Month: April 2010

Must Know Travel Tips While Traveling to Discover Incredible India

India is among the most colorful nations of the world and boasts of a rich history, culture and heritage. To get the most of your trip and tour to discover incredible India, it would be a good idea to equip yourself with useful information before you set out for a journey of a lifetime.

Getting In and Out

  • To explore India, you need a valid passport and visa to India. Carry them at all times while enjoying a vacation in India. Notify your country’s embassy or consulate in case your passport is stolen or lost.
  • One needs additional permits to go to certain destinations in India such as Andaman Islands, Gujarat, Ladakh, Kerala, and more. Check with your travel agent or embassy while planning your visit.
  • 15-Day visa extensions are granted under exceptional circumstances. If you intend to stay longer than 3 months on non-tourist visas there is a registration requirement. This registration makes the bearer eligible for domestic ticket prices.

Getting Around and About

  • Most cities have means of efficient local transportation such as taxis, auto rickshaws, cycle rickshaws, and buses. Private cabs can also be hired.
  • It is important to carry an International Driving License if you wish to drive on your own.
  • For inter-city and inter-state transport you can avail services of Indian Railways and domestic airlines. Buses, taxis and cabs also ferry people across cities and states.

Climate

  • It is best to visit Indian plains during cooler months from November to March.
  • For a visit to mountainous regions of India, the months of April to October are better suited.

Food and Health

  • Indian cuisine is a tad too spicy for European and American taste buds. Indulge in the gastronomical delights only if you have the stomach for it. Also, there are plenty of non-spicy cuisines and delicacies to choose from.
  • You may occasionally need insect repellent cream. If you are allergic to dust, be sure to carry medication with you. Sunscreen is another must-have.

Smart Shopping

  • Bargaining is the norm in local bazaars selling products without a written price. Resist the urge to buy without comparing prices from shops selling similar stuff.
  • Be wary of roadside peddlers trying to sell you semi-precious and precious gems and jewelry. Visit state emporia and the Central Cottage Industries Emporia (most major cities have one) for fixed prices and a fair idea of the cost with a regular dealer.
  • Trading in ivory, fur, animal skins, antiquities and the like is illegal. If you must have it, obtain a certificate of legitimate sale and permission for export before leaving the country.

Social Decorum

  • Public display of affection is not appreciated and neither is public nudity unless perhaps one is at a beach.
  • One is expected to cover the head before entering a religious place such as a temple or mosque.
  • Ask for permission before clicking pictures of women and religious complexes. Some places charge for taking pictures while it is prohibited at a few places as well.

Do’s and Don’ts

  • Do Drink lot of water when traveling in India during summer, Mineral water bottle are easily available everywhere.
  • Do carry attested photocopies of your travel documents and keep the originals in a safely locked baggage.
  • Do fill up a Currency Declaration Form along and a Disembarkation Card besides making an oral declaration of the luggage you are carrying.
  • Do not smoke in public places.
  • Do not give money to beggars.
  • Do wear light cotton cloths, advisable for summer travel in India
  • Do carry UV sunglasses, Caps or an Umbrella during your summer visit.

Toshali “Care” for its guest, Toshali is celebrating 25 glorious years of customer satisfaction. Discover Incredible India with Toshali Holidays..

For more info leave a message with me “Metu” your travel expert and guide. I would be glad to get back and address your queries. Add on more tips, if you feel any of the tips missing, which your fellow travelers should know….

Rath Yatra: The Chariot Festival of Lord Jagannath

“The grandeur and heritage of Puri “Rath Yatra” – The Car Festival, is the annual holy carnival for devotees, travelers, tourist, photographers, Journalist, travel gurus. It’s the photographer’s paradise, and people from all over the world come to film The Chariot festival. Every year pilgrims find something new to witness and take back memories and blessing when visit to Jagannath Dham.

Puri, the south-eastern Indian city is visited for a number of reasons; its beaches, its coastal cuisine, its temples, and the Rath Yatra are a few of them to mention here… Popularly known as the Temple Chariot Festival; Rath Yatra and Annual Car festival is the yearly festival of the Hindus in which lord Krishna “Jagannath”, his heavenly brother “Balabhadra”, and his divine sister “Subhadra” are taken from the 11th Century Shree Jagannath Puri Temple in town to the Gundicha temple amidst millions of devotees – domestic and international. One of the most incredible spectacles in the world, this festival also commemorates the human journey of dark to light, the journey from ignorance to knowledge, and the journey of final salvation.

