Saturday, September 11, 2010

India Tourism Finds Strength in Rich Art Forms and Cultural Heritage


India is not perfect. But that does not deter a tourist to enjoy his or her vacations in the ancient land known for most interesting historical spectacles; spiritual heights; rich and varied culture; frequent use of vibrant colors in almost everything - from attires to elaborate dance costumes to paintings and frescoes; varied landscapes with climatic contrasts, rich wildlife and lush vegetation; and aromatic spices known for their flavor. Beauty is not a thing that exists in isolation. All regions and parts of India might not be very hygienic or organized but it is its imperfections that makes the country all the more endearing to all those who visit it with an open heart.

The co-existence of the wonderful and the abject presents you the true image of life - ornate Hindu Temples with mighty Shikhars, intricate carvings, huge candle holders, and deities that have much religious significance with not quite well-managed crowds might lead you to wait for hours to see the grandeur of the shrine until you have an expert guide with you who knows all the short-cuts to facilitate your pilgrimage trip. The luxurious royal forts and palaces on the outskirts of major cities, famous as tourist attractions, might have small vendors and poor artisans around selling most beautiful wares at very affordable prices and still living in dire poverty.

Foreign tourists affirm that real strengths of India lies its rich art forms and cultural heritage. The Ghoomer and Kalbeliya dance performances on the bonfire nights at Sam Sand Dunes with a backdrop of the Golden Fort of Jaisalmer during the Desert Safari Tour is tantalizing. The Camel Fair at Pushkar in Rajasthan, the Dussehra at Mysore Palace in Karnataka, and the Rath Yatra at the Jagannath Temple in Puri, Orissa are some of the fairs and festivals that attract international tourists with their unique oriental spectacles that are exclusive to the region where they are held.

Theme and region based tour packages allow international tourists to spend their holidays just as they want them to be. Palace On Wheels, Deccan Odyssey, Royal Orient, and Fairy Queen are luxury trains offering top-end tour packages that cover some of the most popular tourist attractions and sites. They also offer choicest luxuries and world-class services along the way to recreate the royal past of the regions they target. Golden Triangle tourist circuit in North India links major historical sites of Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur that are world-renowned and include Taj Mahal, Red Fort, and Hawa Mahal. The famous Khajuraho Temples represents maverick side of Hinduism while Kerala Backwaters is an ultimate Nature retreat, where you can enjoy houseboat cruises and relax in idyllic Ayurveda resorts.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Art of Living Hong Kong

Happy Janamastami…

Janamashtami celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna. Ashtami is significant as it indicates a perfect balance between the seen and the unseen aspects of reality; the visible material world and the invisible spiritual realm.

Krishna’s birth on Ashtami signifies his mastery of both the spiritual and material worlds. He is a great teacher and a spiritual inspiration as well as the consummate politician. On one hand, he is Yogeshwara (the Lord of Yogas — the state to which every yogi aspires) while on the other, he is a thief.

The unique quality of Krishna is that he is at once more pious than the saints and yet a thorough mischief-monger! His behaviour is a perfect balance of the extremes — perhaps this is why the personality of Krishna is so difficult to fathom. The avdhoot is oblivious to the world outside and a materialistic person, a politician or a king is oblivious to the spiritual world. But Krishna is both Dwarkadheesh and Yogeshwar.

Krishna’s teachings are most relevant to our times in the sense that they neither let you get lost in material pursuits nor make you completely withdrawn. They rekindle your life, from being a burnt-out and stressed personality to a more centred and dynamic one. Krishna teaches us devotion with skill. To celebrate Gokulashtami is to imbibe extremely opposite yet compatible qualities and manifest them in your own life.

Hence the most authentic way of celebrating Janamashtami is knowing that you have to play a dual role — of being a responsible citizen of the nation and at the same time to realise that you are above all events, the untouched Brahman. Imbibing a bit of avadhoot and a bit of activism in your life is the real significance of
celebrating Janamashtami.

source:http://artoflivinghk.wordpress.com