Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Popular tourist destinations - GOA


Goa is one the best tourist attraction in India. It is very popular tourist destinations because of its gorgeous beaches. Apart from beaches Goa also offers attractions, Goa cuisines, water sports and a colorful culture. There are many more things to explore in Goa like churches, one of the major attractions, natural beauty, shopping and nightlife. The Goa Carnival is unique in the sense it’s not celebrated elsewhere in India.
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Beaches

Goa is a Land of Beaches, there are around 40 beaches in Goa,and some of them are still virgin. Anjuna, Calangute, Baga, Dona Paula, Colva and Bambolim are among the most famous beaches in Goa. Mostly beaches are divided into north and south Goa beaches. Each and every beach of Goa has it’s own importance, these beaches are paradise for beach lovers.
Famous Calangute Beach in Goa
Famous Calangute Beach in Goa

Cuisines

The cuisine of Goa is one of the best in India. The cuisine is mostly seafood based that include crabs, prawns, tiger prawns fish etc. It is also considered as Goa cuisine can’t be complete without fish. Foods in Goa are influence of Portuguese and Hindu. Fish Curry and rice is a traditional food of Goa, which is really very delicious.

Goa Fish Curry
Goa Fish Curry

Wildlife

There are some famous wildlife sanctuary in Goa like Madei, Cotigao and Bondla Wildlife sanctuary, which supports a rich flora and fauna. These natural habitats are home for a wide variety of wild animals, including Indian Bison (Gaur), Cobra and leopard. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary in North Goa is famous for rare species of birds.
Wildlife in Goa
Wildlife in Goa

Culture

Goa offer a mix culture of India and Portugal. Culture of Goa including its heritage, people, fairs and festivals. There are number of churches in Goa built by the Portuguese and these are one of the great attractions in Goa. Rave Parties and late night parties on exotic beaches of Goa are the major attraction for tourist peoples. Goa Carnival and Nightlife in Goa offers a true flavor of mix culture of India and Portugal.

Culture of Goa
Culture of Goa

Natural Beauty: 

Goa is a state which is gifted with incredible natural beauty. Natural Beauty of Goa includes waterfalls, green forest, fabulous beaches and sunshine. Waterfalls in Goa are added attraction to its natural beauty, The Dudh Sagar waterfall is one the major waterfall in Goa.
Beautiful Waterfall in Goa
Beautiful Waterfall in Goa 

Carnival - Goa

The state of Goa celebrates its one of the biggest festival of the year, the Goan carnival festival. Carnival at Goa is not stop three days and nights festival of fun,entertainment,song,music and colors. Goa Carnival is one of the most awaited festival and attracts many tourists from all over the world. Konkani dance, Street plays and Grand feast are few major attraction of Goa Carnival festival, It will be starting in February 2013,get ready for food,dance,music and fun.

Famous Goa Carnival
Famous Goa Carnival


Traditional Sports in India

India has a vast and unique culture, so every state has its own traditional sports to follow. India become the land of traditional sports like Kushti The Indian Wrestling, Vallamkali,  Jallikattu and many more. India is also known for its diversified culture and traditions. One of the traditional sports in India is Mallakhamb also known as the pole dance of India, it is one of the very difficult sports in India. There are few famous villages sports are also very adventures sports in India. I am listing few most popular traditional sports in India.

Kushti: 

The Indian wrestling is the best sports to play and maintain the physic. It needs to be follow some set rules to become a wrestler. A heavy diet and strict discipline is to be maintain by the wrestler. Famous Indian wrestler Sushil Kumar is the Indian world wrestling champion of 66 kg freestyle wrestling games and winner of Bijing and London Olympics. Indian wrestling is one of most popular and difficult type of traditional sport in India,mostly played at North Indian state of Punjab and Haryana along with Maharashtra.
Kushti practice in Akhara - Haryana - India
Kushti practice in Akhara - Haryana - India

Mallakhamb

Mallakhamb is a traditional Indian sport in which a gymnast performs poses and feats while hanging from a vertical wooden pole or rope. It is also used as a form of exercise to get high level of fitness by the Phalwan or Indian Wrestlers. This is the one of the beautiful Indian sports.
Mallakhamb in Mumbai playground
Mallakhamb in Mumbai playground

Kabaddi

It is one of the most popular sports in India played by the people in villages as well as in small towns. Kabaddi is an Indian game which requires both power and skill for its play. It is a simple and inexpensive game and doesn’t require any playing equipment. Regular Kabaddi tournaments are held throughout the country.
Kabaddi - Punjab India
Kabaddi - Punjab India

Kho-Kho: 

