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Archive for October, 2010

Kualampur- Vibrant City of Malaysia

October 28th, 2010

Twin Towers Kualampur

Kuala Lumpur also abbreviated as K.L. is a charming blend of cross cultural traditions and influences radiating a pleasant delight which captures the interest of everyone who visits here. It is the capital and the largest city of Malaysia in South East Asia and is today the fastest growing metropolitan city in terms of economy and population. Every inch of KL exhibits the Asian cyber city- with a mix of historical monuments with the modern skyscrapers and shopping malls and the wi-fi enabled coffee shops with bustling street side hawkers.

I went to Kuala Lumpur for a holiday and was more than glad with my choice. The city is full of different activities and things to do along with its rich heritage. I started my tour by visiting the I slamic Arts M useum displaying the world’ s best collection of Islamic art. The shop at the museum also sells excellent Islamic art and crafts to purchase. Other museums to see are Maybank Numismatic Museum having a huge collection of Malay currency, National Textiles Museum housing a unique collection of clothing and textiles, Muzium Negara which is the National Museum and the National Science Centre.

Kl is well known for its mosques.Next I visited the different temples and mosques of Hindu, Chinese and Muslims like M asjid Negara which is the National Mosque, Sri Mahamariamman Temple known for its procession and the Federal Territory Mosque. The best views of the city can be seen from the Manara KL which is the fourth highest telecommunications tower in the world. Tourists can enjoy the breath taking views of the growing city along with dining at the revolving restaurant, Seri Angkasa situated at the top of the tower. KL is also renowned for its iconic Petronas Twin Towers being the second highest building in the world.

Apart from architecture, KL is a paradise for shopping lovers. The city consists from the extravagant shopping malls to the local bazaars where KL Shopping Mecca for shopperstourist can try their bargaining skills. The main shopping areas are the Petaling Street Market which is famous for selling fake brands and pirated DVDs, Wet M arket located in Chinatown famous for its fresh fruit, vegetables, fish and meat. There are 66 shopping malls along in KL making it the fashion hub of Malaysia. One of the most popular shopping malls is the Suria KLCC situated right below the Petronas Twin Towers. Other shopping areas include Bukit Bintang, Bangsar district, SOGO department store and many more.

There is a great variety of food and accommodation available in Kuala Lumpur suiting the needs and pockets of all travellers. The mamak restaurants are famous for trying the local curries and traditional delicacies. For staying, KL is full of star-rated luxury hotels providing all facilities like swimming pool, gym, currency exchange, satellite TV, room telephone, internet etc. There are also some business friendly hotels ideal for business travellers with huge conference and business rooms. KL also has many guest houses and lodges great for backpackers and tourists who want to go easy on budget. Apartments are also available for those who wish to have their own kitchen and have a more private holiday.

In short, Kuala Lumpur is truly an inviting destination with  sophistication and style, Visit Kuala Lumpur and feel it!!!!!

Travel Pages Malaysia

Mizo Colorful Festivals

October 26th, 2010

Mizoram famous for natural beauty.

Mizoram known for its Blue Mountain is a favourite playground for adventure travelers. Another major tourist attractor factor in Mizoram is Festivals of Mizoram. Mizoram is the land of agriculturists and that is the main reason why all the festivals of Mizoram revolve round the harvesting and sowing of the crops. Festivals are termed as “Kut” in the language of the local folks of Mizoram. As agriculture is the focal bastion of the Mizos (people of Mizoram), so the festivals are deemed to be the symbol of displaying the fertile ecstasy of Mizoram. Festivals of Mizoram are perfect examples of love and brotherhood between various tribes residing in Mizoram. All the tribes celebrate different festivals together. Few of the important festivals of Mizoram include Mim Kut, Pawl Kut, Thalfavang Kut, Chapchar Kut and Christmas. Tourists visiting Mizoram in the months of festivals will find themselves surrounded by festivity and enthusiasm.

