Pushkar-The king of pilgrimages

About 130 kms from the state capital of Jaipur and 14 kms north-west of the city of Ajmer is the Hindu holy town of Pushkar. The town is famed for its temples, especially the one dedicated to the God of Creation of the Hindu pantheon, Lord Brahma, the beautiful sacred lake Pushkar and the annual camel fair. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the state of Rajasthan and is frequented by local as well foreign tourists all the year round.

Though small in size, 'Tirtharaj' or the king of pilgrimages, Pushkar offers you ample activities to indulge in, when here, in an assortment of  spheres be it religious, adventure, leisure, shopping or off the beaten track.

Listed below is a personal top things to do when in Pushkar, one of the oldest towns in India:

1) A visit to the Brahma Temple- The temple, the only of its kind in the world, is bereft of any exquisite carvings or artwork as found in most other temples in India, but as you climb up the stairs of the temple complex and reach the orangish domed main temple of the creator, the simplicity and spirituality of the place strikes you. Thronged by devotees most of the time, the place overwhelms you and exudes an attraction that is way beyond words. There are quite a few underground chambers within the temple complex that are dedicated to gods and goddesses from the Hindu mythology, especially Mahadeva or Shiva, the Lord of Destruction.

2) Shop in the narrow lanes- There are a number of shops lined along the main road which leads you to the Brahma Temple that sell souvenirs exclusive to Pushkar. You can shop for things ranging from local artifacts, paintings that depict the local culture to paintings of international icons like Bob Marlow. Some of the shops cater specifically to the tastes and needs of foreign tourists and hence don’t be surprised if you find signboards in foreign languages from Chinese to Hebrew, in the shops.

3) Go on an ecotrail or a camel safari- Pushkar is surrounded by the beautiful Aravali ranges on one hand and the Thar Desert tries to embrace it on the other. Thus, Pushkar provides you with a very unique option of going on trails in the wilderness on one hand and ambling on a desert safari saddled on camel back, on the other.

4) Sample a wide variety of cuisines- The holy town of Pushkar is dotted with restaurants that serve you a complete range of cuisine from around the world. It is not uncommon to find street side shops selling hummus, falafel, momos, noodles, pizzas along with traditional Indian food like paranthas, pooris and sabzi. Cafes and restaurants dot the embankments of the sacred Lake of Pushkar.

5) A dip in the holy waters of Lake Pushkar- A visit to Pushkar is incomplete without a dip in the holy waters of the “Sarovar”. The picturesque ancient lake which is surrounded by 52 ghats is among the most sacred of places for the Hindus and a dip in it especially during Kartik Poornima (October/November) is thought to be very auspicious.

Taj Mahal - Indian Pearl

The Taj Mahal looms fairytale-like from the banks of the Yamuna River. It's India’s most recognized monument and is also one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The Taj Mahal has a rich history dating back to 1630 AD. It’s actually a tomb that contains the body of Mumtaz Mahal -- the wife of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. He had it built as an ode to his love for her. It's made out of marble and took 22 years and 20 000 workers to complete. Words cannot do the Taj Mahal justice, its incredible detail simply has to be seen to be appreciated.

The Taj Mahal is located in Agra, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, approximately 200 kilometers (125 miles) from Delhi. It's part of India's popular Golden Triangle tourist circuit.

The Taj stands on a raised, square platform (186 x 186 feet) with its four corners truncated, forming an unequal octagon. The architectural design uses the interlocking arabesque concept, in which each element stands on its own and perfectly integrates with the main structure. It uses the principles of self-replicating geometry and a symmetry of architectural elements.

Its central dome is fifty-eight feet in diameter and rises to a height of 213 feet. It is flanked by four subsidiary domed chambers. The four graceful, slender minarets are 162.5 feet each. The entire mausoleum (inside as well as outside) is decorated with inlaid design of flowers and calligraphy using precious gems such as agate and jasper. The main archways, chiseled with passages from the Holy Qur’an and the bold scroll work of flowery pattern, give a captivating charm to its beauty. The central domed chamber and four adjoining chambers include many walls and panels of Islamic decoration.

The mausoleum is a part of a vast complex comprising of a main gateway, an elaborate garden, a mosque (to the left), a guest house (to the right), and several other palatial buildings. The Taj is at the farthest end of this complex, with the river Jamuna behind it. The large garden contains four reflecting pools dividing it at the center. Each of these four sections is further subdivided into four sections and then each into yet another four sections. Like the Taj, the garden elements serve like Arabesque, standing on their own and also constituting the whole.

