Bhubaneshwar is the capital of Orissa and also the former capital of the ancient kingdom of Kalinga. It is often referred to as the ‘Temple City’, because it had a thousand temples at one time. Dominating the skyline of Bhubaneshwar is three easy to identify monuments, the Lingaraj Temple with its soaring spire, the white-domed peace pagoda atop Dhauli Hill and the pink temple of Lord Mahavir on the Khandagiri Hills. Other attractions include the Mukteshwar Temple, which with its famous stone arch at the entrance is known as the gem of Orissan architecture.
Located on the outskirts in the Khandagiri Udayagiri complex is the very impressive Rani’s Gumpha or Queen’s Cave. On the Dhauligiri Hills, around which the bloody Kalinga battle was fought and which finally converted Ashoka the Great into an apostle of peace, stands a modern monument dedicated to world peace – the `Vishwa Shanti Stupa’. This impressive peace pagoda has been built with Indo-Japanese collaboration. Other places worth a visit include the Orissa State Museum, the Handicrafts Museum, Tribal Museum and the Nandankanan Zoological Park. It was here that for the first time ever, gharials and white tigers were bred in captivity. Nandankanan also offers a lion and white tiger safari.
Konark
Konark
The Sun Temple in Konark is one of the most stunning symbols of temple architecture in India and is also a world heritage monument. Built in the 13th century, the entire temple was designed in the shape of a colossal chariot, to carry the Hindu Sun God, Surya. There are seven horses to pull the chariot temple and the 24 giant wheels of the chariot symbolize the division of time. The Sun Temple is a brilliant chronicle in stone, with thousands of sculptures and images including deities, heavenly damsels, musicians, lovers, dancers, birds, animals, and a plethora of different scenes from everyday life, including several erotic sculptures that vividly portray the delights of gender.
Every day, the Sun God, rises from the lap of the blue ocean close by, and casts His first gentle rays on the temple built for Him. He then circles the temple and during the course of the day, illuminates the three magnificent images of the morning sun, the mid-day sun and the setting sun. The gigantic figures of the war elephants holding aloft a dazed soldier, or the lions guarding the entrance to the temple, or the beautifully carved couples engaged in myriad modes of pleasurable physical union, are all a glorious tribute to the skill of the artist and the richness of Orissa’s past, frozen forever on the shores of time. The Noble Laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore provided possibly the best description of the Sun Temple by saying, “The language of man here is defeated by the language of stone”.
Konark also has a pretty and peaceful beach that offers a good view of the sunrise. It is also a good place to observe the lives of local fishermen. Accommodation for tourists is very limited but there are several eating places. Given this, it is best to spend the day in Konark and then proceed to Puri.
Gopalpur
Gopalpur
Situated on the East coast of Orissa, facing the blue waters of the Bay of Bengal is the white-grained beach of Gopalpur-on-Sea. Goplapur was once a humming seaport buzzing with maritime activities. You can still see the crumbling walls and pillars of the old jetty and the eye-catching lighthouse, all of which are proof of the past commercial glory of Gopalpur.
Gopalpur is an attractive destination but as it has to yet establish itself with tourists, the choice of accommodation is limited, with the Swosti Palm Resort being the best choice. Another interesting option is the family run, Hotel Song of The Sea, which is located on the beach and right next to the lighthouse. It is aptly named because the song of the splashing surf can be heard from every room. Simply delightful!
Visakhapatnam
Visakhapatnam
With the Eastern Ghats on one side and the Bay of Bengal on the other, Visakhapatnam also known as Vizag, was once a small fishing village. Over the years it has witnessed the reign of Ashoka, the Pallava, Cholas, Gangas and the British, who transformed it into a port town. Now it is the second largest city in Andhra Pradesh and also has India’s largest shipbuilding yard. Visakhapatnam is famous for its several golden beaches and the green hills that surround it. Other attractions include the Buddhist sites that have recently been excavated and the exquisitely sculpted Simhachalam Temple.
