Chhattisgarh Tourism: Local Haats or Bazaar

Imagine the market place from simpler times with most of the transactions happening on Barter, the commodities being produce of the forest like Mahua flowers, Tendu leaves, dried fish, simple value added household items like Baskets, ropes and brooms and simple manufactured items like utensils and garments displayed in baskets arranged on the ground under shady trees  in an open place that serves as the market place.

Chhattisgarh-Bazaar

The villagers walk to these markets from miles around for their needs, marketing their produce, sample some local brew, indulge in a moment of escape, fun and frolic. The Haats offer perfect escape with something for everybody. Everyday household items like ropes, brooms, pots and baskets, food items like grains, dried meats, Mahua flowers, toys, bangles, jewellery and accessories to give the women and the children engaged. Tourists can pick up that perfect little handicraft and a poor girl can pick something up in fake silver ‘Dalda Chandi’.

Move-fast-its-trading-time

People also come to these Haats selling their skills. It is common to see a barber, a tailor, a tattoo maker, a faith healer or a local medicine seller. There are also fun and games such as cock fights and it is elevating to see men and women often with a bit of local brew in their systems, enjoying the fun. Local liquor- toddy, mahua ar salfi are sold in Gourds or containers of all shapes and sizes by the villagers and everybody seems to be both a seller and a buyer.

Buyers-Sellers-Bazaar-Garam-hai

The Haat is also a social forum and makes for a meeting ground for friends, relatives and kinsmen, where they come dressed in their finery, gorge on local delicacies that include (a variety of ant and termite preparations among other more conservative options of Jalebi, pakodas and boiled eggs. These haats are held in different villages on different days of the week. Some of the major ones are ‘Dantewada’ on Wednesday, ‘Jagdalpur’ on Sunday, ‘Bastar’ on Thursday and ‘Lohandiguda’ on Friday. However there are so many Haats that a comprehensive listing is not possible.

Chatai-Trader-Selling-Chatai-Matts

From a tourist’s perspective these Haats are an insight into and an opportunity to experience the local culture first hand and participate in it. Chhatisgarh is a charmed land with multitude of attractions in form of natural forests, major waterfalls, places of religious importance and extremely rich wildlife and has traditionally not seen much of tourist traffic. Definitely a must visit for the seeker of the tourism variety, whose heart lusts for more..

Local-tribe-selling-handmade-Tokri-chaans

Buddhist travel destinations in India

Do you want to visit the places that are of high importance in Buddhism? If you feel like going to one state and visit multiple places related to Buddhism, then Bihar is the ultimate place to land on. Bihar is one famous destination out of many, which can be visited to experience the mysterious religion of Buddhism. Buddhists have many places of importance dotted all across the world – one famous destination is Bihar.

Buddhist tours are very commonly routed through various sites of Bihar. Let us take a look at the Bihar Buddhist travel destinations that hold a high position in Buddhism.

Bodhgaya

Bodhgaya, often written as Bodh gaya, is the most crucial place for Buddhists all over the world. Bodhgaya is the place where the Lord of Buddhism, Gautam Buddha (Childhood name ‘Prince Siddhartha’) reached in search of truth. This is the place where the famous Bodhi tree is situated- the tree under which Lord Buddha attained enlightenment. Bodhgaya is the place where Lord Buddha attained salvation or freedom from the circle of life and death.  There is no doubt about the sacred status of this place for it is the most sacred place in the world from a Buddhist point of view. The Mahabodhi Temple and the Bodhi tree are the key places to visit during your Bihar Buddhist travel to Bodhgaya. Buddhists from various nations like Thailand, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, China, Japan and Nepal among others have made their monasteries all around the Mahabodhi temple – an interesting site to cherish!

Mahabodhi-Temple

Patna

Patna is the capital city of Bihar. There is a museum in Patna that features many important manuscripts as well as many Buddhist sculptures inside the premises. Each year, people interested in the practice of Buddhism reach Bihar to nurture their lives with the knowledge and learning of Buddhism. There are several statues, monks and manuscripts that throw light on the Bodhisattva and enlighten you with its practices and beliefs. Buddhist tours to Patna are commonly availed by people across the globe for these very reasons.

