Dear Partners,
Namaste from !ndia!
Hemis Gompa, an ancient monastery in the Indian state of Ladakh,
will be at the center of celebrations commemorating the advent of
Buddhism in the Himalayan region from July 14 to 15. Festivities
will revolve around a sacred mask dance performed by the temple’s
lamas to a soundtrack of brass trumpets, cymbals, and drums.
This month we bring to you the Hemis Festival - Ladakh, as the
destination of the month.
Rgds: Sanjeev Joshi
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Tourism Development |
Indian Railways launches tourist train for pilgrims |
Indian Railways has launched the Bharat Darshan Tourist train
for pilgrims to visit Shirdi, Tirupati, Jagannath Puri,
Gangasagar, Baidyanath Dham and Jyotirlingams among others.
Comprising 10 coaches, the train begins the “East Darshan” on
May 8 from Chandigarh and travelling from Delhi Cantonment to
cover Jagannath Puri, Gangasagar, Baidyanath Dham, Gaya, Banaras
and Ayodhya.According to the package, a person has to pay Rs 830
per day to selected destinations in the east or south of the
country or packages that cover major religious sites.
The package includes train journey, road transportation,
accommodation, sightseeing at tourist locations and onboard and
off-board meals.
Bharat Darshan will also cover “7 Jyotirlinga” package beginning
on May 23 from Chandigarh through Delhi Cantonment will cover
Ujjain (Omkareshwar and Mahakaleshwar), Dwarka (Nageshwar),
Veraval (Somnath), Aurangabad (Grishneshwar) and Nasik (Bhimashankar
and Triyambakeshwar).
There will be another “7 Jyotirlinga” tour which begins on June
6 from Delhi Safdarjung through Lucknow covering Ujjain (Omkareshwar
and Mahakaleshwar), Dwarka (Nageshwar), Veraval (Somnath),
Aurangabad (Grishneshwar) and Nasik (Bhimashankar and
Triyambakeshwar).
The train also offers “Dakshin Darshan with Shirdi” tour package
which starts on June 27 from Chandigarh through Delhi Cantt
covering Shirdi, Tirupati, Kanchipuram, Rameshwaram, Madurai,
Kanyakumari, Mysore and Bangalore.
The Bharat Darshan Tourist train has 10 coaches and being
serviced by trained tour managers.
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Indian e-tourist visa system continues to grow |
According to data from India’s Tourism Ministry, the total of
70,045 e-tourist visas issued April marks a sharp 266% increase
from the 19,139 issued in the same month last year, reflecting a
major expansion of the scheme in the last 12 months.
Travelers from the UK accounted for the largest proportion of
e-tourist visas issued last month (18.8%), followed by the US
(14.1%), Russia (8.2%), France (7.1%) and China (6.3%). Delhi
Airport issued almost half the visas in April (46.5%), followed
by Mumbai Airport (19.1%), Goa Airport (10.0%), Bengaluru
Airport (6.5%) and Chennai Airport (5.6%).
The total number of e-tourist visas issued in the first four
months of 2016 stood at 391,094, up 312% compared to the same
period in 2015.
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In today’s world where man and machine are synonyms due to fast growing technology, a holiday has become must for us to relax and rejuvenate. The tourism industry therefore has become one of the fast growing industries and is changing its dimensions every minute. We at TIME understand the changing time and demands of travelers and therefore aim to provide all our clients with an experience, which is unparalleled. TIME was established in 1998 with the sole aim of providing quality services viz a viz value for money. The Indian sub-continent being one of the most challenging destinations requires lot of expertise and dedication, therefore we at TIME ensure to provide all our Travel Partners services which not only make their clients happy but gives us a repeat value. Our motto, “The Company that cares”, says it all.
