BEST MONTHS: June
FESTIVALS:Sao Joao Festival Goa
RATHA YATRA ORISSA
Hemis Gompa Festival Leh
The Sao Joao Festival is most pompously celebrated in Goa amongst the Catholic community and is dedicated to St. John the Baptist which is celebrated on 24th June every year. This occasion marks the celebration by the local youth in the villages of Goa who normally get drunk and jump into wells according to the existing tradition of Sao Joao festival. They consume plenty of fruits on this occasion and are virtually unstoppable when they indulge in revelry. Specially in Salcete taluka, different types of folk dances or Mandos are held which are popularly known as Sangodds. Fruits and other eatables are exchanged between friends and relatives.
Ratha Yatra or Ratha Jatra or Chariot Festival of Lord Jagannath, Devi Subhadra and Lord Balabhadra, a Hindu festival, is undoubtedly the biggest and the most popular festival held in Odisha. It is the oldest Ratha Yatra taking place in India and the world. Every year in the month of June or July, this festival is celebrated on the second day of the Shukla Paksha, Ashadh month as per the traditional Oriya calendar. It is considered most auspicious to visit the temple during this period. The festival Odisha is celebrated for nine days, the commencement of this festival is called as the Rath Yatra and the return journey on a ninth day is called as Bahuda Jatra. During the return journey (Bahuda Jatra) of Ratha yatra festival, the chariot of Lord Jagannath stops at Mausi Maa temple (Lord Jagannath's Aunt) and the deity is offered his favorite Poda Pitha, a kind of baked cake meant for the poor. As part of Ratha Yatra, the deities of Lord Jagannath, his elder brother Lord Balabhadra and younger sister Devi Subhadra are moved from their holy abode for a procession up to Gundicha Temple
Marking the birth of Guru Padmasambhava, Hemis Festival is not only one of the most important Buddhist celebration in Ladakh but is also the most popular festival amongst tourists. Held in one of the most-visited monasteries in Ladakh, Hemis Gompa, the festival is a two-day event that is celebrated on the 10th day of the fifth month of Tibetan Calendar, which is the month of June/July in Gregorian Calendar. On this popular festival in Ladakh, Cham Dance and other traditional dances are performed in Hemis Monastery on the beats of drums and cymbal and on the tunes of long pipe like Tibetan music instrument. On both days, giant thangkas (Buddhist paintings) are unfurled for the public. In fact, every 12th year, the largest thangka in Ladakh is unfurled in Hemis on the first day of the festival for the public to see.
Goa is a state in western India with coastlines stretching along the Arabian Sea. Its long history as a Portuguese colony prior to 1961 is evident in its preserved 17th-century churches and the area’s tropical spice plantations. Goa is also known for its beaches, ranging from popular stretches at Baga and Palolem to those in laid-back fishing villages such as Agonda etc
In luxury’s own lap at Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, Goa, embrace the languid and laid-back life that is so characteristic of this sunny beach state. Located in Benaulim on the southwest coast of Goa and overlooking the Arabian Sea, this Mediterranean-inspired resort in Goa will slow down your time to a tranquil tempo. Forty minutes away from the airport, our beach resort in Goa sprawls over 56 acres of lush greenery, and is divided into the main hotel building with large deluxe and luxury suites, and villa rooms. All this space coupled with old-world architecture, flower-lined patios and a sunshine-laden atrium make for a perfect romantic or family holiday. Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, Goa is also the perfect location for social dos, conferences and business meetings. Our Ballroom, one of the largest pillarless banquet halls in Goa at 4,600 square feet (427 sq m), is ideal for romantic destination weddings.
The Luxury Suite, located in the main building, is a grand one-bedroom suite with a separate living room. This sea-facing suite has one bathroom and one wash room. The room can be interconnected to a Deluxe Sea-view Room if needed
Think of Goa and the first thing that comes to mind is beaches, right? One of the best things to do in Goa is to explore its exquisite beaches where you can indulge in sunbathing, water sports, sundown parties, and so much more.