Nalanda

Visiting Bihar without making it to Nalanda during your Buddhist tour is not a great idea. Nalanda is famous for the ruins of prestigious Nalanda University, where students of all nationalities and ages swarmed to capture a glimpse of Buddhist teachings and preaching. It was a much looked upon center for knowledge as well as wisdom since ancient times. Also, Lord Buddha spent a considerable time in Nalanda, which give a sacred tinge to its importance.

Nalanda is the name of an ancient center of higher learning in Bihar, India

Rajgiri

It is the most serene town in Nalanda. This is the place in Nalanda where Lord Buddha spent many months. Rajgiri holds importance for other religions like Hinduism and Jainism apart from Buddhism. Griddhkuta Hill is the spot here where Lord Buddha meditated and preached from many months in a row for attain Buddhahood. During their Buddhist tour to Bihar, tourists can enjoy visiting various other temples of Hinduism and Jainism located here. Each year hundreds and thousands tourists reach Bihar to taken a glimpse through the ancient history of Buddhism. As per the Chief Minister of Bihar, this state is experiencing an increasing footfall every year.

Bihar is enlisted among the top ten tourist interest destinations in India, where it has even over- shadowed the famous tourist destination – Goa. Bihar has hosted International Buddhist Conclave, which multiplied the attention the state gets from Buddhists all over the world. When this conclave was held in Bodhgaya, the Buddhist scenario that was witnessed was explicable, though many newspaper articles tried to portray it.

Griddhkuta Hill is very same one that was taken by Bimbisara several centuries ago

Vaishali

Vaishali holds a greater importance for the followers of Jainism. The twenty fourth teerthankara of Jainism, Vardhaman Mahaveer, was born in the district of Vaishali. It is one of the most auspicious places for Jains all over the world. As for Buddhists, Lord Buddha preached his last sermon in this area, which is why visiting Vaishali is of prime importance to every Buddhist. From a religious point of view, every place that existed at the time of their supreme God they believe in is auspicious. Every thing that God touched, every step that God had taken thousands of years ago, holds importance. Therefore, the place where these Mahaveer took birth and Buddha preached his last sermon, lived and meditated are of prime importance. Bihar has always held importance from a religions point of view. Being a secular state, there are religious places of Hinduism, Sikhism, Islam, Jainism as well as Buddhism.

Vishva-Shanti-Stupa-Vaishali

Bodhgaya, Rajgiri, Patna, Nalanda and Vaishali are a few key places to be marked in any Buddhist tour to Bihar. It is evident that Buddhism and Jainism have many similarities in their teachings and beliefs. It cannot be a mere co-incidence then that the Lords of two great religions spent a lifetime in the same cities – Bihar is thus remains to be a sacred land for religious followers across the globe. Many even believe in getting released from their cycle of sins when they visit this famous destinations of Bihar.

Buddhist-Prayer

Bihar has been one of the important places in the world with great religious persona attached to it. Evidences of existence of Bihar more than 3000 ago have also been found. Consequently, one can comprehend that the culture and tradition of the Bhojpuri speaking natives of Bihar is centuries old. They have far much established traditions as compared to many other places in India.

When you plan a Buddhist tour to Bihar, do not forget to buy a specimen of Madhubani paintings. If you visit the state during the period of Chhath pooja, which is one of the most auspicious festival for every resident of Bihar, you ought to witness its procession. You will be amazed with the dedication and belief of the people of Bihar.

There are an umpteen number of travel and tour guides present all over the world to guide you through the ways to plan and reach the famous destinations of Bihar.There are many special packages that can take you through all the places that are important from the Buddhism point of view or any other religion’s point of view for that matter. All you need is to take some days off and call the people waiting to plan an amazing tour for you and you can set foot on your Buddhist tour with the blink of an eye. No matter how many times you have visited the place, you will love to relive serenity in the air of the state of Bihar!

TamilNadu Tourism: Things to do in Oooty

Ooty or Udhagamandalam, famously known as the queen of hill-stations, has been hailed as one of the most popular tourist resorts in India. This small picturesque city offers a variety of things to do to her visitors. Once in Ooty, you will be greeted by its lofty mountains, scenic grasslands, miles of tea gardens and a very benign crowd, which will make your stay a memorable one.

