One stop solution for critical focal points in India

India is a vast country and is divided into various cities, districts and villages. Have you ever wondered how it would be to know about all the details about public utilities in each and every city? Does this sound impossible? Well, you are mistaken. With the advent of technology anything is possible. All the various government services, tourist attractions, public utility divisions like transport and logistics and many more are available in a click on the internet today. All you have to do is to just click on the service you want and then choose your city to get the contact details.

Benefits

When you are planning for a trip, will you not want to know everything about the place that you want to visit? Information like the culture, climate, tourist attractions, best time to visit, how to reach certain places, ATMs, places to stay and other stuff might be of immense use to you. How about a portal where you can find everything in one shot? Sounds interesting, isn’t it? That’s what internet can do for you.

Features

Internet brings to one’s home all important details like banks, hospitals, railways, ATMs, public transport options, shopping centres, tourist attractions like monuments, temples, forts, wildlife reserves, zoos, parks, packing and moving agents, hotels and other details. But for the internet, viewers would have to spend considerable time and effort in consolidating these details.

Police Stations

Whenever you visit any place, it is important to know about the details of police stations there. In case of any emergency, you need the support of the police. Over the internet, you just have to click on the state you plan to visit and a host of details throw up. These details include the helpline numbers that you can reach out to 24/7, online tools if you want to file a case, tracking a case that you have already filed, critical emergency police numbers for specific  categories like women and kids, important designations of police in that particular state, their email id, contact numbers, organizational hierarchy followed there, list of police stations and help line numbers of the important cities in that state, objectives of the local state’s police department, employment opportunities and notifications regarding the same, districts that come under the purview of the state’s police department, any other special units if any, that come under the control of the police like anti-corruption, anti-terrorism, traffic, training directorate and other wings,  various ranks of officers in each and every state etc. All contact numbers that are furnished here are updated and are of great use to the public who try to reach out to them in case of emergencies or problems.

Festival means a break from office with lots of Chocolates, parties, family reunions & fun...

If you are an Indian, only then you would be able to understand what festivals means in India. It’s just not about family gathering and exchanging gifts, it’s more than that. I always find a blend of spirituality in the air during the festival season. Let me share my part of story or special connection with one of such Indian Festival. 

I was born on 2nd September 1991. No...No...You are taking it all wrong; I am not expecting any gifts from you on my next birthday. It just that I always feel proud whenever I tell people that I share my birthday with Lord Krishna, one of the Hindu deities.  No...No... Arrey  not again, by saying this I am not at all saying that I should be treated like God rather I am sharing the story of my special connection with Janmashtami- an Indian Festival to celebrate the birth of Lord Krishna.

So, I am back with the story of my Birthday, it was Janmashtami and it is another sheer coincidence that my house is just opposite to Lakshmi Narayan Mandir (popularly known as Birla Mandir in Delhi). Till today my mom narrates every single thing which happened on the day of my birth. How streets were badly jammed with devotees, while my father was trying to reach hospital as my mother was in labour pain...how devotees on the street were chanting out the name of lord Krishna so loudly that it was audible in the hospital’s room during my birth and that’s how I got my name Radhika, another name of Goddess Radha who also is Lord Krishna’s consort.

Festival in India

I often ask my friends which Indian Festival they like the most and every time I came across a new story about another Indian Festival. One of my good friend says that she likes Diwali (or Deepawali– the festival of lights) the most liked among all Indian Festival because of the bright and beautiful lights used in decoration especially during this festival. Another thing which she like about Diwali is ‘decorated markets’.

Another friend of mine who belongs to a south Indian family says that she likes Onam - Festival of crop harvesting in Kerala. She likes the special ‘rangoli’ known as ‘pookalam’ in Malayalam and is made using flowers only on this festival.

One of my school buddies likes Holi- The festival of colours. According to them, there is nothing beautiful than celebrating with colours.

Whatever the reason of their liking, the truth is all Indian Festival holds some special place in the heart of every Indian.

Aawo padharo mare des...Atithi Devo Bhava...are some well known sayings in India.

You might have heard about the hospitality in India but you can’t understand it completely if you have never visited India- the land of great Himalayas and the cradle of the Indus civilization. 

Atithi Devo Bhava

In ancient time, India used to be known for its spices and silk. But now (on a lighter note), people across the globe recognise India as the home of the popular cricketer Sachin Tendulkar (Indian Cricket God) or Amitabh Bachchan (Star of the millennium).

