India Travel Blog

En octubre hice la ruta de Rajhastan, con Raju India, 14 dias de los cuales dos los dedicamos , a la boda de nuestre hija, que se caso en Karauli, en el palacio del maraja´, Todo estubo perfecto, y ademas muy exotico. Lo organiza la misma agencia, el trato fue cordial y pudimos vivir la experiencia inolbidable de una boda por el rito Indú. Luego continuamos con el tour, en todo momento tubimos coche con chofer, lo cual hizo que pudieramos ver todo, y con mucha comodidad, terminamos en Mandawa, y de ahi volvimos a nuestros lugar de inicio Deli. Fuimos 1 dia a Benares en avion, alli nos esperaba un chofer y nos llevo al Ganges, en la ceremonia de la noche y luego por la mañana a las 5 h, ver salir el sol , habia muchos peregrinos purificandose en los gacs, y nos impresiono la fe que tienen, el colorido, de su ropa, la alegria de sus rostros, la palabra es MARAVILLOSO, nos enamoramos del lugar y fue la guinda que le faltaba al pastel. Os lo recomiendo con Raju India tubimos un trato familiar y cordial. Con los choferes y guias, tubimos gran ayuda, y ademas son de toda confianza. El clima en octubre es ideal

Jaisailmer fort, Rajasthan, Visit Jaisalmer, holidays in jaisalmer, Rajasthan

Jaisalmer Fort or Sonar Kila is one of the prime attraction for tourists across the world, it is popularly referred as the Jewel of Desert. This mega structure fort is centuries old in the history of Jaisalmer, and is almost surrounded by exotic sand dunes, that offers exciting and unforgettable camel safaris to tourists.

 

Camel safari in thar desert Jaisalmer

Every November, the sleepy little township of Pushkar in Rajasthan, India comes alive with a riot of colors and a frenzied burst of activity. The occasion: PUSHKAR FAIR. Very few, if at all any, fairs in the world can match the liveliness of Pushkar. Most people associate the Pushkar Fair with the world’s largest camel fair. But it is much more than that.

Fruit Shop

It is an occasion for villagers from far and near to gather together and enjoy a welcome break from their harsh life of the arid desert. And enjoy they do! In dazzling style and colors.

It is an occasion for Hindu pilgrims to converge for a holy dip in the sacred Pushkar Lake to “wash away the sins of a lifetime” and pay obeisance at the ONLY Brahma temple in the world.

For the visitor, it is an unparalleled and unforgettable experience to capture the vibrancy of the entire state of Rajasthan in one place. This website by Rex Tours, attempts to give you a glimpse of the magic of Pushkar. Of course, you have to be there to truly understand it.

In the month of Kartik each year, a staggering number of camels travel their way across the golden sands of Rajasthan to collect at Pushkar for the week-long fair devoted to them. Coming in from all directions, their masters astride them, they flick the sand at every step with casual ease. The horses that march to this site find the sand-trot a touch exercise. Numerous cows and sheep also come to the animal fair. Completing the scene thousands of men, women and children, come with their beasts, suddenly inhabiting the barren plain with the camel providing the backdrop.

The contrast to the dull desert landscape is the riot of colours – the large gaudy turbans of the native males arriving here to trade their animals or set up the stalls to cater to the booming captive market, and the loud hues of the pleated ghagaras (ankle-length skirts) of the women bangled by the armful, bejewelled from head to toe- adding charm and zest to the massive affair.

At Mela time, Pushkar is Rajasthan under one roof, a complete exhibition of its culture.

The trading

Over the first five days of the fair, camels, horses, cows, goats, and sheep are sold and purchased. There may be long-drawn negotiations, or sometimes, a quick transaction. Hard bargains are struck, the vendor praising the long list of virtues of his camel to the prospective buyer.

Fashionable Women
Womenfolk seem to have little interest in the business of animals. They are more attracted to the glittering wares in the stalls under canopies. The large variety of intricate silver ornaments – hairpins and chains, nose rings and neckbands, waistbands, anklets, toe rings and the ivory bangles worn from wrist to shoulder – would send any woman on a buying spree.