Kho-Kho is one of the most popular traditional sports in India. Kho Kho is a ‘run and touch’ game that is very simple to play and can be enjoyed by people of all ages. It does need any good physical fitness just need skills to play.
Girls playing Kho Kho
Girls playing Kho Kho 

Vallamkali: 

The snake boat race, known as Vallamkali in Kerala. It is an interesting traditional game held on the occasion of Onam. It is a famous water sport and one of the main attraction held in Kerala. Boat Race is truly a feast to the eyes of the visitors, who come from far off places to see it.
Vallamkali - Fmous "Kerala Boat Racing"
Vallamkali - Fmous "Kerala Boat Racing" 

Jallikattu: 

Jallikattu is one of the oldest living ancient sports seen in the modern era. The ancient sport of Jallikattu pits crowds of brave young men against angry bulls. It is similar to the Spanish running of the bulls but a traditional part of Pongal celebrations in Tamil Nadu.
Jallikkattu race1 in TamilNadu
Jallikkattu race1 in TamilNadu
In the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, people don’t need red capes and sharp swords to tame bulls, they do it with their bare hands, in a sport called Jallikkattu.

The ancient sport of Jallikattu pits crowds of brave young men against angry bulls who will tear anyone apart, if they get in the way. The name of the sport comes from the words “salli”, which translates as “coin”, and “kadu”, which means tying the coin to the horns of the raging bull. The goal of Jallikattu players is to tame the bull long enough to claim the prize.

But that’s is a lot harder than it sounds, especially since the bulls used for Jallikattu are extremely aggressive, and the players aren’t allowed to defend themselves with anything else but their bare hands. The bravest of the young men will try to grab the hump of the bull, and hang on, while the beast will most often grab him with its long horns and plunge him into the ground.
Jallikkattu race2 in TamilNadu
Jallikkattu race2 in TamilNadu
In ancient times, Jallikattu was used by kings, to test their potential son-in-laws. Whichever of the players managed to tame the bull, would win the princess’ hand. Nowadays, prizes consist of money, gold chains, watches and motorcycles. if none of the would-be bull tamers manage to ride it into submission, the prize goes to the bull owner.

Tens of thousands of participants and onlookers gather whenever a Jallikattu game is scheduled, and most of the times hundreds of them end up in the hospital, with serious injuries, and some of them lose their lives. A centuries old tradition, in the Tamil Nadu region, Jallikattu was banned in 2008, following accusations that the bulls are fed alcohol and chili is sprayed in their face, to make them more aggressive. The ban was later removed, but the animals are now checked by a team of veterinarians, before Jallikattu.

Camel Race: 

Camel racing in Pushkar is one of the major attractions for tourist in Rajasthan. Camels are very important part of desert life, These camels are decorated beautifully at the time of race. Pushkar is one of the oldest living city in India, and it is gaining popularity for one of the biggest annual fair of camels. It was really a good experience to watch the camel race in Pushkar.
Camel Race in Pushkar - Rajasthan , India
Camel Race in Pushkar - Rajasthan , India

Archery: 

Archery is one of the most ancient sports originated in India. This is the favorite pastime or sports of the people of Manipur, It’s an everyday activity of the state dwellers. During every festival archery matches are held.
Archery practice in Manipur - India
Archery practice in Manipur - India

Martial Arts: 

Martial art is a part of India’s ancient culture. Kalarippayattu is the one of the oldest form of Indian martial art. This famous art is from Kerala. Indian martial art is a gift to the modern world and mother of all other Asian martial arts.
Kalarippayattu Practice in Kerala India
Kalarippayattu Practice in Kerala India



Monday, December 10, 2012

Best Places to Visit in Kerala

Though every region of Kerala is full with attractions and beautiful scenery and all the places are counted as must to visit. Some of the best Places to Visit in Kerala are Kovalam,Kottayam,Pallivasal and Kundala. The places can by divided as per the seasons like Trivandrum during the monsoons,Munnar in Winter and Wayanad in summer. Here is the list of top 10 best places to visit in Kerala.


Thiruvananthapuram 

The capital of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram is situated west coast of India and bordered by Tiruneveli,Kollam and Kanyakumari. Thiruvananthapuram is a Evergreen city of India and also considered as one of the 10 greenest cities in India. The largest city of Kerala is an IT hub and home to several educational institutes,Napier Museum and Research Laboratory.
Padmanabha-swamy-Temple-Thiruvananthapuram
Padmanabha-swamy-Temple-Thiruvananthapuram



Thrissur 

Thrissur is known as cultural capital of Kerala situated at the central of in Thrissur District. The city host many cultural, spiritual and religious festival of the state, Thrissur Pooram festival is the most colorful and spectacular among them. Puli Kali also known as Tiger dance is one of the most popular folk art performed here during Onam festival.
Pooram-Festival-Thrissur
Pooram-Festival-Thrissur

