Places to Visit in October
October is the time when festivity surrounds India. If you want a taste a culture and heritage of India then you must explore the country during the festive season. The garba of Gujarat, the Dussera of Mysore and Durga Puja of Kolkata are some of the examples where in one can taste the falvor of India. Today we list at some of the places that you should visit in October.
Kolkata: Every October becomes more vibrant with the celebrations of Durga Puja. The themed pandals and exotic food entices visitors. Kolkata is also known as the cultural capital of India. As the sun sets, the city of joy glistens with a ghostly light. Echoes of those days reverberate from every nook and cranny and pursue the visitor as he strolls around the galleries, armouries and chambers. Many of India’s old rulers stare at you from niches and arches – Warren Hastings and Lord Cornwallis – either in stone or paint. One sees other factotums of a dismantled empire too; those who held high and hazardous office or made history in one way or another.
Gujarat: Gujarat has so much to offer the Asiatic Lion of Gir, the stark deserts of Kutch, the Jain temple of Palitana, Laxmi Vilas palace in Vadodara, the ruins of ancient civilizations in Lothal, the golden beaches of Ahmedpur Mandvi, the bustling city of Ahmedabad … Gujarat has a wealth of treasure waiting to be discovered. Thrown in, in good measure, are its colourful people and a rich cultural heritage. However the best time to visit the state is during Navratas when people in colourful dress come out and play garba all night long.
Jaipur: Jaipur along with Agra and Delhi forms part of the golden triangle in north India. Crammed with palaces, monuments, forts, museums, bustling markets and legends the capital city of Rajasthan is one of the more popular tourist destinations in the country. In 1876 it got be called the Pink City when Maharaja Man Singh II painted the entire city pink in honor of the visiting Prince of Wales, later to be crowned Edward VII.
Mysore: Dussera in Mysore is undoubtedly one of India’s most spectaculars festivals. The ten-day pageantry celebrates the slaying of the buffalo demon Mahishasura by goddess Chamundeshwari with much fervor and devotion. The climax of the event is a magnificent and colourful procession of bedecked elephants, cavalry, flower-decked images of deities, fireworks, musicians and jesters. The parade starts at the Royal Palace and winds through the broad avenues of the city. It is also the time when local musclemen pit their skills against each other in the wrestling ring.
Ajanta: Tucked within the Ajanta caves is an ancient art gallery with paintings and sculptures that are remarkable even by today’s standards. The 30 caves in this horse-shoe-shaped gorge were excavated over two surges of creative outpouring. The first phase of activity took place between 2 and 1 BC and the second between 5 and 6 AD. Predominantly Buddhist, the caves fall into two broad categories: chaitya halls or sanctuaries and viharas or monasteries.
Matheran : At one time Matheran meant a month-long vacation, picnic excursions down trails that snaked through mysterious forests, bouncing in an ungainly fashion on a horse, body aches the following day, lazy afternoons as monkeys drummed on the roof overhead, swapping comics with other hotel guests.Now one must cram it all into a weekend! Yes, the face of the minuscule 7.35 sq. km hill station, 803.47 m above sea level, has changed. But some things remain the same: the rich smell of horseflesh, the whiff of unpolluted air, the red of the soil, the green of the forests and the blue of the sky which assaults your senses as you trek down a dirt road towards the marketplace in the heart of the town.
Datia: Datia is a little settlement near Jhansi in Madhya Pradesh is one of the many gems lost in the vast Indian landscape. However, don’t be surprised when you run into the few lucky people who have been there and find them raving about its exquisite beauty. In Datia you drive past forgotten ruins that seem to be marooned like islands in a sea of green paddy fields. So do yourself a favour and add it to the itinerary the next time you plan to go on MP’s golden triangle of Gwalior, Shivpuri and Orchha. And you will be thankful you did.
Hyderabad: Hyderabad, pulsates to the rhythm of modern times; shopping malls, commercial complexes, five-star hotels and resident apartment blocks all cheek by jowl with old palaces, villas and of course the bustling old marketplace around the city’s iconic Charminar. Now, as modern Hyderabad concentrates on becoming India’s cyber capital the old ways of adaab, a tradition of courtesy and grace, still remain there and one can still catch glimpses of it in the ancient city.
