Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Wildlife in India - An encounter with real Tiger

India is an attractive wildlife destination. From teeming insects colonies to majestic elephant herds that make India is a veritable animal lover’s paradise. In totality India has around 80 national parks
and 441 wildlife sanctuaries that offer much more than the patient waiting. If you want to see the National Animal of India i.e. Tiger, there is no better place than the Corbett National Park, Sunderbans and Kanha National Park. India also offers some excellent wildlife tours which cover some fascinating Indian wildlife destination. Through your Indian wildlife tour packages, you would be covering several wildlife destinations which would include Rajasthan, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and many more.

The unbelievable feature of these amazing conservatories of exotic wildlife is that they are home to the largest number of tigers and the largest number of one-horned rhinoceros in the world, as well as the almost extinct Asiatic Lion, and a large percentage of the total elephant population! And these particular animal species are but a part of more than 500 species of mammals, over 2000 species of birds, over 500 species of reptiles and amphibians and around 30000 species of insects!

You can also enjoy the marine life of India at Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary and along the coastal stretch from Arabian Sea to Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal. The coral wonders of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the lagoons of Lakshwadeep are certainly not worth the miss. Apart from that you would be able to cover parks like Idukki National park, Periyar National Park, Corbett National Park. It is quite possible that we might amalgamate the two zones - South and North India.

Wildlife tours offers excitement, thrill, fun, frolic and much more. If you wish to explore the unexplored wildlife of the north east, all the more better. When you are out on a wildlife package, you can enjoy the various jungle activities, besides taking photographs. Elephant, camel and jeep safari, for moving around the national parks, is amongst one of the options. We have listed some of the popular wildlife tour packages for you to unveil. Wildlife tour to India is sure to give you lifelong memories.

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Thai Individual Life Cycles Part 3

The following day more callers arrive, many bringing small gifts of money to help defray funeral expenses. A family member receives such offerings and keeps a list of contributions so that reciprocal offerings may be made during future funerals.

The body is removed to the temple on the day of the funeral. Within a few days of death an orchestra plays almost continuously from dawn. Every effort is made to dispel sorrow, grief and loneliness by music and fellowship.

After the monks have been ceremoniously fed, mourners circle the funeral pyre. Following further religious rites, the pyre is communally set alight, first by monks, then by family, finally by friends. The corpse is thus consumed by flames amidst a common hope that the deceased, object of such merit-making and affection, will be reborn into a higher existence, to renew another individual life cycle towards the ultimate Buddhist goal of personal perfection.

TWO CULTURES
When speaking of Thai culture, one must distinguish between its two principal but complementary and mutually-reinforc-ing aspects : classical court culture which includes Buddhist art and popular or village Court culture Painters, writers, dancers, sculptors, architects, musicians and skilled craftsmen were considered legitimate spoils of war and were normally transferred from enemy palaces to conquerors' courts.

In Ayutthaya, actors and dancers were maintained purely for kingly and aristocratic pleasure. Thai artists and architects were responsible for building and decorating palaces, temples and shrines within conventionally acceptable forms and styles. Unlike their Western counterparts, they were not expected to display revolutionary originality or radical inventiveness.

Early literature was primarily concerned with religion and until 1850 was in verse form. Indian poetic styles provided the patterns for Thai verse which was written exclusively by the aristocracy or royalty - the
only leisured, educated classes able to do so. The first known Thai literary work, the Tribhumikatha (The Three Worlds - Hea-ven, Earth and Hell) was a Buddhist cos-mology written by King Lu Thai of Sukho-thai. The kingly tradition of authorship was continued well into the Bangkok period by two Chakri monarchs, Rama II (1809-1824) and Rama VI (Vajiravudh, 1910-1925), both distinguished poets and stalwart patrons of Thai arts.

Much court-inspired art later devolved into simpler forms - for example, classical drama into comic folk operas - to become part of the popular culture. Today, the Thai cultural mosaic retains its original character
but is more varied, particularly in regional folk dance and music where differences are very apparent.

culture.
Most classical Thai art originated in or under the patronage of royal courts. It is an amalgam of the finest cultural traditions of Asia blended into a whole and stamped by artistic genius into unique forms instantly recognizable as Thai. Classical culture also encompasses Buddhist art as represented in temple architecture, decorative murals and Buddha images. Popular culture was village-centred and dealt with planting and harvesting cycles and the basic needs of daily life. Its arts included the creation of utensils, clothing and basketry items.