Kannur

Kannur or Cannanore means the land of Lord Krishna, is a city located in the District of Kannur on the North Malabar region of Kerala. The city is famous for its Theyyam art,pristine beaches and Adventure Tourism. Muzhappilangad Drive-in Beach is the most popular beach here and only one Drive-in Beach in Asia, other beaches are Payyamballam, Meenkunnu and Ezhara beaches.
Payamballam-beach-kunnur
Payamballam-beach-kunnur

Thekkady 

Thekkady is important tourist destination in Kerala located in the famous the Periyar National Park. The Periyar National Park is home to a large number of Indian elephants,lion-tailed Macaques,Nilgiri Langurs, Indian bison and Bengal Tigers. Mullaperiyar Dam is situated around the area on the Periyar River and formed an artificial lake for Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary.
Periyar-Natioanl-park-Thekkady
Periyar-Natioanl-park-Thekkady

Kumarakom 

Kumarakom is most popular tourist spot located near the Kottayam city and famous for its houseboat in backwaters of Vembanad Lake. Vembanad Lake is the largest freshwater lake of Kerala and longest lake in India. Kumarakom is a famous Bird Sanctuary and home to a wide variety of local and migratory birds.
Kumarakom-backwaters
Kumarakom-backwaters

Alleppey

Alleppey is situated along with the Arabian coast of Alappuzha District and offers backwaters, beaches and lagoons tourism. Alappuzha District is one of the major tourist destination apart from backwaters it offers long paddy fields. The paddy fields are grown every year below the sea level and its one of the major attractions in Kuttanad along with backwaters and Boat services.
Alleppey
Alleppey

Munnar

Munnar is the famous hill station in Kerala situated at the confluence of the three rivers Madhurapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundaly. It is located on the western ghats range in the Idukki district and famous as the major tea plantations region. Tea plantations,Dense forests, valleys,green mountains and flora and fauna makes Munnar as one of the best romantic honeymoon destination in India.
Munnar-tea-Gardens
Munnar-tea-Gardens

Wayanad 

The district of Wayanad is located in the north-east of Kerala on the on the high altitudes of majestic Western Ghats. Wayanad is one of the least explore area of Kerala and major portion are tribal habitat. District of Wayanad is full of attractions with Mountains Peaks, Rivers, lakes and waterfall. Meenmutty Falls a three-tiered waterfall with a height of 300 metres is located in Kalpetta.
Meenmutty falls-Wayanad
Meenmutty falls-Wayanad

Kochi

Kochi earlier known as Cochin is a port city of Kerala located at west coast of India in the Arabian Sea. Kochi is the part of district of Ernakulam, the eastern part of the mainland of Kochi and they both are called as twin cities. The city of Kochi is home to Port of Kochi,Indian Navy,Indian Coast Guard and other major chemical industries. City of Kochi is the best tourist destination in Kerala and sixth best in India. Kochi Marine Drive and Kochi Harbour,Jain temple in Mattancherry are few famous Spot to visit around the city.
Kochi
Kochi

Kozhikode 

Kozhikode is known as Calicut located in the southwest coast of Kerala and bordered by Kannur, Wayanad,Malappuram and Arabian Sea. Calicut is the place where Vasco da Gama lands and among the territories ceded to the British East India Company by Tipu Sultan of Mysore. The city known as City of Spices and famous for its many temples and mosques along with other attractions like Thusharagiri Falls, Kuttiyadi Dam and Sea port.
Kozhikode Beach
Kozhikode Beach

Wildlife Sanctuary of South India - Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve


Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve Nature park is the most popular biosphere reserves in India and the major National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary of South India. Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve area is located at the foothills of the famous Nilgiris hills or blue mountains at the meeting point of two majestic mountain ranges the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats and shares boundaries with Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala states. The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve includes many National parks and wildlife sanctuaries and also declared a Tiger Reserve. The reserve is home to fauna includes over 100 species of mammals, 350 species of birds, 80 species of reptiles, about 39 species of fish, 31 amphibians and 316 species of butterflies.

