Sunday 12 June 2011

One Little Tourism Story!

Since India is a country of great cuisine, culture and especially tourism, there ought to be some interesting places to go to, some festivals to attend, some places to stay, right? Indubitably, there is so much to do in India that there is a minuscule chance of you getting bored during your stay. Throughout the whole year, India's busy schedule as a running country is fully booked. From festivals, to shopping, to hotels and much much more, the lively country never stops and takes a break.

During one year India hosts, on average 64 festivals including eight food and drink festivals. The eight food and drink festivals include: The Tea and Tourism Festival (Tamil Nadu), the Rajgir Dance and Food Festival (Bihar), the International Mango Festival (Delhi), the Goa Food and Culture festival (Goa), Tea Festival (Assam), Teesta and Tourism Festival (Sikkim and West Bengal), the Seafood Festival (Goa) and finally the Darjeeling Tea festival (West Bengal). Out of these eight festivals, the International Mango festival is one of most recognized food festivals known around the world and in India itself. The International Mango festival is celebrated by mango lovers all around India during the month of July. The festival is three days long and showcases more than 400 species of the fruit. The highlights of the festival include a mango eating contest, mango quizzes, and sales on preserved pickles and mangos and chutneys.  The festival gives a great opportunity for farmers and exporters to advertise their mangos as well. This festival is a great place to visit to experience taste of fresh and juicy Indian mangoes.

Other than festivals, India is commonly known for the street vendor’s snacks. All around India, one of the most famous snacks sold by street vendors is called Golgappas. When walking around monuments such as the India gate or maybe just even a walk through a street, you will find these delicious Golgappas everywhere. Golgappas are hollow spheres of fried dough that are filled with potatoes and topped with various spices and tamarind sauce. So during visit to India, one must be determined to try a Golpgappas since they serve as one of the greatest specialties in India. 

Withdrawing from food, when a tourist visits in India, they must consider their accommodation. From Delhi to Agra to Mumbai, accommodation for a tourist is so important. The top five hotel accommodations for tourists include the Taj Palace and Tower in Mumbai, India, Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra, Taj Lake Palace in Udaipur, Rajasthan, The Imperial in New Delhi, and finally the Leela Palace Kempinkski in Bangolore. So where ever you go in India, there is always a five star hotel to welcome you. From my personal experience I would definitely recommend a stay at the Lake Palace in Udaipur. It is a hotel located in the middle of the Pichola Lake that was actually converted from Maharaja Jagat Singh II’s palace. The incredible architecture and royalty experience will make you want to stay for a lifetime.

While you are India, it is worthwhile visiting some famous touristic attractions. India is country honourably known for culture, food, and history. When travelling to North India, tourist would be most delighted to see the Taj Mahal, the Red Fort, the Lake Palace, the Qutab Minar, the Lotus Temple, the Golden Temple, the parliament of India and the India Gate. Whereas in south India, tourists would love to see the Char Minar, the Kerala backwaters, the Golconda Fort, the Mysore Palace, Bollywood and especially the beaches. These tourist attractions are wonderful places in India to experience the royalty, heritage and culture. It is definitely worth taking a trip to India to visit all these attractions offered.

India is a country who is very famous for shopping as well. There are hundreds of thousands of bazaars located all around India. The bazaars act as little markets which sell food, clothing, crafts and much more. One of India’s famous shopping bazaars is called Chandni Chowk. Located in Old Delhi, Chandi Chowk is many of the biggest markets in India. Many domestic citizens and foreign tourists visit Chandni Chowk to get their shopping needs fulfilled and to expose themselves to the art of Indian shopping. So, while in India be sure to visit Chandni Chowk since it is a great place to buy any Indian items you may need.

From the International Mango Festival to the Taj Lake Palace, India is truly a magnificent place to visit. The tourist attractions keep visitors busy and the foods bursting flavours explode when tried by tourists. If anyone goes to India and claims they are bored, they must have done something terribly wrong. India definitely deserves its title as Incredible !ndia.