Char Dham Yatra

Char Dham Yatra is comprised of four sacred places Gangotri, Yamunotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath. These four sites, nestled in the lap of grand Himalayas, are one of the major centers of religious activities in north India. According to Hindu scriptures it is said that a journey to these four holy spots not only wash away human’s sins but also releases the soul from the cycle of death and birth. Generally Char Dham Yatra is done from left to right or from west to east i.e. in a clockwise direction. Thus the yatra begins from Yamunotri, followed by Gangotri, proceeding to Kedarnath and finally terminating at Badrinath.

Gangotri: The valued shrine of Gangotri is situated at a height of 3200 mts above the sea level with captivating surroundings of Himalayas. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Gange, who came on the earth to absolve the sins of King Bhagirath’s predecessors. The temple was constructed by a Gorkha Commander, Amar Singh Thapa, in 18^th century.

Yamunotri: This sacred shrine is dedicated to goddess Yamuna, situated at the edge of Bandar Poonch Parvat. The actual source of river Yamuna is a frozen ice lake glacier, Champasar glacier that lay on Kalind Mountain. The temple is said to be constructed by Maharaja Pratap Shah of Tehri Garhwal. At a distance of 7 Km. away from temple, at Jankichatti lies the holy springs of hot water. Devotees visiting the temple prepare rice in these hot water springs and take back the cooked rice in the form of Prasad.

Badrinath: Badrinath temple is located on the right bank of river Alaknanda at an altitude of 3133 mt. above the sea level. It is surrounded by mountains Nar and Narayan on each side. This sacred shrine is dedicated toLord Vishnu. It is said that to restore the prestige of Hinusim, Adi Guru Shankaracharya constructed four religious center in four directions of the country. Badrinath is one of them which was built in North direction.

Garbha Griha, Darshan Mandap, Sabha Mandap are the 3 parts in w hich temple is divided. The main attraction of this temple is a black idol of Badrinath that is one mt high and represents Lord Vishnu in padmasan mediation pose.

Kedarnath: The revered shrine of Kedarnath is situated at an altitude of 3581mt above the sea level, over the rivr Mandakini. Kedarnath is counted among the12 Jyotirlingas of Shiva. The present time temple is built by Adi Guru Shankaracharya. There is a temple in front of main temple, which is said to be built by Pandavas. Shivkund, Rudhirkund, Hanskund etc. are some kunds around Kedarnath which posses a religious significance. At a little distance from Kedarnath temple, there is a temple of Bhaironath. It is believed that Bhaironath ji protect the surrounding land in when the temple remains closed in winters.

Char Dham with its picturesque surrounding and panoramic mountain view offers an eternal bliss to reveal the spiritual expressions of India. This pilgrimage place with overwhelming exquisite beauty magnetizes the heart of every devotee. There are a lot of tour operators in India, who take on their self to unfold this religious and spiritual experience of this pilgrimage place.

Indian Visa Service

Most of the times, tourists visiting other countries have lots of queries in their mind on visa services. If you are traveling to India and want to know about India visa services here is your page.

All countries’ citizens, traveling to India require a valid visa except for the citizens of Nepal & Bhutan. The first thing one need for visa is a passport valid for at least 6 months from the date when applied for visa. To apply for Indian Visa, contact either at Indian embassy or to the consulate general of your area. You can also submit your application for visa by mail or through a travel/Visa agency. The documents, which one requires for a visa, are as follows:

1. Passport valid for at least 6 months
2. Visa Fee
3. 2 passport-size photographs. If you are a Pakistani national, you will require 5 photographs.
4. Supporting documents
5. Duly filled visa application form
   

A tourist visa is generally granted for a period of 6 months/180 days. However, visa for travel agents, who visit India frequently, may be granted for a longer period. The visa is effective from the issue date. Tourist visa cannot be extended. A tourist visa costs £30.00 for duration of 6 months.

Before visiting some parts of India, tourists need special permits. As Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Nagaland, certain areas of Sikkim like Gangtok, Rumtek, Phodang, Zongri Pemayangtse have been designated as protected areas and tourists require a special permit, if they want to visit these parts. For some parts of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, only a night stay is allowed while some parts of the same you are allowed to visit in day only. In case of Lakshadweep Island, tourists’ can visit only Bangaram and Subeli Islands after getting permission from Lakshadweep administration.

Coorg-The Scotland of India

Situated at a distance of 252 Kms from Bangalore, Coorg is a fascinating hill station in Karnataka. Coorg, which is also called “Scotland of India”, has emerged as an astoundingly beautiful tourist destination in India in the last few years. Nature has scattered its beauty at every step of Coorg and one can’t left unconvinced by the charm of Coorg. The murky hills, lush green forests, coffee & tea plantations which are stretched miles & miles together provides a unique breathtaking beauty to Coorg.

Coorg is locally known as Kodagu and has various stories behind its origin. According to locals there, Kodagu means “ Dense forest on Steep hill”. It is also considered that Coorg or Kodagu is named after river Cauveri. Coorg extends up to an area of 4,102 sq Km and lies 1525 m above the sea level.

