Few good things which Britishers left in India...

I was going to my maternal hometown - Sagar in Madhya Pradesh, when I met this superbly optimistic and calm natured stranger as my compartment mate in a train. Because of my intense love for Indian Railways I prefer to travel by trains only and this time I was trying this newly started Daily Super fast Express named Jabalpur Gondwana Express. To avail uttermost comfort and hospitality, I mostly go for AC First class.

So I entered in my compartment and found this noble man already sitting at his respective berth and reading some book. He helped me to settle down and resumed his reading soon after that. Being a talkative person and with this annoying trait of mine which sometimes makes it very hard for me to sit quietly, especially in the presence of another human being.  So as per my nature I was looking for some common ground on which I can start talking to him.

And from no-where I just said this stupid thing to him “Indian Railway System is the only Good thing which Britishers left in India” and as expected I involved myself in another never ending debate.

In revert, he was ready with his list of good things which we got as a side product during British Rule. He started by saying that we are being called as the biggest democratic system in the world only because of Britishers. According to him, we have the privilege of using one common language (i.e. English) in a country like India where 1652 languages are recognized as only individual Mother Tongues (as per 1961 census). And how can we forget that we are still following their Education System and Railway System. They also introduced a proper sanitation system in India and so on...

But all the above mentioned thing didn’t lure me except for one that was Railway System. Surprisingly for the first time I was more interested in listening instead of proving my point. Soon after, we started talking about Indian Railways and the different types of trains currently running in India.

From this gentleman only, I came to know about Luxury trains in India such as Palace on Wheels, Royal Rajasthan on Wheels, The Indian Maharaja, Deccan Odyssey, Pride of The South, Splendour of The South, Toy Trains of India and Fairy Queen. I was astounded to hear about the royal treatment which one receives in these Luxury Trains. He also told me one his journey experience on THE DECCAN ODYSSEY which has been modelled on the Palace on Wheels to boost tourism on the Konkan route. Its route starts from Mumbai and covers Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Goa, Belgaum, Kolhapur, Pune, Nashik, Aurangabad, Ajanta-Ellora, and then heads back to Mumbai.

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.

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.

Agar Firdous Baroye Zameen Ast, Hami Asto, Hami Asto Hami Ast –Visiting India Is A Priceless Experience.

India is just beautiful, and those who understand and look for natural beauty will always cherish time spend in the country. One can experience all seasons while travelling in the country along with a twist of cultures in each state. India is further divided into five different zones – north, south, east, west and central. Each and every zone is a sure delight for tourists as they never get bored of the diverse culture of the Indian cities. And, that is the reason why it’s just not INDIA it’s INCREDIBLE INDIA.

INCREDIBLE INDIA

The North Zone-The Taj zone with madness of Punjab and Beauty of Kashmir

A visit to North India would be incomplete without visiting one of the wonders of the world, Taj Mahal. Situated in Agra, this place can be easily accessed from the main city of Delhi. Apart from that, Delhi is also a place for shopaholics as there are ancient markets here that sell almost everything from a pin to plane. Just near Delhi, one can visit Punjab, which is home to some of the loveliest Gurudwaras in the world. Dominated by Sikhs, this is the wealthiest state in the country. Jammu & Kashmir at the north most tip of the country is filled with natural beauty. This, along with Shimla is one of the most sought after honeymoon destinations.

The West Zone- Get Foodie with Gujarat and experience the enriching culture

Travelling further west of the nation, one comes across Gujarat, one of the most developed states of the country. This is a place where it is hard to find liquor and non-vegetarian shops as it is the birthplace of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. While in Gujarat, it is worth visiting Sabarmati Ashram for its tranquillity. Animal lovers must visit the Gir National Park.

The Central Zone- Get centralized with spirituality in Central zone. 

Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh are two of the commonly visited places in Central India. Maharashtra, more specifically is a must-see place as it houses the famous Gateway of India in Mumbai. The famous Siddhi Vinayak and Mahalakshmi temples too are worth visiting while in Mumbai.

The East Zone- Inspiring Tribal culture in East zone.

This is the place to visit if one is interested in rural and tribal culture. The north eastern part of India is heavily dominated by tribal people; therefore one can get the authentic feel of tribal culture here. West Bengal is the place to visit during the times of Durga Puja, as the whole city is in a celebratory mood.

The South Zone – Beaches, temples and beauty in the life of south zone.

The temples of Tamil Nadu, the backwaters and boathouses of Kerala, Balaji temple at Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh and the reservoirs of Karnataka are some of the major spots in the South Zone. Though there are many more attractions in these states, these are the major crowd pulling spots and a visit to these is sure to make the tourists content during their trip to the South Zone.

Its difficult to describe beauty of India as "Agar firdous baroye zameen ast, hami asto, hami asto hami ast" - Amir-e-Khusru Dehluvi (If there is paradise on earth, It is here, it is here, it is here), we can say this for the whole India.