Special Deals for Luxury Train Travel in India

With the onset of January and Republic Day knocking our doors, the operators of five luxury trains running in India have come up with special discounts and complimentary pre &post tour accommodation at a 5 star luxury hotel. These five luxury trains include Palace on Wheels, Royal Rajasthan on Wheels, Maharajas’ Express, Deccan Odyssey and the Indian Maharaja. In this blog, I will give you a brief description regarding the offers available on each of the above mentioned luxury tourist trains.

Maharajas’ Express 

Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has come up with a special ‘Republic Promo Day’ for all the journeys made before 26th January, 2013. The offer is valid for all the five train tour packages operating till April, 2013. According to the ‘Republic Day Promo Offer’, all the journeys booked before 26th January, 2013 will include 1 night complimentary pre & post stay at a five star hotel from the departure destination.

Palace on Wheels & Royal Rajasthan on Wheels

Besides Maharajas’ Express, the similar offer is also available on two other luxury tourist trains- Palace on Wheels & Royal Rajasthan on Wheels. Both the trains are owned and managed by the Rajasthan Tourism and Development Corporation (RTDC). As per the offer, all the journeys starting from January till April will include 1 night before and 1 night after stay at a five star luxury hotel in Delhi.

  

Deccan Odyssey

Deccan Odyssey is the second luxury train launched after the success of the Palace on Wheels train. It is operated by the Maharashtra State Tourism and Development Corporation (MTDC). It takes guests across some popular destinations in Maharashtra along with a halt in Goa. As per the offer, all the departures of the Deccan Odyssey train from January to March will have a minimum 10 percent discount on all occupancy rates. 

Indian Maharaja

Indian Maharaja, the chartered version of the Deccan Odyssey train, owned by the Travel Corporation of India (TCI) too offers discount on its departures. A minimum of 5% discount is available on all occupancy rates for the journeys between January to March.

In the times, when luxury hotel prices, airfares and hike in food prices at fine dining restaurants has made tourists re-consider their India visit, Luxury trains is a far better option for tours to India as they are virtual five star hotels that offer week long trips. The accommodation, dining and sightseeing tours are all included in the luxury train tour prices.

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Bikaner Camel Festival 2015

Event	Bikaner Camel  Festival
Locations	Bikaner
State	Rajasthan
Category	Fair & Festivals
Date	04-05 January 2015
Main Attractions	Colourful camels at their best!

 The Camel Festival, Bikaner is organized by the Department of Tourism, Art and Culture, Government of Rajasthan, annually, in January. Camel festival 2015 is going to be a lot of folk dances with local tunes. Camels are a particular favorite with international tourists.

The Camel Festival in Bikaner capitalizes on this fascination  and is a remarkable spectacle of unusual camel performances. So you can expect a lot of camel races, camel dances, and bumpy camel rides.

Amazing Camel Hair Art at Bikaner Camel Festival

The festival tees off with a lineup of beautifully decked up camels on open sand grounds. The first day hosts the Camel Pageant where camel owners showcase their Camels decorated in colorful attire and junk jewelry.

Up next are the Camel dance performances which are  also a crowd favorite. The evening marks a competition for the best decorated camel, besides other disciplines such as camel milking and the best camel hair cut.

It is indeed fascinating to see the camels display awesome footwork, as they match  beats to the slightest direction their drivers give out.

Bejewelled necks, colorful bridles, long, lanky camel shadows on dusky sands and jingling anklets cast a magical spell on spectators as the desert  sun takes a bow against this sea of colors.

Bikaner Camel Festival

What’s the food, you ask? Tea and sweets prepared by camel milk, authentic Rajasthani and Marwari cuisine.

The Camel Festival 2015 is a full fledged spectacle of myriad Rajasthani flavors. The second day witnesses a whole fleet of camels take part in an exciting camel race where locals and tourists together cheer thoroughbreds.

The Camel Festival’s evenings are mostly reserved for renowned folk artists of Rajasthan. The Festival’s grand finale is an amazing display of fireworks that lights up the faces of the visitors and locals alike.

One of the most colorful events in Asia

The interesting highlights of the festival are:

• Camel races
• Camel milking
• Fur cutting design
• The best breed competition
• Camel bands
• Traditional folk dance and music

 

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Kumbh Mela: Largest Human Gathering on Planet

Maha Kumbh Mela 2015 will commence in Nashik from 14th of July, 2015,and will continue for a year, ending on 11th August, 2016,  which is considered as the first auspicious date for bathing in the holy river Ganga. The Mela will span across 56 days and is expected to be attended by millions of devotees traveling from far and wide. In wake of security and convenience of those attending, special arrangements have already been made by the state government.

The 2015 Mela is, undoubtedly, the largest assembly of people offering their reverences by taking a dip in the holy Ganga water in Haridwar or Allahabad. The pious congregation is organized in the four cities of Haridwar, Allahabad, Nashik and Ujjain. Purna Kumbh Mela, which happens after 12 years, was last celebrated in the year 2001. 

A sadhu taking holy bath in the Ganges

The place and the date of the Mela are decided  on the basis of planetary positions of the Jupiter,Sun and Brahaspati. There is a common belief among devout Hindus that they will be able to wash away all their sins by taking a dip in the holy water in the Ganga which has special powers during the time of the Mela. Security has already been spruced up and important counters set up in all corners of the premises to ensure a smooth, hassle-free Maha Kumbh Mela in Nashik 2015.

