Tuesday, May 24, 2016

What are the 10 Must-see Places Outside India?

World is full of natural and man-made wonders and making a list of ten must-see places in this huge world is a Herculean task. Of course, there will be people disagreeing from one school of thought to another, yet here is a list of ten places which is a delight to body and soul and will be an out of the world experience over all.


  1. Pyramids of Giza in Egypt- These 3800 years old monuments are the only intact relics of seven wonders. A tour of these pyramids is practically travelling to 2,560 BC. Pyramids will leave you surprised with its unique design which stood strong for more than forty centuries and still going strong.
  2. Yellowstone National Park, USA
  3. Yellowstone National Park, USA- This is a natural marvel. Primarily, it is located in Wyoming but spreads across Idaho and Montana as well. It is a volcanic hotspot along which a 3,500 sq miles recreation area has been created. It has everything- canyons, forests, exotic wild life, alpine rivers, hot springs and most importantly, hot geysers. The most visited of them are Old Faithful, Steamboat and Beehive Geysers.                                     
  4. Salar de Uyumi, Bolivia- With spanning over 4,086 square miles, this is world's largest salt flat. During the rains, its reflectiveness is worth watching. Due to this clarity, satellites are calibrated here. For the same reason, it is called world's largest mirror as well.
  5. Victoria Falls, Zambia- This is a one-mile long and 350 feet high waterfall from where more than 260,000 gallons of water flow every second. This is a spectacular view and a must add in your bucket list.
  6. Crystalline Turquoise Lake in Jiuzhaigou National Park, China- When you want to see a riot of colours, crowd of tourists in pristine setting and a cluster of beautiful geographic marvels together in one place, visit Jiuzhaigou National Park in Min Mountains. The crystal clear lake with myriad of colours like green, yellow, turquoise, aqua blue etc makes it a breathtaking spot.
  7. Beautiful Venice, Italy
  8. Northern Lights in Iceland, Norway, Finland or Sweden- Now this is one must see option which comes with further options. Northern lights or Aurora Borealis are the celestial games of light and sound in the winter sky. It's an absolute delight to watch. Best Northern Lights can be seen from Reykjavik in Iceland, Svalbard in Norway, Kakslauttanen in Finland and Jukkasjarvi in Finland.                                                                             
  9. Venice in Italy- Compared to the places mentioned above, Venice may sound mundane but a floating city is something you have not seen ever. A hustling bustling city is connected with only waterways is beyond any of your theoretical knowledge.
  10. Swiss Alps- You don't need to rush from a point to another ticking your checklist. When you are in Switzerland, enjoy the nature's beauty at its best. Get down at a random station, put your luggage in a locker room and explore the little towns in the mountains that are picture perfect.
  11. Machu Pichu, Peru- A visit to this Inca City is trekking into history. It is known to be the best architectural site of South America. A broad base rising up to a sharp peak gives a look of a human face. Take your time exploring the ruins and relics of more than 500 years old city.
  12. Cherry Blossoms in Japan- Once winter bids goodbye, spring makes its dramatic entry with cherry blossoms. Starting from late March to April end or sometimes early May, every nook and corner of Japan becomes magical with the pink blanket of flowers. Life suddenly becomes beautiful in this colourful atmosphere. You will never be able to erase this vision of pink splendour for the rest of your life. 

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Other than India where handloom items are famous?

For hundreds and thousands of years, India has been strongly revered due to the skilled artistry and craftsmanship of Indian artisans. Out of the many products that have been produced by them, the handloom sarees always deserve special mention as they have always been known for their classic and ethereal beauty. Here are some of the most notable areas all around the country that are known for their unique styles of handloom products.

West Bengal
West Bengal has its very own style of handloom sarees, and some of the most popular ones of them all are Baluchari, Tant, Kantha and Dhanekhali products. Each of these saree products come with their own set of unique artistic patterns and usage of color. The artwork used in these sarees reflects the ideas and sentiments of the people living here as well as their sense of viewing the world.