Goa Beaches and Techno-Trance Parties

The Indian beaches of Goa are the resorts on the ocean' beaches and the music centre in techno-trance style. It is full of European students and older people, lovers of hippy undemanding life. Guests of Goa beaches are engaged in meditation, yoga, and free from these highly spiritual lessons while dancing at parties: on the beach, the huts and mansions, and just in the hills. Here people like motorcycles and scooters: they are riding around, and scaring the melancholy Indians. European DJs spend here vacations, fashion designers arrange show their clothing to try out new items on the relaxed and so condescending the public. Many clubbers come to Goa also because of the lack of money: you can pretty survive for $ 100-200 per month.

Dharamsala. It is also India. Himalayas, about 2,5 thousand meters above sea level. Not far from the residence of the Dalai Lama, in a canyon, directly in the fresh air almost every day take place techno-trance parties. This place can is not so widely promoted, but certainly, it is fashionable in club circles of Europe and Israel. Equipment for the discos here are being taken by pack animals, and sometimes are taken in arms. Are spread carpets and pillows. Meal is aslo brought here - recently started the season of mango and lychee in India. With techno music is escorted sunset and sunrise is met - in the Himalayas this spectacle beauty cannot be comparable to anything else. Add to this the noise of the waterfalls and snow-capped mountain peaks. It cannot get bored even for a month. In general, Dharamsala, according to regulars, soon may become a very visited place - unfortunately those who are tired of the noisy European dancefloors.

India

India is the largest country in the Indian Subcontinent and shares borders with Pakistan to the west, China and Nepal to the north, Bhutan to the north-east, and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east. Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Indonesia lie to the south-east in the Indian Ocean. It is the seventh largest country in the world by area and, with over a billion people, is second only to China in population. It's an extremely diverse country, with vast differences in geo graphy, climate, culture, language and ethnicity across its expanse, and prides itself on being the largest democracy on Earth.


 The Biggest India Cities

Delhi — the capital of India for a thousand years and the heart of Northern India.
Bangalore (now Bengaluru) — The garden city, once the sleepy home of pensioners now transformed into the city of pubs, technology and companies.
Chennai (formerly Madras) — main port in Southern India, cradle of Carnatic Music and Bharatanatyam, home of the famous Marina beach, Automobile Capital of India and a fast emerging IT hub.

Jaipur — the Pink City is a major exhibit of the Hindu Rajput culture of medeival Northern India.

Kochi (Kerala) (formerly Cochin) — Historically, a centre of international trade, now the gateway to the sandy beaches and backwaters of Kerala.

Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) — the cultural capital of India, Kolkata is home to numerous colonial buildings. It is known as The City of Joy.
Mumbai (formerly Bombay) — the financial capital of India, "Bollywood" (Indian Film Industry) hub.
Shimla — the former summer capital of British India located in the Himalayan foothills with a large legacy of Victorian architecture.
Varanasi — considered the most sacred Hindu city, located on the banks of the Ganges, one of the oldest continually inhabited cities of the world.

Delhi is said to be one of the oldest existing cities in the world, along with Damascus and Varanasi. Legend estimates it to be over 5,000 years old. Over the millennia, Delhi is said to have been built and destroyed 11 times. The oldest alleged incarnation of the city shows up in the Indian mythological epic Mahabharata as Indraprastha. The earliest historically recognized version of the city is
Delhi is the best tourist place in india. For many travellers, the first experiences in Delhi set the tone for their judgement of the city. Delhi is best known for tourist place as well as historical place.

Located on the banks of river Yamuna, Delhi consists of New Delhi (the national capital) and Old Delhi.It is home to over 15 million of people and India’s third largest city after Kolkata and Mumbai .

New Delhi was built by the British and that is reflected in its architecture. All roads in New Delhi lead to the India Gate which is a memorial to the unknown soldiers who lost their lives in World War I. Towards and along Janpath, you’ll see the international and 5star hotels, impressive buildings built to house the governmental departments, the foreign embassies and museums such as the famous National Museum and the Nehru Museum and also famous for the place Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah. New Delhi is also the place where the new big international businesses are concentrated and extended spacious residential areas are located as contrasted with the swarming life in Old Delhi.
Old Delhi is over 2500 years old and was the captial city of the Mughal empire. It is dominated by the grand bazaar of Chandni Chowk and by the Jama Masjid which is the largest mosque in India. You will be impressed by the stillness of this place as soon as you leave the ant-hill of narrow streets, vendor stalls and rickshaws and carriages fighting for a place on the road behind. It offers some excellent views of the city as well. Another popular sight is the Old Red Fort that dominates the horizon with its minarets. Although it is in a rather neglected state, it still is an excellent place to wander around and breath in the atmosphere of the old emperor’s days.