Well, it is not completely true. Today also we can say with our head held high that we have conserved our culture pretty well. In today’s world, we still consider our guest as God. I live in a country where all the religion has mixed up into my life instead of just being a spiritual practice.

I was in 8th standard when I first had an encounter with the ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ - a phrase in Sanskrit which says ‘the Guest is God’. Although, I wasn’t completely unaware of its meaning as being born and brought up in Baniya family, so, I had learnt how to honour our guest as God. This practise was not only incorporated by my family but you will be surprised to know that this is something which is completely blended into Indian Culture.

I found some traces of above mentioned sayings in the few T.V advertisements which are being made to promote the tourism in India. One such tag line was spoken by Amitabh Bachchan, the brand ambassador of Gujarat Tourism in an advertisement by Madhya Pradesh Tourism Department is ‘Kabhi toh aao Gujarat mien’ means Come, visit Gujarat once in your lifetime.

India is the land of rich culture, spirituality, diverse ecology and silk-spice-yoga. Some of the world heritage sites such as Taj Mahal, Agra, Konark Sun Temple, Orissa, Ajanta and Ellora Caves in Maharashtra all reside in India. There are 30 such sites in India. So, tourism in India is always at its peak since it gives a vacationer diverse option of touring the country filled with mesmerizing beauty and architecture.

If I ever get a chance to explore India, I’ll start my journey with the enthralling J&K (Jammu and Kashmir), it holds beautiful landscape of Himalaya. I’ll get a chance to cherish the beauty of Ladakh having white sand (white dessert) along the river side. Then, I would like to move towards eastern sides along with the Himalayan ranges where I’ll get the pleasure of visiting some of the world’s best hill station such as Shimla, Kullu, Manali, Dharamshala, Kangra, Dalhousie, Khajjiar only in Himachal Pradesh.

Starting my journey towards west, I can witness the royal culture of rajputana in Rajasthan and also get a chance to live life of a nomad in the only hot desert of India. Gujarat, the neighbouring state of Rajasthan sprawls its world famous Somnath Temple. Then it’s party time...yes you are getting it right, I am talking about Goa: India’s all time party destination. Then after exhausting all my energy in travelling I’d like to meditate in Kerala. Kerala: a perfect place to relax in the lap of nature and Ayurveda.

Christmas in India: a festival looked upon in anticipation by the Christian community

Indian is a land of festivals, one such festival that stands out is the celebration of Christmas by the Christian community all over India. Though, Christianity is a minor community in India, when state wise figures are considered w.r.t Christian population, Southern, Konkan and north-eastern states lead.

Kerala, the southernmost state, houses the maximum number of Christians in India. They are mainly concentrated in southern states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, Konkan states of Goa and Northeastern states of Nagaland, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur and Meghalaya. This is a fast evolving community with acquiring almost 60% of India’s total Christian population.

The advent of Christianity started with the arrival of apostle St. Thomas in Kodungallur, Kerala. Therein, He went on to establish 7 churches. But, when it comes to answering the typical question of the state having utmost Christian population, Goa is the name that comes to our minds. Portuguese colonized the India state of Goa in Christianity. Thereafter, the Goan Christians adapted to the merrymaking culture of dancing and singing forms having traces of Portuguese traditions.

Christmas festival

 About the Christmas festival

December 25th, the Christmas day, is celebrated vividly in India. Like all other festivals, Christmas too follows a string of tradition and culture from ages. This festival is renowned in honor of the birth of Lord Jesus Christ. Lord Jesus’s birth masks an important occurrence in the Christian mythology. On this day, special feast and gatherings are organized by and for family-friends. The whole day is spent merrily by preparing special plum cakes, decorating Christmas trees, decorating homes, exchanging of gifts, putting up an electric star in front of their homes and sometimes, burning small lamps also.

Christians on this day visit the church masses. Beautiful Christmas carols can be heard where Christians are dominant, even unique parades are organized in such places which are enjoyed thoroughly by people of all sects. Christmas celebrations in India have undergone a tremendous change as it is observed by all irrespective of their religion. In north and northwest India, Christmas is also known as “Bada Din”.

This festival also marks the beginning of countdown for the coming New Year. Thus, the month of December ends with great festivities, cheerfulness and merriment.

Do you like travelling?

No I am not asking you but this used to be the first question of my very close friend, Nandini. She never gives it a second thought to ask this question to anyone just to break the ice irrespective of her situations and timings.

