Showing posts with label tourism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tourism. Show all posts
Somnath Jyotirlinga Temple in Gujarat dedicated to Lord Shiva, its history, visit timings, festivals, fair, other tourist attractions and how to reach somnath temple details with map and somnath temple images.
Somnath Temple or Somnath Jyotirlinga Temple is situated in the Prabhas Kshetra near Veraval in Saurashtra, on the shores of the Arabian Sea, on the western coast of Gujarat in India. The temple is dedicated to Someshwara, another name of Lord Shiva, with moon on his head and isfirst among the twelve Jyotirlinga Temples in India. Built at the shore of the Arabian ocean on the western corner, Somnath Shiva Temple is a well-known pilgrimage center in India. This Jyotirlinga shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva is also known by other names such as Deo Pattan, Prabhas Pattan, or Somnath Pattan. Somnath literally means “The Protector of Moon God”.
Someshwar Mahadev Temple is believed to have built out of gold originally by Somraj, the Moon God himself, then rebuilt by Ravana in silver, then by Lord Krishna in Wood, and then by Bhima (the strongest of the five Pandava brothers) in stone. The present temple is the seventh one reconstructed beyond six repeated destruction by the Muslim invaders. http://hallosushant.blogspot.com/
Architecture of Somnath Mahadev Temple
Though built in the Kailas Mahameru Prasad style, the Somnath Temple’s architecture influences that of Jain http://hallosushant.blogspot.com/
style. The temple consists of Garbhagruh, Sabhamandap and Nrityamandap with 150 feet high Shikhar and a Kalash at its top. The dome of the temple is the biggest one. The Somanath temple faces east and has a vast central hall with three entrances, each protected by a tall porch. Added attractions are the carved doorways, the sculptured representations of Nandi (the celestial bull) and the figures of goddesses. In the balconied corridor is the damaged form of Nataraja statue. Shri Kapardi Vinayak and Shri Hanuman Temple are other spots to be noted in the temple. This temple is said to be the place where Lord Krishna performed all his Lilas. There is a small cave in the temple where a lamp burns continuously.
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History of Somnath Jyotirlinga Temple
According to myths, moon was married to the 27 daughters of Daksha Prajapati. But he was preferential to Rohini and ignored other queens. The angry Daksha cursed Moon that he would lose his beauty and brightness. Eventually, moon came down to Prabhasa with Rohini and worshipped the Sparsa Linga of Somnath. Subsequently, he was blessed by Lord Shiva to grow and shine in the bright half. It was Lord Brahma who installed the Brahmashila and paved way for the construction of the temple.
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Somnath Temple Darshan Timings
Somnath Temple is open for darshan from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm. Aartis are conducted three times a day. First Aarti at 7.00 am second one at 12.00 Noon and third one at 7.00 pm.
Somnath Jyotirlinga Temple Festivals
Somnath Mahadev Fair - This fair is celebrated in November, to mark the birth of Kartikeya (Lord Muruga), son of Lord Shiva. Also known as Kartik Purmima Mela, the fair features stage shows, folk dances and instrumental music in the Somnath Temple.
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Maha Shivaratri - Shivratri Festival at Somanath Temple is another major festival celebrated here in the month of February – March every year. Thousands of Hindu devotees visit this Jyotirlinga shrine during Shivratri Festival.
Other Tourist Attractions Near Somnath Temple
A sound and light show called “Jay Somnath” is displayed in the temple every night during 8.00 to 9.00. There is a beach outside the temple where visitors can enjoy the beautiful sunset point, Vallabhghat.
Bhalka Teerth
This holy Bhalkha Teerth is located 5 km on Prabhas Veraval highway. It is said to be the place where Lord Krishna was struck by an arrow of a tribal.
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Dehotsarg Teerth
Also known as Shri Krishna Neejdham Prasthan Tirth, Dehotsarg Teerth is located on the banks of Hiran, about 1.5 km from Somnath Temple.
