buses play on the route. Auto rickshaws are also available easily.

Nehru-park

3. Deer Park – 

A convenient distance from three residential hubs (Hauz Khas, Green Park and Safdarjung Enclave), the Deer Park is a huge expanse of forest like topography with walking paths made for convenience. Small grassy patches or shades can be used as picnic spots. It’s great for kids as you can often spot deer and birds in this lush expanse. Green Park station is the closes metro point from Deer Park. From there you can get an auto at minimum fare.

Deer-park

4. Garden of Five Senses – 

Close to the Mehrauli Heritage Area in Delhi, the Garden of Five Senses is built on 20 acres of land and subtly merges natural and architectural expression. It’s a botanical extravaganza with an array of plants. The park also has some more sections like the amphitheatre, solar energy park and an artists’ corner. One can spend the whole day here with plenty of activities or just relaxing in a grassy patch. Free buses ply from Qutub Minar to the Garden of Five Senses.

Garden-Five-Senses

5. Shalimar Garden – 

Given the history of Delhi was closely woven with the Mughals, we see the percolation of this perspective in the gardens as well. The Shalimar Garden is located in Central Delhi and serves as a historical place, as Aurangzeb was crowned the emperor of Delhi here. The Shalimar garden lies in the northern part of the city which is connected by metro and buses at ISBT. From there it is a short ride. If you are visiting the Delhi University area, the gardens can be visited in a man driven rickshaw as well.

Shalimar-garden

Delhi Tourism: Shopping in Delhi

The national capital of India, New Delhi,is also the country’s shopping capital as well. There are numerous shopping destinations within the city making every shopper’s dream come true. From bohemian un-branded traveller clothes, to export rejects, designer-wear and the biggest international brands, you’ll find them all sharing the same space, catering to different tastes and budgets.

Delhi-Bazaar!!!

Here are our five favourite shopping hubs of the city. Be prepared to buy an extra bag to carry all your new purchases home!

1. Connought Place

The centre of the city is marked by the famous Connought Place, which is also the metro hub to all lines. Apart from glitzy showrooms and plenty of restaurants, explore the state Emporiums, Khaadi Bhandaar and a unique pick called People Tree. People Tree has been showcasing clothes, earrings and bric-a-brac made by NGO, ‘Jugaad’ for a long time. Everything is delightfully tasteful but pricey! Palika Bazaar, the basement electronics hot spot, is also a favourite with travellers for fakes and grey market goods.

The market is partially closed on Sundays.

Connought-palace-Delhi

2. Hauz Khas Village

Little designer-wear boutiques in the backdrop of run down houses and a lake makes for a great window shopping area even if you don’t plan on any actual shopping. Browse the creations of upcoming Indian designers. While you are here, stop-over at the renown Kunzum travel cafe (pictured below) for a quick round of tea and cookies, here you choose to pay what your pocket allows. Meet other travellers or just chat with the owners for some tips. You can also hop into some art galleries or pick up some antiques.

Hauz Khas opening times are 11.00 a.m to 7.00 p.m, closed on Sundays.

Kunzum travel cafe

3. Sarojini Nagar

You are sure to run into over energetic haggling college girls in this market for sure. The products on sale are seconds or factory rejects of coveted western brands at dirt cheap prices. You need to rummage through heaps of clothes to find what you want, but the exercise is worth it as you won’t have to shell out even a third of the original brand price. Hone your haggling skills here!

Sarojini Nagar Market is closed on Mondays.

Sarojini-nagar

4. Select City Walk

A glitzy sprawling mall in the heart of south Delhi, the Select City Mall is nothing like any other Indian market. With all the trappings of international brands, food courts, large space for concerts and speedy escalators, you would imagine you are perhaps in Singapore. If you are looking for a multiple big name brands and an air conditioned shopping area, this is the place to visit.

Select City Walk is open on all days.

Select-City-walk-Delhi

5. Janpath Market

Janpath is one of the best know market spots in Delhi, where shoppers converge to pick up curios, handicrafts and clothing and to sample the numerous Indian-style fast-food places. This is a great place to get a bargain on fashionable clothes; export rejects or seconds in great condition. As a particular fashion hits India, you can see the shops here teeming with the very same clothes! Work on your bargaining powers in this chaotic lovely jungle of shops. Clothes, shoes, accessories, scarves and books are the highlight of this street.

Janpath is closed on Sundays.

