Ladakh tourism:The Hemis Festival in Leh

Hemis Monastery is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Ladakh (in the northern state of Jammu and Kashmir). Located 45 km from Leh, the 300 year old monastery is home to the famous Hemis festival which falls in June or July every year.

Hemis-festival-Leh

History of the festival

The Hemis Festival is celebrated to commemorate the birth anniversary of Guru Padmasambhava who founded Tantric Buddhism in Tibet. Also known as Second Buddha, the festival is of huge importance to those celebrating.

Hemis is celebrated on the 10th day of the Tibetan lunar month in the Hemis Monastery, the largest Buddhist monastery in Ladakh.

Hemis-festival

The ceremonies begin with an early morning ritual atop the Gompa where, to the beat of drums and the resounding clash of cymbals and wail of pipes, the portrait of the sacred Guru Rinpoche (another name for the Guru) is brought forward so that all devotees can take blessings.

The most esoteric of festivities are the mystic mask dances. The Mask Dances of Ladakh are referred collectively as chams Performance.

Hemis-festival-mask

At the Festival

A bevy of locals and tourists alike are seen making a beeline in local buses and cabs to the cosy monastery, clearly not equipped to handle the massive surge of humanity. Many travellers also camp outside the night before to get early entry and row side seats to the wonderful traditional dances.

Masks and monks-Hemis-Festival

Masked lamas perform elaborate dances, special music performances and commentaries in front of a large but intimate crowd. The half day ceremony is watched in awe by thousands. As a spectator try and get a seat as close to the main courtyard. These fill fast, so arrive at the festival as early as 7 in the morning. Tickets are available for Rs 500/- to sit very close to the performance. It is a great experience to sit and watch this marvellous show with the locals. They too, come dressed in their traditional cummerbunds and head gear for this annual ceremony.

Hemis-masks-festival

Outside the monastery, the ambience is nothing short of a fair. Local food, artefacts and knick-knacks are on display. This is a good occasion to pick up local handicrafts as all merchants come and display their wares at the festival.

Best places to take a boat trip in India

The oceans, numerous lakes and rivers offer plenty of opportunities to take a boat ride in India. Just watch life go by as you lazily float along or take a raft to enjoy wildlife spotting, snorkelling or even to discover submerged temples. Here are our top five interesting boat trips you can do in India.


1. Shikara on the ‘Dal’ Lake – The Bollywood endorsed ‘Dal’ Lake in Kashmir has been a legendary spot for travellers. The thin Shikaras (boats) traverse through the water carrying tourists, vegetables, supplies and locals. The whole life system on the lake is supported by these unassuming boats, whether it’s supporting full-fledged markets or serving as a school bus for children. The rides on shikaras are extremely fascinating and help understand the local life better.

Boat-Trips-in-Kashmir

2. From the Himalayan foothills, it’s down to the tropical weather of Kerala. Alleppey, also known as the ‘Venice of the East’ is by far one of the best destinations to experience the tranquil backwaters of Kerala. Well equipped houseboats add to the charm of getting to know the vast network of backwater in and around the town. Recently, the house boats had come under the scanner for lack of a proper system to dispose waste from the boats. Now there are mandatory treatment methods without which these boats do not get permissions. Watch the local life pass on the banks of the waters, while you glide past in luxury. Off season rates for fully furnished house boats are quite affordable. Between October and March, it can cost anywhere between Rs 7500 to Rs 20,000/- depending on the number of hours on the boat.

Boat-Trips-in-Alleppey-Kerala

3. There are some very unique experiences with respect to boats in India. The famous rock temples of Mahabalipuram near Chennai have always garnered the interest of travellers. Two of the seven temples are said to be submerged in the sea. Few know that some fishermen take eager visitors out to sea, where one you have a look at the submerged temples. An experience which comes with serious caution, as there are no life jackets on these boats, it’s not for the faint hearted. A mere Rs. 100-200 for an adventure of a life time – try it!

Boat-trips-in-Mahabalipuram-Chennai

4. The Periyar Wildlife sanctuary in the Idduki District of Kerala is one of the most unassuming wildlife destinations of India. Without fanfare but with plenty of exciting experiences in store, there are a number of ways to see the jungle. One unique way, is wildlife watching on a huge bamboo raft, with a forest guide and copious amount of sunscreen. The Periyar Lake is flanked by thick forests and animals often come for a drink of water. The raft ride starts early in the morning and goes on till about 4.00 p.m with breakfast and lunch by the edge of the jungle. This trip needs to be booked in advance. You can also take a more conventional wildlife spotting boat trip here

Boat-Trips-in-Periyar-Lake

5. While Goa has always been on top of the list for many, its Southern neighbour Karwar in Karnataka is fairly unknown. Serene and relatively untouched by tourism, Karwar has several water based activities. One of them includes snorkelling off the quiet coastline. Trips go out on speed boats with trained instructors to help novices.

Boat-Trips-in-Karwar-Karnataka

Jammu & Kashmir Tourism: Things to do in Srinagar

Srinagar, the capital of the northernmost state of Jammu and Kashmir is famous for its lakes and houseboats. There are plenty of sights to take in and things to do and it is also a great place to shop for Kashmiri handicrafts. Our Srinagar tourism guide lists the highlights.

