East India Tours

Introduction

Orrisa

Really! a visit of Orissa is heart-throbbing. One feels as if he is entering a world of spiritual tranquility, traversing the path of utmost depth and peace and soaring in the realm of a mystic Nature. Such is Orissa representing a cultural milieu of many religions and many life-styles!

Bhubaneshwar

Visit the ancient city of Bhubaneshwar (Bhuban being world and Iswar God) and it is a walk down centuries of temple architecture, With 600 temples still extant, temples are to this ancient city as forts are to Rajasthan. It is probably the only city in the world that enables an authentic over-view of the stages of development of Hindu religious architecture. In the fast moving world of today these temples are a gentle reminder of the splendour, the heritage that was once India, It is not hard to imagine what a temple would have been at the time of its patron ruler. Regular dances by the ’Devadasis’ or divine servant girls, rituals and rites, recital of hymns were all an integral part of temple culture. Temples in Bhubaneshwar are built on a common plan as prescribed by Hindu norms. The structure is divided into four distinct parts connected to each other. The external part or the outer chamber is the ’Jagamohana’. The Garbhagriha is the inner sanctum sanctorum of the presiding deity. There is also a conical beehive shaped tower which forms the third part – the Nata Mandap and the fourth is the Bhoga Mandap. All visible parts of a temple are sculpted with motifs of priests, kings, courtiers, pilgrims, celestial dancers, couples in embrace, birds, animals or scenes from religious epics and legends.

Puri

The seat of Lord Jagannath, Site of Renowned Rathyatra Festival and one of the most popular sea side resorts on the Bay of Bengal, Puri is an ideal travel destination all the year round.

Konark

Renowned for its magnificent sun temple, which was constructed by Narasinha Deva of Ganga dynasty of Orissa in mid 13th century, Konark is also a lovely beach resort. In Konark, the "Natya Mandir", the dance hall of the Sun Temple probably remains as the last remnant of the glorious temples of Orissa an extant example of the architectural excellence of the times. Built in the 13th Century, here a collossal image of the chariot of the Sun, drawn by seven horses and 24 wheels symbolises the divisions of time. The main tower of Konark stood as high as 227 feet, superceding both Lingaraja and Jagannath Temples. The Jagmohana (Porch) structure and the tower are both situated atop the stone platform supporting the 24 wheels. The Konark Sun Temple also houses a Natamandira or dancing hall. Only two subsidiary temples out of the 22, that were also situated inside the temple precincts, exist today. The Sun Temple standing in solitary splendour is the relic of a great past. The history lovers can regale themselves at the Archaeological Museum at the site of the Konark Sun Temple. The majestic Sun Temple silhouetted against the setting sun remains indelibly etched in the spectator’s memory.

Udaygiri / Lalitgiri / Ratnagiri Where the Budhist monasteries dating back to 8th century A.D. There are two museums, with excellent collection from the sites of Ratnagiri and Lalitgiri.

Sikkim

Sikkim Is a land of extraordinary beauty-soaring mountains, plunging rivers and lush tropical forests, brilliant with a profusion of vivid flowers, birds and butterflies and decorated with verdant terraced hillsides, simple stilted villages and colourful temples and monasteries.
In this remote region close to the border of Tibet and mostly untouched by the outside world the mystical and shamanism lifestyle of the Lepchas and Bhutias are still alive here. Our ride leads us up through bamboo groves and cardamom fields to the broad valley of Yumthang. The river Teesta that becomes one of the main feeders of the holy Ganges down in the flatlands of India originates here.

The Teesta hot springs are said to have powerful healing properties. For nature friends north Sikkim is a true paradise. Untouched rhododendron jungles, presenting themselves in red, pink, yellow, purple and white and dispersing a concert of beautiful fragrances from May to June. Meadows are full of blue moon and the mighty Granite Mountains whose snowcapped peaks mark the border to Tibet.

Sikkim offers the magical feel of a Himalayan fairytale land. Imagine walking amongst gorgeous orchids, flashing kaleidoscopes of singing birds, butterflies of all sizes-all framed by snow peaks.

