Go Holidaying to Kashmir This Weekend

The beauty of Kashmir is not unknown to most people of the nation. The revival of tourism in the state in the post-conflict era has of late proven to be a boom. Bollywood movies, as well as South Indian movies have done a great deal in raising the curiousity levels of the consumer/viewer, though sometimes in a negative context. Whether negative or positive, it can be safely assumed that almost everyone (at least me) who has seen those beautiful valleys, apple orchards, snowfall and streams, wants to visit it. With winter ready to set in, it is a good time to visit the place for the weekend.

The state of Jammu and Kashmir has three regions — Jammu, Kashmir Valley and Ladakh — which are quite distinct from each other. The part which we have been made aware of mostly is the Kashmir Valley. It is here that most of the tourist sites are located. Though it will be impossible to list them all out in this blog, we can certainly take a look at the most important ones for your short trip.

Srinagar City Photo Courtesy — Wikipedia

The very first place you will have to disembark at in order to head to other places is the capital city of Srinagar, known as ‘Venice of the East’ or ‘Kashmiri Venice’. The city with its wooden structures set in the magnificent backdrop of hills will steal your heart. Visit during the time as winter is setting in and you will see the first snowflakes too. Once you get acquainted with the snowfall, try out the Dal Lake. Get on board a shikara or houseboat and witness the beauty of nature. Try out this place in the morning after sunrise or an hour or two before sunset. There are many gardens in the city, but the one you ought to visit is the Shalimar Bagh built by Jahangir, the fourth Mughal emperor in 1619.

Dal Lake Photo Courtesy — Wikipedia

If you are seeking spirituality nearby, Charar-i-Shareef located at a distance of 28 km to the south-west of Srinagar city is where you need to pay a visit. The town is famous for the 600-year-old wooden mausoleum of Sheikh Noor-ud-Deen Noorani, who preached Islam in Kashmir via his poetry. Legend has it that the saint’s coffin flew some distance before landing on the place where he currently lies buried. It is a prime attraction for people of all faiths.

The Charar-i-Sharif Shrine (Photo Courtesy — holidaykashmirtravels.com)

You are in a place which experiences snowfall and the tour can’t be complete without some winter sports, right? Yes, you will not be disappointed. Just two hours away from Srinagar lies the picturesque hill station of Gulmarg — the site of many Bollywood movie shoots. History has it that Emperor Jahangir once collected 21 different fauna varieties from here. You will also be a witness to the beautiful snow-capped mountains as well as hillsides of fir with villages in their midst. The international news network CNN has described it as “heartland of winter sports in India.” As a traveler you need to be here to try out skiing (which starts from mid-December) and skating on the snow-covered hills at prices ranging from Rs. 400–600 per head.

Gulmarg Photo Courtesy — Wikipedia

With a short two-day trip to the Valley, these are the places, not worth a miss. The experiences here will not make give you a feeling of monotony or boredom. Be sure to try out the samovar tea served by locals. After all, this is just the safe drink to keep you warm in the snow.

You can book your bus tickets in the leading travel operators like National Travels,VRL Travels,Konduskar Travels,Paulo Travels and Greenline Travels

Hebron Travels

Everyone faces certain issues in life and think those are the biggest and the toughest to fight back. Very true isn’t it, coz even I had faced such type of issue and at that time I felt mine to be incomparable. Well, the incident that shook me and made me walk deadly was on a weekend night where I had to board the bus to Chennai at 11 pm and after a long waited period I came to know that the bus that was scheduled to start from Tuticorin was canceled. By the time I could take an alternative, it was 12.30 am in the morning.

I couldn’t go back home as well because when my mom had called me at 11 pm, I confronted her by saying that I have boarded the bus and is going to start as I didn’t want her to get tensed over this which I felt later that I should have told her the truth. Desperately searched for help and prayed for a miracle to happen as the place where I board the bus will look like a ghost- villa where you cannot have a thought of asking help from someone. With no girls around and me, the only female waiting with six other guys late at night is nothing less than a blood- curdling moment.