Court culture reflected the formal, exquisitely complex structure and etiquette of Thai royal palaces with their heavy Indian influence. Popular culture, its predecessor, was concerned with age-old village realities and the simple rites associated with birth, death and the cultivation of crops. Whereas classical poetry, literature, drama, painting, sculpture and architecture expressed religious and intellectual impulses and entertainment was considered to be of secondary value, village culture, despite its religious and moral overtones, was meant, above all else, for entertainment.

But to speak of both in the past tense is only to describe their origins and development ; both are very much alive today.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Visit India - A Land of Tradition and Customs

India' the property of the Maharajas, fairytale palaces and magnificent forts, it has been also a country of pilgrimage and culture. Holy Temples & religious shrines are approximately 400-500 temples in India with excellent architecture & a story behind each temple. If you visit these temples in India, you will feel so holistic & nature impression which is unforgettable.

India, A prehistoric civilization with an extraordinary lineage that over the centuries has amassed a fantastic wealth of grandeur and dignity. The Indian sub continent over a long period has hosted countless numbers of cultures, creating a land with diverse beliefs where modern concerns mesh with traditional values. On visiting this country one can witness intricately carved temples, gleaming marble palaces, monastic retreats of the Himalayas and the dusty backwoods of the countryside.

India has a very old and various culture stretching back to more than 5000 years. Its hills, rivers, plateaus, plains, beaches, deltas and deserts, many luxurious hotels and resorts, picturesque nature sites, and the architectural wealth, delivers novelty in various categories. It has also been considered the oldest and the most resilient cultures in the world. Modern India presents a picture of unity in diversity where people of different faiths and beliefs live together in peace and harmony. Once in India you would privilege yourself for gathering knowledge as to different religious facts and importance of them in ushering in peace in your life.

No any other country on earth evokes the human spirit as she does from magnificent mountain retreats to wildlife sanctuaries to medieval palaces and from mesmerizing peoples to tropical forests to unspoiled beaches. As you tour for leisure and absolute amusement, just make a tour to India. As you decide to have an India Travel, you will get the Himalayan ranges, the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal, and the Indian Ocean. And much, much more India is truly a destination of the ages. You can bring together all the Travel Information, with the grouping of tour from the sea to the hills, and to the deserts India is a very popular destination for tourists.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Taj Mahal Travel, Visit Taj Mahal India, Taj Mahal Travels, Taj Mahal Taravel packages, Visit Taj Mahal 2010

In the Mughal period, in the 16th and 17th centuries, Agra was the capital of India. Agra is globally renowned as the city of the Taj Mahal. This massive mausoleum was built on the orders of Shah Jahan, the5th Muslim Mogul Emperor to honor the memory of his beloved late wife. A symbol of pure love, passion, emotion and divinity in an enchanting architectural magnificence this captivating mausoleum, on the bank of river Yamuna started in 1631 it took 22 years to complete with the help of an estimated 20000 workers. As many as 28 different varieties of semi-precious and precious stones were used to adorn the Taj with exquisite inlay work. In 1983 the Taj became a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was cited as "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage. The crowning glory of the city is obviously the Taj, a monument of love and imagination, that represents India to the world.

Agra Fort is another architectural treasure for tourists visiting Agra. One can take pleasure in the beautiful glimpse of the Taj Mahal from the fort across the Yamuna River. The fort is a red sandstone castle built by Emperor Akbar in the year 1654. The portion of the fort was used as a military strategic point and the rest was used as the royal residence. Later on the Mughal Emperor Shahjahan laid many additions in the fort.
Fatehpur Sikri was the royal city built by Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1575. Fatehpur Sikri is the majority popular day excursion from Agra, the capital of impregnable Mughals for a long time. Fatehpur Sikri, today, has gained the status of a World Heritage site. There are numerous sites like the Panch Mahal, or Palace of Five Story, and the Buland Darwaza, a massive gate.

Fatehpur also includes the Jama Masjid a Mosque, Salim Chisti tomb, Diwani- Aam, and Jodh Bai's Palace. There are many other places that can also be visited: Dayal Bagh 8 kms, Itmad-Ud-Daula Tomb 6 kms, Sikandra 10 kms, Radhaswami Samadhi 8 kms and Jama Masjid…