Archive for September, 2007
Udaipur experiences very hot summers and humid monsoons. Winter that is from October to March is the ideal time to visit Udaipur. The Maharana Pratap airport located 22 kilometres away from the main city is well connected to all the main cities in India. Udaipur has a railway station and which connects to all the main cities in India. The highlight of Rajasthan Railways is the beautiful Palace on Wheels. It is a luxury train offering five star facilities and takes tourists to various destinations across Rajasthan. In fact the best and the most luxurious way to visit this state of kings and experience a royal hospitality is on Palace on Wheels. Udaipur boasts of excellent highways that connect it to the major destinations in Rajasthan and Delhi. There are numerous bus and taxi services available. From tongas to luxurious cabs one cap pick any kind of transport to travel around Udaipur.
Introduction
Udaipur, historically served as the capital city of the kingdom ruled by the Mewar Rajputs, and now a district in the state of Rajasthan, in India. When the Mughal emperor Akbar captured Chittor, Rana Udai Singh from the Sisodia dynasty founded Udaipur as his capital. Udaipur is one of the few places in North India, which did not succumb to the Mughal rule and still has maintained its rich history of the brave Rajputs. A city basking in the glory of its past, set against the back drop of the Aravalli range, a city full of lakes and beautiful palaces, it is no doubt that Udaipur is rightly considered as one of the most romantic destinations in India.
Most star hotel groups have their respective chain of hotels in Bangalore, such as the Grand Ashok Hotel, Leela Palace Kempinski, Taj West End and Le Meridien. There are a number of good choices available for budget accommodation too, such as Shree Vaishnav Gujarati Samaj and Hotel Vrindavan. Most of the budget hotels are located in the Majestic area of the city. However there are a few mid range hotels available in and around MG road. One would find a watering hole or a pub in almost every corner of the city. There are pubs and bars in most of the starred hotels in Bangalore, such as the Blue Bar, Geoffrey’s, Dublin and I-Bar. There are pubs in the shopping malls, such as the Firangi Paani in the Forum and Hint in the Central. Apart from that there are numerous pubs in Brigade and MG road, such as Purple Haze, Styx, Spinn, Guzzlers, 13th Floor and many more. Bangalore has number of restaurants and cafes serving all types of cuisines, such as Thai, Korean, Chinese, Punjabi, Bengali, Andhra, Kerala, Tamil, Continental, Italian, Mexican, Persian and many more. It has strings of Udupi restaurants serving authentic south Indian food.
There are many places you can visit in Bangalore. The fantasy parks, botanical gardens, research institutes, Shopping malls, Pubs and Discos, Lakes and historic forts. It sometimes makes you wonder if there ever is an end. Bangalore is no more just a city of pensioners or now that people wonder a city full of software professionals. There is more to the city than just the IT offices. Come and experience the truly cosmopolitan city.
Bangalore is blessed with a very good climate, with the highest topping 38 degrees Celsius and the lowest being 14 degree Celsius, with very less humidity. It also has many beautiful gardens and parks, natural and manmade lakes, architectural landmarks, hi-fi shopping malls, swanky bars and restaurants, some of the best clubs, and excellent business opportunities for all. Bangalore is an ideal place for one and all with so many things to do and keep you busy with. Music, dance and concerts western and classical, carnivals, dramas, exhibitions, conferences, discos, international plays etc.
Bangalore is also home to many historical landmarks. The Bangalore fort was built by Kempe Gowda. The majestic fort was later renovated by the then ruler Tipu Sultan, inside of which is the old and well preserved Ganapathi temple which is over 400 years old. The fort is famous for its wooden carvings and beautiful paintings on the walls and ceilings. It is open for the public at the cost of a nominal fee, which is defiantly worth it. The Lal Bagh was built by Hyder Ali. This is a beautifully and well planned botanical garden with over a 1000 different species of flora. It is built around a sloped hill on a massive 2400 acre land. It also includes a beautiful lake with boating facilities. The glass house at the Lal Bagh hosts its annual fruit and flower shows every year which is a treat for the senses.
Similarly the Cubbon Park is also another botanical garden built in the year 1864. What makes this park more special is the number of government buildings including the High court, Government museum, The Bangalore Aquarium and the public library. Today the Cubbon Park is a jogger’s park where many people young and old come here for a jog or a walk in the mornings and evenings alike. There are many temples in Bangalore known for its beauty, age, and other mythical beliefs but it is the famous Iskon temple that takes all the attention. The Iskon temple is a famous landmark not just in Bangalore but around the world which attracts pilgrims and believers from across the globe. Located on Chord road, this temple is located on a small mountain but can be seen from miles away. Definitely worth a visit for its architectural glory.
