Wildlife of India Indian Wildlife


India is full of wildlife sanctuaries and national parks many of which used to be the hunting grounds for the Maharajas and colonial masters of the bygone era. Every year, these wildlife holiday destinations attract thousands of visitors from different parts of the globe. A major reason behind the popularity of Indian forests is the economy factor as going on a wildlife tour to quite a few other countries works out to be much more expensive than visiting India's jungles. Furthermore, India is a prime destination for ecotourism. Eco-friendly hotels, resorts and tourism operators have sprung up around some of India's most popular wildlife travel destinations, the growing popularity of India on the tourist radar has also prompted many airlines to operate cheap flights to India. This has led to increasing competition and the availability of more and more cheap tickets for travellers. so if you're looking for ecotourism destinations in India, it's best to start by looking at parks, tiger reserves and bird sanctuaries where a wide range of ecotourism options are available.

Corbett National Park & Tiger Reserve:
Sprawling over a humongous area in the hill state of Uttarakhand, the Corbett National Park was the erstwhile hunting ground of the legendary Englishman, Colonel Jim Corbett. Corbett National Park has a jungle setting where you can observe tigers, leopards, crocodiles, elephants, wild boar and other animals. The park is open from mid-November through mid-June and is closed the rest of the year due to monsoon rains. The nearest town is Dhikala, which can be reached from Ramnagar (32 miles), Lucknow (90 miles) and Delhi (186 miles). Ramnagar is the closest railhead, and from the railway station you can take a local bus to Dhikala. Once at the park, you can stay in an eco-resort, take an elephant safari, tour the park and reserve by Jeep or go bird watching. There are a number of eco-friendly resorts and hotels in and around the park. There are excellent accommodation facilities in areas near the Park as well as right in the heart of the jungle. One of the best ways to explore Corbett National Park is by going on an elephant safari. Bus and Jeep tours are available as well. Before visiting Corbett, one should be mindful of the fact that the best jungle experience is felt by staying inside the park rather than putting up in accommodation facilities outside the park's boundaries.

Ranthambore National Park:
The Ranthambore National Park is located in the desert state of Rajasthan. By visiting this park, it also becomes convenient to take a historical odyssey through Rajasthan and add more value to one's expenditure on flights to India. In fact, the Ranthambore Fort is part of the forest. Besides being home to the big cats like tigers and leopards, Ranthambore National Park is also full of sloth bears, wild boars, sambhars, nilgais, dholes, and chitals. One of the best places in the park for catching glimpses of wildlife is Bakula as an abundance of watering holes and pools attracts many animals to this area and lucky visitors even get to see tigresses basking in the sun with their cubs. For touring the jungle, one has to buy tickets for bus or jeep safaris. Early mornings are the best times for taking these safaris.


Gir Forest National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary:
The Gir Forest National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary is absolutely not to be missed during one's India holidays. It is the sole surviving home of Asiatic lions. Another big cat to be found here is the leopard. Besides, there are various other forms of fauna life such as wild boars, blue bull or nilgai, striped hyenas, chousinghas or four horned antelopes, as well as numerous bird species like Saras Crane, Asian Paradise Flycatcher, crested serpent eagle, and red headed falcon. Gir also has plenty of reptiles and enjoys a robust marsh crocodile population. Most visitors take the morning and evening drives into the forest and utilise the time in between visit the famous temples of Somnath such as Shore Temple, Sun Temple, and Ahilya Temple.

Sunderbans National Park:
This UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve is well-known for its dense mangrove forests and man eating Royal Bengal tigers. Even today, there is no consensus amongst scientists as to why tigers here are naturally man eaters. In fact, there is local superstition in the area that one is lucky not to see a tiger in Sunderbans as the person will end up as a meal for the tiger. Sunderbans also does not lack in aquatic and reptilian life forms such as crocodiles, olive ridley sea turtles, king cobras, hardshelled batgur terrapin, and chequered killbacks. For birdwatchers, the park is a veritable treat to the eyes with its exotic winged denizens such as herons, terns, white bellied sea eagles, whimprels, and eastern knots. A launch safari through the waters of Sunderban is one of the major draws here.

Keoladeo Ghana National Park (Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary):
Formerly known as Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, this 18-square-mile park is home to more than 350 different species of birds. You can reach the park, located in Rajastan, from transport hubs at Agra (35 miles) and Jaipur (110 miles). The closest international airport is in Delhi. From August through November is the best time to see resident breeding birds, and from October through February you can see migrant bird populations. Motor vehicles are not permitted in the park, but bikes are available to rent at the park entrance or from nearby eco-friendly hotels.

Periyan Wildlife Sanctuary & Tiger Reserve:
Periyan Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the southern Indian state of Kerala. The nearest town is Kumily, and the closest railway station is 114 miles away at Kottayam. From Kottayam or Kochi (125 miles), you can take local transport to Kumily. The best time to visit the park is from October through June. The sanctuary is set around an artificial lake created by the British in 1895. Around the lake you will find an ecosystem including elephants, tigers, langur monkeys, wild boars, bison and many different species of birds, plants and flowers. Ecotourism activities include jungle night patrol, bamboo rafting, hiking and touring the area by bullock cart.