The main bathing dates for Kumbh Mela 2015 in Nashik are given below: 

Special Bathing Dates of Nasik Kumbh Mela 2015
14 July 2015 at Ram Kunda	Main Ceremony of Flag Hoisting
19 Aug, 2015 at Sadhugram	Flag hoisting of the Akharas
26 Aug, 2015	Shravan Shudha Pratham (First) Snan
29 Aug, 2015	Shravan Sudha pornima (First Shahi Snan)
13 Sept. 2015 (Main Bathing Day)	Bhadrapad Krushna Amavasya Dwitiya (Second Shahi Snan)
18 Sept. 2015	Bhadrapad Rushipanchami Dwitiya (Third Shahi Snan)
25 Sept. 2015	Bhadrapad Shukla Vaman Dwadashi Tritiya

                                          Ujjain Kumbh Mela 2016

Main Bathing Dates for Ujjain Kumbh Mela 2016
22 April 2016 (Friday)	Purnima – Full Moon
06 May 2016 (Friday)	Vaishakh Krishna Amavasya
09 May 2016 (Monday)	Shukla Tritya
11 May 2016 (Wednesday)	Shukla Panchami
21 May 2016 (Saturday)	Purnima

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5 Things to Do in India in January

Visiting India? 5 All Round Holiday Experiences You Must Not Miss!

It is not without a reason that travel pundits believe that the best way to explore India is by visiting one of its festivals. Vivid, colorful and cultural – here are 5 cultural festivals you have to visit when in India.

What: Kumbh Mela
When: January 27-February 25, 2013
Where: Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh 

Why:The biggest of all festivals in India, the Maha Kumbh Mela is visited by more than 5 million people within the span of a month. The Mela is coming together of Hindu devotees who swarm to the ghats of Allahabad to offer their reverences by taking a dip in the holy Ganga water. An absolute visual treat is the morning Aarti. You get yummy street food, though everything’s vegetarian. 

What: Bikaner Camel Festival  
When: January 26-27, 2013
Where: Bikaner, Rajasthan

Why: The Camel Festival in Bikaner is comparatively a little subdued. The Festival sees participation by folk singers, dancers and traders who dress up their camels in colorful attire. Besides bridled camels and dazzling performances by folk artists, the Bikaner Camel Festival is a foodie’s delight, with sweets and beverages made from camel mare’s milk on offer.

What : Pattadakal Dance Festival                
When : January 25-27, 2013
Where : Pattadakal, Karnataka

Why : The 3 day Pattadakal Dance Festival hosts mesmerizing dance performances against the backdrop of the majestic temples of Pattadakal, the capital of the erstwhile Chalukya kingdom. Only fittingly, this dance fest is also called the Chalukya Festival. Some prominent events if the festival are Aihole and Badami.

What : International Kite Festival
When : January 14, 2013
Where : Ahmedabad, Gujarat

Why :Coinciding with the Hindu festival of Makar Sankranti, the International Kite Festival is attended by kite makers and kite flying enthusiasts from all over the world.


What :DSC Jaipur Literature Festival,
When : January 24 to 28, 2013
Where : Jaipur, India

Why : The biggest literary meet in India is an annual 5 day event help in Jaipur. Last year, the festival was attended by none other than Oprah Winfrey. The 2013 edition of the event will see participation of notable literary figures like Farrukh Dhondy, Hari Kunzru and Gulzar. The themes for this year’s edition are Russian Literature and Alternative Sexuality.

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An Introduction to Luxury Travel on a Budget

India is a perfect holiday destination with excellent level of diversity in the terms of geography, cuisine, monuments, culture, religion and tradition. It has to offer something or the other to the varied interests of all sorts of travelers. If you are one of those who wants to visit India but at affordable rates then here is an introduction to luxury travel on a budget:

•  India has numerous destinations that are worth a visit. Instead of picking popular destinations such as Goa, Kerala Delhi, Agra, try to pick offbeat destinations, which might not be the most-visited but are definitely worth visiting. Do some good online search for this.

•  The best time to visit is during the off-season where you might get huge discounts for all kinds of bookings. Once you round off on the destination, try  to search as many online packages as you can. You will surely come across a great bargain. 

•  While booking the flight ticket, book it in the economy class. You can enjoy impeccable services here too.

•  Try to make a group booking as while one book for a large group of people, he is offered discounted rates on almost everything.

•  Try to choose your hotel wisely. To enjoy a luxurious holiday, booking in a five-star category hotel is not necessary. There are ‘n’ number of ‘less-priced’ hotels who will offer you all kinds of world-class amenities necessary for a comfortable stay.

• While in India, book Hatchback cars if you are less number of people like 2 or 3, instead of booking an SUV or an MUV. This will keep your budget low. 

• There are innumerable food options in the country which offer some sumptuous food without charging exorbitantly high prices. The locals might provide some helpful information regarding this.

•  Try to stop yourself from giving generous tips at every place/hotel/restaurant you visit.

•  If you are planning a vacation in India then now is the best time to do so because of the weakening Indian currency. The exchange rate of your currency will be great.

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