indiantourism

Get close and personal with the majestic Elephants which are the soul of Kerala. Kottoor Kappukadu Elephant Rehabilitation Centre, Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala is home to elephants which need some love and care and above all a safe place to stay. Lying in the lap of the Agasthyakoodam hill range in the Western Ghats and located towards the east of Kerala's Capital City, Thiruvananthapuram, is Kottur. The region with a good forest cover is a haven for birds and other wildlife, and is marked by tall forest tree species and numerous rivulets and streams. This forest area is part of the Agasthyavanam Biological Park. Visitors to Kottur forest area are allowed to proceed some 1.5 kms beyond the forest check post, which would end at a watchtower. The view from the watchtower at Kottur is an enchanting one with splendid views of the peaks of Thottumpara, Kathirumudi, Agasthyakoodam, Pandipathu and the popular hill resort of Ponmudi.

Kovalam Beach is an internationally renowned beach with three adjacent crescent beaches. It has been a favourite haunt of tourists, especially Europeans, since the 1930s. A massive rocky promontory on the beach has created a beautiful bay of calm waters ideal for sea bathing. The leisure options at this beach are plenty and diverse. Sunbathing, swimming, herbal body toning massages, special cultural programmes and catamaran cruising are some of them. The tropical sun acts so fast that one can see the faint blush of coppery tan on the skin in a matter of minutes. Life on the beach begins late in the day and carries on well into the night. The beach complex includes a string of budget cottages, Ayurvedic health resorts, convention facilities, shopping zones, swimming pools, Yoga and Ayurvedic massage centres. Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala, is just 16 km away from Kovalam and getting there is no hassle. But if you are on holiday it is better to stay in Kovalam and...

Shankumugham Beach is a beach in Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala, south India. The beach is on the western side of Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) city and very near to Trivandrum International Airport.            The vast stretch of white sand and the serene atmosphere, away from the crowd in the city, provide all the ingredients for relaxation and for spending an ideal evening. There is also a “Star Fish Restaurant” with eating kiosks and open-air theatre with car parking facilities. Good food can be enjoyed at the Indian Coffee House, just across the beach, which is also a vantage point for enjoying the sunset. Unfortunately, the beach is not well maintained with garbage littering the entire area.              Shanghumugham beach is considered as the ‘Arattukadavu’ of Sri Ananthapadmanabhan – The presiding deity of the city. Thousands of Hindus perform ‘Bali Tharpa...

Being one of the most well known hill resorts in India, Kodaikanal is situated on the southern pinnacle of the upper Palani Hills near Madurai in TamilNadu. Surrounded with rocks, woods, serene lakes and soothing air to embrace, Kodaikanal is the desired destination for tourists across the globe. At an altitude of about 2,133 mts, this tourist spot is spread across an area of 21.45-sq-km. Hill-plantain fruits and plums are best to be tasted here. One shall never experience extremes of climate in Kodaikanal. During January, however, the night temperatures drop down to freezing, even ice is seen on the edges of the lakes. During summer (from March to May), the temperature stays between 20°C to 11°C, while in winters (from December to February) the temperature ranges between 17.3°C to 8.3°C. Monsoon could, however, be seen during the months of June to September. If you ever disbelieved the mesmerizing power of Nature, you should travel to Kodaikanal, which beckons you with an enchan...

SREE PADMANABHASWAMY TEMPLE, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Thiruvananthapuram Located inside the East Fort in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of the State of Kerala in India is the Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. This temple is a blend of the Kerala and Dravidian styles of architecture. The history of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple dates back to 8th century. It is one of the 108 sacred Vishnu temples or Divya Desams in India. Divya Desams are the holiest abodes of the Lord Vishnu that are mentioned in the works of the Tamil Azhvars (saints). The presiding deity of this temple is Lord Vishnu, reclining on Anantha, the hooded Serpent. Marthanda Varma, the noted among Travancore kings did a major renovation to the temple and it resulted in the present day structure of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple. It was Marthanda Varma who introduced the Murajapam and Bhadra Deepam festivals in the temple. Murajapam, which literally means continuous ...

Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary & National Park is situated at the tri-junction of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka on the North Eastern Slopes of the Nilgiris part of Western Ghats descending to the Mysore Plateau. An erstwhile game reserve, Mudumalai was declared a wildlife sanctuary with a 62 sq KM area in the early 1940 by the then Madras Presidency. With Bandipur Tiger Reserve (Karnataka) in the north, and Wynad Wildlife Sanctuary (Kerala) in the west the region forms a single, continuous viable habitat for a varied range of wildlife and is a part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.The protected area is home to several endangered and vulnerable species including Indian elephant, Bengal tiger, gaur and Indian leopard. There are at least 266 species of birds in the sanctuary, including critically endangered Indian white-rumped vulture and long-billed vulture. The Western Ghats Nilgiri Sub-Cluster of 6,000 square kilometres (2,300 sq mi), including all of Mudumalai National Park...

122 kms from Nashik is the abode of one of Maharashtra’s most revered saint — Sai Baba of Shirdi. Popularly known as the ‘Child of God’, Sai Baba preached tolerance towards all religions and the message of universal brotherhood. Every activity at Shirdi revolves around the vast temple complex dedicated to Sai Baba. Devotees start queuing up in the early hours of dawn to catch a glimpse and seek the blessings of the life-size statue of Sai Baba. Thursday is marked by special pujas and darshan of the Sai Baba statue. There are other places of interest that devotees can visit as well including Dwarkamani Mosque where the Baba meditated and slept on alternate nights. Near the mosque, in a corridor is the dhuni or eternal flame that burns day and night. Other places of importance are the Gurusthan, the Kandoba Temple, Shani Mandir, Narsimha Mandir, Changdev Maharaj Samadhi and the Sakori Ashram. View Shirdi Maps: Map1 Map2 Shridi & Around Map Getting There Nearest airport is Au...

Elephant Rehabilitation Centre , Kottur Get close and personal with the majestic Elephants which are the soul of Kerala. Kottoor Kappukadu Elephant Rehabilitation Centre, Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala is home to elephants which need some love and care and above all a safe place to stay. Lying in the lap of the Agasthyakoodam hill range in the Western Ghats and located towards the east of Kerala's Capital City, Thiruvananthapuram, is Kottur. The region with a good forest cover is a haven for birds and other wildlife, and is marked by tall forest tree species and numerous rivulets and streams. This forest area is part of the Agasthyavanam Biological Park. Visitors to Kottur forest area are allowed to proceed some 1.5 kms beyond the forest check post, which would end at a watchtower. The view from the watchtower at Kottur is an enchanting one with splendid views of the peaks of Thottumpara, Kathirumudi, Agasthyakoodam, Pandipathu and the popular hill resort of Ponmudi.

OOTY This is located in the Western Ghats zone at an altitude of 2240 mtrs. It is the headquarters of the Nilgiri District, where the two mountain ranges meet.  Udhagamandalam , popularly called as OOTY by the tourist, is the Queen of Hill Stations. Centuries ago this was also called as  Oththai-Kal  [single stone]  Mandu  [ Mund is a name of Toda Village]. The British started calling it as  Ootacamund . Coffee and Tea Plantations and trees like Conifers, Eucalyptus, Pine and Wattle dot the hill side in Udhagamandalam and its environs. Summer temperature is maximum of 25 C and a minimum of 10 C . During the Winter it is minimum 5 C and a maximum of 21 C when it is slightly warmer. This area was inhibited by the  tribals  called  TODA long before any body could venture into this region. Curiously enough, this slice of paradise remained unknown even during the periods of the great  Southern Dynasties.  It was the Britons who ventu...

Amazing Chenda Music     The Chenda is mainly played in Hindu temple festivals and as an accompaniment in the religious art forms of Kerala. The chenda is used as an accompaniment for Kathakali, Koodiyattam, Kannyar Kali, Theyyam and among many forms of dances and rituals in Kerala. It is also played in a dance-drama called Yakshagana (Tenku Thittu) which is popular in Tulu Nadu of Karnataka. There is a variant of this instrument used in northern school of Yakshagana called Chande. It is traditionally considered to be an Asura Vadyam ((demonic instrument)) which means it cannot go in harmony. Chenda is an unavoidable musical instrument in all form of cultural activities in Kerala.