Lakes also add to the beauty of Bangalore showing you a divine contrast between the natural beauty and an emerging city. The Ulsoor Lake is one such lake that stands out in the category. A beautiful serene lake with its many islands and shady trees make s it an ideal weekend getaway. It also has boating facilities and a swimming pool to beat the heat especially in the summers. The Vidhan Soudha is a historical landmark, with its splendid Dravidian architecture, the Vidhan Soudha is by far the most important government building in Bangalore. It is home to the state legislature and secretariat. The huge sandal wood door adds value and class to this building. It was recently renovated and an extension of the same building was also built which is also called its twin. The building is open for the public after 3 PM.
Bangalore is accessible by Bus, plane, train, and even private vehicles. With the International airport reaching completion by the end of 2008, it will be easier to convey in and out of the city. The government has been investing a lot of time and money in making Bangalore a better place to commute by building many fly over’s, broader roads, and also bringing in the metro project. This is going to be one metro to watch out for. The Bangalore’s main airport is well connected to most of the Indian cities in India and also caters to some international flights. Bangalore has three main railways stations, however it is the main city railway station that connects to almost all the main destinations in India. Bangalore offers a number of bus services to most destinations in South India. It also offers bus services to Mumbai and Goa. One can either use private taxis or auto rickshaws to get around the city. The options of buses are also available but these buses can be very crowded.
Introduction
Bangalore is the capital of Karnataka, India. Though the name has been changed to Bengaluru on the 1st of November 2006, people living in Bangalore or even India for that matter still prefer calling it by its original name. Looking back in time, history states that actual settlement in Bangalore only began in the year 1537. It was in this year that Kempe Gowda built a magnificent mud fort within the city and made it or rather called it a province of the Vijayanagara Empire. Soon the Bangalore cantonment was built which aided in the movement of a huge number of immigrants from various parts of India, including Chennai, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and some places in North India. For almost 300 years after that Bangalore was still under the province of Mysore. It was only in the year 1831, that the British took control of the Mysore Kingdom from the then ruler King Krishna Raja Wodeyar the third and moved the administrative capital to Bangalore, mainly influenced by the mild climate the city used to once enjoy owning to the fact it is located on the Deccan Plateau which is over 3000 feet above sea level. Bangalore is also referred to as the Silicon City of India. It was due to the successful establishment of software firms after the liberalization of India’s economy which led to the growth of IT industry. Bangalore accounts for nearly 35% of India’s software exports. Bangalore is at the moment Asia’s fastest growing cosmopolitan city emerging to international highlight. There is no reason to wonder why it is listed as the best places to do business in the world as surveyed by CNN-Time Warner.
There are many simple and clean budget hotels, such as Buddha Vihar or Siddhartha Vihar available in the Bihar tourist complex in Bodhgaya. There are also dormitories and rooms with basic accommodation facilities available in the monasteries. Bhutan Monastery also has single and family rooms. These rooms are very simple and basic but are clean. These monasteries do not charge rent but they can accept donations. Royal Residency located in Domuhan Road offers a comfortable stay but at a slightly higher price than other hotels in the area. There are a number of restaurants in Bodhgaya serving anything from traditional Bihari preparation to Continental cuisine. Royal Residency has its own multi cuisine restaurant. With the number of Tibetan’s in the area, it is not a surprise that a lot of restaurants serve Tibetan dishes, such as momos. There are these small cafes and restaurants that serve descent food, such as Café Om and Paljor.
Many Buddhist also believe Bodhgaya to be the centre of Buddhism. It was here that Prince Siddhartha attained enlightenment and became Gautam Buddha. Although Buddhism is the main focus in Bodhgaya, but with its many other attractions, this small corner in Bihar has become more than just a pilgrimage.
The main attraction in Bodhgaya is the Mahabodhi Temple, which has been declared as a world heritage site. It is believed that the temple was initially constructed around 3rd century and Asoka, the Mauryan Emperor is believed to be the founder of this temple. The present Mahabodhi temple complex is made entirely out of bricks and dates back to the late Gupta era. It is also believed that at the exact place where Buddha attained enlightenment, Asoka built a diamond studded throne, known as the Vajrasana. Archaeologists have found gold coins and other precious stones under the throne, and some of these precious offerings date back to 3rd century. With the invasion of the Muslim rulers, the glory of Mahabodhi temple declined. It was destroyed to a great extend and left unattended. It was during the British rule in India that the work on the restoration of the temple was started. The credit for this, however goes to a great extend to Anagarika Dharmapala, a Sri Lanka-based Buddhist leader. After the Indian independence the management of the temple was handed over to the government of Bihar. This is when a committee for the management of the Mahabodhi temple was formed.