Finally, she has found her special one and the next month, she will marry the man of her dreams. But I still remember the time when we all were searching for a suitable match for her. This was the time when we used to fix date for her and as per Indian customs of dating one of us used to accompany her. 

Now, it was my turn to accompany my best friend after all her sisters including all her second cousins were done with their part. I was more excited than my friend (would be bride) and on the other hand my friend was least interested in seeing this Punjabi boy (now her fiancé). She was fed up of constant rejections which she was facing from last six months. With the help of my good power of persuasion, I convinced her and took her along with me to meet this decent looking boy.

We reached and settled downed and just like another modern day youngster, we all formally introduced ourselves to each other. To break that awkward silence and to bring some smile on the face of my best friend I asked the boy-

“Do you like travelling?” and I received the most unexpected answer from him.
“I was about to ask you the same.”

After that, my friend who loves travelling joined us and I become the odd one out as I am not very fond off travelling.

They both started their travel catalogue with Goa - the most famous places to visit in India (especially if you love to party hard) and ended up by discussing all major tourist destinations of India which included Vaishno Devi in J&K – it becomes a must visit pilgrimage site for you if you are a firm believer of Hinduism, Dalhousie & Khajiaar in Himachal: the mini Switzerland of India and one of the must visit hill station of India, Nainital – One of the 64 Shakti Peethas resides here in the form of Naini – Taal, Kolkata - home city of oldest tram system, Bombay - the financial capital and Bangalore - the IT capital of India. A visit to Pune and Aurangabad can be very useful to you if you love visiting Historic places as the Ajanta Ellora Caves are situated here only.
And this discussion came to an end with Kanyakumari, the place where Arab Sea and Bay of Bengal meets with Indian Ocean. 

All you need to know about Delhi

Delhi, the national capital, is a perfect blend of ancient architecture and modern developments. This place was ruled over by many dynasties in the past, therefore, there are glimpses of the various kinds of royal culture in many places.

Monuments

Delhi is famous for its historic monuments like Red Fort, Humayun’s tomb, Chandni Chowk and many more. Most of the buildings in Delhi are dominated by Mughal style of architecture because in earlier days, Delhi was the capital of the Mughal kings. Delhi was the favourite city of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan too. The Red Fort plays an important role in the nation’s politics even today because it is from here that the Prime Minister addresses the nation on every Independence Day. Chandni Chowk is the oldest shopping market in Delhi and some people still believe that this was designed by one of Shah Jahan’s daughters, Jahan Ara, though it is not sure if this information is true.

http://www.delhiunlimited.com/

Pilgrimage

Although, Hinduism is the religion that is followed by most of the people in Delhi, there are also religions that are being practiced here like Sikhism, Christianity, Islam, Jainism and Buddhism. The huge and massive Akshardham temple dedicated to Lord Swaminarayan is a huge crowd puller. You will know what grandeur is when you visit this temple. Set up on a sprawling landscape, this temple also plays a big role in the cultural and educational development. The ISKCON temple, Lakshminarayan Temple and Kalkaji Temple are the other reputed temples in Delhi.

Jama Masjid is the biggest mosque in Delhi and it is believed that the Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb used to pray at this mosque. Thousands of people can be seated in the hall of the mosque at any given point of time. There are also around 9 Gurudwaras in Delhi which have elegant structures made of marble. They have interesting stories behind them. Some of the churches in Delhi like the Cathedral Church and St. James Church is quite ancient and had been there right from the time of British rule.

Shopping

Delhi is considered to be a paradise for shopaholics because there are various ancient markets here that sell clothes, consumer goods, electronics, handicrafts, jewellery, silks, silver ware and other antique items at very cheap prices. Though, there are many super markets and spacious shopping malls that have come up in Delhi, you must visit the old markets like Connaught Place and Chandni Chowk to get the real flavour of Delhi.  Goods can be brought at a steal here provided you have good bargaining powers. There are lots of book markets too that sell second hand and fresh books at very reasonable prices in Delhi.

Delhi: An untold story which hold an era in itself

Few days back while having chit-chat with one of my office colleagues during an ordinary tea break, I got stuck on an un-ordinary topic namely ‘Original Delhites’. Although the discussion over this unusual topic got over with the end of the tea break but it held its root in my mind. Being a self confessed Delhites myself, it was but natural to think over and again in this topic and that urge forced me to explore more about it.