As a drop of salty moisture dripped from my chin and fell on the phone, I was startled coz whenever you book your bus tickets at ticketgoose.com they give you their customer care number which will be active 24/7. Yes, that was the winning point of my life, I immediately made a call and explained them about my situation and once I was done, I got a positive reply saying I will board the bus in another 15 min and in no time, a bus named Hebron Transports had arrived at the pickup location and we all boarded. The officials were so courteous that they apologized for making us wait for so long and offered us water bottles to alleviate our stress.

I was then feeling relaxed and after getting myself placed in a comfortable location, I called the customer care number to thank the official to whom I had spoken but this time it was someone else who had answered my call. Yet, I said the official’s name and told him to convey my wishes for helping me overcome my problem. After a while, I thought I should check the routes to which the travels caters to and was startled to see; nearly 30 routes with majorly covered routes to be Chennai- Bangalore, Marthandam- Chennai, Chennai- Salem, Chennai- Hosur, Chennai- Erode, Vellore- Hosur, Chennai- Nagercoil, and Chennai- Trichy.

So, what’s your opinion on this travels @Hebron Transports?

Vadodara- Cultural Capital of Gujarat

Vadodara earlier known as Baroda is masked with rich culture and art forms that ought to make your travel diaries exceptional. Based in Gujarat, the Western state of India, it is recognized as one of the cultural capital of Gujarat for its extravagant festival celebration during Navratri where the entire city could be seen lost in a festive mood. Here, find the never ever tiring tourist spots in Vadodara that are not only exceptional but are astounding as well and below are few among the many destinations to make your visit cheerful.

1. Surya Mandir

Dedicated to the Sun God, this temple has a USP that anyone who visits this temple will be relieved from ailments. Located in Borsad, Gujarat, this temple bestows divine grace upon the people visiting here and has a breath-taking and unclear history where it says that the Lord himself had built this holy place but no facts reveal its existence.

2. Navratri

Coming to Gujarat and not playing Garba, it is like eating an empty slice of bread. One can see people getting indulged in this festival with a lot of exuberance at the streets of the city thus making this place a widely searched location for enjoying Navratri.

3. Pavagadh Archaeological Park

This archaeological park is situated amidst the hills of Pavagadh that holds a strong historical and mythological significance. Historical would be the enormous designs of Hindu and Islamic carvings on the rocks and mythological is the view that it is this hill that Lord Hanuman carried to Lanka in the Ramayana epilog.

4. Sayaji Gardens, Vadodara

It is the largest garden in the Western part of India sprawling across 45 hectares of land that is dedicated to Maharaja Sayajirao. Built in the year 1879, it is enclosed with rich flora (approx 99 trees), fauna, museums, planetariums, toy train for kids and zoo in one single roof. The planetarium present at the entrance of the garden hosts public shows every day.

Thus, explore the many- liked gems of this place by making an online bus ticket booking at ticketgoose.com in leading travel operators like SVR Travels,Paulo Travels and Konduskar Travels that not only takes you places but would also melt your heart with its services.

With summer mid-way through the year and with kids’ unplanned vacation, the stress level of yours ought to peak up that can also daunt your kids’ thoughts towards you. But like how every problem has a solution, this issue of yours can be taken to a new dimension with the nation’s favorite online bus ticketing portal; TicketGoose. Wondering, the portal that has eased ticketing issues, how is it going to solve this problem of yours. Then, lend your ears, as TicketGooose in association with Sterling Holidays has come with a new offer that is just blood curdling and breath- taking.

TicketGoose releases its new Super Summer Sale; a chance for you to beat the heat by plunging into Sterling’s bravura resorts with your family where a stay of 2 nights and 3 days worth Rs.20000 can be availed for free if you book your bus tickets with TicketGoose. This offer is applicable only for those individuals who have registered through the pop-up displayed on the firm’s website and booked tickets before May 31st. One winner will be chosen per day on a random basis with displaying their name on the home page of ticketgoose.com.

The winner will receive an email within two days from the date of declaration of results which they would need to respond within 7days as limited rooms are allotted for this sale that will be served on a first come first serve basis. The winners will also get coupons (not- transferrable and not- negotiable) for a complimentary stay that is valid for a period of six months from the date of issue. If you are thinking about the members eligible for this stay, then let me tell you that only 2 adults and 2 children below 12 years of age are allowed. With this coupon, you can enjoy your stay at locations like Darjeeling, Ooty, Goa, Kodaikanal, Yelagiri, Munnar, Yercaud, and Lonavala.