The garments stalls, in no way less colourful, sell high fashion upper garments of patchwork and tie ‘n’ die. Tattoo stalls give many women beauty marks that last a lifetime. Whoever said that the unsophisticated are not fashionable!

Camels
In Rajasthan even the camels are fashion-conscious, and that too to a high degree, for they are soon to be part of a beauty parade! The proud owner of a newly acquired camel promptly goes to the stalls which the women bypassed.

At these stalls all the crafts of Rajasthan have been pressed into the service of the camel community. Handmade saddles to fit every hump; long strings of cowries, beads; colourful, woven saddle-straps, and embroidered back-covers to boot. After a shearing and a scrub, the camel is costumed and even perfumed! Surely the Rajasthani man loves his camel-and his wife!

Fun and frolic
As the tempo of business goes down, the men folk turn to merriment, for the day of the camel sports is at hand. Camel races are the first event. Usually a lumbering beast of burden, the camel all decorated in finery, imagines itself to be an ostrich, and rushes through the race like one. Then comes the event analogous to musical chairs. Here, as the music stops, the camel is supposed to manage to stick its long arching neck between two poles, each camel owner guiding its entrant by means of a silken cord attached to its nose ring.

Vying for the first pace in the beauty contest, splendidly bedecked camels are bought to the ring and paraded to catch the critical eye of keen judges. The gait of the camel, the choice of its equipment and ornament, its capacity to interpret and carry out commands and the variety of pranks it is capable of performing are the criteria of selection. The most thrilling camel event is ‘laadoo oonth’. see how much weight the camel can can carry, man after man clamber onto the ridge-like back of the camel, each clutching at the other to retain the collectively precarious position. It is not an uncommon sight to see the human cargo come crashing down as the camel tries to get to its feet! It is yest to be known if this is the intention of the camel.

The culmination
Kartik Purnima, the day of ritual oblation , is also the closing day of the world’s most colourful festivals. Bathing begins at dawn. There is quite a scramble for getting a place on the bathing ghats. The famed waters of the Pushkar Lake wash away the sins of a lifetime. The mystical water is also believed to cure skin diseases, making Pushkar the Lourdes of the east. After bathing, the devotees line up in long colourful queues to take their turn to worship the Creator, Brahma.

Romance touches Pushkar on the full moon night, as tiny leaf boats, each carrying flowers and an oil lamp, are set afloat on the placid lake. Twinkling like thousands of stars, their flickering flames reflected in the water. The next day dawns for the exodus. Long caravans hump their way along, taking many camels to their new homes. Little does a camel know which master it will serve after the coming Pushkar Fair.

Activities during Pushkar Fair
“As the tempo of business goes down, the men folk turn to merriment, for the day of the camel sports is at hand. Camel races are the first event. Usually a lumbering beast of burden, the camel all decorated in finery, imagines itself to be an ostrich, and rushes through the race like one. Then comes the event analogous to musical chairs. Here, as the music stops, the camel is supposed to manage to stick its long arching neck between two poles, each camel owner guiding its entrant by means of a silken cord attached to its nose ring.

Raju India

India’s history and culture is dynamic, spanning back to the beginning of human civilization. It begins with a mysterious culture along the Indus River and in farming communities in the southern lands of India. The history of India is punctuated by constant integration of migrating people with the diverse cultures that surround India. Available evidence suggests that the use of iron, copper and other metals was widely prevalent in the Indian sub-continent at a fairly early period, which is indicative of the progress that this part of the world had made. By the end of the fourth millennium BC, India had emerged as a region of highly developed civilization.

The Indus Valley Civilization

The History of India begins with the birth of the Indus Valley Civilization,

Indus Valley Civilization

more precisely known as Harappan Civilization. It flourished around 2,500 BC, in the western part of South Asia, what today is Pakistan and Western India. The Indus Valley was home to the largest of the four ancient urban civilizations of Egypt, Mesopotamia, India and China. Nothing was known about this civilization till 1920s when the Archaeological Department of India carried out excavations in the Indus valley wherein the ruins of the two old cities, viz. Mohenjodaro and Harappa were unearthed. The ruins of buildings and other things like household articles, weapons of war, gold and silver ornaments, seals, toys, pottery wares, etc., show that some four to five thousand years ago a highly developed Civilization flourished in this region.

