India Travel Happenings

The bells of fortune seem to be ringing for the Indian tourism industry. The inbound traffic is up by 10%. Earlier this year Palace on Wheels was adjudged 4th best luxury train of the world.

And now, Conde Nast traveler website adds yet another feather in its cap. India was rated 7th, as against last year’s 13th,  best  tourist destination of the world and conferred Conde Nast Readers’ Travel Awards 2010 for the warmth and hospitality it extends to its guests. Taj West End and Leela Palace Kempinski in Bangalore and The Oberoi, New Delhi, appeared among the top ten best ‘Overseas Business Hotel’ of the world.

read more at conde-nast-magazine

On the lines of Dubai Shopping festival, Haryana tourism is coming up with Gurgaon Shopping festival. Very well timed with the Commonwealth Games and Deepavali celebrations, it is slated to last for more than a month from 27th September to 1 November 2010. Shop at discounted prices, win lucky draws and scratch prizes. Along with the purchase of products from various regions, sample the cuisines and cultural programs of myriad places. read more

Country’s 28th and Rajasthan’s second monument—after Keoladeo National Park—to acquire this distinction. Jantar Mantar, built by Sawai Jai Singh II who himself was a celebrated astronomer, is one of the most visited tourist places in the Pink City. Jaipur’s Jantar Mantar is one the largest and the best maintained of the five observatories built at that time. Jantar Mantar, meaning calculation instrument, consists of major geometric devices to calculate time, track stars’ location, predict eclipses and determine other celestial movements.

The seven day journey on the palace on wheels will cater to more tastes than before. Very soon the tourists aboard the fourth most luxurious train in the world can relish Mexican, Italian and Thai Food with some great new seafood dishes. Also to wash down the lip-smacking meals, the train would serve some of the finnest wines from France, Chile, Argentina and California.

 

Book Palace on Wheels Tour

After IPL and FIFA fever, the global sporting community is looking forward to the multinational, multisport event – The Commonwealth Games 2010 that are being organized in Delhi, India this year. Delhi has promised to the world the best ever Commonwealth games. The city has braced itself to welcome the participants as well as the audience, from more than 50 countries, with better and appropriate hospitality, medical & security arrangements. With the touristy cities of Jaipur and Agra (the city of Taj Mahal) at comfortable distances, the visitors will have much to do after the sporting extravaganza is over.   read more

Congratulations Rajasthan..!! The state’s finest luxury train, Palace on Wheels has been declared the fourth best among the top 10 luxury trains of the world by the readers of the travel magazine Conde Nast for the year 2009. They were asked to rank several trains out of 100 points. Palace on Wheels attained 83.94 points and was ranked fourth below the Venice Simplon-Orient Express (89.92 points), Eurostar (86.92 points) and Pride of Africa, Rovos Rail (84.25 points). 

Travel on this World Class train - Click Here

The Leela Palace, New Delhi opening Autumn 2010

The highly acclaimed Leela group is coming up with a new hotel property in New Delhi. It will have 260 oversized suites and other rooms all fitted with state-of-the-art  technology. The property is ideally located in the close proxmity to the Presidential Palace and also to several historical and heritage sites.

Ashoka Holidays is a GSA (General Sales Agent) for Leela. read more

SHOPPING TOUR : Shop till you drop! (click here)

Venue: Jaipur

For the shoppers wanting to travel to India

“…As a shopping destination the USP of India is that, here you will find good value for money and the variety available would never cease to surprise you. Don’t be apprehensive, no compromise with quality, it is because of the cheap labor force in India that Indian merchandise comes at unbelievably low prices. The excellent value for money products are sure to have visitors looking for an extra suitcase to carry home. India is a potpourri of different cultures all of which have contributed their bit to flavor the Indian markets. Besides this, with over a decade of liberalization tucked under its belt, India is home to the latest in designer wear. The omnipresent boutique culture has pervaded the Indian cities also. Some of India’s designers now rub shoulders with the best names of Paris catwalks and are preparing to give them a run for their money. To put it straight the Indian markets are today all geared up to furnish to the demands of the admirers of, both, the trends and traditions alike….” Book/Enquire

GOURMET TOUR : The Taste of India! (click here)
Venue: Amritsar - Delhi - Agra - Jaipur - Ahmedabad - Kochi