The same day after reaching home, I started my research by typing the usual query that came to my mind – ‘Original Delhites’ on Google. After some meaningless and time consuming surfing over the net, I finally found this amazingly compiled website named as ‘Delhi Unlimited (delhiunlimited.com)’.

Firstly, I took it as another regular promotional website but soon after going through this website, I literally spent another 3 hours on it. I was totally spellbound by its well drafted information which revealed some unknown facts about Delhi.

I’m a self obsessed foodie, so one of the first things i searched on delhiunlimited.com was the list of eateries which they have provided on this site. I was astounded with their list because they have not only mentioned all posh restaurants but also the name of all those small ‘dhabas’ which i used to go during my college days which gave me an instant flashback of old memories.

A look at another link present over the home page of delhiunlimited.com named as ‘Delhi at glance’ brought me again to the purpose my research and instantly, moved curser over it, I found another pop-up link named as ‘people Delhites’ and finally, all my questions were avidly answered.

Indian Railways- Completed 160 years of its existence and still running with pride

Nowadays, when everyone prefers airways over railways to save their precious time, I, personally, still try to travel by Indian Railways only. Even though, I do not fully understand my love for Indian Railways but every time I board a train a big smile comes across my face and this is something which makes me realise that I still enjoy travelling by train even today when time is equivalent to money.

Seeing my deep interest in Indian Railways, one of my cousins asked me to help her in her school project on railways. Initially, I hesitated because even in my school days I never took such an assessment school project seriously. But after some ifs and buts, I agreed on providing some useful information on Indian Railway so that she can compile that as per her requirement, for that I started my search on Indian Railways over the internet.

While the surfing the internet for a website where I could track down all the information regarding this topic and unknowingly instead of writing Indian Railway, I wrote Railway India. There I came across this simple looking website “railwayindia.co.in” having all the information on the Railway System in India.

I was actually surprised to see the facts related to Indian railways. The guys who made the website have worked tremendously since each and every detail is covered in this site. On this website, they have even provided the facility of online ticket booking & cancellation facility. Not only this, but also talked about the growth of Railway since its inception in our country.

So, guys interested in going through the in-depth history, inception, formation and advancement of Indian Railways must visit this website to gain knowledge about the age-old mode of transportation in India.

Serene Lagoons....Agitated Sea...Virtuous beaches...Yes it all about Kerala Backwater & Beaches

Just like another north Indian, I have heard different versions about the serene beauty of ‘Backwater of Kerala’ but was totally unaware of their pleasing beauty until I decided to visit Kerala personally. 

Each time I read about these lagoons, the urge to visit grew more. All my researching which I did to find the meaning of Backwaters got wasted when I actually visited Cherai Beach - One of the best beaches near Kochi in Kerala.

Backwater of Kerala

The experience is still hard to define. It was unbelievable for me to see a pleasant backwater without any disruption and on the same side, my eyes witnessed the turbulent sea just separated by a thin coral path. From the shore of Cherai Beach, it was clearly visible the difference between a silent backwater and an up roaring beach. 

Cherai Beach which is located just 25 km away from Kochi and situated in Vypin island of Kerala in India is one of the most beautiful beaches in Kerala. Although, the towns to this beach is not that near but one can reach out to them easily as North Paravur is just 6 km and Kodungallur is just 10 km away from this beach. If you are planning to visit this calm and composed beach of Kerala then Indian Southern Railway will be the better option as the nearest railway station named Aluva is at a distance of 20km, moreover, the nearest airport which is Cochin International Airport is 30km far.

One thing which acts as a hallmark and is also common among all the beaches of Kerala is the large numbers of coconut trees. When I looked at the extended coast line of this beach of Kerala while taking a ferry ride along the sea, the trees at the coast line appeared like thick forest of coconut trees. This feature adds up the tranquil beauty of the beach. The long sparkling coastline of Kerala beaches are inevitably intertwined with the state’s tradition and culture. 

Most importantly, if you are thinking of reliving the old memories of early seafarers & traders then Kerala beaches is exactly what you are dreaming off. Although, it might possible that you’ll miss seafarers as they have already faded out, but various types of traditional boats having different styles still could be seen wandering around the Kerala's seas. 