Goa is dotted with a number of spectacular forts that exemplify magnificence, architectural brilliance, and the region’s glorious past. But more than anything else, the forts in Goa offer you breath-taking views of the surroundings.
John the Baptist and is celebrated on June 24th as Sao Joao feast in Goa. The festival celebrations include villagers jumping into the wells, streams and ponds. This jump is to signify the joy that St. John felt when Jesus was born.
In all probability, your Hotel would have welcomed you with a garland of seashells. Well, you can buy many types of jewellery made out of seashells – neckpieces, bracelets, and earrings.
Furniture is undoubtedly one of the best things that add more beauty to your homes. Select a few antique and attractive pieces from a wide range of furniture sets with the wood carvings and stunning brass works available at the different beach markets
Feni is the country’s most famous liquor made out of coconut and cashews. It is something you can’t miss buying if you are planning to travel to Goa. It is indeed enormously intoxicating, long shelf life and is used in the cocktails, usually mixed with the tonic water and lemonade.
It is a widely known (and loved) fact that seafood forms the backbone of the Goan cuisine. One such local and crowd favourite is the Goan prawn curry, made with a coconut base and served with the local parboiled red rice
Goan sausage or Goan chorizo reflects the Portuguese influence on the Goan cuisine. It is prepared using cubes of salted pork that burst with flavour when fried. Chorizo can also be simply boiled and eaten that way.
Ros means gravy in Konkani. Ros omelette is a dearly loved street food. It’s an omelette served with piping hot chicken xacuti gravy poured over it and is eaten with Goan pao.
Odisha (formerly Orissa), an eastern Indian state on the Bay of Bengal, is known for its tribal cultures and its many ancient Hindu temples. The capital, Bhubaneswar, is home to hundreds of temples, notably the intricately-carved Mukteshvara. The Lingaraj Temple complex, dating to the 11th century, is set around sacred Bindusagar Lake. The Odisha State Museum is focused on the area’s history and environment
MAYFAIR Lagoon is a marvellous property and one of the best luxury hotels in Bhubaneswar. This top hotel in Bhubaneswar offers lavish luxury as well as wonderful service. MAYFAIR Lagoon is a 5 Star Deluxe Hotel that is spread out across 10 acres in the heart of the capital city of Odisha. There are various categories of luxury accommodation available to suit everyone’s needs from the opulent lagoon side villas to family friendly suites and cottages to comfortable well-appointed club rooms. There are state-of-the-art conference rooms, banquet halls and lush outdoor venues to host meetings, seminars and weddings.
Opulence at its crowning highest! No stone has been left unturned with our private villas to bring the utmost comfort and luxury to our esteemed guests. The Royal Villa comes with personalised butler service, two master bedrooms, sit out with handsome patio furniture, a spacious living room, a dry kitchen, open air baths, a private dip pool and two expansive four fixture bathrooms.
One of the major attractions of Simplipal National Park, Barehipani Falls is India's second-largest waterfall. The cascade makes its dramatic drop over two tiers in the Meghashuni Mountains. It's one of the many waterfalls you'll see on a typical tour of the park in addition to Joranda Falls, which is another one of India's tallest waterfalls. Simplial National Park is a reserve for wild tigers and elephants and is a part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves.
Odisha's capital city, Bhubaneshwar, was once home to thousands of temples. Only a fraction of them remain but they're certainly impressive and the oldest one, Parsurameswara Temple, dates back to the 7th century. Each temple offers a unique interest, such as the Ananta Vasudeva Temple, which has the largest kitchen in the city, and the 64 Yogini Temple, one of the only four temples in India dedicated to the cult of tantra. It takes the number in its name from the 64 stone carvings of yogini goddesses.
Konark is located about two hours southeast of Bhubaneshwar and an hour east of Puri, forming part of the popular Bhubaneshwar-Puri-Konark "Golden Triangle of Odisha". The main attraction is the 13th-century Sun Temple, designed to be a huge chariot for Surya the Sun God. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site and architectural masterpiece. Erotic carvings similar to those on the Khajuraho temples also stand out.