The Indus valley civilization was basically an urban civilization and the people lived in well-planned and well-built towns, which were also the centers for trade. The ruins of Mohenjodaro and Harappa show that these were magnificent merchant cities-well planned, scientifically laid, and well looked after. They had wide roads and a well-developed drainage system. The houses were made of baked bricks and had two or more storeys.

The highly civilized Harappans knew the art of growing cereals, and wheat and barley constituted their staple food. They consumed vegetables and fruits and ate mutton, pork and eggs as well. Evidences also show that they wore cotton as well as woolen garments.

By 1500 BC, the Harappan culture came to an end. Among various causes ascribed to the decay of Indus Valley Civilization are the invasion by the Aryans, the recurrent floods and other natural causes like earthquake, etc.

Vedic Civilization

The Vedic civilization is the earliest civilization in the history of ancient

Vedic Civilization

India associated with the coming of Aryans. It is named after the Vedas, the early literature of the Hindu people. The Vedic Civilization flourished along the river Saraswati, in a region that now consists of the modern Indian states of Haryana and Punjab. Vedic is synonymous with Aryans and Hinduism, which is another name for religious and spiritual thought that has evolved from the Vedas. The largely accepted view is that a section of Aryans reached the frontiers of the Indian subcontinent around 200 BC and first settled in Punjab and it is here, in this land, where the hymns of Rigveda were composed.

The Aryans lived in tribes and spoke Sanskrit, which belonged to the Indo-European group of languages. Gradually, the Aryans intermingled with the local people and a historic synthesis was worked out between the Aryan tribes and the original inhabitants. This synthesis broadly came to be known as Hinduism. The Ramayana and Mahabharata were the two great epics of this period.

The Buddhist Era

During the life time of Lord Gautam Buddha, sixteen great powers

Gautam Buddha

(Mahajanpadas) existed in the 7th and early 6th centuries BC. Among the more important republics were the Sakyas of Kapilavastu and the Licchavis of Vaishali. Besides the republics, there were monarchical states, among which the important ones were Kaushambi (Vatsa), Magadha, Kosala and Avanti. These states were ruled by vigorous personalities who had embarked upon the policies of aggrandisement and absorption of neighbouring states. However, there were distinct signs of the republican states while those under the monarchs were expanding.

Buddha was born in BC 560 and died at the age of eighty in BC 480. The place of his birth was a grove known as Lumbini, near the city of Kapilavastu, at the foot of Mount Palpa in the Himalayan ranges within Nepal. Buddha, whose original name was Siddhartha Gautama, was the founder of Buddhism, the religion and the philosophical system that evolved into a great culture throughout much of southern and eastern Asia.

Alexander’s Invasion

In 326 BC, Alexander invaded India, after crossing the river Indus he advanced towards Taxila. He then challenged king Porus , ruler of the

Alexandre The Great

kingdom between the rivers Jhelum and Chenab. The Indians were defeated in the fierce battle, even though they fought with elephants, which the Macedonians had never before seen. Alexander captured Porus and, like the other local rulers he had defeated, allowed him to continue to govern his territory.

During this trip to rivers Hydaspes and Indus in the south, Alexander sought out the Indian philosophers, the Brahmins, who were famous for their wisdom, and debated with them on philosophical issues. He became legendary for centuries in India for being both, a wise philosopher and a fearless conqueror.

One of the villages in which the army halted belonged to the Mallis, who were said to be one of the most warlike of the Indian tribes. Alexander was wounded several times in this attack, most seriously when an arrow pierced his breastplate and his ribcage. The Macedonian officers rescued him in a narrow escape from the village.

Alexander and his army reached the mouth of the Indus in July 325 BC, and turned westward for home.

The Mauryan Empire

The period of the Mauryan Empire (322 BC-185 BC) marked a new epoch in

Asoka Maurya Sign

the history of India. It is said to be a period when chronology became definite. It was a period when politics, art, trade and commerce elevated India to a glorious height. It was a period of unification of the territories which lay as fragmented kingdoms. Moreover, Indian contact with the outside world was established effectively during this period.