Tourist Places near Somnath Temple
Other nearby tourist places near Somnath include Veraval Beach (5 km), Gita Mandir (1 km), Somnath Museum, Junagadh Gate, Ahalyeshwar Mahadev Temple built by Queen Ahalyabai, Lakshmi Narayan temple, Balramjiki Gufa, Mahaprabhuji's Bethak, Triveni Sangam, Shree Parashuram Temple, Sun Temple, Prachi and Shashibhushan temples, Shree Veneshwar Mahadev Temple, Chorwad Beach (26 km), and Gir National Park (43 km). http://hallosushant.blogspot.com/
How to Reach Somnath Temple
By Road / Bus
Somnath is well connected by road to nearby places such as Veraval (7 km), Junagarh (85 km), Porbandar (122 km), Bhavnagar (266 km), Ahmedabad (465 km), and Mumbai (889 km).
By Train / Railway Station
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Veraval Railway Station is the nearest railhead, 7 km from Somnath. It is connected to Ahmedabad and some other cities in Gujarat. Veraval Railway Station Code is VRL.
By Air / Flight
The nearest airport is 55 km away at Keshod, which is linked to Mumbai. Regular buses and taxis are available between Keshod and Somnath. The nearest international airport is Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at Ahmedabad.
Route Map to Somnath Jyotir Linga Temple
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Tourism picking up in Bihar:Over 3.4 lakh foreigners visited state in 2008
In all, 3,45,572 foreigners visited Bihar during the year 2008 which is next to foreigners visiting Goa. Deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi attributed the rise in foreigners’ visit to better law and order situation, improvement in tourists’ facilities and positive changes in the state.http://hallosushant.blogspot.com/
Places of Tourist Attraction in Bihar
After reviewing the schemes of state tourism department, Modi said that tourists visiting the state has increased and this could be gauged from the figures. While 63,321 tourists visited Bihar in the year 2005, the number escalated to 3.45 lakh in 2008. The review meeting was attended by tourism department principal secretary Rashmi Verma.http://hallosushant.blogspot.com/
Mundeshwari Devi Temple
She informed the deputy CM that work for ropeway at Mandar hills and for visiting Mundeshwari Devi temple have already been allotted to RITES company. The two ropeways would soon be handed over to the state government, she said.http://hallosushant.blogspot.com/
The Hotel Management Institute is coming up in the state at a cost of Rs 14.11 crore. The fund has been sanctioned, Verma said and added that classes of the Hotel Management Institute would start in a rented house from next month. A Food and Craft Institute is also coming up in Muzaffarpur for which a sum of Rs 4.75 crore has been okayed.http://hallosushant.blogspot.com/
Modi also asked the principal secretary to make the floating restaurant on the Ganga available for people on full moon night as well, besides making arrangement for water sports and water scooter in the Ganga. He expressed satisfaction over the working of the tourism department.http://hallosushant.blogspot.com/
Railway Tatkal ticket booking schedule prior to day of journey on 27,28,29 july
The Railways on Monday announced that Tatkal reservation on trains will open only two days before the journey, instead of the past practice of when Tatkal tickets were available five days in advance. http://hallosushant.blogspot.com/
The new rule, announced by Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee [ Images ] in the Railway Budget presented to Parliament early this month, comes into effect from July 29.
So, if you book Tatkal tickets on July 29, you can do so for journey commencing latest by July 31.
The advance reservation period under Tatkal scheme is being tapered from :
July 27 when one can buy the Tatkal ticket up to four days: that is, for journey up to July 31. The period gets reduced to three days on tickets bought on July 28, and becomes two days from July 29.
- 27 july: 4 days
- 28 july: 3 days
- 29 july onwards: 2 days
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For instance, the Tatkal tickets will, thereafter, be available for journey on or up to August 1 from July 30, for journey on or up to August 2 from July 31, for journey on or up to August 3 from August 1 and so on.
Valmiki Tiger Reserve and National Park in West Champaran, Bihar: A Wildlife Tourist Attraction
The Valmiki National Park is spread across a core area of 335.64 sq.km of more than 800 sq.km. of the Valmiki Sanctuary located in the West Champaran district of Bihar.
Valmiki was established as the 18th tiger reserve in 1990. It ranks 4th in terms of density of tiger population.