Janpath-market-Delhi

Delhi Tourism: International Mango Festival

CITY: NEW DELHI

DATES: Saturday, July 13, 2013 - Sunday, July 14, 2013(to be confirmed)

VENUE: DILLI HAAT PITAMPURA

ENTRY FEE: Rs. 20 for adults; Rs. 10 for children

TIME: 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM

There are few things going in favour of Delhi when it comes to summers. After a pleasant yet testing winter and a blink-and-miss spring, the city goes on to experience four to five months of intense summers. The mercury hovers around 42 degrees Centigrade and the sun beats down on the capital. And yet summer is when Delhi is a riot of colours, fragrances and moods. It brings with it the heady aromas of khus and motiya; a deluge of shades of yellow when the amaltas blooms in the leafy neighbourhoods of South Delhi; the sight of happy youngsters diving into the shallow pools of India Gate, the city’s iconic monument, and, last but certainly not the least, the taste of the king of fruits, mangoes!

Delhi-mango-festival

The relish with which the city savours mangoes is a sight to behold. Braving the scorching sun, the young and the old flock to the thousands of markets peppered across Delhi’s length and breadth, haggling with vendors and going home happy with a supply of mangoes. Restaurants are quick to cash in on this mango mania: turn the pages of any newspaper supplement and you will find announcements of food festivals and promotions centred around the mango. The fruit becomes the baker’s favourite as most confectioneries dole out mango desserts; cafes churn out beverages with generous portions of the fruit, and even meals at home usually end with a platter of cut mangoes. The modest vanilla ice-cream is almost always sold out in summers, given its phenomenal compatibility with the succulent fruit.

Being in proximity with some of the country’s highest producers of mangoes, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, is a boon for the mango-loving populace of Delhi. This is not to say that mangoes from deep down South, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Bengal don’t make it to Delhi. Just the variety of mangoes calls for a trip to Delhi this season. The culmination of Delhi’s love affair with the fruit comes in the form of an exclusive festival, organised every year in July by Delhi Tourism. Eagerly awaited, the International Mango Festival is now in its 24th year. The benchmark of its popularity is the footfall it gets from Delhi residents, not just tourists. Attractive billboards go up all over the city weeks before the start of the festival, luring everyone with the prospect of this calorie-laden indulgence.

Mango-Cut-Taste-it

Once inside the venue, the attractively laid out open-air Dilli Haat in Pitampura, a medley of sights and sounds greet you. It’s like walking into a mango market. Look in any direction and you will see piles and heaps of the fruit, in different hues, shapes and sizes. Decorated with mango motifs and colourful balloons, the atmosphere at the Festival is like that of a carnival. Walk ahead and you will hear rounds of thundering applause. The ovation is usually directed at a contestant with his/her face buried in the skin of a mango while trying to eat the pulp at lightning speed. Groups of enthusiasts are also found crowding stalls where you can learn a recipe or two with mango as the main ingredient. From the humble mango lassi to the more exotic mango salsa, there is a lot to learn about.

If you believe you know your fruit well, it’s time you test your ‘mango quotient’ at this year’s festival. The three-day mango bonanza also includes a spellbinding display of over 500 varieties of the fruit, as well as a slogan writing contest and a quiz.

Sampling the fruit as you wend your way through the maze of stalls and eager visitors is an experience that only this exclusive festival can offer you. This, however, may come for a small price but there are also many vendors who put out platters of freshly cut fruit for free sampling. And if you think you can grow your own mango, then there are saplings on sale for your kitchen garden. Until the first fruit appears, you can always feast on the delicious pickles, jams, chutneys and spreads on sale at the Festival.

Mango-tokri

Apart from the popular commercial varieties of dussehri, fazli, langda, sindhuri, kesar, chausa, banganpalli, totapuri, Neelam, safeda, Amrapali, Husnara and so on, there are several unheard of types on display. Some to make it to the last festival include sadabahaar, dakwala, elaichidana, angoori tapka and even Sheila, a fruit dedicated to Sheila Dikshit, the chief minister of Delhi.

If you still have room for more mango-related stories (this, after doing the rounds of the mind-boggling display), strike a conversation with veterans like Padmashri Haji Kaleemullah Khan of Malihabad, Uttar Pradesh. He is the man who is credited with growing more than 300 varieties on a single tree! Hailing from a family that is almost synonymous with growing the dussehri, Kaleemullah’s experimentations in grafting began in his early teens. Needless to say, it’s not just the fruit that is the essence of the Festival. Tales, trivia and legends go a long way in adding flavour to the overall picture.

Mango-man

So if you want to earn your stripes as a mango lover, the International Mango Festival of Delhi is where you should be headed. If you are staying in a homestay in Delhi as your hosts to arrange transport to the venue. Your host may be able to accompany you to the Festival, helping you choose the best variety of fruits on sale and even striking a good bargain. Back at the homestay, you can also request for a cooking demonstration of recipes using mangoes or even a meal with only mango delicacies.