Delhi being the primary hub, India is gradually becoming a chosen destination for many travellers. Besides Delhi, Mumbai often forms the hub of most of these travels and perhaps will be in your case as well. Whatever your landing point in India might be, wherever you might want to travel, delhigate.com remains your only online query resource service for India.

Popular Tibetan Dishes

Tibetan cooking has been influenced by its neighbor India, but makes use of ingredients indigenous to the mountains. Tibetan cuisine is similar to that of Nepal. Travel to the Himalayas and interest in Buddhism has stimulated curiosity about Tibetan culture.

There are many restaurants in Lhasa, Shigatse, and Zetang, All restaurants of various classes are decorated and furnished in the traditional Tibetan style. Diners can enjoy delicious Tibetan  dishes while admiring paintings and murals symbolizing happiness and good luck in the restaurants. High on the menu are such flavors as sausages, barley wine, butter oil tea, beef and mutton eaten with the hands, yak tongue, steamed buns, zanba made from highland barley, pastries, sweet tea, butter tea, dried beef, and xiapuqing, or minced mutton and beef.

There are also a number of Tibetan restaurants in the United States, especially in large cities and in college towns. Novices should be warned that Tibetan cheese is usually hard enough to break teeth, and should be moistened in the mouth before chewing.

Popular and Recommended Tibetan Dishes:

• tsampa (roated barley flour);


• momo (steamed or fried dumplings);


• stir-fried meats;


• thukpa (noodle soup with meat and sometimes vegetables);


• carrot cake;


• banana porridge;


• lamb with radish;


• caramel tea;


• soja (butter tea);


• barley ale


• Sha Balep - a bread stuffed with seasoned beef.
  
  
  
  • Balep korkun - a central Tibetan flatbread that is made on a skillet rather than in an oven.
  
  
  • Momos - a type of steamed ravioli, a heavier version of the Chinese jiaozi
  
  
  • Thenthuk - a type of cold-weather soup made with noodles and various vegetables.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Tibetan cuisine, is quite distinct from that of its neighbours, since only a few crops (not including rice) grow at such high altitude. The most important crop is barley. Dough made from barley flour, called tsampa, is the staple food of Tibet. This is either rolled into noodles or made into steamed dumplings called momos. Meat dishes are likely to be yak, goat, or mutton, often dried, or cooked into a spicy stew with potatoes. Mustard seed is cultivated in Tibet, and therefore features heavily in its cuisine. Yak yoghurt, butter and cheese are frequently eaten, and well-prepared yoghurt is considered something of a prestige item.

In larger Tibetan towns and cities many restaurants now serve Sichuan-style Chinese food. Western imports and fusion dishes, such as fried yak and chips, are also popular. Nevertheless, many small restaurants serving traditional Tibetan dishes persist in both cities and the countryside.

Most Tibetans drink many cups of yak butter tea each day. Jasmine tea is also sometimes available.  Brick tea is made by methods only distantly related to those employed in China or Ceylon. When the water boils, a great handful of the stuff is crumbled into it and allowed to stew for between five and ten minutes, until the whole infusion is so opaque that it looks almost black. At this stage a pinch of salt is added; the Tibetans always put salt, never sugar, in their tea. They very seldom, on the other hand, drink tea without butter in it. If you are at home, you empty the saucepan into a big wooden churn, straining the tea through a colander made of reed or horsehair. Then you drop a large lump of butter into it, and, after being vigorously stirred,this brew is transferred to a huge copper teapot and put on a brazier to keep it hot. When you are traveling, you do not normally take a churn with you, so everyone fills his wooden bowl with tea, scoops a piece of butter out of a basket, puts it in the bowl, stirs the mixture gently with his finger, and, finally, drinks the tea.

Alcoholic beverages include:

• Chang, a beer usually made from barley


• Pinjopo, a rice wine.

The staple Tibetan food is barley flour (rtsam-pa), which is consumed daily. Other major foods include wheat flour, yak meat, mutton, and pork.

Dairy products such as butter, milk, and cheese are also popular. The people in the higher altitudes generally consume more meat than those of the lower regions, where a variety of vegetables is available. Rice is generally restricted in consumption to the well-to-do families, southern border farmers, and monks.

`Tubo', a savoury evening gruel made of lumps of wheat flour, tsamba, dried meat and a tuber called `yuangen'.