Hand Woven Indian Silk Sarees Online

Odisha
Odisha is the modern name of the region whose ancient name was Kalinga. With a rich tradition of unique culture the rgion is known to produce some of the finest samples of high quality handloom products. The Sambalpuri sarees that are made here are not only worn by women in different parts of Odisha but also by women in other parts of the country as well. The beautiful sarees are handcrafted to perfection with lightweight materials such as silk, cotton and tussar.

Benaras
Benaras is one of the oldest cities of India and therefore it is not surprising that the city with have a culture that is thousands of years old. This rich culture is perfectly reflected in the Benarasi silk sarees that are designed and manufactured here. The sarees are notable for their pristine beauty, which is why they are extremely popular as bridal sarees. The pure gold and silver threads that are used for weaving these sarees make these sarees extremely gorgeous. The intricate embroidery and beautiful zari designs give these sarees their unique touch.  

Bihar
Bihar is a region that has always been famous for its beautiful tussar silk sarees. These sarees are adorned with fine artwork that takes its inspiration from the classic Madhubani paintings. A number of different fabrics are used to create these sarees and even woolen and blended sarees enjoy great popularity.

Andhra Pradesh
When it comes to handloom industry, Andhra Pradesh always deserves special mention. There are a number of regions all across Andhra Pradesh that is known for their saree weaving techniques. Among the regions that produce world class weaves include Mangaliri, Gadwal, Pochampalli, Venkatgiri and Dharmavaram. All of these regions are noted for their top quality weaving techniques that have a unique style of their own.    

These regions described above have always made a strong contribution to the handloom industry of India. The famous handloom products designed and manufactured in these regions are not only popular in India but in other parts of the world as well. Other than India, there is also an extensive handloom market in certain other countries such as China, Burma, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Middle Eastern countries as well as various regions of Europe and USA. The handloom products that are made in India are in high demand in these countries. With the advent of online shopping, it is now perfectly possible for the people living in these parts of the world to buy top quality Indian handloom products from the comfort of their own homes. Buying these handloom products from the online shops not only allow the buyers to choose from a broad range of items but also make it possible for them to make the most of lucrative discounts. 

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Why peoples of Middle East always searching for Traditional Indian Dresses?

India has always been a culture that is heavily steeped in its traditional culture and belief systems. The reflections of these beliefs have been observed in Indian art, architecture, music as well as fashion. For hundreds and thousands of years, India has developed its very own ideas and concepts about clothing. This can also be seen in the pictorial representations of the various gods and goddesses that make up the Hindu pantheon of religious deities. Since India has always had a tropical climate, the fabrics that have been used mostly in India for creating various types of clothing items include cotton, muslin, silk and blends of cotton and silk. These fabrics allow easy passage of air and keep the wearer cool and comfortable under all occasions. A wide range of dress materials are made for both men and women by using these fabrics. 
       
Traditional Indian dresses have always been in high demand among men and women in this country. It is for this reason that the artisans and dressmakers of this country design them in a wide variety of styles to suit various occasions. Special artistic motifs and embellishments are used in these dresses that make them exquisitely beautiful; this when taken together with the creative use of colors makes these dresses truly beautiful and gorgeous. Most Indian men and women love to deck themselves up in these clothes when they need to attend a particular wedding or make a strong appearance in a religious festival or a family get-together. This is also true for people who are living within the boundaries of the Indian subcontinent or those who are residing in other parts of the world.

Large range of Traditional Indian Dresses Online
One of the places in the world where the Indian clothing items are immensely popular is the Middle East. Middle Eastern countries, such as Dubai and UAE have always had a strong liking for the clothing items that are made in India. People from these two regions of the earth have shared strong ties of culture and commerce for thousands of years. Many people used to travel back and forth within these countries, thus exchanging many ideas in terms of culture, cuisine, religious belief systems as well as fashion ideas. Since both countries have comparable weather conditions, the clothes that are made in India are perfect for Middle Eastern conditions. Men and women in the Middle East have been fond of traditional Indian dresses for a long time and now it is possible for them to get these dresses easily from various online stores.