The Mahabodhi temple has one main tower that is in the centre and that rises up to approximately 54 metres. This tower in the centre is surrounded on four corners by similar type of smaller towers. A railing made of granite and sandstones surrounds the temple. The railings have a mix of scenes from the Hindu society of the medieval age, stupas and flowers carved on them. Another very important aspect of the temple is the Bodhi tree. The tree in the Mahabodhi temple is a sapling of the famous and sacred Shri Maha Bodhi tree in Sri Lanka. It is believed that Shri Maha Bodhi tree is a sapling of the same Bodhi tree, under which Buddha attained his enlightenment. It is believed that it was Asoka, who initially started worshipping the tree and protected it. The tree also finds its mention in Hiuen Tsang, the Chinese traveller’s books. Hiuen Tsang describes as to how the tree was destroyed and a new sapling was planted in around 600 AD. This large pipal tree, with its heart shaped leaves is located in the west sided of the temple. There is a huge tank towards the south end of the main temple, which houses a number of water lilies. There are also a number of shrines in the temple area.
Apart from the Mahabodhi temple there are several monasteries and temples constructed by the Buddhist communities of different countries, such as Bhutan, China, Thailand, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and many more. All these temples are unique in terms of their architecture and design. The Buddhists from different countries have instilled designs, decorations and architecture that belong to their country, which reflect the culture and architectural style of their respective countries. Some of the interesting temples include the Burmese temple, which resemble an ancient capital city in Burma known as Pagan. The Burmese temple is known as Royal Bhutanese Temple and it also has facilities for accommodation, if one is looking at staying in Bodhgaya for a long time. Japan has a typical Japanese pagoda-shaped temple, known as Nippon Ji. The Thai temple is another example of beautiful architecture. The Tibetan temples house many Tibetan monks and they have very marvellous Buddhist paintings in the hallways and walls.
One would also be amazed at the various forms of Buddhist statues one can see in Bodhgaya. One of the earliest statues of Buddha was found in Bodhgaya, these statues date back to the Gupta era. Each of the temples in Bodhgaya has very unique sculptures and statues of Buddha in their respective shrines. No two statues are similar, however the ancient statues are the ones that attract the attention. In the outskirts there is an 80-foot tall statue of Buddha built by the Japanese. The statue inside the Mahabodhi temple stands at 52 metres. The Thai temple houses a bronze statue of Buddha. The statue in the Chinese temple was especially brought from China and is approximately 200 years old. There is also an archaeological museum, which has a great collection of antiques and sculptures.
Bodhgaya has a lot of tourist attractions around it. There are buses available at regular intervals from Bodhgaya to Rajgir, which is another sacred place for the Buddhists. Approximately 15 kilometres away from Rajgir is the world’s oldest university, the Nalanda University, which was established in 4500CE. The University is in ruins but the museum is open. Approximately 62 kilometres from Bodhgaya are the caves from 3rd century. These are man-made caves and the carvings inside the caves reflect Mauryan period. Approximately 20 kilometres off Gaya, in Deo is the famous sun temple of Bihar. This temple is a must visit during November when the Sun God is worshipped in the Chhat festival. There are also other attractions, such as the Lord Vishnu temple, which is a very big pilgrimage for the Hindus and Pretshila hills, which over looks a pond where people perform the religious, funeral rites. It is Bodhgaya that one would good Buddhist artifacts and souvenirs at a reasonable price.
The nearest railway station is located 16 kilometres away in Gaya. Gaya is well connected to most of the cities in India by train. There is a road that connects Gaya and Bodhgaya. The capital city of Bihar, Patna is approximately 100 kilometres away from Gaya and the nearest major airport to reach Bodhgaya is in Patna. The airport in Patna is well connected to the metro and other major cities in India. The transportation within Bodhgaya is reasonable and the best options would be the auto rickshaws or even the traditional tongas.
Introduction
A pilgrimage, a historic city, home to one of the world heritage sites, these are the words that perhaps aptly describe this small but unique city, which lies on the banks of the Niranjana River, Bodhgaya. The history of Bodhimanda as it was earlier known as dates back to 500 BC. It is in this small corner of the Gaya district in Bihar that Buddha attained enlightenment. This is the reason why Bodhgaya is considered as one of the most sacred places for Buddhists all over the world. The name Bodhgaya itself is derived from the Bodhi-tree, under which Buddha meditated and attained enlightenment. Buddhists from all over the world have built temples and monasteries all over Bodhgaya and this sacred place attracts Buddhist pilgrims and tourists from all over the world.