For more information on road trip to Bhubaneswar Konark Visakhapatnam contact Swan Tours, one of the leading travel agents in Connaught place.
Complete information and History about Himachal Pradesh
This disillusioned the hill rulers about the intentions of the British and during the Second Sikh War of 1848, some of them succumbed to the instigations of the Lahore Durbar of the Sikhs and revolted, only to suffer still more grievously as at that time Lord Dalhousie, known for his annexations and the Doctrine of Lapse, governed India. A force sent under Lawrence crushed the rebellion by Kangra, Nurpur, Jaswan and Datarpur and their rulers were sent to Almora as prisoners. A valiant son of Nurpur, wazir Ram Singh who proclaimed the independence of his State with the beat of a drum, proved a tough nut and was arrested when a friend betrayed him to the British. He was banished to Singapore where he passed his last days. Thus most of the areas of hill states to the west of Sutlej passed under direct British ad-ministration while the ‘loyal ones’ such as Chamba, Mandi, Suket continued to be called the Punjab Hill States.
During the war of independence of 1857, the role of the hill chiefs, like their counterparts in Punjab, was one of co-operation with the British, with the solitary exception of the Raja of Bushahar, who assumed a more or less neutral attitude. After Queen Victoria’s famous proclamation of 1858, the Crown assumed direct responsibility for governing India. The British policy towards Indian States was also reoriented accordingly. So far as Himachal was concerned, some of the Rajas who were taken to Almora after their insurrection during the Second Sikh War were allowed to return and jagirs were awarded to them. Pensions in the case of some others like the Raja of Nurpur were enhanced. The Declaration of 1858, categorically stated: “We desire no extension of our present territorial possessions”. And this along with such later measures as the permission to rulers to adopt sons and heirs greatly relieved them of their fears.
By the Act of 1876, Queen Victoria assumed the title of Empress of India. This made the sovereign of England the suzerain of Indian states as well. Britain became the de facto paramount power and it started exercising greater control over the states through the political agents, residents and superintendents of states, who functioned under the Political Department. This position existed more or less when India got independence on 15 August 1947.
The life of the hill people under petty chieftains was worse than that of the subjects of most of the other states in the country. The rulers of small principalities had neither the intention nor the resources to do anything for development. Certain states were in principle against the provision of higher education to their subjects fearing that the new ideas might infect them. The rulers were fond of aping their richer counterparts of the plains in the display of pomp and grandeur which in the context of their shrunken and meagre resources appeared cheap and vulgar to some visiting Englishmen.
According to the prevailing custom, all land belonged to the Raja. In the exercise of this prerogative he kept the best land for himself. His family, his relations and the feudal aristocracy got the next best choice. The ordinary folk had only the marginal land or no land at all. Beth, a system of service land-tenure, and begar, labour without compensation, were prevalent forms of ancient oppression which people bore silently. Princely levies at various occasions made matters intolerable but the Hillman who worshipped his Raja along with his deities remained mostly peaceful, accepting their lot as the gift of god or the result of sins in a previous life.
Writing about the condition of a Hillman, an American missionary, S.N. Stokes, who lived at Kotgarh in the beginning of the twentieth century stated: He is often cursed, sometimes beaten, his interest ignored. The Hillman has gradually been relegated to the position of a beast of burden and a helot. Not only are his rights as a free man denied him and his work interfered with, but the relation in whom he stands to those who can force him to give him services is demoralizing in the extreme.”
To shelter their states against foreign corrupting influence the Rajas discouraged Indian and foreign visitors alike. As there were no roads and other facilities, only the very adventurous could hazard a trek in the forbidden lands. In some cases the visitors had to pay heavy toll duties. Isolated from the plains of India by natural barriers the hill people experienced a medieval existence even till recent times. No wonder the freedom struggle in the rest of India did not find a correspondingly strong echo here, though faint murmurs were heard here and there occasionally. Individual show of resentment or insubordination against the tyrannical dictates of the chiefs by enlightened people educated in the plains or with contacts there by virtue of service were construed as rebellion and crushed mercilessly.