Mim Kut festival of Mizoram is also well-known as Maize festival. This name proves its worth because this festival is celebrated after harvesting Joy and Fun are main ingredients of Mizo fetivalsmaize crop. The festival lasts for one or two days. It is a great source of entertainment for the locals and tourists visiting Mizoram in the month of September. Tourists join the fun with Mizos on this occasion. They participate in dancing, singing, drinking local beer and also join in for ceremonial dinner. During this festival, locals also place the last year’s harvest on the memorials of the deceased souls. During these festivities ‘tingtang’ also known as  guitar and ‘phenglawng’  better known as flute are main instruments for music and dance, they are also indigenous musical instruments.

Pawl Kut is one of the crucial harvest festivals of Mizoram. December to January is the time for this festival to be celebrated and it usually takes place just after the crops are harvested.  This festival is among the biggest one and the storage are filled with grain for the coming months. All the tribes enjoy this festival collectively and with full zest for the two days.

Thalfavang Kut is the festival celebrated just after the preparation of the land for harvesting for the coming year. This festival is rejoiced by the people of Mizoram in the November of every year. The festival presents perfect picture of traditional games and the cultural heritage of the Mizoram. This festival is supposed to be the best time to come close to each other and also to forget old rivalry and begin with a new relation of brotherhood.

Festival of Music and Drums.Chapchar Kut is the main spring festival that takes place in Mizo in the month of March. This festival is celebrated to enjoy a lot in the relaxation time just after the preparation of land for new planting and before the sowing begins. To show the symbol of great enthusiasm, people of all almost all ages used to come in colorful dresses and fully ornamented. Tourists visiting Mizoram during this festival time feel the festive spirit and join in. Lots of tribes come together to take part in the celebration of this festival and each of them displays the best dance of their culture. The main attraction of this festival for tourists is the exhibition and Handloom products on sale, specialties of   Mizoram. Flower show, musical competition, food festival and also many more traditional games.

Come Visit Mizoram, this land of seven hills filled with nature and colorful tribes!!!!

Travel Pages India

Los Angeles: City of Angeles

October 21st, 2010

L A

Los Angeles popularly known as LA is the most multicultural and second largest and populated city of United States.  As the name suggests you don’t find angels there but it does feel angelic to be their. The city has its own vibes inviting tourists from all round the world. I visited LA with my family in summer and was wowed. The city is not only the home of Hollywood but is also a centre of several global businesses like fashion industry, technology, science, international trade and many other.  The thing that surprised me most about LA is its geography that is, you find yourself in the hills, beaches, forests all at the same time here. The diversity of culture has made it the ‘Creative Capital of the World’. There are many places for sightseeing and entertainment making it a hot tourist destination.

There are various architectural and historical buildings to see such as the Bradbury Building with its colourful façade, Beverly Hills LA is the hub of entertainment. Library, Old Plaza Firehouse the oldest fire station of LA, Pico House the 1870 home which is now converted to a magnificent hotel and many more. There are also a number of museums such as Pasadena Museum of History, Page Museum, Natural History Museum, Museum of Jurassic Technology, Museum of Design Art and Architecture, Los Angeles Maritime Museum etc. to know more about the art, history and culture of the city. LA is the hub of entertainment for tourists of all age groups. Many visitors come here especially for the Universal Studios, Hollywood, Disneyland, Downtown Venice Boardwalk which a scary show with a human zoo and other eminent landmarks. There are some great theatres known for their opulence and glamour like the Warner Grand Theatre, Ahmanson, Lonny Chapman Theatre, Million Dollar Theatre, Royce Hall and LA Theatre.

Enjoy peaceful Canal Walk Other places for sightseeing include Descanso Gardens holding many harvest and plant festivals for flora lovers, Redondo Beach Pier where you can enjoy best seafood along with splendid views, Sand Dune Park a fun place for the kids, South Coast Botanic Garden a beautiful garden reclaimed from a pile of trash and the popular eight beaches for a good tan, sun, surf and sand. Tourists can also enjoy peaceful Canal Walk known for its tranquillity and views. Accommodation is not at all a problem for tourists of all kinds of requirements and budgets in LA.

For outdoor activities, there are several skate parks which are unique in their own sense, public Golf Courses, Griffith Park which is America’s largest urban park, Grand Hope Park renowned for its scenic landscapes, MacArthur Park ideal for picnics and boating in a small lake along with various Adventure Sports like Rock Climbing, Canyoneering and the Toyota Speedway Irwin dale for speed lovers as in ‘Fast and Furious’.