Let’s discover some interesting things to do in Ooty.

A visit to the Botanical Gardens

Take a long walk through the variety of exotic plants that adorn these gardens or lie down and relax on the well-maintained lawns. The gardens are home to a unique collection of imported shrubs, roses and eucalyptus.

Ooty Botanical Garden

Spot the famous fossilised tree trunk, said to be about 20 million years old, which has been the site for the shooting of many Bollywood songs. If you are here during the month of May, catch the flower show during the “Summer Festival” and enjoy various cultural programmes.

Fossil Tree Trunk

The Nilgiri Toy Train Ride

While at Ooty, take a trip to Conoor via the Nilgiri Mountain Railway, commonly known as the “toy train”. This fairy-tale like ride will enthral you with the view of captivating scenery along the way! Its delightful wooden coaches and large windows speak of old world charm. It’s perhaps called the toy train because the slow speed lets you greet the children outside while enjoying the ride. The train stops at regular intervals so you can hop out and have a quick photo session with friends and family. Considering the terrain of the region, the toy train is a great way to reach Conoor.

Nilgiri Toy Train

Angling in Ooty

Ooty is truly gifted with a pleasant climate all year round and hence becomes the perfect spot for sports enthusiasts. There are a number of opportunities ranging from hiking and trekking to mountain biking, angling and hand gliding. Angling is a famous pastime here, owing to the numerous water bodies that flow through the Nilgiris. Fishing in Ooty will take some back to their childhood days and those summer vacations when a fishing rod was an invariable part of an English day out.

Fishing in Ooty

Boating at Pykara Lake

Have a wonderful half an hour boating experience in the Pykara dam and lake. It’s a nice, clean huge lake, worth visiting on a sunny day. If possible, try speed boating which is a craze here. There are a variety of boats available, also a restaurant and necessary toilet facilities. The lake looks mesmerizing during the Christmas season. As the lake is located just outside the city it’s comparatively less crowded and makes for a good picnic spot too!

Boating at Pykara Lake

View from the Doddabetta Peak

Get a panoramic view of the landscape from the highest peak of Tamil Nadu. The Doddabetta Peak is perched at the altitude of 2623 metres and is located 10 Kms from Ooty. If you are a photographer, you will fall in love with the enchanting views this peak has to offer on a clear sunny day! In fact, there is an observatory at this peak which offers excellent views of the plateaus. As far as the name of the peak is concerned, it originated from the Kannada words “dodda” and “betta”, meaning big and mountain respectively.

Doddabetta Peak, Ooty

Rose Gardens – a feast for the eyes

Ooty’s Rose Garden is the largest in the country and home to around 1919 varieties of roses. The unique collection includes Hybrid Tea Roses, Yakimour, Polyanthas, Miniature Roses, Papagena and Floribunda. Step on the observation platform at the garden and view the entire rose garden at a glance! The garden has roses according to the season. For instance, if you visit the garden during the month of March, there might be just 5-10 roses in the whole garden. So based on the month you visit Ooty, decide whether it is worth going to the gardens.

Roses at Rose Garden

Into the Toda Hamlet

Near the Avalanche Lake, about 30 km from Ooty, is Mullimund- a small toda village with traditional toda huts. The todas are a close-knitted tribal community who survive mainly by cattle herding. The shawls embroidered by them are a favourite buy among the tourists. Their dwellings or the toda huts are low, semi-barrel shaped with a small entrance and no windows. The todas are simple, religious people, who are the ingenious inhabitants of the city. However, their population has been diminishing owing to modern influences.

Toda-Huts

Glen Morgan Tea estate

It is the establishment of numerous tea estates which made Ooty famous.  25 Kilometres from Ooty is Glen Morgan tea estate, a beautiful tea garden with toda tribe establishments and a lake at the foot of its base. 3 kms down the hill, at Singara, is the Pykara Power house, which you can reach through the mechanical rope trolley. One can even see the distant planes of Mysore and the Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary from here. The drive to Glen Morgan is laden with eucalyptus and wattle plantations. All in all, it’s the perfect place for tea buffs.