Y.S. Parmar, a former Chief Minister of the State, who was a district and sessions judge in the erstwhile Sirmur State, before independence was expelled from the State on account of suspected loyalty. There were numerous other cases in which much harsher punishment was handed down. During 1914-15, Mian Jawahar Singh and Rana of Khavigarh and others were sentenced to long terms of imprisonment for organizing a branch of the Ghaddar party in Mandi.
The Ludhiana Session of the All-India States Peoples’ Conference led some hill people in the thirties to organize the Shimla Hill States Himalaya Riyasti Praja Mandal to co-ordinate the activities of political and social workers. These workers usually operated from outside the states or worked underground. On 15 July 1939, resolutions were adopted by Praja Mandal of Dhami (a small state 18 miles from Shimla) urging the ruler to abolish begar, grant 50 per cent remission in land revenue due to crop failure and grant full responsible government in the State. The next day, a deputation of the Praja Mandal wanted to meet the ruler. Thousands of people of Dhami marched with the deputationists to the State capital. Apprehending danger from the crowd, which was infuriated at the arrest of their leader, the police opened fire, as a result of which two persons died and several were injured.
A non-official inquiry held into the tragic happenings of Dhami State reported to Jawaharlal Nehru, then President of the All-India States Peoples’ Conference: “Formerly in the absence of collateral relations up to fifth degree, the state of a childless male proprietor or a widow lapses to the State. Daughters and, their sons have no right of succession as against the state…. Wild beasts such as bears, leopards, kakkars, gorals etc, who damage crops, are not allowed to be killed and if anybody kills them even within his own lands, he is severely punished. Fines ranging from Rs. 50 to Rs. 100 per head are the order of the day. Not only this, even to approach the Rana for protection against the depredations of wild beast is a heinous crime.”
Also Visit – Best of Himachal Tour – 10 Nights / 11 Days – Places Covered – Amritsar » Dharamshala » Manali » Shimla » Chandigarh
An extraordinary case, though none the less amusing was cited before the Committee: “About 13 years ago, three men were awarded Rs. 5/- each for having killed a wild bear, who was destroying the crops, and the lambardar was praised for having sent them together with the body of the bear to the headquarters of the State for receiving rewards. Curiously enough, 10 years later, the present Rana reopened the case and fined the three ‘murderers’ of the ‘innocent bear’ Rs. 10 each and the lambardar Rs. 40 for having sent them to the State headquarters for receiving the reward. On the occasion of a marriage in the ruling family, suns varying between Rs. 2 and Rs. 50 and on a death sums varying between Re. 1 and Rs. 5 are charged from the subjects according to their paying capacity. If a death takes place in the family of the Rana, the females of the state are required to remove ornaments from their person and the males are required to shave their heads and moustaches clean. Nobody is allowed to sleep on the cot. Cooking vegetable and other dishes with ghee and spices is forbidden. The subjects cannot celebrate the marriage of their sons or daughters within a year of the death. They are also required to benefit the soul of the dead by going through different kinds of ceremonies and propitiations and if any-body refuses to do so he is fined.
Over and above the land revenue, annas four per rupee of the land revenue is realized. The land belonging to zarn-indars (cultivators) are converted into ‘ghasnis’ (grazing lands) and the state derives all the benefits out of it. If a person sells any commodity to meet any requirement of his family, one paisa is realized per rupee of the sale proceeds as tax. During the Shradh period which lasts every year for 16 days, and on other occasions during the year, every family has to supply milk to Rana Sahib. Recently a road within the State has been constructed for a distance of seven miles or so through the labour of men and women of the state exacted from them from morning till evening without any payment. If a family could not supply males, or there were no males in the family, women were required to work on the road. This road is mostly meant for the use of the motor car of the Rana.”