LA is a paradise for shopping lovers having everything for everyone. You can shop till you drop from the best designer stores along with local art and crafts and speciality stores. Some of the popular places for shopping are Grand Central Market, American Girl Place, Beverly Centre, Rose Bowl Flea Market, Sika and the list goes on.

LA is definitely a must visit holiday destination filled with glamor, style, vibrancies and peace.

Travel Pages USA

Dhanteras Puja – with Vidhi and mantra

October 20th, 2010

Goddess Laxmi Pooja

Dhanteras is the one of the legendary festivals of Hindus that falls on the thirteenth day of Kartik month and in Krishna Paksha. This festive eve comes right two days before the Diwali, another auspicious festival of Hindus. Local folks love this festival  as it an invitation to great wealth and prosperity in New Hindu year for their life and home. In our household it has been ritual for years. Although, the prayers and pujas performed to God with a  clear heart always gives fruitful outcomes, same goes for Dhanteras Puja performed with perfect vidhi and devotion  will give you grand results.

This Puja requires a bit of pre-preparations. We gather all needful  ingredients called Puja Samagari before the start of  Dhanteras Puja. The most significant items that are needed in this Puja are one Deepak, made up of clay or fresh wheat dough with four wicks, matchstick, oil or ghee, wicks for the Deepak, flowers, roli, rice, one shell with a hole, money, water in panchpatra, a spoon, wooden or any decorative patas and also aasan, batasha and kheel, dhoop dhan and sambrani (Dhoop), Suhali, petha and a Chopda with kumkum and rice for tilak, a mark worn on the forhead after the Puja.

It is always convienient  to have Puja Samagri ready before starting vidhi of performing the Puja on Dhanteras. Puja for Dhanteras is done after the sunset and is performed basically by the women of the house. First of all, place the Deepak with four wicks on the pata. Pour either ghee or oil in this Deepak. Light the Deepak and this Deepak is also called Yamadeep. This four wick Deepak is for gratifying Lord Yama. After that, sprinkle water from the panchpatra around the Deepak and then perform the Puja with kumkum, roli, rice and money. Then, put some Suhalis and Pethas near the Deepak. Then, women performing the Pujas make four rounds around the Deepak. Tilak is applied by the eldest women or unmarried girl to all the people present in the Puja. The final culmination of the Puja is played by the male member of the family by keeping this lit Deepak in the right side of the outer part of the house.

By knowing this complete method of performing the Dhanteras Puja, it became very easy to impress Yamraaj and forced him to chase off all the evil from your house. But, no Puja is complete without a mantra. Here is the mantra to bring up the great wealth and opulence in your life. So,Puja on Dhanteras get ready to bring this Diwali all the good factors in your life just by reciting this mantra.

Lakshmi Maa Ashtak Stotram Mantra (English Version)

Namastetu Mahaamaaye Shree peetthey Surpoojitey
Shankha chakra gadaa hastey
Mahaalaxmi Namostutey

O Mahaamaya, abode of fortune who art worshipped by the Devas,
I salute Thee:
O MahaaLaxmi, wielder of conch, disc and mace,
obeiscance to Thee.

Namastey Garooda roodhey
Kola asura bhayankari
Sarva paapa harey Devi
Mahaa Laxmi Namostutey

My salutations to Thee,
Who ridest the Garuda,
And art a terror to Asura Kola:
O Devi MahaaLaxmi remover of all miseries,
My obeisance to Thee.

Sarvagyey Sarvey-Varadey
Sarva-dushta Bhayankaree
Sarva-dukha harey Devi
MahaLaxmi Namostutey.

O Devi MahaLaxmi who knowest all,
Giver of all boons,
A terror to all the wicked,
Remover of all sorrow,
Obeisance to Thee.

Sidhee- Budhee pradey Devi,
Bhukti Mukti pradaayanee,
Mantra-Moortey sadaa Devi,
MahaLaxmi Namostutey.

O Devi, Giver of Intelligence and Success,
And of worldly enjoyment and liberation,
Thou hast always the mystic symbols
As Thy form, O MahaLaxmi, obeisance to Thee.

