Uniting India
Tourism
India: The tourist’s paradise
Nagareshu Kanchi : Part-1 (Sri Varadaraja Swamy Temple)
Apr 23rd
“PushpEeshu jAthi,
purushEshu VishNu,
nArIshu rambA,
nagarEshu kAnchi”
Jasmine is the only one among flowers, Vishnu is the great one among Gods, Rambha is the choice among women, and Kancheepuram is the best among cities- Mahakavi Kalidasa
This verse is quoted often to describe the glory of Kancheepuram, especially the reign of the Pallava dynasty in the period 5th-9th centuries CE. Mahakavi Kalidasa has described, it to be the best among the cities (Nagareshu Kanchi) while Yuan Chwang, the great Chinese traveler, visited the city in the 7th century and said that its people were famous for bravery and piety as well as for their love of justice and veneration for learning. Kancheepuram is one of the seven sacred cities for Hindus. As regards learning, Kanchi stood second in glory only to Kashi ( Banaras). Like all ancient cities, Kancheepuram is also situated on the banks of a river, Vegavati. From the 3rd to the 9th century A.D. Kanchi was the capital city of the Pallavas who ruled over the territory extending from the river Krishna in the north to the river Kaveri in the south. The Pallavas fortified the city with ramparts, moats, etc., with wide and well laid out roads and fine temples. They were More >
God’s Own Country – Kerala
Jan 30th
Whenever we think of beautiful places in India the places generally come to our mind are Jammu and Kashmir and Kerala. Kerala is a small state in India, very famous for its scenic beauty. Thiruvananthapuram is its Capital. Kankyakumari, which is in Tamil Nadu is very near to Thiruvananthapuram. Tourists visiting Thiruvanthapuram can take the opportunity to visit Vivekananda Rock and Gandhi Museum in Kanyakumari. Many tourists including foreigners love to visit Kerala time and again. It’s one of their favourite destinations. Malayalam is spoken here.
Kerala is simply a visual treat and the people are friendly. The train journey from Chennai to Thiruvananthapuram makes us feel the heaven is no where but here and right here. The typical houses with Mangalore tiles and plenty of coconut trees and greenery all around presents an immense joy. One only needs to get rid of the daily never ending work pressure and take the family on a trip to the Paradise. One has to simply enjoy the pleasure of sailing in Kerala backwaters and watch the very attractive snake boat race during the season.
The population of Kerala is 33 million, approximately 1.5 times the population of Mumbai. Its area is 38,863 square More >
The Glory of Sun Temple at Konarka
Aug 22nd
The magnificent Sun Temple at Konark is the culmination of Orissan temple architecture, and one of the most stunning monuments of religious architecture in the world. Built by the King Narasimhadeva in the thirteenth century, the entire temple was designed in the shape of a colossal chariot with seven horses and twentyfour wheels, carrying the sun god, Surya, across the heavens. Surya has been a popular deity in India since the Vedic period.
Orissa unlike many other parts of India has the prized distinction of possessing an uninterrupted series of temples illustrating the history of the well-defined Kalinga (former name of Orissa) from its very inception to decline, and the Sun Temple of Konark marks the highest point of achievement. Konark, the seat of World famous Sun Temple, located in the District of Puri, forms one of the three points of the “Golden Triangle of Tourism” in the State of Orissa, the other two being Bhubaneswar, the city of Temples and Puri, the abode of Lord Jagannath. This Temple chariot of the Sun God on the golden sands of the Bay of Bengal is a 13th Century architectural marvel. To-day Konark is not merely a symbol of Orissa’s great architectural craftsmanship, it More >