Similar or even worse conditions existed in other States in most of which the subjects had to appear barefoot but with head covered before their rulers. The elite and others who had seen conditions in the plains were getting increasingly restless and conscious of their rights. As a result Praja Mandals were organized in most of the states in the early forties.
The Panjhota agitation in Sirmur was a landmark in the peoples’ struggle for emancipation. The Raja started extracting large sums of money for aiding the British war effort in 1942. Besides, he wanted recruits for the army as his assistance to the paramount power in the Second World War. When the exaction reached a limit, the people of Panjhota formed a ‘Kishan Sabha’ and requested the ruler to person-ally listen to their tales of woe against the high-handedness of the officials. On the refusal of the Ruler to accede to their request, they formed an independent government and their stirring slogan was Bhai do na pai. The revolt was ruthlessly suppressed, the area was dynamited and properties of many workers confiscated.
As the Praja Mandal movement gathered momentum, its constituents in various states were merged in 1946, into the Himalayan Hill States Regional Council, which under the leadership of Dr. Y.S. Parmar, Pandit Padam Dev, Mr. Shiva Nand Ramaul and others played an important role in the integration of hill states and the formation of Himachal Pradesh.
The Punjab hill areas, which now form part of Himachal Pradesh, had a different story to tell. Kangra, Kulu and other hill states under the direct control of the British were part of the ethos of the Indian independence movement. The provincial administration under the governor at Lahore was watchful about infiltration of the Congress ideology in these areas which due to their poverty and martial traditions, served as the most useful recruiting ground for the British army.
Yet nothing could stop the message of Mahatma Gandhi from reaching the remotest villages. It was conveyed through the hill men studying and working in the plains. Congress committees were set up everywhere and the Political Conference organized at Tal in Sujanpur Tira in 1927, was a memo-, rable event. It brought to the forefront leaders like Baba Kanshi Ram who was known as ‘Pahari Gandhi’. The terrorist movement with its centre at Lahore had also its adherents from Kangra and other hilly areas. Yash Pal, the famous revolutionary and Hindi writer, belonged to Kangra and Sher Jung to Sirmur. Kangra always returned Congress candidates during election. The Quit India movement and the anti-recruitment drive all had their repercussions in the areas and a large number of workers courted arrest.
With independence, the protecting hand of the British having disappeared, the rulers of the other states could no more contain the resentment of the people by force. They became conscious of their weak position against the tide of time. They resorted to negotiations and conciliation. Hurriedly, reforms were introduced and a semblance of popular government established. A frantic effort was made by some to retain a separate entity of their respective states. The Ruler of Bilaspur, taking shelter under the interpretations of the lapse of paramount and the option available to any state to loin either of the dominions or to declare its independence, expressed his intention to do so. All these stratagems failed to enthuse the people. They had begun searching for an identity which neither their small size nor integration with Punjab could provide.
The people of the hills have a traditional suspicion and fear of the people of the plains, whom they had known as the tax-collecting officials of the rulers or as the tourists who had scant regard for their way of life and often exploited them. The proposals to integrate hill states with Punjab were rejected as soon as these were mooted. Some of the princes wanted to have a union of the Saurashtra type and decided to call a meeting at Solan on 26 January 1948. But the Praja Mandal people took the wind out of their sails when at a public meeting in Simla, presided over by Dr. Y.S. Parmar, on 25 January 1948, they categorically stated that the states should form a separate province by amalgamating them-selves and the power passed on to the people. The Solan meeting of the rulers passed a resolution on 28 January for framing the constitution of the proposed union. But it was too late.