There are currently many ecommerce stores in Middle East that allow consumers to buy Indian dresses online. These stores are perfect places to get the best branded Indian clothing products as well as clothing items that are made by well known designers. Whether one is looking for designer kurtas, ghagra cholis or bridal wear, he or she can easily check out the online stores in the Middle Eastern regions for buying the best of these products. There are also a number of online stores that are based in India that cater to the consumers from Middle Eastern countries. This makes it even easier to get these products as and when one desires.


The easy availability of Indian dresses through various online stores in MiddleEast has encouraged more men and women in these countries to try on Indian traditional clothes and experiment with their looks. This has also made it possible for Indian clothing companies to expand their markets and earn great revenue from out of them. It is due to the sheer popularity of online shopping in Middle East that more ecommerce stores offering Indian clothes are coming up at the present moment.               

Thursday, May 5, 2016

Gokarna: Why does it attract so many foreign tourists?

Gokarna, can very simply be described as a small touristy pilgrimage town which receives visitors throughout the year. As it has several temples nearby, the town is virtually thronged by Hindu pilgrims most of the times. However, the interesting thing to note here is that besides the Indians, the foreigners including the Europeans and Russians frequent this place as well. “Why exactly do these foreigners visit this small town often? What exactly does this pilgrimage sort of a town have to offer these foreigners? Let us find out in the course of the post.

Gokarna: A touristy delight in Karnataka

Situated in Karnataka, Goakarna serves as a perfect retreat for pilgrims with all its Shiva temples with His original image (as is believed by the inhabitants of the town and perhaps even by the visitors). The place is primarily famous for the string of religious festivals held here. Shiva Ratri, observed at the end of February is celebrated amidst much jubilation here.

Talking about the sea of foreign tourists the town receives every year; let us tell you that the trend has been started by the European backpackers who primarily visited Gokarna for its warm climate in winter. Another major reason behind the foreigners thronging here is the much coveted isolation offered by this place.

Beautiful Beach of Gokarno

The role played by the beaches

The life styles of Gokarno are not solely revolving round beaches. It should be pointed out that the town is not only known for its temples. It is equally famous for its beaches. And who doesn’t know? Beaches are always a favorite of foreigners. Here is a rundown on the most exotic beaches of Gokarna.

Gokarna Beach

Though it is more popular with the Indians and less with the foreign tourists, it should be mentioned that it is visited by the latter – perhaps by a much lesser degree than what’s the case with the other beaches. It stretches for several kilometers long. Perhaps one of the reasons why foreigners avoid this particular beach is because of the consistent lack of hygiene. You can hardly find any locals cleaning this beach up. Things are in fact worse after Shiva Ratri. The beach is converted into a virtual garbage dump after a night of revelry.

Om Beach

Situated further along Kudle beach, this particular beach is divided by a rocky island. Foreign visitors are a regular sight here. A section of the beach is primarily occupied by restaurants offering cheap accommodation in the shape of concrete beach huts and bamboo. Come the monsoons and you will not really have access to many accommodation options here.

Kudle Beach

Kudle Beach can be reached by a brief walk downhill from the drop-off points right at the southern and northern end of the beach. Travelers are advised to stay in the southern stretch of the beach. Backpackers had always been a regular feature of this particular beach. Thanks to these backpackers – parties and jam sessions were held regularly as well.

Conclusion

So, as we were saying before, beaches also have to play a crucial role in bringing foreign tourists to the town. As you might have gauged by now, the place is practically brimming with a number of beaches. One of the prominent trends which can be noticed in recent times is the gradual thinning down of the backpacking crowd in recent times. Various sections of the town have stopped entertaining backpackers simply because they have started receiving affluent tourists (especially from the metro cities of India) and also because they have had to face several problems owing to the backpacking crowd. The backpacker, many a time were involved in theft, drugs and other anti-social activities.