Kerala: The land of festivals and native music

Kerala has a unique tradition and has some special festivals which are limited to the state. If you are planning a trip to Kerala, it is always advisable to visit during the Onam festival which is the state festival and usually falls in the month of Aug-Sep. The whole state bears a festive look and the festival has great prominence like Diwali in north India. The festival is celebrated for 10 days, with most of the government offices remaining closed for four days. The festival marks the return of king Mahabali back home to visit his people. Onam is a festival of prosperity and harmony. Onam in the modern era is a grand shopping festival with special promotions and mega discounts being offered. Tourists visiting the state during Onam period can taste the delicious Onam feast which is part of the festival.  

Kerala music

The next prominent festival of the state is Vishu which marks the New Year for Keralites and usually falls in mid April. 
The presence of a strong Christian community and numerous churches in the state makes some of the Christian festival very special in the state. Christmas is celebrated with great enthusiasm by people of all faiths. Christmas Carole and feasts are the special attractions.

New Year is celebrated with great enthusiasm unlike any other Indian cities. However, the Cochin Carnival, a tradition started by Portuguese is the main attraction.

Muslim community celebrates Eid ul Fitr and Eid ul Adha. Non-vegetarian food lovers should definitely taste the Malabar Biryani which is a popular native biryani. The state also provides excellent sea foods. 
Apart from religious festivals, there are certain temple festivals dedicated to local deities that showcase the native traditions of Kerala. Thrissur Pooram which is popular among these attracts thousands of tourists including foreigners. The parade of elephants, Panchavadyam (native music), and dance forms makes these festival very popular.

Kerala music

The state has few popular music schools which teach traditional Kerala music and dance forms, Kalamandalam being the most prestigious. The state has rich traditions of Carnatic music and Sopanam which originated in the temples is a popular form.
Some of the native music instruments like Chenda, idakka and chengila are used in traditional music and dance.
Visit the state to be part of the cultural heritage and musical symphony.

Kerala a beautiful holiday destination for nature lovers

Kerala is a land of natural diversity and a visit to the state would give you an experience of all landscapes.

Tree houses in Kerala

Tree houses are called as ‘Erumadam’ in the native Malayalam language. It is basically a house with all facilities built on top of a tree. The house is made using eco friendly materials like hay, coir and bamboo. These tree top houses were initially built and used by tribal people for protection against wild animals. Presently there are five tree top resorts located at Munnar, Athirapally, Thekady (02) and Wayanad. The stay at these tree houses keeps you close to the nature. You will be taken by surprise when you see the fully furnished rooms with modern facilities on the tree top. 

Tree houses in Kerala

Elephants in Kerala

Elephant is the state animal of Kerala and it has great prominence in the life of Keralites. It is worshiped and is part of religious ceremonies in and around the temples. They are also used at timber yards for transporting timber. The elephant is part of the Kerala state emblem. If you are interested to see this huge tusker in large numbers then you can visit the Sree Krishna Temple Elephant sanctuary.  

Elephants in Kerala

Hill stations in Kerala

Kerala has two popular hill stations which attracts tourists from all parts of the world. Munnar is a beautiful hill stations with numerous resorts located 1600 m above sea level. It is the place where three mountain ranges join together. The picturesque location of tea estates and scenic beauty of spice gardens provides excellent opportunities for bird watching, trekking and nature walk. 

Hill stations in Kerala

 The other hill station is Wayanad, the name stands for Paddy fields in the local language.  Wayanad is a located in the heart of the Western Ghats with an altitude ranging between 700 to 2100 m above sea level. This place can be easily accessed from the neighboring states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The spice gardens consisting of Cardamom, Pepper and tea/coffee estates are a delight to visit for the tourists. You can also shop for these aromatic spices when you visit Wayanad. The excellent wildlife, waterfalls, ancient caves and lakes are the other attractions in the hill district.

Kerala with exotic beaches and backwater is a perfect holiday destination

Kerala has a vast coast line which influences the culture, tradition and heritage of the people. For fun lovers, adventure enthusiasts and people fond of water sports there cannot be a better place than Kerala. The tourism department has taken excellent initiative to enhance the water sports and backwater tourism in the state.

Kerala backwaters

The state has numerous beaches spread across the entire length of the state and some of the popular ones are:

Varkala beach located fifty one km from the capital city Thiruvananthapuram is the most visited beach. The beach which lies in the quiet village has numerous site seeing places in and around. Apart from the beach there is a two thousand years old Vishnu Temple and the Sivagiri Mutt as major attractions.