Glenmorgan Tea Estate

Snapshots at the 9th Mile

This is a nice place to stop for a few pictures. Huge tracts of land, captivating views makes this place a great spot for clicking snaps, which you can later frame and hang in your drawing room. You can also walk right up to the top of the hill and experience the fantastic view. It’s definitely the place where nature poses for you. So don’t forget to bring your camera for the 9th Mile!

9th Mile in Ooty

Shopping and eating at Ooty

There is a place called Charring Cross in the middle of the town. Shopping enthusiasts can pick up things like silver trinkets, shawls, nilgiri tea, medicinal oils and handmade local chocolates from here. Once you are exhausted with all the shopping and sightseeing activities, indulge yourself in scrumptious meals at local restaurants. Try the Chettinad chicken pepper which is a speciality of the city.

Charing-Cross-Market

While at Conoor, hire a taxi and ask the driver to cover Lamb’s Rock, Dolphin Nose Point and Sim’s Park, among other places. Also check out the Thread Garden and the Honey and Bee Museum.

Dolphin-Nose-Point

Sim-Park

Lamb’s-Rock

Honey-Bee-Museum-Ooty

No need to carry a lot of warm clothes to Ooty as the place offers pretty affordable winter wear with jackets costing as less as 100/- If you are there during the months of January-February, you’ll have a lot of regional festivals to enjoy! Bon Voyage!

Madhya Pradesh Tourism: Things to see in Pachmarhi

Lying in the Satpura hill ranges, Pachmarhi is a quaint hill station in Madhya Pradesh.  A popular tourist destination from both North, Central and West India, Pachmarhi is visited by travelers all round the year. It is popularly known as ‘Satpura Ki Rani’ or the ‘Queen of Satpura Hill Range’.

Pachmarhi is not very large town and for the most part is an Army Cantonment.  The forests around the main town forming part of the Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve, along with numerous streams & waterfalls, make for a wonderful natural landscape, which attracts many tourists.  

The main places of tourist interest in Pachmarhi are:-

Rajat Prapat (large waterfall)

A horse tailed waterfall, it is said to be the 30th highest waterfall in India. Its name comes from the hindi word ‘Rajat’ meaning Silver, as when sunlight falls on the waterfall, it looks silvery in color.

Rajat Prapat-Pachmarhi

Bee Fall, Duchess Fall, Little Fall and Apsara Falls (fairy pool)

These are a number of falls in and around Pachmarhi, which are popular for their scenic beauty.

Bee Falls-Pachmarhi

Dhoot Akhilesh, Bada Mahadev and Gupt Mahadev

These are revered Shivaite temples and structures which are frequented by devotees.

Gupta Mahadev -Shrines of lord shiva and lord ganesh inside the cave

Choudaghar – Lord shiva temple

The devotees make a pilgrimage to this place in huge numbers during Mahashivratri.

Lord shiva temple

Dhupgarh

It is the highest peak of the Satpuras and also in Madhya Pradesh.

Sunset at Dhupgarh

Jatashankar

It is a stalagmite-filled cave in a deep ravine and very popular amongst adventure tourists.

Jatashankar-Pachmarhi

Pachmarhi Hill

From this hill, one gets a panoramic  view of Pachmarhi City.

Pachmarhi-Hill

Rajendra Giri

This is a beautiful garden with wonderful natural landscaping.

Forests Near Pachmarhi

Draupadi Kund

A Pond where the epic Mahabharata’s Draupadi is said to have bathed.

Draupadi Kund

Some other places of interest are Pansy Pool, Waters Meet, Picadilly Circus, Patharchatta, Crumps Crag, Lady Robertson’s View, Colletin Crag, Handi Kho , Bansri Bihar, Naagdwari and Reechgarh.

A visit to Pachmarhi hill station is a refreshing break away from the city life and amongst the best of nature offered by Satpuras.  It is truly Queen of Satpuras!!

The Pachmarhi Town is well connected from Bhopal and Indore in Madhya Pradesh.

Checkout things to do in Madhya Pradesh here ->