Odisha is one of the few places in India where the stone sculpting is still practiced. You can see many roadside workshops where the sculptors are busy carving stone images. Most hotels use these stone sculptures to decorate their interiors. Most temples have them as their deities. You can get one sculpted as per your requirements. They do even today the stone sculpting of the famous Konark wheel in all the fineries.
Odisha is known for Pattachitra paintings. These are intricate paintings done on palm leaves by piercing the palm leaf and then filling it with color. It is a technique that is unique to Odisha and requires an immense amount of skill and practice. Raghurajpur village near Puri has the whole village dedicated to this art. You can buy Pattachitra anywhere in Odisha.
Coconut shells painted with the colorful images of Jagannath, Balbhadra and Subhadra can be found in Puri. You can hand them on your doorway. It is supposed to keep the evil eye away from you. Someone gifted this to me and it is a part of my home temple now. You also get a smaller version of it with painting on Arecanut or Soapnut. These make the perfect gifts for people and are easy to carry in bulk due to small size.
A lunch staple for almost every household in the state of Odisha, Pakhala Bhata offers a delectable respite from the summer heat. Made from soaking cooked rice in sour curd and water, this dish from Odisha is served with fried fish, potatoes, Badi choora, and papad on the side. Being a popular food and main food of Odisha, this delicacy should be one of your first dishes to try on your trip to Odisha.
Gupchup – the universal food of india: gupchup, the most renowned food of the state famously known as golgoppa or panipuri accross india . In the south, its panipuri or gapchup presented with onion and pudina water and in the east generally in odisha, bihar, jharkhand, and west bengal its gupchup. In the territory of odisha, gupchup slows down are generally found in the city of pretty much every city. Puris – mixing rice flour,semolina,salt and some drop of oil with maida. Filling – boil the potatoes and yellow peas. Pani – add water to the tamarind and crush out the mash.
Khaja, served as a prasad in the temple of Lord Jagannath on a daily-basis, Khaja is one of the most delicious dishes of Odisha that you can easily find in every nook and corner of the city of Puri in Odisha. Refined wheat flour is mixed with sugar and fried lightly in some oil to make this delicious dish.
Ladakh is a union territory in the Kashmir region of India. Formerly falling in the state of Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh was administered a union territory on 31st October 2019. Extending from the Siachen Glacier to the main Great Himalayas, Ladakh is a land like no other. Dominated by dramatic landscapes, Ladakh is known as the world's coldest desert. Stunning Gompas (Tibetan Buddhist monasteries), fluttering prayer flags, whitewashed stupas, Ladakh is a riot of intricate murals and red-robed monks. It is said that only in Ladakh can a man sitting in the sun with his feet in the shade suffer from sunstroke and frostbite at the same time. With a culture similar to Tibetan culture, the people of Ladakh are friendly and welcoming to tourists.
The Grand Dragon Ladakh is the first hotel with a host of state of the art amenities, such as electronic key cards for the rooms and a baggage scanner, as well as their own sewage treatment facility. The entire facility is wheelchair accessible, for providing differently abled guests with a comfortable sojourn. The hotel is also centrally heated and solar powered, not only ensuring warmth but also ensuring that all our services are eco-friendly. The attention to detail offered by the associates, coupled with the magnificent views, will guarantee you take back home sweet memories.
The colossal Luxury Suites, which are spread over a whopping 900 sq. ft., comprise of a plethora of facilities to make your stay pleasant – air purifiers, central air conditioning, washroom-floor heating and Italian marble with 4 fixture modern fittings stall and amenities in the bathroom. Added to this is the alluring charm of the elegant teak wood cornices, furnishings in jewel-toned brocades embossed with floral designs and geometric motifs. The room is the ideal retreat for you to unwind in an ambience of luxury.