Mudumalai National Park and Sanctuary

The famous Mudumalai National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary is situated at the northwestern side of the Nilgiri Hills near Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu and interstate boundaries with Karnataka and Kerala. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to endangered Indian elephants,Royal Bengal Tigers, Indian Leopards and vulnerable Gaur along with Indian Giant Squirrel and Red Giant Flying Squirrel and critically endangered species of birds such as Indian White-rumped Vulture,Malabar grey Hornbill and unique near threatened Black-and-orange Flycatcher.
Elephant at Mudumalai Park
Elephant at Mudumalai Park
Mudumalai wildlife Park is divided into five sub ranges Masinagudi,Thepakadu, Mudumalai, Kargudi and Nellakota. Mudumalai wildlife sanctuaries is one of the first wildlife park established in India and declared a Tiger Reserve, It is an important wildlife habitat and Wildlife Corridor between Bandipur National Park,Nagarhole National Park and Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary. The Reserve forests offers shelters to four big cats of India Bengal tiger, Indian leopard,deers, Jungle cat and Leopard cat along with Bonnet Macaque, Gray langur, Sloth Bear,Indian wild dogs Dhole and the Striped Hyena.
Deer at Mudumalai National Park - South India
Deer at Mudumalai National Park - South India

Mukurthi National Park

The Mukurthi National Park is situated western part of Nilgiris Plateau in the Western Ghats mountain range. Mukurthi National Park is the major protect area of ungulate The Nilgiri tahr,the state animal of Tamil Nadu. Mukurthi protected area is provide Habitat for sholas and Montane grasslands Wildlife and the flora are numerous endemic plants scapigerous, Alchemilla indica and Impatiens. Fauna includes mostly the grassland mammal species including Nilgiri Tahr, Nilgiri Marten, Nilgiri langur,Sambar deer, Barking deer and Wild water buffalo. Avifauna consists mostly of hill birds includes Whistling Thrush,Nilgiri Flycatcher, Nilgiri Pipit along with predatory birds the Black Eagle, Black-winged Kite and Kestrel.
Mountain Goat - Mukurthi National Park -South India
Mountain Goat - Mukurthi National Park -South India

Silent Valley National Park

The Silent Valley National Park is the core area of the Nilgiri International Biosphere Reserve and part of World Heritage Site,the Western Ghats. The high diversity of Silent Valley National Park support wide range of wildlife and home to the largest population of endangered species Lion-tailed Macaque, Malabar Giant Squirrel and Indian Flying-fox or Greater Indian Fruit Bat. One of the best place to spot rare and endangered species of birds like Long-legged Buzzard,Red winged crested cuckoo,Malabar Pied Hornbill,Nilgiri Wood-pigeon,the Black bulbul and Pale harrier.
Monkey looking - Silent Valley National Park - South India
Monkey looking - Silent Valley National Park - South India

Sathyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary

The Sathyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary is the largest wildlife sanctuary in Tamil Nadu and a major wildlife corridor between Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve of the Western Ghats and Biligiriranga Swamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary of the Eastern Ghats. Sathyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary is a notable wildlife corridor, mix of flat land, grass land and mountain peaks between the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats. Its is fourth Project Tiger Tiger Reserve of India and a notable sanctuary to diverse populations of the animals of two habitats such as great Indian Elephants,royal Bengal Tigers,Indian leopards and other wild boar, Sloth bear and striped hyenas.
Striped Hyena - Sathyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary - South India
Striped Hyena - Sathyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary - South India

Bandipur National Park 

The Bandipur National Park is a tiger reserve located in Chamarajanagar district of Karnataka and know for its Biomes and dry deciduous forest. The tiger reserve is one of the most famous national park in south India and along with Mudumalai,Wynad and Nagarhole it is the largest protected area of south India. Bandipur National Park is home to many species of India’s endangered wildlife such as Indian giant squirrels, muggers, Indian rock pythons, Spectacled cobra, four-horned antelopes,Indian monitor lizards and the large bovine Gaur or Indian bison.
Wild Cow - Bandipur National Park - South India
Wild Cow - Bandipur National Park - South India

Nagarhole National Park 

The Nagarhole National Park is located between the Kodagu and Mysore district in Karnataka state. Nagarhole National Park is heavily forested Project Tiger tiger reserve and cover with small water streams, big mountain hills, deep valleys and spectacular waterfalls. Its is also known as Rajiv Gandhi National Park ranges from foothills of the Western Ghats to down the Brahmagiri hills towards Kerala. Nagarhole National Park is home to Purple heron,darter,Indian rock python, stripe-necked mongoose along with tiger, leopard,wild dogs and striped hyena.
RedFox - Nagarhole National Park - South India
RedFox - Nagarhole National Park - South India

Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary

The Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary is an second largest wildlife park in Kerala and declared a Project Elephant, Elephant Reserves. Wayanad Wildlife sanctuary is situated between the Mysore and a small town Sultan Bathery in Wayanad district of Kerala. Wayanad Animal sanctuary support a wide range of flora includes maruthi, bamboos, rosewood, karimaruthi and fauna such as panthers, jungle cats, deer and bears along with AviFauna few wild birds owls, woodpeckers, jungle fowls,Peacocks and Peafowl.
Vulture at Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary - South India
Vulture at Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary - South India