Ponmudi Hill Station                          Ponmudi Hill Station Located within a short driving distance of Thiruvananthapuram, Ponmudi is an enchanting hill resort with narrow winding pathways and cool, green environs. Along with a beautiful array of mountain flowers, exotic butterflies and small rivulets, Ponmudi offers excellent opportunities for trekking. With its tea estates and mist covered valleys Ponmudi is a fast developing hill resort with cottages and dormitory accommodation facilities. Getting there Nearest railway station: Thiruvananthapuram, about 61 km away Nearest airport: Trivandrum International Airport, about 67 km away Location Lattitude:8.760902, Longitude: 77.110863

Vivekananda Rock Temple            Vivekananda Rock Memorial is a popular tourist monument in Vavathurai, Kanyakumari, India. The memorial stands on one of two rocks located about 500 meters east off mainland of Vavathurai, India's southernmost tip. It was built in 1970 in honour of Swami Vivekananda who is said to have attained enlightenment on the rock.According to local legends, it was on this rock that Goddess Kumari performed austerity. A meditation hall (Dhyana Mandapam) is also attached to the memorial for visitors to meditate. The design of the mandapa incorporates different styles of temple architecture from all over India. It houses a statue of Vivekananda, made by renowned sculptor Sitaram S. Arte . The rocks are surrounded by the Laccadive Sea. The memorial consists of two main structures, the Vivekananda Mandapam and the Shripada Mandapam.

Zoological Garden,Aquarium and  Museum Thiruvananthapuram            The Thiruvananthapuram Zoo is the oldest zoo in India continuing to exist in its original location in the heart of the temple city Thiruvananthapuram. Similarly the Museum and Botanical Gardens are also the oldest of their kind in the country. Swathi Thirunal Maharaja (1816-1846), illustrious King and Music composer who had ruled Travancore during 1830-1846 is said to be the visionary behind the establishment of the Thiruvananthapuram Museum and Zoo. He had a good collection of animals including elephants in his horse breeding centre. To the Trivandrum stables he incorporated a menagerie and kept tigers, panthers cheetahs, deer, bears and a lioness there. It was however left to his brother Uthram Thirunal Marthanda Varma and the then British Resident General Cullen which resulted in the establishment of Museum and Zoo in Thiruvananthapuram. A committee was formed in 1855 with the ...

Snake Fashion show In Trivandrum Zoo 

Vivekanda Rock Vivekananda Rock Memorial is a popular tourist monument in Vavathurai, Kanyakumari, India. The memorial stands on one of two rocks located about 500 meters east off mainland of Vavathurai, India's southernmost tip. It was built in 1970 in honour of Swami Vivekananda who is said to have attained enlightenment on the rock.According to local legends, it was on this rock that Goddess Kumari performed austerity. A meditation hall (Dhyana Mandapam) is also attached to the memorial for visitors to meditate. The design of the mandapa incorporates different styles of temple architecture from all over India. It houses a statue of Vivekananda, made by renowned sculptor Sitaram S. Arte . The rocks are surrounded by the Laccadive Sea. The memorial consists of two main structures, the Vivekananda Mandapam and the Shripada Mandapam.

 PUTTAPARTHI The Divine Love of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba attracts people from far and wide to Prasanthi Nilayam, the abode of supreme peace located in the small village of Puttaparthi. What was once a small hamlet, has now become an internationally known spiritual center. The ashram Prasanthi Nilayam (Abode of Supreme Peace) is situated in Puttaparthi in the Anantapur District of Andhra Pradesh State in South India. It is 150 kilometers (about 90 miles) north east of Bangalore, about 85 km from Anantapur, 30 km from Penukonda, 40 km from Dharmavarm and 450 km from Hyderabad. In addition to Baba's Prasanthi Nilayam ashram, the town of Puttaparthi has other places of tourist attractions such as Hanuman temple, a village mosque and Sathyabhama temple. It is considered that Kondama Raju, grandfather of Sri sathya sai Baba has bulit the Sathyabhama Temple. Puttaparthy is well-connected to all the major cities in the southern part of India. The holy town has its own airport, r...

            Travel and tourism is the largest service industry in India. It provides heritage, cultural, medical, business and sports tourism.India is a land of rich cultural heritage and geographic beauty. There are many places of tourist interests in India and every year many foreign tourists from different parts of the world come to explore the eternal beauty of this Nation. Tourists come for different purposes such as tourism, business, education, family reunions, etc