Kovalam beach is a den of foreign tourists and has three adjoining crescent beaches. The elaborate arrangements for water sports and availability of excellent restaurants serving authentic sea foods have made this beach very popular. The availability of a massive rocky cape in the beach facilitates sea bathing in the beautiful bay of calm waters.

Bekal beach is located in Kasaragod region which is in the extreme north of Kerala. The district is popular for its forts, hills, rivers and beautiful beaches. The nearest attraction is the Bekal fort which is a striking structure well preserved by the state Govt. The shallow beach near the fort is visited by tourists and fun lovers with great enthusiasm.

Some of the other prominent beaches in the state are at Alappuzha, Trivandrum, Kollam and Thiruvambadi in southern region. In the Northern Kerala Kozhikode, Vadakara, Kasargod and Kannur have few beaches and when it comes to the central part we can find beautiful beaches at Ernakulam, Malappuram, Kochi and Thrissur. 

Kerala backwaters

Kerala backwaters or black lagoons are the chain of lakes that lie along the Arabian Sea. They offer excellent tourism and are a source of livelihood for the people. The houseboats which are popularly called kettuvallams in native language are a prominent attraction of backwater. Honeymoon package, family gathering and picnics can be organized in these houseboats, which present an excellent feel of the nature. They offer all sorts of comforts to the visitors. There are also regular ferries service for frequent travelers to reach various destinations and these ferries are the cheapest mode of transport through backwaters. Kumarakom has numerous resorts around the popular Vembanad Kayal and the backwaters.

Kerala visit is incomplete without a journey through the backwaters and experiencing the beautiful beaches.

Enjoy ravishingly a strenuous yet magnificent Boat Race in Kerala in addition to Backwaters.

The innovative and target-focused advertisement from Kerala Tourism Department attracted my eyes on a Sunday morning. It was the time to refresh our tired mind and body and so we fell in love with this ‘Gods Own Country’. Kerala was a dream spot for us because of its amazing backwaters, outstanding beaches, interesting wild life sanctuaries, mesmerizing hill stations and magical Ayurvedic treatments. All through our journey we came across many beaches that are widespread along 900 km coastline of Arabian Sea which is a major attraction in Kerala tourism. Sightseeing is quite interesting because of the backwaters that are formed as a network of interlinked lakes and brackish lagoons. This mesmerizing beauty of nature is vibrant and silent with tightly packed fresh trees and fresh running water on all directions.

Boat Race in Kerala

Since it was festive season there, we were blessed to witness the world famous boat races in Kerala. The boat races throw light on integration, team spirit and unity of the people in this backwater region. The tranquil backwaters became alive by the magnificent gala of long snake boat races. This is the largest team sport in the world that is leaded by brilliant color water parades. You can witness this huge Snake Boats, controlled by 4 helmsmen, 25 singers and 125 oarsmen who put their effect in unison to coincide the fast beat of Vanchipattu (the song of a boatman). Many myths and legends are linked to this boat race. The most popular boat races are Nehru Trophy Race, Champakkulam Moolam Boat Race, Payippad Jalotsavam and Aranmula Uthrattadi Vallam Kali. We were extremely trilled by the style, those people row their boats and the way it slided through the back waters. This fun-filled and thrilling sport is an event worth watching in every journey towards Kerala.

Churches in Kerala

Churches in Kerala

Religion is tightly linked with every person in our country. Our Christianity has contributed significantly towards the growth and development of India in the areas of health care, education and social uplift. We decided to visit a handful of beautiful and traditional churches in this region. Among the most popular churches we visited, several of them are devoted to Christ’s apostle St. Thomas, who is known to be father of Christianity in our country. We came to know that, in 52 A.D, St. Thomas arrived to Cranganore and developed seven churches and one chapel in Kerala. Those seven churches are situated at Thiruvankottu, Kollam, Chayal, Niranam, Kokkamangalam, Paravur, Palayur and Kodungallore. We toured to all these churches. We also visited various other famous churches in Kerala including St. Mary’s Forance Church, Santa Cruz Basillica, St. Francis Church and Malayatoor Church. The power of silence inside these churches and the belief of people towards Christianity are worth mentioning.

Thus, this eco-tourist spot carries many significant reasons at its backdrop which mesmerized us and eased our mind by filling fresh air and everlasting memories.