High above the hot and dusty flatlands of Bengal, in the green foot hills of the eastern Himalayas are Darjeeling and Kalimpong located. The view to the crowning mountain peaks in the background of the Kanchenjunga Mountain group is breathtaking. Kalimpong used to be a main trading centre on the silk route to Tibet and China. The British as their holiday resort used both Kalimpong and Darjeeling when stationed in India. First class tea gardens, bungalows and churches from colonial times, Buddhist monasteries, exotic markets, handicrafts, orchids, untouched forests and much more we will explore on our tour. And all this in a region where an astonishingly diverse mixture of Lepchas, Nepalese, Tibetans, Sikkimese and Bengalese have formed their own sub-culture.

Pemayangtse

The small town of Pemayangtse is an important Buddhist religious center in the state of Sikkim. Pemayangtse is not only a religious center, but it offers a panoramic view of the eastern Himalayas to the traveler including the mighty Kanchenjunga peak that overlooks the town. The area around Pemayangtse offers to the adventure seeker a number of trekking and hiking trails.

Pemayangtse is located in the southwestern part of the state of Sikkim, in the northeastern region of India. It is set amongst the Sikkim Himalayas at a height of 6,000 feet above sea level and is near Great Rangit River. The weather in Pemayangtse is alpine. Summers (April–June) are short and mild, while winters are cold (November –February). It experiences monsoon rains between (July -September).

Darjeeling

Conjures visions of serenity, of vibrant green hills steeped in splendour. A land of breathtaking beauty crowned by the majestic Himalayas.

Darjeeling is one of the most magnificent hill resorts in the world. This heavenly retreat is bathed in hues of every shade. The flaming red rhododendrons, the sparkling white magnolias, the miles of undulating hillsides covered with emerald green tea bushes, the exotic forests of silver fir-all under the blanket of a brilliant azure sky dappled with specks of clouds, compellingly confounds Darjeeling as “THE QUEEN OF HILL STATIONS”.

Darjeeling - the name is derived from the Tibetan word ‘Dorje’ which means the precious stone or ecclesiastical sceptre, which is emblematic of the thunder bolt of Indra, and ‘ling’ - a place, hence the land of the thunderbolt. The sceptre of Indra is believed to have fallen at a place where now stands the Observatory Hill.

Darjeeling beckons thousands today for a respite from the bustle of the madding crowd. The traveller- whether a tourist or a trekker, an ornithologist or a photographer, a botanist or an artist- will find in Darjeeling an experience which will remain etched in ones memory- forever.

Apart from the magnificient view it commands, great religious importance is attached to the Observatory Hill by both Hindus and Buddhists. Apart from this other major attractions are :
Tiger hill Situated at an altitude of 2590 metres (8482 ft.) and 13 kms from the town, this spot has earned international fame for the magnificient view of the sunrise over and the great Eastern Himalayan Mountains. Even Mount Everest , the world’s highest peak , is visible from here. Mall road originates and culminates at the Chowrasta which is the hub of Darjeeling town.
Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park One can take a leisurely walk around a perfect setting Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park. Adjacent to the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, it is a high altitude wild life park and a home for Siberian tigers, Himalayan Black bear and the Red Panda. The Snow Leopard breeding centre is a major attraction.
Himalayan Mountaineering Institute The institute was founded in 1954 after the historic conquest of Everest in 1953. The Everest Museum is one of the main attractions here.

Kalimpong

This is a beautiful hill town situated in northern West Bengal, at an altitude of 1250 m. Town offeres natural beauty at its glance, other major attractions are the Buddhist monasteries, orchid nurseries, sericulture center, Thongsa Gompa, Tharpa Gompa, Zong Dong Palri Fo-Brang Gompa, etc.
Tharpa Gompa was established in 1922 and belongs to the Yellow hat sect of Tibetan Buddhism.
Zong Dong Palri Fo-Brang Gompa was established in 1970 and has impressive wall paintings in the prayer hall and a rare three dimensional mandala upstairs. The Sericulture Research Institute breads silkworms and silk is produced here. The Nature Interpretation Center is working to conserve soil and forests of the area. It has some fine illustrations and demonstrations on the effect of human activity on the environment.
Kalimpong is famous for the tapestry bags and purses, copperware, scrolls,  paintings, Tibetan jewelry and art effects.