The park is surrounded by the Royal Chitwan National Park of Nepal in the north and the river Gandak on the western side with the Himalayan mountains as a backdrop. Adjacent to the sanctuary, in the forests of Chitwan National Park, Nepal, is the historic Valmiki Ashram.
The park consists of moist sal bearing forests, dry sal bearing forests, moist mixed deciduous forests without sal, cane and tropical seasonal swamp forests containing reed beds and wet grasslands. The one-horned rhinoceros and Indian bison often migrate from Chitwan to Valmikinagar.
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The forest here is a mix of extensive Savannah lands and swamps. The forest in the sanctuary is rich in Bhabar-Dun sal, dry Siwalik sal, khair and cane. The extensive forest area of Valmikinagar was owned by the Bettiah Raj and Ramanagar Raj until early 1950s.
Here, you can find wild animals amidst their natural habitat roaming about in their environment. The diverse range of wild lives and animals that are found in the Valmiki National Park, Bihar includes the following:
Tiger,
black buck,
sloth bear,
wolf,
deer,
leopard,
python,
peafowl,
chitals,
sambars,
nilgais,
leopards,
hyenas,
Indian civets,
jungle cats,
hog deer and wild dogs.
One-horned rhinoceros and Indian bison often migrate from Chitwan to Valmikinagar.
Best time: Any time (avoid summer between May-June and rainy season between July - Aug). Best between Oct- Mid April.
Where to stay: There are a number of rest houses of the Irrigation Department available.
How to Reach
Air: The nearest airport is at Patna at a distance of 295km.
Rail: The nearest rail head Valmiki Nagar is 5km from the park.
Road : There are bus services from Valmiki Nagar to Bettiah ( 80km) the nearest town.
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Nearest railhead Valmiki Nagar is connected to Delhi, Lucknow and other major city like varanasi, Kolkatta etc. Best train is Saptkranti Express leaving New Delhi afternoon and reach Valmiki Nagar early morning. Valmiki Nagar is close to Nepal border and nearest town is Birganj. So one can extend the trip upto Nepal as well. Return journey can be made by same superfast train Saptkranti express leaving Valmiki Nagar just afternoon and reach New Delhi at 5am. Please check http://www.irctc.co.in for booking and more details for access from other city. People visiting Varanasi can also reach park (3-4 hours drive or train time).
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Nearest airport is Patna (approx 200km). Birganj (nearest nepal town) also has an airport well connected to Kathmandu.
People visiting can also extend their trip to:
Bapudham Motihari: where Mahatma Gandhi started his first Non-cooperation movement. Gandhi Musium is good if someone has interest.
Temples : Jatashankar Temple, Nardevi Temple and Kaleshwar Temple. Triveni Temple (a holy place for Hindus) is located across the Gandak barrage in Nepal (2-3 kms) from Gandak barrage.
Archaeologically rich places : Lauriya Nandan Garh and Someshwar Fort. Lion pillar of Ashoka at Lauriya Nandan Garh is a single block of polished sand stone.
Contacts:
Dy. Conservator of Forests,
Champaran Forest Division,
P.O.Betia, Distt. Champaran
Bihar
Some Facts :
Mahrishi Valmiki, the author of Ramayan, set Valmiki Ashram on the banks of Gandak here. Sita gave birth to Luv and Kush at Valmiki Ashram.
The 20th chapter of Sabhaparva in Mahabharat mentions that the Pandavas accompanied by Krishna had crossed this area, then known as Gandaki Pradesh
A dam is built on the river Gandak (Gandak Project). This dam and its channels are the lifeline of north-western part of Bihar. This channel also irrigates some portions of eastern U.P. This dam is also generating hydro-electricity. This dam has been handed over to the nation by late Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru the then Prime Minister.