Also Visit – Shimla Manali Tour Packages – 06 Nights / 07 Days – Places Covered – Shimla » Manali » Chandigarh
The Praja Mandal launched on 18 February 1948, the Suket Satyagraha which got overwhelming support of the people. The small band of satyagrahis which entered the State in the morning swelled to a massive crowd of peaceful agitators during their march and the ruler of Suket yielded. The movement rolled on with the influx of new adherants in each state. A revolution was shaking the Himalayas, and within a week three-fourths of the states had been liberated without firing a shot. Ruler after ruler signed the merger agreement and on 15 April 1948, came into existence the Chief Commissioner’s Province of Himachal Pradesh with the integration of 31 big and small hill states —Chamba, Mandi, Suket, Bushahar, Khaneti, Theog, Madhan, Ghund, Ratesh, Baghal, Jubbal, Rawin, Dhadi, Bhagat, Kumarsain, Bhaji, Mehlog, Belson, Dhami, Kuthar, Kunihar, Mangal, Beja, Darkoti, Theroch, Sangri and Sirmur.
Sardar Patel in a letter dated 18 March 1948 stated:”In the final stage, after this area is sufficiently developed in its resources and administration, it is proposed that its constitution should be similar to that of any other province. The ultimate objective is to enable this area to attain the position of an autonomous province of India”. This historic letter was to be later the mainstay of the arguments advanced by Dr. Parmar during the struggle for the attainment of state-hood for the Pradesh.
Himachal remained a Chief Commissioner’s province from 15 April 1948 to March 1952, when it was made a Part ‘C’ state under a Lieutenant Governor and a popular Minis-try headed by Dr. Y.S. Parmar. On 1 July 1954, the part ‘C’ state of Bilaspur was merged with it. The States Reorganization Commission by a majority verdict recommended the integration of Himachal with Punjab, but its Chairman, Fazal Ali, desired it to be kept separate for development purposes for some years. The Union Government allowed the state to continue as a separate entity but its assembly was abolished and it became a Union Territory. From 1 November 1956, Himachal remained a Union Territory under an Administrator, designated as Lieutenant Governor till 1 July 1963, when democratic set-up was restored and a popular ministry again installed.
When the question of the reorganization of Punjab was reopened in 1966, the people from the Punjab hill areas put up a strong case for including them in Himachal. Their demand was accepted and the Punjab hill areas—the districts of Shimla, Kulu, Kangra, Lahul and Spiti, the Nalagarh area of Ambala district, parts of Una tehsil of Hoshiarpur district, and of Pathankot tehsil of Gurdaspur—were merged with Himachal on 1 November 1966. Though with the integration of hill areas of Punjab, Himachal had an area more than that of Punjab or Haryana it was still a Union Territory. According to Dr. Parmar, who was the chief crusader for statehood, it still lacked ‘proper status’, which it obtained on 25 January 1971, when the then Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi, inaugurated it as the eighteenth State of the Union.
Why Agra is most important destination in the golden triangle tour package?
Agra is the city of the immortal Taj Mahal. From Bill Clinton to Princess Diana, from stars to ordinary people, hardly anyone can resist the romantic call of the Taj. When in Agra, former US President Bill Clinton said “The world is divided between those who have seen the Taj and those who have not.”Taj mahal in Agra is the most important attraction for a tourist covering golden triangle tour package of Delhi, Jaipur and Agra.
Taj Mahal
Agra came into prominence during the rule of the Afghan ruler Sikander Lodhi. Later, in 1528 AD, the Mughal Emperor Babur made it his capital and over the next few centuries each subsequent Emperor, enhanced it further, making it a great center of art, culture and learning. Much of Agra’s impressive today, in the majesty of its many monuments, and of course the Taj.
The Taj Mahal is sheer poetry in marble and its beauty and magnificence is unrivalled. It symbolizes Emperor Shah Jahan’s eternal love for his beloved wife Mumtaz and is a masterpiece of Mughal architecture that never fails to evoke awe and admiration. So overwhelming is the exquisite beauty and presence of this marbled mausoleum, that it has universally been recognized as one of the greatest manmade wonders, and the most endearing landmark of love.