If one had to describe India in just one word, it would have to be Cornucopia – a cornucopia of people, traditions, culture, climate and even topography. It is referred to as the largest democracy in the world, by virtue of the fact that it has the largest electing population among democratic countries. The echo of her heroes and her freedom fighters is felt not just in India but also all over the world. It is the land of “Ahimsa” the land of Mahatma Gandhi. India occupies its own niche in the world. The Himalayas surround it from the north acting as a wall on one side, the Thar Desert acts as a barrier towards the northwest and the rest is surrounded by the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. We at TIME welcome you to experience the arid grandeur of Rajasthani kingdoms to the exquisite serenity of Kerala – each shines with its own uniqueness. Our personalized services with an eye for your comfort at each point of your travel will truly make your trip a memorable one. |
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Sanchi Stupa, Madhya Pradesh
(A World Heritage Site)
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IndiGo introduces 14 new domestic
flights |
Effective May 1, 2016, IndiGo has introduced 3rd non-stop daily flight
between Bengaluru and Ahmedabad; 3rd non-stop daily flight between
Bengaluru and Jaipur; 3rd non-stop daily flight between Chennai and
Kochi and 4th non-stop daily flight between Kolkata and Hyderabad.
Effective May 2, 2016,
the carrier is also starting a 3rd non-stop
daily flight between Kochi and Chennai and 3rd non-stop daily flight
between Jaipur and Bengaluru and from May 6, 2016, it is introducing a
3rd non-stop daily flight between Delhi and Jaipur; 5th non-stop daily
flight between Srinagar and Delhi and 6th non-stop daily flight
between Delhi and Srinagar.
Expanding its domestic and overseas network, IndiGo will the launch
ten new flights within India and Oman. Effective May 16, 2016, IndiGo
will commence an additional flight connecting Delhi to Ranchi. With
effect from June 21, 2016, the airline will introduce its first flight
on the Kochi-Muscat route, while also launching its second flight
connecting Hyderabad to Kochi. Furthermore, effective June 22, 2016,
IndiGo will begin operations with its first flight between Hyderabad
and Coimbatore & Hyderabad and Nagpur.
GoAir to commence daily evening
operations between Delhi-Srinagar effective June 15
GoAir announced that it will become the first airline to offer direct
daily evening flights connecting Delhi and Srinagar as part of
airline’s network development. GoAir will be the only airline with
last arrival and departure in the valley.
Effective June 15, 2016 and as per its latest proposed schedule, the
GoAir flight G8 229 will take off from Delhi at 16:50hrs and arrive in
Srinagar at 18:10hrs while the return flight G8 228 will take off from
Srinagar at 18:40 and arrive Delhi at 20:05hrs. Tickets for the
flights are now open and can be booked.
Vistara to start flying to Kolkata
Effective 10 June 2016, the airline will offer 13 weekly flights to
the Bengali city, direct from Delhi, using its three-class Airbus A320
aircraft.
Flights will depart Delhi daily at 0720 and 1755, arriving in Kolkata
at 0930 and 2010. The return services will then leave at 1015 and 2050
and arrive back in Delhi at 1250 and 2315. The morning flight will not
operate on Sundays.
In addition, Vistara has unveiled plans to commence direct flights
between Delhi and Kochi on 20 June. The airline initially launched
flights to Kochi, via Mumbai, in April.
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Hotel News Go To Top |
Marriott Suites
opens in Pune
The new Pune Marriott Suites is located in the Koregaon Park area of
the Maharashtra city. It offers 199 suites designed for long-stay
guests, plus two restaurants, a lounge, fitness centre, outdoor
swimming pool and wellness centre.
The new hotel is located close to Pune Airport and the city’s main
business and IT hubs, meaning it is likely to appeal to business
travelers.
TUTC opens new luxury camps in Ladakh
The Chamba Camp Thiksey and Chamba Camp Diskit camps are both
operational from 15 May 2016 to 10 October 2016, offering a high-end
“glamping” (glamorous camping) concept that features luxurious tents,
Wi-Fi, bathrooms with 24-hour hot water, personal butler services,
organic cuisine, boutiques and libraries.
All of the tents are triple-layered and their temperature can be
controlled by guests.“Travelers are opting for off-beat destinations within India with
untouched scenic beauty and exceptional local flavour. Keeping this
need in mind, TUTC has designed most luxurious camping offers for the
travellers who want to explore exceptional locations in India without
having to compromise on any of the luxuries of life,” said Rajnish
Sabharwal, chief operating officer of TUTC.
