Did you know that India is home to some of the oldest human civilizations? The history stretches far back in time, and lots of the old traditions, such as Ayurvedic medicine is still being used today.

If you like history, I suggest you visit India and explore the various heritage that can be found all over the country.

Yoga and mindfulness

India is a popular destination for youths and even older men and women who want to find themselves. So, why do they all seek to visit India to find themselves? The answer is quite simple.

Thanks to old spiritual techniques and beliefs, India is home to many life gurus and various meditation and yoga retreats, some of the best actually, so it’s no surprise that many soul searchers find their way here.

If you want to go on a spiritual journey, then Visit India!

The Chaos

Think everything sounds perfect so far? Well, India is much about everything, including the bad. You will see poor people, and I mean really poor people living in the streets. Cows are roaming freely, cars and rickshaws are everywhere, and yeah, there are people almost everywhere in the cities, but that is also the beauty of it.

And if you embrace the chaos and you will get a very genuine and memorable trip to India!

Holi Festival

Also known as the festival of colors is a colorful display where people throw color dust all over the place. Thousands of people gather to join the celebrations, and so should you!

Tea

Did you know that India produces some of the world’s best tea? Yes, that’s right. The Darjeeling region is world famous for its tea plantations, which are both gorgeous and offer delicious tea!

And, of course, the sweet Chai Tea, which has become a worldwide known tea. You might have tried it, but I promise that it’s even better here in India, and everyone drinks it. Chai tea is a daily ritual among many Indians.

Places to visit in India

So, you have got some reasons to visit India already, but there’s more.. 

Rajasthan

Home to the pink city Jaipur, the blue city Jodhpur and lots of other famous tourist attractions in India. Rajasthan is a must place to Visit in India and it houses a great amount of history and culture, just like the rest of India!

New Delhi

Delhi belly and chaos are two things that many tourists remember from New Delhi, but despite that, I think it’s worth a visit. We arrived here and were immediately experiencing a culture shock, despite the fact that we had been traveling already in Asia for nearly 3 months before visiting New Delhi

In New Delhi, you can expect everything. Stunning architecture, LOTS of people, street food, CHEAP accommodation. We paid no more than 4 Euros for a private room in the backpacker area of Paharganj. It’s a very interesting destination that I think all world travelers should experience at least once!

Mumbai

Home to Bollywood and almost 20 million people makes it one of the biggest cities in the world. If you want to experience the city life of India I can highly recommend Mumbai. It’s a city that’s improving fast and it’s becoming more and more modern every day.

Taj Mahal

You probably already know about Taj Mahal, but it’s too majestic to be left out of this list of reasons to Visit India. I’ve seen lots of temples, churches, palaces, houses and modern buildings, but there is only one Taj Mahal, and the details are marvelous.

The fact that the city of Agra and Taj Mahal also inspired the famous Disney movie Aladdin, makes it even more epic!

Kerala

God’s own country, also known as Kerala. Famous for its Backwaters and wildlife in the dense jungles where tigers roam freely along with many other endemic species. If you like paradise beaches and nature, then Kerala is a must place to visit in India!

The people are super friendly as well, and many of them speak English very well. Another thing about Kerala is that it’s very romantic and you can, for example, rent a houseboat and just follow the streams of the Backwaters of Kerala.

Southern India also has lots of food dishes that are simply delicious!

Bangalore

The IT-city of India, home to many computer and software companies. It’s an interesting city because so many speak English just as good as you and me, thus inviting you to learn more about the Indian culture first hand. It’s also the third biggest city in India, so you can expect lots of people and lots of things to do!

It’s also the third biggest city in India, so you can expect lots of people and lots of things to do!

Varanasi

The holiest city of them all, and the place where the holiest river flows through – The Ganges. Varanasi is a very interesting destination where you get the experience culture and religion in abundance. Each day you can see people getting cremated and it seems like the fire and ashes never blow out in Varanasi.

On top of that, you can meet holy men, and they are everywhere. Varanasi is also a popular place to go for those who visit India for spiritual practices such as meditation and yoga, and there are various retreats where you can stay and practice.

Kashmir

Fancy hiking and beautiful scenery? Then head to the North, more specifically Kashmir! Known for its cotton and stunning views and mountains it’s a must place to visit in India!

There is also lots of culture and historic places to explore in the Kashmir region.

Goa

Longing for those paradise beaches, yoga retreats and some rehab for your soul? Goa has it all, including some great party spots! However, I do want to emphasize that you won’t experience the “real” India in Goa, but it’s well worth a visit!

And yes, cows roam freely in Goa too! Amazing, right?

Kolkata

Color yourself in red in Durga Puja, an exciting festival in Kolkata where everyone gathers to join the celebrations! It’s an annual Hindu festival that occurs in September. The best time to Visit Kolkata besides during Durga Puja is from November to February!

Just as in other cities in India, Kolkata has lots of tourist attractions waiting to be discovered!

Rishikesh

Another spiritual place in India where many people seek guidance and yoga/meditation retreats. Rishikesh is a lovely place to go when you visit India. Cleanse your soul and learn something from within here in Rishikesh, and take the lessons with you for the rest of your life!

