GOA
Goa, a tiny
emeralad land on the West Coast of India, with its natural scenic
beauty, attractive beaches and temples famous for its architecture,
feast and festivals and above all hospitable people with rich
culture has an ideal tourist profile.
Goa abounds in
festivals and fairs around Temples and Churches which also  communicate early
legends. There are occasions when a Goan peasant manifests joy and
happiness. Picturesque Goa nestled along the Western Coast of India
was sought as a place of retreat by saints and seers since ancient
times. Goa the ancient Gomanchala of vedic fame was liberated
from the portuguese after nearly 451 years and the result of this
great mix of cultures is today a happy blend of eastern and western
cultures. The State takes pride in its many magestic mosques,
temples and churches.
Goa has a rich
heritage experienced in its traditional folk, arts, music, dance,
festivals pageament and feast. Music is way of life with the Goans
while traditional music still remains strongly in the rural areas,
the urban areas have taken to more modern music styles and generes.
Whereas domestic
traffic is growing steadily at the rate of around 5 %, there has
been a spurt in the number of visitors from abroad in recent years,
primarily because of increase in operation of direct charters to Goa
from U.K., Germany, Holland, Switzerland, Sweden, Finland and
Denmark, as evidenced from the following figures:
|
Year |
No of flights |
Passengers |
|
1991-92 |
121 |
17102 |
|
1992-93 |
259 |
39871 |
|
1993-94 |
299 |
58369 |
|
1994-95 |
313 |
59881 |
|
1995-96 |
337 |
75694 |
|
1996-97 |
282 |
73172 |
|
1997-98 |
340 |
88817 |
Source:
Department of Tourism - Goa
AGRA
Agra has long
been renowned as the city of the Taj Mahal. This has often
overshadowed  the fact that
this royal Mughal city has, in addition to the legendary Taj, many
magnificent monuments that epitomise high point of Mughal
architectural achievement. Not even Delhi, the seat of kings and
emperors for over a thousand years, can boast such a heritage
of architectural and cultural splendour from the golden age of the
Great Mughals.
Situated on
the banks of Yamuna River, Agra, with its crowded alleys and
predatory rickshaw riders, is much like any other north Indian City,
once you are away from its imposing Mughal monuments. As a part of
Utter Pradesh, discover a facinating Indian state through a series
of colourful fairs and festivals. The hotspots of Utter Pradesh are
historic cities of Agra, Lucknow and Jhansi, the pilgrim towns
of Varanasi, Mathura-Vrindavan and Rishikesh, Buddhist centres like
Sarnath and Kushinagar and the enchanting hills of
Kumaon and Garhawal.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM (TRIVANDRUM):
Thiruvanananthapuram, the capital of Kerala, is the key entry
point to the state. Named after  Anantha,
the thousand-headed serpent of mythology, this is an ancient city
with trading links that brought it into close contact with the rest
of world. The city is well located along spacious avenues with
several parks, and a green lushness pervades the capital.
If
Thiruvananathapuram functions as an entry point for the state, its
major attraction is also Kovalam Beach, one of the finest in the
country and certainly the best in the state. A world class resort
hotel is run here by Indian Tourism Development Corporation, while a
few more modest accommodations cater to the tourist on a budge.
There are water-sports available here, while the more adventurous
may also opt for a ride on the fishing catamarans. The beach is
barely 12 Km/7 mile from the capital.
DESTINATION
EAST
Exotic and
enexplored, washed by the azure depths of the Bay of Bengal, cradled
by  the
verdant cliffs of the Eastern ghats, Destination East is gradually
proving alluring to Indian as well as foreign tourists. The coastal
belt circuit of the ancient cities of
Calcutta-Bhubaneshwar-Puri-Konark best affords one of the
opportunity of experiencing the real East in all its pristine glory
untouched and unspoilt by external influences.
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