AccorHotels opens Grand Mercure in Mysuru
Set to the north of the Mysore Palace, the hotel has 146 rooms and
suites, two restaurants, a bar and deli. Other facilities including a
gym, spa, outdoor pool, kids’ play area and conference and banqueting
space. The hotel has been launched in partnership with the Brigade
Group. The Mysuru hotel becomes only the second Grand Mercure in
India, following an existing property in Bengaluru.
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Hemis Festival- Ladakh (14-15 July'16)
Legends
Based on Tibetan and Buddhist Legends,
Hemis Festival is said to have its
origins back in 8thCentury. Lord
Padmasambhava also known as Guru
Rimpoche is believed to be the local
savior who banished demons and evil
spirits. The spiritual leader is said
to have introduced of Tantric Buddhism
in the Himalayan Kingdom. Combining
the teachings of Buddhism and Tibetan
culture, a new way was established
where life was entwined with prayers,
austere life and a higher calling.
Festival Details
As Ladakh, the cold barren desert of
northernmost frontiers of India wakes
up from harsh winters, it’s time to
celebrate the Ladakhi Hemis festival.
In the quaint Hemis Jangchub Choling
Monastery, the colorful extravaganza
of celebrating the birth of local
savior Lord Padmasambhava is under
fervent preparations. 45 kms from Leh,
capital city of Ladakh witnesses
international crowds come to join the
festivities. Dance, music, prayers,
masked performances and a medley of colors will be seen everywhere you
see. The otherwise quaint and rugged
landscape of Ladakh turns vibrant and
chaotic during this monastery
festival.
Celebrations
The birth of Guru Rimpoche also known
as Lord Padmasambhava is the occasion
which is celebrated during Hemis
Festival. The spiritual leader is
conferred as the local savior. The
leader of Tantric Buddhism, it is said
that he introduced Buddhism in the
Himalayan Kingdom as early as the 8th
Century.
The festival highlight is the Dance
performances and plays by masked
Lamas. The masked dancere presents the
good prevailing over evil. The
participants of the spellbinding
performance are dressed in vibrant
costumes and bright masks. Every mask
has its own place in Tibetan and
Buddhist legends. Signifying aspects
of good and evil, they are designed as
humble, divine faces, animals,
skeletons and numerous frightful
figurines. Dancers can be seen with
slow dance movements and fanciful
expressions. The masked dance
performance is created on music medley
of sounds of drums, trumpets and
cymbals. The famous Padmasambhava
dance, the highlight of the dance
shows the victory of the ruta demons.
The dances are spellbinding as the
divine is represented and its said to
be purifying your soul.
Every 12th year known as the Tibetan
Year of the Monkey, Hemis Monastery
Festival takes an auspicious turn.The
unfurling of the largest Thangkha(12
metres) from the second floor of the
monastery for the world to see shall
happen in 2016 after 12 years. The
scripture is worth seeing as it’s so
delicately preserved.
Inside the monastery and outside
during the festival check out the
stalls. From delightful tastes of the
mountain Kingdom to unique handicrafts
of the region the sight are wonderful.
Residents of remote villages,
adventure seekers, photographers and
travelers make their way here to be a
part of the festival.
When to Go
After a tough winter the chills have
become bearable, the Hemis monastery
opens its doors to enjoy festivities.
The date every year changes as it is
celebrated every year on the tenth day
of the Lunar calendar of the Tibetan
month. In 2016 the festival is tobe celebrated on 14th and 15th July.
This festival will be unique as the
special ceremony which happens once in
12 years, the unfurling of the largest
Thangkha is scheduled during the
occasion.
Where to Go
In Jammu & Kashmir in Ladakh district,
45 kms from Leh, Hemis Monastery lies
in a gorge. The quaint setting amongst
greenery in the otherwise barren
landscape is a beautiful sight. The
largest Gompa in Ladakh is the most
accessible and houses around 500
saffron clad monks. Backpackers,
devotees and adventure lovers can be
seen making their way to the
unexplored Himalayan kingdom.
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TOURISM INDIA MANAGEMENT ENTERPRISES PVT.LTD
Plot No. 78, Sector - 44,Gurgaon-122002,Haryana India
Phone :0091-124-4932450 Fax :0091-124-4932499
E-MAIL: timepl@tourismindiamanagement.com
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