Taj Mahal in Evening
The timings for viewing the Taj Mahal vary from summer to winter and the entrance fee (much higher for foreigners) includes a supplement for pollution control. The impressions that remain with a viewer are influenced by the time of the visit, because the Taj Mahal changes its hues spectacularly from season to season and from hour to hour. The white marble is so extraordinarily luminescent that even on a dull day it appears bright, and in the afternoon sunshine it gleams and glitters. The play of light has a huge affect on the Taj, and it goes from a mellow pink at sunrise to a fiery orange at sunset. And in the moonlight, it takes on an ethereal and romantic soft white glow. Many believe that the Tai Mahal looks best by moonlight and just recently the authorities have once again opened it for viewing it at night. Always beautiful and always stunning, the Taj Mahal is undoubtedly one of the most rousing creations of man.
While it is a fact that most people come to Agra only for the Taj, it is also a fact that there are several other historic wonders to see here. Agra is a virtual gateway to a world of disc and the over list of treasures worth a visit includes The Agra Fort, Anguri Bagh or Grape Garden, It. iymad-Ud-Daulah which is one of Agra’s most attractive buildings, Jehangiri Mahpl, Jodha Bai’s Palace, Sheesh Mahal, Sikandra, etc.
Fatehpur Sikri
Visitors to Agra should also take time out to travel 36kms to Fatehpur Sikri. If the Ta Mahal is a lovel j y poem written in white marble, Fatehpur Sikri is an epic in red sandstone. Legend has it that Akbar was without a male heir and visited Sikri to seek the blessings of a Sufi saint Sheikh Salim Chisti. When a son was born, he named him after decided to r the saint and also build a new city where the saint resided. Thus emerged Fatehpur Sikri, citadel grand courts, palaces, mosques and gardens that rivaled the splendors of Delhi and Agra.
Unfortunately, only fifteen years later the city was abandoned, due to shortage of water and unrest on the north-west frontier. Today, Fatehpur Sikri is one of the most perfectly preserved ghost towns and even after a passage of 400 years; the magnificence of this royal city has not faded.
If you are planning to visit India, it is important that the trip is planned well in advance and certain precautions are taken, the below travel tips would help a traveler for a memorable, hassle free India trip.
#1 – When to Come
The best time to visit Sanchi and the nearby Buddhist sites — Sonari, Satdhara, Andher and Murelkhurd — is from October to March. The days will be pleasant and sunny, and during peak winter (December to February) visitors will need woolens or a jacket. While Sanchi itself will be beautiful during the rains (July to September) the Buddhist sites around Sanchi might become inaccessible.
#2 – What To Wear
India does not have a fixed dress code. Sari is the main attire for Indian women, though the easy-to-wear salwar-kameez with dupatta is a popular option. Kurta and pyjama, with sandals or leather chappals is the common attire worn by Indian men. However men attired in trousers and shirts, and women in western dresses are a common sight in most Indian cities. For the foreign traveller, the thumb rule would be to wear sensible, comfortable clothes that do not attract unnecessary attention. In case you are travelling during the hot Indian summer, loose cotton clothes that will protect you from the heat and keep you cool are ideal. It is advisable to wear a scarf or a hat to protect one’s head from the blazing heat of the summer sun.
Foreign travelers to India must always carry their valid passport with them. If the passport is lost or stolen, you should immediately contact the embassy or consulate of your country.
Visa
#5 – Visa
A tourist visa is normally given for six months. The 15-day single/double entry visa is issued only to bonafide transit passengers. Tourist groups of not less than four people travelling under the auspices of a recognised travel agency may be considered for a collective tourist visa. The tourist visa is valid for 180 days from the date of its issue and not from the date of entry into India, unless specified otherwise.
visa extension
#6 – Visa Extension
The 180-day tourist visa is technically non-extendable but can be extended for a maximum of 15 days in case of emergencies. A valid, departure ticket must, however, be produced as proof of the intention to depart India’s shores. The 15-day extension on the 6-months stay is issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, New Delhi, the local State Government and the Foreigner’s Regional Registration Office (FRRO). The FRRO is open on weekdays, 9.30 am to 1.30 pm and 2 pm to 4 pm.
For more information on trip to India contact Swan Tours, one of the leading tour operators in India.
Swan Tours - Blogs 