Coorg, the enchanting hill station of Karnataka is a perfect destination for holidays and tourism. There are a number of places in Coorg that one can visit during Coorg holidays. Here is listed some places that are a must visit during a Coorg tour:

Madikeri Fort is a splendid fort with a temple, musium and prison, constructed in 19^th century.

Raja Seat is a beautiful garden. The sunset view from here is spectacular.

Iruppu Falls is a sacred fall created by the river Lakshmana-tirtha. It is said that the river is originated when Lakshmana shot an arrow into the Brahmagiri hills.Every year many devotees come to this place on Shivaratri day.

Abbey Falls is a major tourist attraction of Coorg. One can heard the roar of Abbey falls from main road. The sweet chirping of birds together with the roar of falls creates an amazing atmosphere.

Nisargadhama is a small island in the middle of river Cauvery is a perfect picnic holiday spot. Tourist can enjoy boating as well as an elephant ride on this island as the Dubare forest lies nearby where elephant training is ran by the forest department there.

Bhagamandla is the beautiful spot where river Kaveri meets with its two branch rivers Kanake and Sujyoti.

Nagarhole National Park is the most visited spot among tourists. The park got its name by the river that flows through the park where Nagarhole means “Snake River”. One can easily spot elephant, sambhar, barking deer, leopards, wild boar, mongoose, peakcock, and jungle fowl in park Also you can find tiger or panther there. Huts have also been built for wildlife lovers who want to stay there.

Not only tourism, Coorg also offers lots of outdoor activity there. One can enjoy trekking in lush green forests and hills of Brahmgiri. If you like fishing, go to Valanoor, a site of river Cauvery’s backwater. Also water rafting in Cauvery river can be a thrilling experience. The charming beauty of Coorg left its visitors mesmerized and one who visits Coorg once, remains visiting Coorg frequently.

Lakshadweep Island Tourism

Island tourism in India has been a center of attraction that has never failed to entice the travelers, since time endless. Lakshadweep, the smallest union territory of India with a group of Islands is situated 200 km to 300 km off of the coast of Kerala. This bewitching archipelago island with 36 major islands extends to a total land area of 32 sq. km. Lakshadweep is a beautiful island that resembles like an emeralds in the lap of vast expanse of sea. The blue translucent sea water surrounds it from all of its side. Lakshadweep, which means a hundred thousand islands consist of three reefs and five submerged banks.

Tourism in Lakshadweep can be a fascinating experience throughout ones life. Natural beauties, lush green forests, and stunning beautiful surroundings make it a unique place to admire. Tourist from the entire globe comes to enjoy water sports here. In a nut shell, Lakshadweep is an island that has never failed to intrigue the attention of every traveler.

If you ever tour to Lakshadweep visit Kavaratti, Agatti, Bangaram, Minicoy islands of Lakshadweep. You will find nature here enjoying in all her magnificence.

Golden Triangle of India

Golden triangle has become a very famous tour itinerary among tourists coming to India. And why not it is? This famous tour package let you to enjoy the royal glory and the true beauty of India. This amazing tour circuit comprises of 3 golden cities: Delhi, Jaipur & Agra. All the 3 cities are rich in their culture and have lots of thing in peculiar to offer you.

Delhi: The capital city of India had remained the capital of several empires in ancient India. The city got its construction in two parts: one by Mughals which is known as Old Delhi and the another part called New Delhi was designed during British supremacy. Delhi's culture has been influenced by its lengthy history. City has a fine blend of all cultures that are followed in India, showing the unity in diversity of India. When comes to tourism, the city has a total of 175 monuments in its heritage circuit. Jama Masjid, Qutub Minar, Red Fort, India Gate, Jantar Mantar, Raj Ghat are few to name.

Jaipur: Besides being the capital city of Rajasthan, Jaipur has various other adjectives combined with it as Pink City, largest city in Rajasthan, India's first planned city and many more. History reveals that the city was built by Sawai Raja Jai Singh and from then Jaipur had been remained the capital of a number of royal dynasties in Rajasthan. Jaipur attract many tourists every year with its royal fort & palaces, magnificent Havelis and historical monuments & museums. City Palace, Samode Palace, Hawa Mahal, Jal Mahal, Jantar Mantar, Amber Fort, Nahargarh Fort, Jaigarh Fort, Laxmi Narayan Temple, Jain Temple etc are some famous attractions of Jaipur. These forts and palaces introduce us with the magnificence past of the city.

Agra: Agra, the city of romance is an unforgettable experience for lifetime. In 1506, Sikandar Lodi found this beautiful city. Agra has witnessed construction of many splendid historical buildings during Mughal era. The city offers numerous tourist destinations to explore including Taj Mahal, the monument of love, Akbar's Tomb, Agra Fort, Jama Masjid, Fatehpur Sikri, Itmad-Ud-Daullah's Tomb, Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary.

These three cities are well connected to one another through a strong travel network. You can enjoy a perfect leisure holiday as all the three cities have number of heritage hotels & resorts to provide you a luxurious and comfortable stay. Also you can take help of an India tour operator to guide you better. Tour to the golden triangle of India to see its rich heritage and enjoy the unforgettable memories of your life.