You haven’t felt the spirit and true magnetism of Ladakh if you haven’t seen the dance drama flaunting vibrant clothes and formidable masks. Attend the Hemis Festival of Ladakh Festival to be mesmerized by the colorful dances. Where: Hemis Monastery When: 11th July to 12th July 2021 Highlight: the Chham Dance is quite famous; people dance wearing masks and the dance is symbolic of good winning over bad
A ride on the double-humped Bactrian Camels at the sand dunes of Hunder is number three on our list of things to do in Ladakh for its terrain along the breathtakingly beautiful Shyok and Nubra River. This is an integral part of the caravans that used to travel on the ancient trade route. Where: Hunder When: during the summer months of June to September Highlight: the scenic beauty that you’ll witness during your ride from Hunder to Turtuk
One of the unique Ladakh attractions is the Maggi point at the highest cafeteria in the world. You may have eaten this noodle everywhere possible, but you have not truly enjoyed it till you savor the 2-minute noodle overlooking the Himalayan ranges at Khardung La Pass, one of the highest motorable passes in the world. Where: Khardungla Pass When: the best time to visit Khardungla Pass is from April to June as well as September to October Highlight: the fact that Khardungla Pass is the highest motorable road in the world is enough to give you a reason to visit this place
The huge Tibetan population that have made Ladakh its home provides not just a rich infusion to the local culture but also allows everyone a generous peek into their homes and traditions by selling handmade Tibetan artefacts and wares at the markets here. You will be spoilt for choice with intricately painted, eye-catching Thangka paintings that make for beautiful, sacred wall-pieces and meditational means; Buddha statues in different poses and sizes, each with its own significance;
The stunning Ladakhi jewellery makes a gorgeous addition to your or your better-half's collection. Sift through the vast collections of pure silver jewellery, making sure it is hallmarked for authenticity, and vibrant turquoise and coral pieces worn traditionally by Ladakhis and Tibetans. You'll find a wide variety of necklaces, earrings, rings, bracelets, and even key chains while shopping in Ladakh. We promise you will end up buying more than just one of each kind.
The delicate, painfully beautiful, and very warm, Pashmina shawls made with fine Kashmiri wool can be found aplenty here. For normal woollens, look for socks, gloves, sweaters, caps and blankets woven with yak wool in the trademark local patterns. Additionally, while shopping in Ladakh you may lookout for the traditional warm robe 'goncha', made with wool or cotton, and the colourfully embroidered and embellished headgear 'perak', worn by the locals. If you have a weird sense of style or the ability to carry off everything with ease, you are sure to make a fashion statement with these local garments
Thukpa is the staple food of people of Ladakh. It is a soupy noodle dish with assorted vegetables (for vegetarians) and minced meat (for non-vegetarians). The noodle is made of wheat or barley flour. The broth, rich in spices, not only satiates the taste buds but also warms the body. There are different types of thukpa (known as thentuk, pakthuk, etc.) served in different parts of Ladakh.
Chhutagi literally translates as “water bread” (chhu means “water” while tagi is “bread” in Ladakhi). Chhutagi is one of the distinctive Ladakhi delicacy rich in nutrition. The flattened dough is usually cut into circular shapes and then given the shape of a bow-tie. The dough is then cooked in a thick soup made of either vegetables or meat. Chhutagi is a heavy meal and is often served during harvest season to workers to give them energy. Some local restaurants in Leh have come up with different versions of chhutagi. It is definitely one of the culinary specialities of Ladakh that need to be tasted.
Chhurpe, made from the milk of dzomo (a hybrid between domestic cattle and yak), is used as an ingredient to create flavourful delicacies in Ladakh. It is white and is added to thukpa to bring out flavour when vegetables or meat are not available in winter. Chhurpe is also added to tsampa (roasted barley flour) and mixed with Tibetan butter tea to prepare kholak which is then eaten with vegetables or minced meat. It is a rich source of vitamins and proteins. Chhurpe is found in two varieties: soft and hard.
From caves, temples and mosques to palaces and stupas, India boasts an architectural ...
A nations cultural and natural heritage embodied in buildings, monuments and natural