Aadi-Anta rahitey Devi,
Aadi- Shakti Maheshwari,
Yogajey Yogasambhutey,
MahaaLaxmi namostutey.

O Devi, Maheshwari,
without a beginning or an end,
O Primeval Energy,
Born of Yoga,
O MahaLaxmi,
obeisance to Thee.

Sthoola Sukshma Mahaa roudrey
MahaaShakti Mahodarey
Mahaa paapa harey Devi,
MahaaLaxmi Namostutey

O MahaLaxmi who art both gross and subtle,
Most terrible, great Power, great prosperity,
And great Remover of all sins,
obeisance to Thee.

Padma Aasan Sthitey Devi,
Para Brahma Svaroopini,
Parmeshi Jagan Maatar,
MahaLaxmi Namostutey.

O Devi, seated on the Lotus,
who art the Supreme Brahman,
the great Lord and Mother of the Universe,
O MahaLaxmi, obeisance to Thee.

Shwet Aambar dharey Devi,
Nana Alankaara Bhooshitey,
Jagat Sthitey Jagan Matar,
MahaaLaxmi Namostutey.

O Devi, robed in white garments,
and decked with various kinds of ornaments,
Thou art the Mother of the Universe,
O MahaLaxmi, Obeisance to Thee.

MahaLaxmya ashtak Stotram,
Yaha pathed Bhaktimaan naraha,
Sarva Sidhim Avaapnoti,
MahaaLaxmi prasaadataha.

This puja ritual is performed by devotees with great love and devotion. You don’t have to be hindu to do it. It is all good fun, try it this Dhanteras watch Miracles happening in your life!!!!

Diwali Ki Bahut Bahut Mubarak ho !!

Travel Pages India

Dhanteras – the start of Diwali festival

October 19th, 2010

Festival of Wealth

Diwali celebrations last for five days, “Dhanteras “marks the start of this celebration. It is as if God and Goddess have come down on earth, everyone catches the infectious Diwali spirit, followed by Navratris.  Dhanteras is the festival of Hindus generally celebrated by all Indians as the”Festival of Wealth”. Literally, Dhanteras comprises of two words – Dhan and Teras. ‘Dhan’ means wealth and ‘Teras’ means this festival falls on the thirteenth day of Krishna Paksha of Kartik month as per Hindu Calendar or in the month of October or November.

Dhanteras is also abbreviated as Dhanwantari Triodasi or Dhantrayadashi. Goddess Laxmi is worshipped on this auspicious day for prosperity and welfare in every sphere. There are many legends attached to this prosperous day. Some are related to Lord Yama while other is related to Dhanvantri. That’s why this day is also called “Yamadeepdaan”.

Rangolis are made for most hindu festivals in IndiaOne of the ancient legends related to Dhanteras goes like this. It is a story of a 16 year old son of King Hima. As per his horoscope, his death was predicted by a snake-bite on the fourth day of his marriage. On that particular day, his newly-wed wife did not allow him to sleep. She laid out all her ornaments and lots of gold and silver coins in a heap near the entrance of their sleeping chamber and lit lamps all over the place. Then she narrated stories and sang songs to keep her husband from falling asleep.

When Yama, the god of Death, arrived at the prince’s doorstep in the disguise of a Serpent, his eyes were dazzled and blinded by the brilliance of the lamps and the jewelry. Yam could not enter the Prince’s chamber, so he climbed on top of the heap of gold coins and sat there the entire night listening to the interesting stories and songs. In the morning, he silently went away.

Thus, the young prince was saved from the clutches of death by the clever thinking of his new bride. Thus the day came to be celebrated as Dhanteras. It is also know as ‘Yamadeepdaan’ as the ladies of the house light earthen lamps or ‘deep’ and these are kept burning throughout the night glorifying Yama, the god of Death.

The Dhanteras celebrations also include the prior preparations. People start preparing for Dhanteras few weeks before the festival. Houses and shops get cleaned and decorated. The special colorful patterns are laid out near the entrance of the house called Rangolis.