Thus, with such an astounding summer offer, spend your valuable time at Sterling’s top resorts and for your stay with your family make a booking at ticketgoose.com.Some of the top travel operators providing the bus services are Kallada Travels,Parveen Travels,Patel Travels,Konduskar Travels,Hebron Travels and Paulo Travels.

Jama Masjid – The Heart of Old Delhi

These days, the city of Delhi has been famous for a lot of reasons and landmarks. Be it the bustling Karol Bagh, Chandni Chowk, the glamorous Connaught Place or the fancy underground Palika Bazaar — the national capital has always been the focal point of attraction for many tourists. Not to forget are the national landmarks of India Gate, the Parliament and the Rashtrapati Bhavan. However, what makes the city a little more interesting is its past, particularly structures from the Mughal era.

Perhaps the most important and appealing Mughal structure in the city is Jama Masjid. As the name denotes, it is a place of worship which serves as an import tourist destination of the city as well. It is located in the heart of Delhi, and is very accessible from the newer part of the city. The mosque is said to be one of the biggest in the whole of South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal taken together). I visited the mosque twice in the year 2000 and 2010, and I can safely claim that nothing has changed ever since.

Back in Time

The mosque was built by the fifth Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. The foundation was laid in an area then called Shahjahanabad. The construction of the complex took six years to complete, with the initial construction having started in 1650 AD. An estimated 6,000 workers were involved in the construction.

A panoramic shot of the Jama Masjid Complex (Photo Courtesy — Wikipedia)

What to Expect Inside

You will find a massive courtyard inside with a central washing area. On Fridays, the Islamic Sabbath, the water fountains are put on display. The main prayer hall is located towards the western end called the Qiblah. You can step inside and look at the magnificent chandeliers inside, or you can simply sit on the steps and enjoy the cool evening breeze while you chat with tourists. Yes, the best time to visit is two hours prior to sunset. My favourite view is that of the Red Fort, which lies exactly opposite, though at some distance. Beware of thieves and keep a close eye on your footwear. If possible, carry them with you wherever you go.

The mosque at night (Photo courtesy — Haarsh)

Perhaps, the most interesting historical stuff you can see around are the relics of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), his footmarks as well as a copy of the Qur’an handwritten by one of his companions. I along with family and friends were shown these by a caretaker as we had come to visit Delhi from an extremely far-ff region. It becomes all the more amazing to witness them when you are told that such relics are only available in certain other parts of the world — Istanbul in Turkey and Cairo in Egypt. Make sure you insist on these relics when you are inside. They might not give in easily, but you can insist the relevant authorities a little bit without being forceful.

Something to Shop

The adjacent areas are food-lovers’ paradise. You can get the highly expensive Tandoori and Mughlai items from well-known restaurants such as Al Jawahar and Karim’s. The slightly less expensive versions of Biryani are also available in the area. Try out the Lassi and Jalebi too. The area will be of particular interest for girls and women as there are a lot of ethnic wear items and bangles to choose from. If you are a book-lover, there are a book shops too. Oops, most book stalls here are Urdu stalls with many offering English collections as well. If you are a foreigner, currency exchange shops are available in plenty here.

The area is famous for its food (Photo courtesy — Eatanddust.com)

How to Reach

You can hire an auto from any part of the city to reach Jama Masjid. The nearest metro station is Chawri Bazar. Accessibility will never be an issue.

The place will offer you a lesson of history with spectacular views and spiritual enlightenment. The most important factor to keep in mind here is to respect local traditions. Women are advised to avoid wearing shorts and sleeveless. Modest clothing can also be hired from the northern gate. It can be assured that it will be a visit you will never forget.

Book your bus tickets form the leading bus ticket booking portal which has many travel operators providing bus services like SVR Travels,Paulo Travels,Konduskar Travels,Greenline Travels and Patel Travels.