The confusion following the death of Alexander gave Chandragupta Maurya an opportunity to liberate the countries from the yoke of the Greeks, and thus occupy the provinces of Punjab and Sindh. He later overthrew the power of Nandas at Magadha with the aid of Kautilya , and founded a glorious Mauryan empire in 322 BC. Chandragupta, who ruled from 324 to 301 BC, thus, earned the title of liberator and the first emperor of Bharata.

At a higher age, Chandragupta got interested in religion and left his throne to his son Bindusar in 301 BC. Bindusar conquered the Highland of Deccan during his reign of 28 years and gave his throne to his son Ashoka in 273 BC Ashoka emerged not only as the most famous king of the Maurya dynasty, but is also regarded as one of the greatest king of India and the world.

His empire covered the whole territory from Hindu Kush to Bengal and extended over Afghanistan, Baluchistan and the whole of India with the exception of a small area in the farthest south. The valleys of Nepal and Kashmir were also included in his empire.

The most important event of Ashoka’s reign was the conquest of Kalinga (modern Orissa) which proved to be the turning point of his life. The Kalinga war witnessed terrible manslaughter and destruction. The sufferings and atrocities of the battlefield lacerated the heart of Ashoka. He made a resolve not to wage war any more. He realised the wickedness of worldly conquest and the beauty of moral and spiritual triumph. He was drawn to the teachings of Buddha and devoted his life to the conquest of men’s heart by the law of duty or piety. He evolved a policy of Dharma Vijaya, ‘Conquest by Piety’.

End of the Mauryan Empire

Ashoka was succeeded by weak rulers, which encouraged the provinces to proclaim their independence. The arduous task of administering such a vast empire could not be executed by the weak rulers. The mutual quarrel among the successors also contributed to the decline of the Mauryan Empire.

In the beginning of the 1st century AD, the Kushanas established their authority over the north-west frontier of India. The most famous among the Kushana kings was Kanishka (125 AD-162 AD), who was the third in the Kushana dynasty. The Kushana rule continued till the middle of 3rd century AD. The most notable achievement of their rule was the development of Gandhara School of Art and further spread of Buddhism into distant regions of Asia.

Gupta Dynasty

After the Kushanas, the Guptas were the most important dynasty. The Gupta

Gupta Dynasty

period has been described as the Golden Age of Indian history. The first famous king of the Gupta dynasty was Ghatotkacha’s son Chandragupta I . He married Kumaradevi, the daughter of the chief of the Licchavis. This marriage was a turning point in the life of Chandragupta I. He got Pataliputra in dowry from the Lichhavis. From Pataliputra, he laid the foundation of his empire and started conquering many neighbouring states with the help of the Licchavis. He ruled over Magadha (Bihar), Prayaga and Saketa (east Uttar Pradesh). His kingdom extended from the river Ganges to Allahabad. Chandragupta I also got the title of Maharajadhiraja (King of Kings) and ruled for about fifteen years.

Chandragupta I was succeeded by Samudragupta in about 330 AD, who reigned for about fifty years. He was a great military genius and is said to have commanded a military campaign across the Deccan, and also subdued the forest tribes of the Vindhya region.

Samudragupta’s successor Chandragupta II , also known as Vikramaditya, conquered the extensive territories of Malwa, Gujarat and Kathiawar. This provided exceptional wealth, which added to the prosperity of the Guptas. The Guptas in this period engaged in sea trade with the countries of the west. It was most probably during his reign that Kalidas, the greatest Sanskrit poet and dramatist, as well as many other scientist and scholars flourished.

Decline of Gupta Dynasty

The decline of the Gupta power in northern India between the close of 5th and the 6th century AD gave rise to various small independent kingdoms and attracted foreign invasions of Huns. Toramara was the leader of the Huns and was successful in annexing large parts of the Gupta Empire. His son, Mihirakula was a cruel barbarian and one of the worst tyrants known. Two native powerful princes, Yasodharman of Malwa and Baladitya of Magadha crushed his power and put an end to his reign in India.

Harshavardhana

With the commencement of the 7th century, Harshavardhana (606-647 AD) ascended the throne of Thaneshwar and Kannauj on the death of his brother, Rajyavardhana . By 612 Harshavardhana consolidated his kingdom in northern India.