On Dhanteras, people also visit jewelers and buy gold or silver on this day as per their pocket. Some also buy stainless steel utensils instead of Goddess of Wealthgold and silver ornaments. The logic behind this shopping is it brings good luck, abundance into life.  In the evening family get together to start the festive evening with devotional songs, bhajans and Aartis of Goddess Lakshmi. Dhanteras holds special importance in Hindu mythology. People take part in the celebration of Dhanteras with full bliss and ecstasy. At the time of sunset, clay Diyas are lit and women (believed to be Lakshmi or wealth goddess of the house) of the family place diyas all around the house to chase off the negative from their home and lives. Every one dresses in their best, women get loaded with the ornaments from head to foot another symbol of inviting wealth and prosperity in their home.

There are different customs to celebrate this festival of Dhanteras. Like, in Maharashtra, dry coriander is mixed with jaggery termed as ‘Naivedya’ and offered to Goddess Lakshmi whereas in some villages, cattles are decorated and they are worshipped for bringing abundance to their life. In the southern part of India, cows are worshipped as they are believed to be the Goddess Lakshmi’s incarnation. It depends which part of India you are in, how you will like to celebrate it. All in all it is time to enjoy, feel festive spirit and let go of your worries as we welcome Hindu New Year !!!!

Travel Pages India

Manipur- Land of Festivities

October 18th, 2010

Natural beauty of Manipur

Festivals of all the Indian states vary as per their traditions and culture, that’s why India is world-wide famous for its diversity. The festivals in Manipur keep you busy all year round every month one or more festival is celebrated. People of Manipur, addressed as “Manipuris”, are always ready to have fun and let go of their daily stress. This was a good learning for me as I spent one week traveling through Manipur. I was lucky to participate in Yaoshang (Dol Jatra) festival and learn from the locals about the other festivals.

Yaoshang (Dol Jatra) is the main festival of Manipuris celebrated in the month of February or March. This celebration lasts for five days. TheDol Jatra in manipur grand attraction of this festival is the Thabal Chongba dance and if you are here for Yaoshang (Dol Jatra) it will be a lifetime memory. It is also known as the “festival of colors” or Dol Jatra. Dol Jatra word stands for Dol’ that is the idol of Lord Krishna; while Jatra in Sanskrit stands for ‘journey’ or in layman terms Journey of Lord Krishna’s Idol. This colorful festival is dedicated to Lord Krishna and popular Thabal Chongba dance.

Lai-Haraoba is the festival celebrated in May in respect of the sylvan deities termed as Umang Lai. This festival is to celebrate the process of creation. Locals get together for songs and dance performances. This festival is celebrated in the month of May.

Lai-Haraoba Festival is celebrated in the month of May.Ramjan ID is a Muslim festival celebrated by Manipuri Muslims like rest of India.  The Muslims in the month of Ramjan do not take the food, drink and smoke from dawn- to sunset, they break their fast every evening. On the last day of Ramdan is Id a day of celebration after 30 days of fast.

Ratha Jatra is important Hindu festival of Manipur. This celebration takes place for ten days in June or July. The best part to watch and enjoy is when the God Jaganath leaves the temple and is placed in a Rath or a Chariot termed as “Kang” especially pulled by local pilgrims.

KUT is an auspicious festival of Manipur’s various tribes of Kuki-Chin-Mizo groups. This festival is the only one having so many names as per the different tribes and as per the different places. This festival is the mind-boggling thanks-giving banquet along with dances and songs. If you are planning a visit in November then make sure you are part of KUT celebration.

Chumpha is the festival of Tanghkul Nagas and is celebrated for seven days. It is the main festival of this tribe and they celebrate it in the monthChumpha is the festival of Tanghkul Nagas of December. After the harvest, the local folks get together for fun and celebration after the harvesting of crops. Procession marks the end of this festival.

Christmas a Global festival is celebrated by the Christians in Manipur. It is celebrated on 24th and 25th December every year. They participate in church activities and join the midnight mars.

Gang-Ngai is the festival of the main tribe of Manipur named Kabui Nagas. This is a five day celebration and is held in the month of December or January.