Boat Race in Kerala Gives You a Feel of the Grandiose of Tradition and Culture

Significance of boat race in Kerala is strengthened by the commemoration of the harvest festival of Onam in Kerala. Whenever you are in Kerala during the Onam festival, it will be clearly evident that this festival scores as an important event in the life of people, mostly in the village setting. It is marked with variety of celebrations in Kerala. A major form of the celebration is the arrangement of boat race which marks an historical event and showcases the strength and unity among different community members in Kerala villages. 

boat race in Kerala

 During this event, you will surely be transcended into historical days, probably more than 500 years ago. Origin of the boat race in Kerala is said to be around the backwaters of Alleppey or Alappuzha. In the older days, these were said to be conducted for the entertainment of the local rulers as well as the general public. Presently also, it is a form of Kerala attractions, but the historical values and established traditions make these boat races a much talked about event. 

Plenty of boat races organised in and around the backwaters of Alleppey

In the present day scenario, the boat race in Kerala is said to be conducted in different places, all of them being around the backwaters and rivers of Alleppey. You can choose to become a part of these events which are primarily four in number, while there are about 15 such minor races. If you visit Kerala attractions during the month of Onam, which is the time for people to celebrate the wholesome harvesting season, then you can be a part of these events. This means that you have to plan your trips between the months of July and September, the exact dates of each varying according to different phases of the moon. Nehru Trophy Boat Race is one of the major Kerala attractions among these races which are having a fixed timing during the second Saturday of August every year. 

•    Nehru Trophy boat Race in Kerala is considered to be the most exciting among all the races. As the name suggests, it is held in memory of the Late Prime Minister of India, Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, commemorating the event of 1952, when he was welcomed in Alleppey by the impromptu boat race in his honour. The trophy at stake in this boat race in Kerala is the one which was donated by Nehru.
•    Aranmula Boat Race is a two day occasion which is more concerned with religious sentiments of the local people and devotees of Aranmula Parthasarathi Temple, which is held in reverence to the practices of transporting offerings to the temple from nearby villages.
•    Champakkulam Moolam Boat Race is another snake boat race event in Kerala and is also associated with temple rituals.

Boat race in Kerala is an annual affair. For best enjoyment of different Kerala attractions, you need to plan your vacations accordingly. Your trip itinerary should comprise of villages around the town of Alleppey and its backwaters. These are the locations where local communities prepare for their show of reverence for the local gods and the event is marked with show of unity among these communities. 

The Real Essence of Kerala – Venice of the East

The Flavour of Kerala

The real flavor of Kerala comes out in full bloom during the festivals and charismatic boat races. Boat race in Kerala is an experience that one should not miss while in the state. This is a race that is symbolic of the state and you will not get to witness anything like this in other Indian states. Festivals in Kerala too are a grand affair where the entire state is decorated in its full glory. When the manual adornments join hands with nature’s endowments, the result is nothing short of a visual treat.

Boat race in Kerala

The Unparalleled Boat Race

Come to Kerala in August every year, it becomes the cynosure to all eyes due to the annual Nehru Trophy Boat Race conducted in the state. Alleppey, the proud owner of magnificent backwaters play host to the boat races. It is home to numerous other boat races too, however the Nehru Trophy race is “The Race”, purely because of the popularity and the hundred odd pairs of hands that manoeuvre the oars in rhythmic fashion. Set against the breath-taking background of palm and coconut trees, the backwaters are filled with more than a dozen teams who stride on their boats with a song on their lips and passion in their hearts. It would be apt to say that the Nehru Trophy Boat Race rings a bell in many Keralite’s mind than the cricket tournaments in other parts of the country are crazy about. These races have earned such popularity that corporates sponsor for the race expenses and the prizes. Next time when you plan your trip to Kerala, ensure you are here during the second week of August, to watch this marvel on water.

Festivals – Congruence of Religion, Tradition and Values 

Two of the main festivals of the state are Onam and Vishu. Onam, celebrated during the month of September is when the entire state wears a floral look that is soothing to the eye. Celebrated as a ten day festival, every Keralite has a delicious floral carpet in front of her home to welcome King Mahabali who visits the state every year and blesses his people. Food and flowers complete this festival. During the tenth day, every home in Kerala enjoys a sumptuous lunch known as Onam Sadhya. Sometimes there are around 27 different types of dishes spread out on a big banana leaf. Sounds tasty, doesn’t it? Vishu on the other hand, is more subtle of the two and marks the beginning of a New Year for the Malayalees. In every house elders bless the youngsters and hand them over some money on a beetle leaf. This is known as Kaineetam. Crackers mark the celebration of Vishu.