In 620 AD Harshavardhana invaded the Chalukya kingdom in the Deccan, which was then ruled by Pulakesin II . But the Chalukya resistance proved tough for Harshavardhana and he was defeated. Harshavardhana is well known for his religious toleration, able administration and diplomatic relations. He maintained diplomatic relations with China and sent envoys, who exchanged ideas of the Chinese rulers and developed their knowledge about each other.

The Chinese traveler, Hiuen Tsang, who visited India during his reign, has given a vivid description of the social, economic and religious conditions, under the rule of Harsha spoke highly of the king. Harsha’s death, once again, left India without any central paramount power.

The Chalukyas of Badami

The Chalukyas were a great power in southern India between 6th and 8th

Caves of Badami

century AD. Pulakesin I, the first great ruler of this dynasty ascended the throne in 540 AD and having made many splendid victories, established a mighty empire. His sons Kirtivarman and Mangalesa further extended the kingdom by waging many successful wars against the neighbours including the Mauryans of the Konkans.

Pulakesin II, the son of Kirtivarman, was one of the greatest ruler of the Chalukya dynasty. He ruled for almost 34 years. In this long reign, he consolidated his authority in Maharashtra and conquered large parts of the Deccan. His greatest achievement was his victory in the defensive war against Harshavardhana.

However, Pulakesin was defeated and killed by the Pallav king Narasimhavarman in 642 AD. His son Vikramaditya , who was also as great a ruler as his father, succeeded him. He renewed the struggle against his southern enemies. He recovered the former glory of the Chalukyas to a great extent. Even his great grandson, Vikramaditya II was also a great warrior. In 753 AD, Vikramaditya and his son were overthrown by a chief named Dantidurga who laid the foundation of the next great empire of Karnataka and Maharashtra called Rashtrakutas.

The Pallavas of Kanchi

In the last quarter of the 6th century AD the Pallava king Sinhavishnu rose

Pallavas of Kanchi

to power and conquered the area between the rivers Krishna and Cauveri. His son and successor Mahendravarman was a versatile genius, who unfortunately lost the northern parts of his dominion to the Chalukya king, Pulekesin II. But his son, Narsinhavarman I, crushed the power of Chlukyas. The Pallava power reached its glorious heights during the reign of Narsinhavarman II, who is well known for his architectural achievements. He built many temples, and art and literature flourished in his times. Dandin, the great Sanskrit scholar, lived in his court. However, after his death, the Pallava Empire began to decline and in course of time they were reduced to a mere local tribal power. Ultimately, the Cholas defeated the Pallava king Aparajita and took over their kingdom towards the close of the 9th century AD.

The ancient history of India has seen the rise and downfall of several dynasties, which have left their legacies still resounding in the golden book of Indian history. With the end of the 9th century AD, the medieval history of India started with the rise of empires such as the Palas , the Senas , the Pratiharas and the Rashtrakutas , and so on.

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Exclusive North India

Day 1 – New Delhi

Day 2 – Jaipur (The Pink City)

Day 3 – Jaipur (The Pink City)

Day 4 – Agra (Taj Mahal closed on Friday)

Day 5 – Orchha

Day 6 – Khajuraho – (The city of Kamasutra temples)

Day 7 – Khajuraho to Varanasi (by Flight or Night Train)

Day 8 – Varanasi

Day 9 – Varanasi to New Delhi (By Flight)

Day 10 – New Delhi

Day 11 – New Delhi

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Best of North India

Day 1 – New Delhi

Day 2 – Mandawa (Shekhawati Region Silk Route)

Day 3 – Bikaner

Day 4 – Jaisalmer (The Golden City)

Day 5 – Jaisalmer (The Golden City)

Day 6 – Jodhpur (The Sun City)

Day 7 – Ranakpur  (The world famous Jain Temples)

Day 8 – Udaipur (The City of Lakes)

Day 9 – Udaipur (The City of Lakes)

Day 10 – Pushkar  (The only Brahma Temple in the world)

Day 11 – Jaipur (The Pink City)

Day 12 – Jaipur (The Pink City)

Day 13 – Agra (Taj Mahal closed on Friday)