For the gourmets wanting to travel to India

The assortment of cuisines in India is such that your head will reel with choices. It would be unfair perhaps to sort out a few cities in India that outshine others in gastronomy, but since we want to be nice to your stomach as well, we struggled to pick some. The tour has been designed such that between heavy meals you get ample time to soothe yourself with some light ones also. The itinerary for sure will get your saliva drooling. We believe cuisine is not only about the taste – the experience is incomplete without the perfect ambience & the typical manner in which the food is served. Also, those who have weak bellies & those who turn up their noses to street food can make their own choices. Anyway, We will provide you with some digestives to take after every meal and You must have as much water and butter milk with salt and roasted cumin seeds (where ever available) as you can stomach. Book/Enquire

WEDDING TOUR: A knotty Indian Affair! (click here)
Venue: Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

For the couples wanting to tie knot the India way

…Weddings in India are a perfect blend of serious rituals and customs along with other fun filled lighter moments. The traditional Indian wedding is a lengthy affair of 7-10 days..But for our guests, who fancy a colorful Indian wedding team Ashoka Holidays has planned an abridged version of it wherein all the important rituals and few interesting customs have been incorporated. The role of the family and friends will be played by us and we promise to make you feel at home. You bring love for each other and a wish to wed the Indian way. Leave the rest to us.

This mock wedding tour is no mockery of the rites and rituals involved. It is an attempt to let the world solemnize or renew their wedding vows in Indian way & in India. Team Ashoka holidays only facilitates the tour & wedding event for the willing guests. We know the upkeep of promises & articles of vow like mangal-sutra is up to the discretion of the couple involved. However, we believe and suggest it to be done with respect and care. In any case, we will educate you on all the serious & symbolic aspects of the rituals without compromising on the fun, colorful & lighter part of a great Indian knotty Affair. Book/Enquire

Maha Kumbh Mela at Haridwar - 2010 
Venue: Haridwar, Uttrakhand, India
Time Period : 14 Jan - 28 April 2010

It is the world's largest congregation of devotees. The fair sees millions of hindu devotees & saints of different genres taking a holy dip in river Ganges to purge themselves of all their sins and seek salvation. Legend has it - when amrit kalash (pot of nectar of immortality) was recovered in samudramanthan (churning of primordial sea), the deities & demons fought over it. In this few drops of it fell on the four cities  (Allahabad, Haridwar, Nasik, Ujjain) where Kumbh Mela is held after every 12 years.

Cricket Unbound - Indian Premier League 2010
Venue: India
Time Period : 12 March - 25 April 2010

If a premier league is being played in India one can be sure it is for Cricket. Country with over a billion critics, experts, devotees, fans and fanatics for the game Indian Premiere League was long due. Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) took the initiative and it all began in the Spring of 2008 but not in the usual gentlemanly fashion as game is known all over. Money, Flamboyance, Show-off, Frenzy, Recklessness, Politics, Class and Controversies all followed and Unbound this aptly put Great Indian Cricket Tamasha (extravaganza)! However, for lovers of the game it is 6's and 4's that rains during this annual spring Festival of Indian Premiere League. In its 3rd Season now, it is, probably, the first sporting event ever with live broadcast on the popular video sharing website Youtube  [www.youtube.com/ipl]. For a novice, IPL is to cricket what EPL is to football. For rest, when in India around IPL do try to have a time-out at the all-encompassing event of cultures, countries and continents and of course cricket.                                 [for info www.iplt20.com ]

Opera Festival in Mc Leodganj 
Venue: Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA), Mc Leodganj, Himachal Pradesh, India
Time Period : Commences second Saturday of April every year

TIPA, that was established 50 years back by the Tibetans in exile to preserve their culture of music, dance and theatre,  holds an annual 10 days opera folk festival every year. read more

The Great Indian Travel Bazar  
Venue: B.M Birla Convention Center, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
Time Period : 11 - 13 April 2010

This international tourism mart focuses exclusively on Inbound Tourism. It's being co-organized by The Department of Tourism, Govt. of Rajasthan, Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)  & leading national and regional associations like HRAR, IHHA & RATO are supporting it. Around 200 foreign tour operators & travel writers from across 45 countries are expected to participate in it.