CROCODILE PARK AT NEYYAR [KERALA] :Crocodile Rehabilitation and Research Centre in memory of Aussie crocodile hunter and environmentalist Steve Irwin
The Neyyar wildlife sanctuary in Kerala has been catapulted to international fame with the opening of the Crocodile Rehabilitation and Research Centre in memory of the recently departed Aussie crocodile hunter and environmentalist Steve Irwin. The centre is a feather in the cap for Neyyar Dam-and indeed for Tourism in God's Own Country- which already boasts of a lion safari park, deer park, boating facilities and one of the biggest landscaped gardens in the South. Forest and Tourism authorities are hopeful that the centre would attract more tourists and animal lovers to this popular picnic spot.
This is, incidentally, the first memorial in the world for Steve Irwin, famous for his fearless and tender handling of even the deadliest of wildlife species. 44-year-old Irwin ws tragically killed by a sting ray attack off the Great Barrier Reef in September 2006.
A life-size plaque of Irwin with a crocodile welcomes visitors to the centre, set up by the Department of Forest and Wildlife at Markunnam in the sanctuary. With the shifting of 25 muggers(Crocodylus palustris) from the adjacent crocodile farm, the Centre has now been thrown open to the public.The Rehabilitation and research centre has been set up as per the guidelines of the Central Zoo Authority.
Two artificial ponds have been artificially created for the muggers, and a third one os in the offing as more of them arrive. Chief Wildlife Warden and Chief Conservator of Forests, V.S.Varghese made it clear that literature on different species of crocodiles will be made available to visitors at the Centre.
It is intended to equip the Centre, running of which has been entrusted with the local Eco Development Committee, to study the behavioural aspects of the muggers. The food and other aspects of the crocodiles are taken care of by the forest authorities.
Ayurveda [Knowledge of life]: A Tourist Guide to Ayurveda - an integral part of Kerala Tourism
Ayurveda is the most ancient of India’s health sciences, developed over the centuries by the sages through painstaking research. ‘Ayurveda’ translates into ‘knowledge of life’, and teaches us not only to cure diseases but also how to ward off illness by leading a healthy life – healthy in the physical as well as mental sense.
Only from very keen observation of nature and life, for hundreds of years, could such a life science have been formulated. Its approach is totally holistic in nature, treating man as a whole and caring equally for his physical, mental and spiritual health.
It can safely be asserted that, today, Kerala is the only State in India which practises this traditional system of medicine with absolute dedication.In fact, it is today a Rs. 6500 crore industry and growing at a rate of eight percent annually! Kerala's equable climate, natural abundance of forests with a wealth of herbs and medicinal plants , and the cool monsoon season (June - November) are ideally suited for Ayurveda's curative and restorative packages.Today, Ayurveda is very much an integral part of Kerala tourism.
Ayurveda breaks down the human body into three fundamental elements:
- Doshas – representing the physio-chemical and physiological activities of the body
- Dhatu – denoting the materials forming the basic structure of a body cell
- Malas – representing the substances which are partly used in the body and partly excreted after serving their physiological purpose.
The role of the physician is to comprehend the imbalance, if any, that has occurred to the dynamic equilibrium of these three elements and take measures for its correction. The physical and mental co-operation of the patient, in making the necessary changes in his lifestyle and food habits, is essential to restore the dynamic balance to the body.
Ayurveda lays special emphasis on prevention of diseases, describing vividly the signs and symptoms by which the illness can be foreseen and preventive steps taken. It also lays down instructions on how to live, in perfect health, in different climactic conditions.
Ayurveda believes that the health of a man is influenced to a great degree by his environment and teaches us how to make changes to our daily and seasonal routines according to age, sex and environment. These routines include diet and the general attitude towards life. Ayurveda also has a separate branch – ‘Rasayana’, to maintain youth and vitality.
Traditional texts reveal that the monsoon is the best season for rejuvenation programmes. The atmosphere remains dust-free and cool, opening the pores of the body to the maximum, making it most receptive to herbal oils and therapy.
A word of caution to the tourist, though – make your choice of treatment centre with utmost caution and after careful scrutiny; ensure that it is a licensed institution, since numerous centres have sprung up lately with the sole intention of making a fast buck. You may end up getting treatment – and a big hole in your pocket – there, but rest assured it will not be a strictly ‘Ayurvedic’ one. On the other hand, the genuine centres provide great value for money and you will return home a totally different and rejuvenated person!
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