Few other most enchanting festivals celebrated in Manipur are Cheiraobha, Ningol Chakouba, Heikru Hidongba and Lui-Ngai-Ni. Visit Manipur during festive season and enjoy hospitality of Manipur at its best.

Travel Pages India

Experience Hong Kong

October 16th, 2010

Hongkong favourite holiday island in Asia

Hong Kong is one of the most loving holiday destinations of East Asia. The enchanting and colorful city of Hong Kong is situated at the southeast coast of China enclosed by Pearl River. It is famous for its expansive skyline. Hong Kong is blessed with multitude of wonderful attractions, rich culture and heritage which attract millions of tourists to this exotic island. The city is filled with several manmade and natural wonders which will undoubtedly spell-bind your senses with an irresistible charm. The best place to start with is the Aberdeen, the largest satellite town of Hong Kong. This vibrant waterfront harbor resort offers an amazing blend of traditional and modern lifestyle. The most attractive feature of this place is the floating restaurant which offers delicious local seafood.

Victoria Harbor is also an equally popular tourist attraction known for its impressive skylines and scintillating sights and public shows. Visit the Avenue of Stars or travel up to the Peak or witness A Symphony of Lights or else take a stunning ride on Star Ferry; you will fall in love with the dazzling extravaganza which the place offers to its tourists. The stupefying sight of the harbor and the city is best viewed from the Victoria Peak. The peak offers you an amazing and incredible view of the impressive skyline, harbors, towering skyscrapers and rolling hillsides of the city and is also an important tourist destination in Hong Kong. Try Peak by Peak Tram or Peak Tower.

Another exciting attraction of the city includes the Ocean Park which is renowned as the Largest Oceanarium. Covering an area of 170 aLargest Oceanarium in Asiacres, the park is comprised of ocean theatre, wave cove housing dolphins, penguins and seals. There is also atoll reef housing thousands of amazing sea creatures and the Goldfish Treasures exhibiting wonderful goldfishes. At the Panda Kingdom, you can also see cute red pandas and giant pandas.

While on your trip to Hong Kong, visit the magical place Disneyland, the first theme park in China. Surrounded with a panoramic natural landscape, Disneyland in Hongkong is divided into four sections namely Main Street USA, Fantasyland, Adventure land and Tomorrow Land. A journey to this magical land takes you to an incredible and fantasy world of animated Disney characters brimming with futuristic fun, non-stop entertainment and astounding adventures especially meant for kids.

Giant Copper Statue of Tian Tan BuddhaPo Lin Monastery is also a well known tourist attraction in Hong Kong which is widely acclaimed for its Giant Copper Statue of Tian Tan Buddha. Built in 1993, the statue is about 111 feet tall and is famous as the largest outdoor Buddha statue in the world. The statue features seated Buddha in meditation and attracts a lot of visitors from all parts of the world. The city of Hong Kong also offers Lantau Island which is the largest outlying island in the city. Located at the mouth of the River Pearl, it is a favored tourist destination.

This beautiful city of Hong Kong is blessed with immense natural beauty which is seen in its various exquisite gardens and exotic beaches. Some of the most famous bays and beaches of the city are Repulse Bay, Deep Water Bay, Turtle Cove Beach, Hung Shing Beach and Golden Beach which are perfect to spend a day on beach. Hong Kong presents an interesting blend of Western and Eastern cultures. The rich and varied culture and heritage of the city is clearly visible in its incense-filled temples, old monasteries and monuments. The major temples of the city include Sha Tin Che Kung Temple, Hung Shing Temple, Lo Pan Temple and Miu Fat Buddhist Monastery etc. A varied range of city’s museums offers a window into the colorful history of Hong Kong. The Heritage Museum, Museum of Art, Museum of History, Science Museum, and Space Museum etc. are some of the famous museums in Hong Kong.

Apart from natural sightseeing and wonderful attractions, Hong Kong is a shopping paradise for shopaholics. Here you will find each and every The first theme park in Chinaproduct of your imagination; from glitzy malls to street markets, from stylish boutiques to traditional stores and from branded fashion stores to themed shopping districts. Basically, the street markets of Hong Kong such as Stanley Market, Ladies Market, Jade Market etc. are a great delight for the tourists and offer an unusual and vibrant experience of shopping. The bustling city of Hong Kong is also known as the Culinary capital of Asia which offers some of the best of Chinese and Asian cuisines. Try the most delicious seafood, Dim Sum and Seafood which will surely tickle your taste-buds.