1. Bird watching at Hokersar

This wetland attracts thousands of migratory birds during winters from Siberia and Central Asia. This is an important natural refuge for rare breeds that use it for wintering and breeding. It is located 14 kilometres from Srinagar. Birds that are most prominent here are geese, Brahminy Duck, Tufted Duck, Gadwall, Garganey, Greylag Goose, Mallard, Common Merganser, Northern Pintail, Common Pochard, Ferruginous Pochard, Ruddy Shelduck, Northern Shoveler, Common Teal, and Eurasian Wigeon.

Ducks at Dal Lake, Srinagar

2. Houseboat and shikara ride

These are the most famous symbols of the city and tourists come from far and wide to spend a few hours cruising on the lake. Those who have time for a longer stay can rent houseboats. The Dal lake is the ideal place to enjoy this activity. In the off season a shikara ride costs about Rs. 150 but in the peak season the price can go up to Rs. 500.

House Boat on Dal Lake

3. Gardens

Mughal emperors created many gardens in the city. Prime amongst them are the Mughal Gardens, Chasm-e-Shahi, and the Nishat and Shalimar Bagh. The Tulip Gardens is a recent addition to the city and is dedicated to tulips of various colours.

Sunset over the terraces of the Nishat Bagh Mughal gardens

4. Hazratbal Mosque

This pure white mosque is very serene and beautiful. It is one of the most important mosques in Srinagar and is highly revered. Much like other mosques, only the outer area is open for women to enter. The nearby market is a good place to enjoy local food.

Hazratbal Shrine from the West Gate

5. Roza Bal

In Khanyar is the Dastgir Saheb mosque and shrine. It also known as Roza Bal and is said to be the tomb of Jesus Christ. The belief is that Jesus survived crucifixion, came to Kashmir and lived here till he was at least 100 years old. The belief isn’t backed by many scholars but it was the foundation of books such as ‘Jesus Lived in India’ by Holger Kersten.

Colourful festival decorations

6. Festivals

Srinagar’s major festivals are the three Eids, Navroz, Urs and Ramzan. Eid is celebrated thrice a year. One is meethi Eid, which is a family fare, the other is Muharram where people flog themselves in the street and the last is Bakra Eid where a goat is sacrificed in every Muslim home. Navroz is a 9-day festival which is celebrated in March or April with feasts, new clothes and prayers. Urs is typical to Kashmir. It is held at the shrines of Muslim saints on their death anniversaries. It is also celebrated by some Hindus and Sikhs. Ramzan is a month of hard fasting and during Ramzan Muslims do not eat or drink from dawn to dusk.

7. Shankaracharya Mandir

This Hindu temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is perched on a hilltop. It’s not usually crowded as Srinagar no longer has a significant Hindu population but is a popular site with visitors. Cameras and cellphones should be left behind as they aren’t allowed inside.

Practical information:

•     The climatic conditions in Srinagar are mostly alpine. Srinagar is best visited during summers between the months of April and June.
•     The domestic airport in Srinagar is located at a distance of 14 kms from the city and operates regular flights to major Indian cities like Delhi and Mumbai.
•     The nearest railway station from Srinagar is at Jammu Tawi, about 293 kms from the city. Jammu station has excellent rail connections with almost all major cities of India. Once you reach Jammu station, board a bus or hire a car / taxi to proceed on a 12-hr journey to Srinagar

Jammu & Kashmir Tourism: Dachigam National Park

The Northern most state of India is by far one of the most mesmerising in terms of its natural wonders. A mixture of of cold desert, verdant hills and the Dal Lake, Jammu and Kashmir is truly a travellers delight.

Amongst many other things to see in J & K, try the Dachigam National Park, just 22 kilometres from Srinagar, the capital of the state.

Dachigam-National-Park-location

Spanning a lifetime of over 100 years and an impressive coverage of 141 sq kms, Dachigam can be translated into meaning ‘ten villages’. With the mighty Himalayas as the backdrop of the National Park, the park is not only rich in flora and fauna but also makes a great place to just take in the varied landscapes of the region.

Sarband-kashmir

The terrain of the park ranges from grasslands to cliffs, making it uneven and exciting to traverse. Even amongst the flora, the forest is a mix of coniferous trees and grassy meadows. The forest opens out into the famous Marsar Lake which is the starting point of the Dagwan River. The river flows through a large part of the forest and is famous for its population of trout.

Formosan-Black-Bear

Wildlife: 

Where animal sightings are concerned, be prepared to look out for the famous endangered Hangul, or Kashmir stag. The Himalayan black bear, grey langur, weasel, jungle cat, musk deer, the elusive leopard, fox, marmot and musk deer are seen in plenty. The park also has a notable population of birds.

Moschustier

The national park makes for a good weekend getaway or day trip from Srinagar. It also gives you the opportunity to see the wide array of natural delights in the region without having to travel a large distance. Great for photography and wildlife enthusiasts, this is highly recommended. Try and explore this wonderful National Park on foot with a guide to get the best experience.

Timings: 

The Park is opened between 5.30 a.m to 6.30 p.m.

Fees: 

There are no fees to enter the park. However, the rules are subject to change, so please find out earlier.

Best Season: 

Dachigam cannot be visited during the winters due to heavy snow and windy climate. The best time to go is during the summers.