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•    Haridwar Kumbh Mela
•    Allahabad(Prayag) Kumbh Mela
•    Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Simhastha
•    Ujjain Simhastha

The Sadhus and the Pilgrims come together to free themselves from the cycle of life and death and transcend themselves to the heavenly realm also known as to attain “Moksha” (freedom).

Allahabad Kumbh Mela occurs every twelve years. Also, an annual fair known as Magh Mela has been prominent since ages. The Mela that occurs every 6 years in only Allahabad and Haridwar is called Ardh Kumbh Mela. The Ardh Kumbh Mela in Allahabad will take place in January-February and will be the center of attraction all over the world.

The exact dates for this event of Ardh Kumbh 2019 include 15th January to 4th March. For the Shahi (Royal) bath there are different dates in the Prayag Ardh Kumbh Mela.

The dates are:

•    1st Shahi Snan: 14/15 January 2019
•    2nd Shahi Snan: 4th February 2019
•    3rd Shahi Snan: 10th February 2019

These dates are decided depending on the position of Sun, Moon, and Jupiter.

This Mela apart from taking a dip in the holy water will offer various other attractions during the period of the Mela. The experience will range from the chanting prayers of sadhus, the smell of joss sticks, to the mass gathering of people in and around the area. Following are the popular attractions of the Mela:

1.    The Akharas

The gathering place of the sadhus, this is where they carry out their religious practices. The sadhus are followers of Lord Shiva. The Ardh Kumbh Mela will provide an opportunity to see learn and understand the sadhus after all for some they are the center of attraction of the mega event.

2.    Satsangs

One of the most important aspects of the Kumbh Mela, devotees travel large distances only to attend this event. The devotees gather together and sit for long durations to listen to the sadhus. The satsangs have on particular topics regarding spiritualism and religion. Devotees offer prayers and sing hymns during the sessions.

3. The Experience at night

The crowded life in a Mela at night gives way to the serenity of silence and a show of lights. The Mela takes place at the Triveni Sangam i.e. at the meeting points of Saraswati, Yamuna and Ganga rivers. The view of the Mela from the Triveni Ghat is exquisite. For a traveler, it is the ultimate view as thousands of people come to this event not for the aim for which it happens but for the experience of this gargantuan event and all that surrounds the same.

4. Camp Life

The camp life is another highlight of the Mela. The accommodation usually consists of camps as the hotels in the region fail to occupy the number of people gracing the event. However, the camp life is another feather in the cap for you if you are out there to make memories. The tents are in the vicinity of the ghat and is an interesting choice of accommodation considering you would be amazed to know about the fellow travellers by interacting with them.

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The Kumbh Mela at Allahabad is starting from 15th January 2019 & will last till 4th March 2019 at Allahabad. 

The Kumbh at Allahabad is on the UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible Heritage of Humanity & one of the largest gathering at the Earth, more than 100 Million are expected to participate in Holy event from all over the world (as per the government estimation).

The Akhara Parishad has declared total 6 bathing dates for Kumbh Mela 2019. The Akhara parishad is an apex body to regulate Kumbh Mela in India.

There are 3 kinds of bathing dates in Kumbh Mela. These dates can be classified into Royal Bathing dates, Important bathing dates & normal bathing dates.

Royal Bathing (Shahi Snan)

Royal bathing or ceremonial bathing dates are such dates on which special procession of Akharas & Naga Sadus takes place for the holy dip. The ceremony starts from the camp of Akharas & excursion ends at the bank of river by taking dip.

The Devotees standing around the road, & shower flowers, money etc to the saints & naga sadus. Therefore the royal bathing procession is most sacred & appealing event of entire kumbh mela.

The Akhara Parishad declears these dates for every Kumbh mela. 15th January (Makar Sankranti), 4th February (Mauni Amawasya) & 10th February (Basant Panchami) are Royal bathing dates in Kumbh Mela at Allahabad 2019.

As Royal bathing are highly rated dates to participate, it attracts crowd of millions, tight traffic restrictions & high demand of accommodation hence higher prices as well as.

We recommend these dates for photo opportunity, Astrologers etc. Atleast minimum 4-5 days required to attend any Royal bathing dates.

Important Bathing

These dates are 21st January (Paush Purnima), 19th February (Maghi Poornima) & 4th March (Maha Shivratri). Mentioned dates are high on importance yet less crowded in comparison to Royal bathing dates.

These dates are sacred & happening dates of Kumbh Mela. However, there is no royal procession of akharas & Naga sadus on these dates but one can easily visit to akharas, interact with spiritual gurus & naga sadus.

We recommend these dates for holi dip, Kumbh Experience & culture study etc. Minimum 2-3 days required to attend Kumbh Mela on above dates.

Normal Bathing

Except Royal bathing & Important bathing dates as mentioned above, rest all dates comes under normal bathing dates. These dates are ideal for people coming for holy dip, longer stay, kumbh experience, to witness Indian culture etc. Therefore  1-2 days required to experience these dates during the Kumbh.

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