Hong Kong is undoubtedly a wonderland of Asia endowed with multitude of heart throbbing sightseeing places, fantastic entertainment, delicious cuisine, thrilling shopping experience and diverse cultural heritage. The modern, beautiful and captivating city of Hong Kong offers each and everything to exceed your expectations and to make your holiday a mesmerizing and memorable experience to cherish for lifetime.

Come Visit Hongkong!!!

Travel Pages Hong Kong

Tbilisi: Heart of Georgia

October 15th, 2010

Tbilisi was found in 5th Century

Tbilisi is not only the capital and the largest city of Georgia but also a very modern city progressing in the 21st century after a long stagnation in the 20th century. It is on its way to become a popular tourist destination for tourists from all parts of the world. Due to the strategic location of the city between Europe and Asia and also along the historic Silk Road routes, Tbilisi is quickly emerging as a significant transit route for global energy.

Tourists come from far to see the varied architecture of the city comprising of a mixture of Georgian along with Russian and Middle Eastern construction styles. The city is divided into old Tbilisi and New Tbilisi identified by the architectural style of the area. It was fun to explore the narrow, winding streets, magnificent religious buildings and old balconied houses in the Old Town where as the New Town is full of new building projects from five star hotels to shopping malls.

There are many landmarks and sightseeing places in Tbilisi which attract visitors to come and discover this not so popular city.  The Georgian Janashia State MuseumState Museum is worth a visit to know more about the history and culture of the city. The museum displays a collection of frescoes, icons, jewellery and porcelain of the olden era. The President’s House located on a hill is easily noticed as a formidable building. Being the capital, the city also houses the Parliament and the government buildings including the Supreme Court of Georgia. Other historical places to visit are the Narikala Fortress symbolising the defensive intensity of Tbilisi, old building of Metekhi Church and the Statue of King Vakhtang Gorgasali, Fine Arts Museum displaying a collection of Georgian art and culture by famous artists like Niko Pirosmani and Lado Gudiashvili and the Open Air Museum of Ethnography housing a collection of traditional wooden houses of Georgia along with old fashioned furnishings, rugs and utensils.

There is also a Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theatre which is the oldest opera house of Georgia. The city has some main squares in its architecture acting as major landmarks like Rustavelis moedani recognized by an old statue and Mc Donald’s and Tavisuplebis moedani also called Lenin Square during the rule of Russia. This square has the City Hall in its south and Marriott hotel in its west.

Kashveti Church  is a Georgian Orthodox church in central Tbilisi Tbilisi has many famous religious sites such as Jvaris Mama Church with a calm and peaceful atmosphere, Anchiskhati Basilica the oldest church of Tbilisi, Kashveti Church holds an interesting legend of Stone Birth, and many other churches along with a synagogue and a mosque located next to each other. Nature lovers can visit Kus Tba by an operating cable car which is a popular lake surrounded by woodlands where one can spend a day swimming, sunbathing, boating or have quite leisure walks. The Sulfur Baths is a must visit where one can relax and rejuvenate with private or public baths.

Tbilisi is truly a beating heart of Georgia, holds a potential charm for all the visitors.

Travel Pages Georgia

Festivities in Northeast India- Meghalaya

October 14th, 2010

Cheerapoonji is the wettest place on earth.

Meghalaya means “Land of Clouds”, it’s a rough translation in Hindi. This beautiful has lots of tribes and each tribe has lots of festivals to celebrate throughout the year. Festival spirit of people of Meghalaya is infectious; you are bound to catch it as soon as you land in Meghalaya. As agriculture has been the main occupation of the people of this wonderful state, most of the festivals celebrated in Meghalaya revolve round the agriculture.

The prime festival of Meghalaya is Behdienkhlam. The monsoon season is welcomed with celebrations in the month of July. This festival is Prime festival of Meghalaya is Behdienkhlamrejoiced in the Jaintia Hills. If you are visiting Meghalaya at the time of this festival you will find yourself involved in the football game “Datlawakor” and dance on pool named “Eitnar” that take place there. Basically, this festival is celebrated as a Thank you in advance to God for copious crops and to keep the state away from severe diseases.