Posted in: , , , , , , , , on Friday, January 21, 2011 at at 10:26 PM  

Incredible India, Incredible India Vacations

There are lots of travel agents and tour operators in India that offer a variety of tour packages at affordable prices. Tour operators in India are well organized offering the best services to the tourists.  

India is an incredible tourist destination. One can find all types of attractions in the country. . India has immense tourism potential. Tourists from different parts of world visit the country.

India is a culturally rich and diverse nation. One can understand this aspect of the country by looking at the diversity of people who live here. The poor and the beggars, middle class, the stinking rich, millionaires all find a home here. Another distinctive feature rarely found elsewhere is the existence of different religious communities. Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, etc flourish in the country.

Indians are extremely hospitable. They go out of their way to make their guest feel welcome. Serving is a way of showing their love and respect to their guest. Many people in India offer genuine service to outsiders who come to visit India. Sometimes, they even sacrifice their own comfort for the well-being of others. This is their principle and they stick to it no matter what.

India also has a rich heritage. It is one of the many reasons why it is so popular internationally. Plan your holiday here and acquaint yourself with its colourful festivals. Indians celebrate a large number of festivals, most of them highly spectacular and lively. Below is the list of some prominent festivals and events of the country.

Republic Day - Celebrated on 26th January every year to commemorate the day when the Indian republic and its constitution came into force. It was on this day in the year 1946 that the country became a sovereign, democratic and republic state.

Holi - The colorful festival of Holi is celebrated on February end or early March. The colorful festival bridges social gap and renew relationships. Holi celebration begins with lighting of bonfire on the Holi eve. Numerous legends and stories are associated with Holi making the festival more exuberant and vivid. People rub 'gulal' and 'abeer' on each other’s faces and greet each other saying, "Happy Holi".

Independence Day - India got its independence from the clutches of British on 15th August 1947. It was on this very same day that India’s tricolor flag was unfolded by Pandit Nehru on the barricades of the Red Fort at Delhi. Since then, it has become a day of special significance - celebrated with parades, patriotic speeches and songs. On this day, the Prime Minister addresses the nation after the flag has been unfurled recounting the country's achievements of the year, discussing current major issues and future plans for the progress of the country.
The national flag is hoisted throughout the country fluttering with pride on rooftops and buildings. All government offices host flag hoisting ceremony. Recently, kite-flying has become a tradition on this day and people can be seen flying numerous kites of all colors, sizes and shapes symbolizing the spirit of freedom.

Krishna Janmashtami - Shri Krishna Janmashtami is the birthday of Lord Krishna, one of the favorite deities of Hindus. He is worshipped for his immense power, captivating appearance, unique charm and playfulness. For some, he is a hero, a lover or the guide; while for others, he is a child. He resides in the heart of every devotee and fulfills everyone's wish, if he is worshipped with in-depth devotion.
The celebrations of Janmashtami are marked by cultural programmes, chanting of bhajans and special pujas. Dance drama is performed by professional artists, or kids, wherein the formative years of Lord Krishna's life are depicted. The dance, which is known as Shri Krishna Rasa leela, is one of the significant parts of the celebrations, as Lord Krishna spent the decisive part of his life amidst the Gopis in Vrindavan.

Ganesh Chaturthi - It is a festival marked on the occasion of Lord Ganesh’s birthday, the god of wisdom and prosperity. It falls on the fourth day of the moons bright fortnight, or period from new moon in the lunar month of Bhadrapada. The celebrations continue for five, seven, or ten days. Some even stretch it to twenty one days. In the tradition of the right hand path the first day is the most important. In the left hand path tradition the final day is most important.

Dussehra & Durga Puja- Dussehra falling on the last day of Navaratri or Durga puja arrives in the month of October. Dussehra literally means that which takes away ten sins.  This Hindu festival is celebrated all over India to mark the defeat of Ravana by Lord Rama. Dussehra symbolises the triumph of good over evil. The 'Ramlila' - an enactment of the life of Lord Rama, is held during the nine days preceding Dussehra. On the tenth day, larger than life effigies of Ravana, his son and brother - Meghnath and Kumbhakarna - are set alight.

Diwali- The Festival of Lights is one of the biggest festivals of Hindus, celebrated with great enthusiasm and happiness in India. The festival is celebrated for five continuous days but the most important day is the third. It is a festival that symbolizes the victory of good over evil, light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance. On this day, homes are decorated, sweets are distributed by everyone and thousands of lamps lit to create a world of fantasy. The festival also symbolizes unity in diversity as every state celebrates it in its own special way.

To know more about the culture and heritage of India, get in touch with any of the travel agents in India and organize a trip to witness the famous festivals, Diwali, Holi, Dussehra, etc. With the help of the travel agents in India, you can plan your travel during the festival season.

Posted in: , , , , , , on Wednesday, January 12, 2011 at at 3:02 AM  

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