Take a Ride to the Scariest place – Bhangarh Fort

Are you a type of person who jitters on hearing ghost tales from your grandparents? Or are you a type of person who is on foot to visit that particular bloodcurdling location after hearing the remnants of legendary tales of the mishap. Who isn’t interested in listening to these tales and one such anecdote that would combine your travel and horror together is the Bhangarh Fort- a fort that was constructed in the 17th century in the state of Rajasthan that is located near the renowned tiger reserve in the Aravali Hills in Alwar, Rajasthan. The fort is housed at the foothills where the ruined place still exists on the slopes with a new village of Bhangarh confined outside it.

Bhangarh-fort

What actually happened there? People are clueless when such of type of questions are posed to them but what are heard at night are the screams of people which are very awful and anyone who goes inside with a thirst to unveil its truth is never seen again and much more about this place can be well-explained to you if you converse with the locals as it is them who had been witnessing absurd visions and appalling sounds for the past so many years. When you enter this place your will see a cautionary board laid by the Archaeological Survey of India forbidding your visits inside. So, if you are planning for a day trip then it is advisable that you return back by evening.

Why is it haunted? This dates back to the year 1631 when Madho Singh had built the fort with an agreement with a Sadhu named Baba Nath where the fort’s shadow would not fall upon his house and if it does then it would lead to destruction. This was one side of the story. The another version goes this way; there was a wizard who fell in love with the Bhangarh princess, Ratnavati and one day when she went to buy scent along with her friends, the wizard replaced the scent with the love potion. Knowing this trick of the wizard, the princess threw the potion onto the boulder which rolled down and killed the wizard who in turn cursed that Bhangarh would soon be in ruins. Consequently, the fort was invaded by the Mughals and everyone inside along with the princess was sacked.

Though these legendary notes seem to be haunted, people from all over the world visit this place to see the skint architecture and for adventure seekers, Rajasthan has to be your next destination. If you are wondering how to visit this haunted spot, take a bus to Jaipur from Delhiand a connecting train to Alwar. Oh yes, weak- hearted fellas, take a diversion.

Some of the travel operators who are providing bus services are Paulo Travels,Greenline Travels,SVR Travels,Konduskar Travels and SRS Travels.

Manipat, an unexplored getaway

Chhattisgarh has several destinations that are still unexplored. And going to an offbeat getaway devoid of the usual crowd is rejuvenating; where you can simply walk in leisure without bothering about the honking traffic or the onlookers. Manipat was a chance discovery during our trip to Chhattisgarh. About 258 km from Bilaspur, it lies atop a plateau surrounded by emerald valleys. The hill station with its thick forests, gushing waterfalls, and gentle-flowing streams has earned itself the sobriquet of “Shimla of Sarguja.” The Tibetan settlement in the village was another pleasant surprise. This locality seemed every bit like a mini Tibet with colourful prayer flags lining up the streets. We were told that this hill station is also popularly known as Mini Tibet.

Photo courtesy: Anuradha Goel

The trip from Bilaspur by bus through Jarabhata along the National Highway 111 took us about four and half hours. But the view en route was beautiful and that is one of the reasons why I love road trips. We headed straight to the Tibetan restaurant next to the beautiful settlement and helped ourselves to the piping hot thukpa and a plateful of momos. We decided to visit this place once again before heading back. Chit-chatting with the people around in the restaurant we got our itinerary chalked out. We also came to know that there were seven different refugee camps in the village.

Dhakpo Monastery

Photo courtesy: Anuradha Goel

Our first stop was at the Dhakpo Monastery. This quaint monastery was a little small compared to the ones we had seen elsewhere. But it stood squeaky clean and elegant glistening under the afternoon sun. You can interact with the monks here who are very friendly and also with the people around.

Tiger Point

Though we couldn’t spot any tigers, we had a good view of the cascading waterfalls from the road level itself. There are steps to take you down to the bottom of the falls. But be careful while climbing down, it can get slippery. A check dam nearby adds to its beauty. It is said that tigers were sighted in the area many years ago, lending it its present name.

Fish Point

This point with a flowing river is picturesque. It is called Fish Point because a certain type of fish is found here. As we climbed uphill, the view was breathtaking. The sound of the gushing waterfall invaded the tranquility of the place, and it couldn’t have been better without the crowd around.