Wangala is another important festival in Meghalaya. Garo tribes used to celebrate this festival. It is celebrated after the harvest season. Wangala is also famous for its Hundred Drums festival. This festival involves people of all age groups. To be part of this wonderful festival, visit Meghalaya in November.

Shad Suk Mynsiem is the festival of Khasi hills of Meghalaya. It is celebrated as a Thanksgiving in the spring season. The main facet of this festival is the costumes of both the men and women that attract the spectators. This festival makes a spellbinding atmosphere mingled in the religious environment.

Garo tribes celebrates Wangala Festival.In the list of religious festivals of Meghalaya, Ka Pomblang Nongkrem is also on the list. Khasi hills are filled with the joy and bliss in preparation for this festival. This is the most awaiting festival. The town is humming with the royal dance performances from dawn to dusk. This festival brings color to the life of the people just like their colorful costumes. Finally, as a religious festival, Umsan Nongkharai is celebrated in the April or May. This festival takes place with the grand celebration, full of zest and gusto.

Meghalaya is very popular for its dance festivals too. Among the dance festivals, Doregata festival is an important festival of this state, main. This festival of Meghalaya is more than enough for offering great entertainment to the tourists as there is an interesting but a funny fact behind it. On this day, female are given more priority then men, they have to strike down the beautiful multicolored turbans of their male partners. Sounds easy!! But it is not. Women are allowed to use their heads only to get the turbans off. This is an absolute fun-filled event.

Meghalaya also celebrates Lahoo Dance festival; Pomelo Dance Festival and Shad Beh Sier are also important festival in the list of Dance festivals of Meghalaya. They were started by tribes for fun and entertainment after the harvest. Now they are providing fun and entertainment to the travelers and tourist visiting Meghalaya. Enjoy these festivals and visit Meghalaya during these festive times.

Travel Pages India

One day at a Buddhist monastery in Tibet

October 13th, 2010

Tibet is famous for its monasteries
Tibet is the most religious place in Asia soaked with Buddhist culture and environment. It is quite evident from the fact that there are lots of monasteries present in Tibet. The devotion towards their religious culture can be seen from the fact that every family living in Tibet sends one boy of their family to these monasteries. These monasteries are famous in Tibet to a great extent; though Tibet has prospered a lot in educational and economical conditions now. In olden times Tibetans used to send their children to monasteries for education too.

Basically, monasteries highlight the Tibetan art and culture along with religious beliefs. Almost all the monasteries in Tibet are strict with their Monks resting in Tibetrules and regulation in order to maintain disciplines. The minimum age limit to get to enter a monastery is that of 7 or 8 years. Boys and girls are welcome to join the monasteries. When we visited Tibet we were impressed with austere lifestyle of these young monks. Life of monks is very different, part of their routine is to recite the sutras twice a day.  They start early in the morning. Their daily task includes the individual religious services, help in the kitchen, cleaning and washing, serving food and tea, shopping and many other daily routine activities. Monasteries are also used for religious ceremonies,religious study and related services. Those who have entered the monasteries, as a new comer begins their monasteries life by learning basic Tibetan language, literature, grammar, prayers and sutra chanting. On our visit to a monastery we tried reading Tibetean and also heard the young monks praying and chant their sutras.

Buddhist Monks dancing in Tibet.Festivals in Tibet are celebrated by the Tibetans with great enthusiasm. Before the start of festivals the monks are moved out of monastery to let the locals decorate it. The views of celebration are heart-warming to see all the monks in same colored robes, chanting sutras. They also perform dances of deities and animals in very weird costumes.

Monks in Tibetan monasteries also go around the city to beg and bless everyone. Monks also assist in consoling the families of the deceased, help them to understand life and death are parts of life. They also help in medical treatments and where ever they can be useful. Monks set a great example for humanity. Maybe thats why hundreds of tourist visit these monasteries and enjoy the blissful atmosphere. Visit Tibet and experience monastery life yourself!!


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