Day 14 – Orchha

Day 15 – Khajuraho (The city of Kamasutra temples)

Day 16 – Khajuraho to Varanasi (The Ganges) by Flight or Night Train

Day 17 – Varanasi

Day 18 – Varanasi to New Delhi (By Flight or Night Train)

Day 19 – New Delhi

Day 20 – New Delhi

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Regal Rajasthan

Day 1— Delhi Arrival, India

Day 2 — Agra (Taj Mahal closed on Friday)

Day 3 – Jaipur – 250km

Day 4 — Jaipur

Day 5 — Jaipur / Pushkar / Deogarh – 270km

Day 6 — Udaipur – 140km

Day 7 — Udaipur

Day 8 —Kumbhalgarh – 80km

Day 9 —Jodhpur – 240km

Day 10 — Jaisalmer – 275km

Day 11 — Jaisalmer

Day 12 — Bikaner – 275km

Day 13 — Mandawa– 275km

Day 14 — Mandawa / New Delhi – 275km

Day 15 — New Delhi – 275km

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Best of Rajasthan with Varanasi

Day 1 – New Delhi

Day 2 – Mandawa

Day 3 – Bikaner

Day 4 – Jaisalmer (The Golden City)

Day 5 – Jaisalmer (The Golden City)

Day 6 – Jodhpur (The Sun City)

Day 7 – Ranakpur (The world famous Jain Temples)

Day 8 – Udaipur (The City of Lakes)

Day 9 – Udaipur (The City of Lakes)

Day 10 – Pushkar  (The only Brahma Temple in the world)

Day 11 – Jaipur (The Pink City)

Day 12 – Jaipur (The Pink City)

Day 13 – Agra (Taj Mahal closed on Friday)

Day 14 – Agra to Varanasi

Day 15 – Varanasi

Day 16 – Varanasi to New Delhi

Day 17 – New Delhi

Day 18 – New Delhi

More Info.

Are you looking for a workout program that’s easy to learn, requires little or no equipment, and soothes your soul while toning your body? If strengthening your cardiovascular system, toning and stretching your muscles, and improving your mental fitness are on your to-do list, keep reading to learn more about the basics of yoga.

Anjaneyasana – A Yoga PostureWhat Is Yoga?
It seems like a hot new trend, but yoga actually began more than 3,000 years ago in India. The word yoga is Sanskrit (one of the ancient languages of India). It means to “yoke,” or unite, the mind, body, and spirit.

Anjaneyasana - A Yoga Posture

Although yoga includes physical exercise, it is also a lifestyle practice for which exercise is just one component. Training your mind, body, and breath, as well as connecting with your spirituality, are the main goals of the yoga lifestyle.

The physical part of the yoga lifestyle is called hatha yoga. Hatha yoga focuses on asanas, or poses. A person who practices yoga goes through a series of specific poses while controlling his or her breathing. Some types of yoga also involve meditation and chanting.

There are many different types of hatha yoga, including:

Ashtanga yoga: Ashtanga yoga is a vigorous, fast-paced form of yoga that helps to build flexibility, strength, concentration, and stamina. When doing Ashtanga yoga, a person moves quickly through a set of predetermined poses while remaining focused on deep breathing.

Bikram yoga: Bikram yoga is also known as “hot yoga”. It is practiced in rooms that may be heated to more than 100° Fahrenheit (37.8° Celsius) and focuses on stamina and purification.

Gentle yoga: Gentle yoga focuses on slow stretches, flexibility, and deep breathing.

Kundalini yoga: Kundalini yoga uses different poses, breathing techniques, chanting, and meditation to awaken life energy.

A Yoga Posture

Iyengar yoga: This type of yoga focuses on precise alignment of the poses. Participants use “props” like blankets, straps, mats, blocks, and chairs.
Restorative yoga: This practice allows the body to fully relax by holding simple postures passively for extended periods of time.

Vinyasa/power yoga: Similar to Ashtanga yoga, these are also very active forms of yoga that improve strength, flexibility, and stamina.

Yoga has tons of benefits. It can improve flexibility, strength, balance, and stamina. In addition, many people who practice yoga say that it reduces anxiety and stress, improves mental clarity, and even helps them sleep better.