Puri Rath Yatra has been celebrated in the city since times memorial. It is observed on the 2nd day of the full-moon fortnight in the month of June-July. Wonderfully decorated wooden chariots of the deities are pulled by devotees with large ropes. These ropes are considered very auspicious and devotees who can touch them are deemed as lucky. This year the Car festival will be observed from 12th of July 2010 till 23rd July 2010. The core festivities of Rath Yatra – the Car Festival will be celebrated on 21st June 2012

Rath Yatra: The Car Festival at, Puri

“Rath Yatra : The Car Festival at Puri”

Catch the magical glimpse of the festivities as have been celebrated over the years at http://bit.ly/afotpC

Rath Yatra is not just for the people of Orissa. It is a celebration for devotees and visitors from all over the world. Owing to the painstaking efforts of Prabhu AC Bhaktivedanta of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), Rath Yatra is not just limited to Indians, it is today a popular festival celebrated in several European and Asian nations as well. Belfast, Dublin, Venice, Toronto, USA san Francisco and other cities in USA states and Singapore are a few of them to mention.

Let me also run you through a few of the significant facts about the Rath Yatra festival:

  • The 3 chariots of the deities are constructed newly of Phassi and Dausa trees, local trees that are especially brought to Puri from nearby cities and towns of Orissa.
  • The chariot of Lord Jagannath (Krishna) is known as Nandighosa and is driven on sixteen wheels.
  • The chariot of Subhadra is popular as Dwarpadalana and is traveled on twelve wheels.
  • The chariot of Balabhadra is called as Taladhwaja. It has fourteen wheels.
  • The construction of the chariots begins on the day of Akshaya Tritya. This year the date will be 14th of May 2010.
  • A ceremonial everyday boat ride for the deities commences at the Narendra Tank and this festival is held for 21days and is called the Chandan Yatra.
  • The ceremonial bathing of the deities, Snana Jatra in the month of June follows this act.
  • Nearly every house in Orissa is decorated with flowers and oil lamps on the account of Rath Yatra.
  • Over 10 lakh devotees come down to Puri for this festival.
  • Once the festival is over, the chariots are broken and the sandalwood sold to devotees as mementoes and relics.

The Rath Yatra truly manages to enable visitors and devotees with an ethereal experience of natural nirvana. Come embark on this journey and enjoy a never before experience. Toshali makes all arrangement for their guest to experience the car festival.

How to Reach Puri for the Chariot Festival?

  • Shree Jagannath Temple Puri is 60-km from Bhubaneswar, the capital city of Orissa.
  • Nearest Airport is Bhubaneswar 60km from the holy temple from there you can easily hire a vehicle or a bus or an environment friendly Rickshaw.
  • Rail Lines in India are well connected with Puri Railway Station directly to and from different major cities like Kolkota, New Delhi, and Bhubaneswar, Tirupati and Ahmedabad and more.
  • By road Puri is 60-km from Bhubaneswar main bus stand and 35-km from Konark on Marine Drive.
  • Toshali, the ethnic village resort is located on the Puri – Konark Marine Drive, which is just 15 to 20 minutes drive to Shree Jagannath Temple. Toshali makes all arrangements for its guests to witness and experience Rath Yatra – The Chariot Festival.

On the event of The Car Festival “Rath Yatra” 2010.  Toshali is on to demonstrate the positive change on International coastal clean up drive at Puri beach to keep it clean, and have initiated the initiative cause “Puri Beach: Keep Me Clean”. It has already set an example on “Balighai beach”, Puri in coordination with the Orissa Forest Department.

Balighai Beach Puri

Balighai Beach at Puri

Do not forget to carry your camera; we would appreciate if you share your video and photographs at our blog. For More Information on The Car Festival leave a comment, Metu will revert back…

About us..

Toshali Resorts Interantional is celebrating 25 glorious year of customer satisfaction. Rejuvenate Your Soul At Toshali, Where Nature Comes Alive.

Toshali Resorts International is – (A division of TK International Limited), owned and managed by travel and tourism professionals with over 35 years of experience.

It was incorporated in 1982, is engaged in development of holiday resorts and has become one of the leading integrated tourism companies in India.  All the property are breathtaking tourist resorts in India

Toshali Resorts future plans is to develop Resorts & Hotels, Home sites, in the area of Beach Resorts, Heritage Destinations, Eco Friendly Sites & Lakes etc and give its guest best of the luxury holiday resort and travel experience.

Toshali Resorts Mission, its objective is promotion of tourism in the country and focusing on customer delight.Products:Toshali Luxury Resorts are at topographically diverse landscapes “Where Nature Come Alive”

Toshali Sands, Puri
Toshali Jungle Lodge, Simlipal
Toshali Royal View Resort, Shimla

For all assistance and guidance regarding hospitality and information about Toshali Resorts, do post all your queries/comments to your friendly travel expert “Metu”