Tibetan Settlement

We finally walked through the Tibetan camps accompanied by some lamas. They were happy to show us around. We were taken to a handicraft shop selling some mementoes, where we got some goodies for friends back home. At the end of the day we invited the lamas, who heartily took us around, to join us for some momos at the Tibetan restaurant.

Getting there

You can easily get a bus from Bilaspur, Raipur and Ambikapur. Or you can hire a taxi and make a day trip. Check out for buses at Ticketgoose.com if you are travelling on this route.’

Some of the travel operators providing bus services to Manipat are Patel Travels,Greenline Travels,Konduskar Travels and VRL Travels

Where to stay

There are a couple of places where you can spend the night. Saila Tourist Resort (Tariff-Rs 1,500 onwards) and Mercury Resort and Restaurant are some of the places worth opting. The latter has some adventure sport facility for the adrenaline junkies.

If you are looking for an offbeat destination far away from the bustling city, there couldn’t be a better choice than Manipat. You can visit this place just for its untouched beauty.

TicketGoose’s Unstoppable Journey!!!

TicketGoose had started with an intention to provide a solution in alleviating the stress behind the traditional way of booking tickets and it has succeeded to such an extent that can be proudly said. The firm has paired up with over 3000 bus operators that can be seen plying across 5000+ cities. This is an added advantage to the passengers because they can directly visit ticketgoose.com and select their choice of buses and book tickets, make payments, cancel the booked tickets or claim for refunds on their own. While booking, if they have any queries, they can call the firm’s customer support officials who try to resolve 80% of the customer issues within 15 minutes of time.

Besides these, the firm has developed an excellent and handy mobile app that has gained popularity because of its user interface and features. Once booked tickets online, the customers need not take printouts of their tickets rather they can show the E-copy or the M-copy that will be sent to their respective mobile number and email. The app can be downloaded from Play store, App store or Windows store.

Above all these, a new milestone has been crossed by the firm by selling 5000 tickets on a day last week further proving that it is the milestones that drive the team. People say, “Experience is the Teacher of all Things” so, feel the real experience of traveling with TicketGoose.

Some of the top travel operators of TicketGoose who supported TicketGoose in reaching its unstoppable Journey are SRM Travels,SRS Travels,SVR Travels,VRL Travels,Paulo Travels,Hebron Travels,Meghana Travels and Kaleswari Travels.

SVR Travels

SVR by name is one of the famed and reliable fleet operators in the Southern part of India that has won millions of hearts by providing top-notch services, facilities, and amenities that just creates a “Wow” factor in one’s mind. 75% of our country’s population visit their getaway destinations by bus and the comfort and service are what they mainly prefer. Understanding this importance of the travelers, the travels has lured the interest of traveling for a majority of them. Be whatever class you belong to; SVR has buses in all categories (AC, NON AC, Sleeper and Semi Sleeper) so that everyone enjoys the benefits it provides. It can be seen plying across major cities like Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Bangalore.

Here, I have listed some of the places to visit in these cities so that you make your weekend getaway cherishable;

Mumbai; the capital city of Maharashtra is the financial capital of India. Referred by many names such as “The City of Dreams” or “The City which Never Sleeps”, got its name from the word, Maha- Amba which is related to a goddess, Mumbadevi meaning mother. Get here to catch hold of the Ancient Cave Temple that’s dedicated to Lord Shiva, Elephanta Caves, Gateway of India and the very famous Haji Ali Dargah.

The next mostly covered location by SVR is Bangalore; known as the “Garden City” because of the numerous parks existing in the city is one of the hubs of Information Technology and due to which it is referred by “Silicon Valley of India”. Sight some of the famous botanical gardens like Lalbagh, Cubbon Park and Bannerghatta National Park, ISKCON Temple and the grand Tippu Sultan Palace.

Experience the 500 years ancient history of Hyderabad with SVR Travels. Also known as the “City of Pearls” and “The City of Nawabs”, this place holds rich cultural heritage along with a myriad of tourist spots, to name some, Golconda, Charminar, man- made lake; Hussain Sagar Lake and Nehru Zoological Park.

These are few amongst the many destinations covered by SVR Travels. Besides its spectacular benefits, it is also an authorized partner of Ticketgoose so that all your bus bookings, payments, and refunds can be easily managed by you at the firm’s website; ticketgoose.com.