Jodhpur - Blue City of Rajasthan - Picture - Video

Jodhpur widely known as blue city of Rajasthan, Jodhpur is a highly fortified city. The city is well identified by the Meherangarh fort, standing tall on the sandstone hills. This fort is one of the brilliant specimens of the Rajsthan's architecture and thus attracting numerous tourists on Jodhpur tours. As you approach to this city, the mighty fort will zoom into the horizon. The magnificent city of Jodhpur lies beneath the fort.


The old city of Jodhpur justifies the sobriquet of blue city. The city is not highly developed but it tourism significance is no less. The city encircled by 10 km long wall has a number of narrow glittering streets, selling various things like incense, roses, sewers, saris and perfume. But the hectic pace of city doesn’t lessens the tourists love for the city who keep pouring in year after year on Jodhpur tours to explore the various attractions of the city. Some of these tourist attractions are as follows:

Also check this video on Blue city.


Jodhpur - Rajasthan -

Mehrangarh Fort: - this magnificent fort is one of the prime attractions of Jodhpur. It is a captivating place to visit. The fort located at a height of 125m is a fascinating piece of architecture. This one of the largest forts encompasses many palaces, museum, galleries and temples. The museum is home to the outstanding compilation of Royal tapings depicting the affluence of Marwars. The Chamunda Devi Temple in the fort complex is devoted to the goddess Durga. The widow alcoves of the temple offers a Panoramic view of the city .

Umaid Bhawan Palace: - This palace is another gem from the treasure trove of Jodhpur and a significant reason for the Jodhpur tour. One part of this magnificent palace with 365 rooms has been turned into hotel and museum and another serves as home of the present Maharaja of Jodhpur .

Jaswant Thada: Jaswant Thada memorial houses the royal cenotaph in pure white marble and serves as a landmak in Jodhpur.

The other attractions of Jodhpur tours are; Mandore Park, Kilana Lake and Maha Mandir. Besides this exploring the city markets at your own is an experience in itself.

Camel Fair Pushkar - Winter festival in Rajasthan

Camel Fair Pushkar

Camel is also called ship of deserts as it is the only animal able to adjust well in this barren land. The significance of this animal in Rajasthan cannot be undermined as this creature helps making life comfortable. The camel fair Pushkar can be a chance to appreciate the utility of this animal. This fair in the small town of Pushkar is a window to explore the colourful rural life of the Rajasthan. The weeklong pushkar camel fair is held on Ashtami in the Hindu month of Kartik (October-November) on the full moon day. For the entire week, activities like live stock, camel and horse trading take place. The fair receives huge crowd and great tourists influx from India and abroad. This fair is also an occasion for showcasing acrobatics, comedy, music and folk dances of the local Rajasthani performers, giving travellers an insight into the life of the region.

The camel fair Pushkar is held in the winters when weather is pretty good, giving a breather from the hot summers. The sand dunes are all new weaving music on the wind tunes. The huge vibrancy of rainbows embraces both man and the surroundings equally. The shops showcase every hue and colour of the Rajasthan. Even the camels are not untouched with these colours as they come decorated with attractive accessories on the occasion of camel fair Pushkar. The aura attached with this village of Pushkar is welcomed with great interest and enthusiasm by the tourists as they come all the way from their countries to explore the Pushkar Camel fair and participate actively in the camel races and various other activities.

Apart from the camel fair, Pushkar is also known for one of the few temples of Lord Brahma. The place got its name from the flower petals. Pushkar refers to being born from flower. According to a Hindu belief a swan was released by the Gods carrying a lotus in its beak. It was supposed that where the flower will fall the God Brahma will perform a large yagna there. The place where flower fall, named as Pushkar. By going on camel fair Pushkar you will discover this mythical place.

This camel fair is marked by the numerous stalls adorning this sacred place. After conclusion of camel fair, the fair takes a holy turn as people jostle for a holy dip in the lake as it salvages from all the sins of present and previous births.

Indian Hotel industry will add 55,000 rooms in next 3-4 years

According to consulting firm HVS India "The Indian hotel industry will create double the number of rooms from the present in 3-4 years by adding an estimated 55,000 rooms."

The development of new rooms is going to be led by regional real estate players and hospitality firms as most large real estate developers have abandoned or scaled down their expansion plans. The study revealed that fewer new rooms were announced last year but developers started work on a higher proportion compared to 2007-08.

Of the 94,115 rooms announced by various hotels and real estate developers for the year ended March 2009, 60% of the rooms saw some active development. Compared to this, in the previous year (April 2007-March 2008) companies announced plans to build over 1.14 lakh rooms of which 58% saw actual development.

"Despite the economic downturn, Indian hospitality will see the maximum development of rooms in the next 3-4 years. The rate of development of rooms would be much higher, something that we have not seen in the past ten years," said Manav Thadani managing director at HVS India.
He added that even as big real estate developers have shrunk their hotel plans, regional real estate developers as well as Indian hotel companies are continuing with their own expansion plans. Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Pune were among the top five cities in terms of active development of new projects announced last year.

With revival in corporate activity, business travel is expected to bounce back sooner compared to the leisure travel market which is one reason why hotel construction is being pursued aggressively in Mumbai, believe hotel consultants.

On the other hand the five year tax holiday granted by government for hospitality projects in Delhi & NCR region to increase supply of rooms for the forthcoming Commonwealth Games is driving hotel construction in this region. But the HVS report points out that only 5,700 rooms of the 8,776 rooms being actively built are expected to open for the games next year.

Raymond Bickson, managing director of the Indian Hotels Company (IHCL), who is also the chairman of World Travel & Tourism Council, India Initiative( WTTCII) said that the Indian hospitality sector will witness improvement in the future.

"Thanks to the huge domestic market, the Indian hospitality sector is expected to continue to grow even as other markets like US and UK are witnessing a degrowth," he said.

Vivek Nair vice chairman & managing director of luxury hotel operator Leela Hotels & Resorts, said, "Occupancies in Gurgaon and Bangalore have already witnessed an improvement and I believe the winter season would result in better times for the industry."

Mr Nair added that the recent RBI notification which has delinked hotels from the "high risk category" of real estate business, will provide hospitality firms with easy access to funds for hotel development.

Source- Indiatravelnews.com

Holy men cleaning river Ganges for Ardha Kumbha mela next year

Thanks to Ganges Committee. Hundreds of holy men of Ganges Committee. local residents, and pilgrims are cleaning the river Ganges of garbage and silt in Haridwar.

The flow of the river into the town has been stopped for little over two weeks for cleaning ahead of the 'Ardha Kumbha', a huge congregation of Hindus, to be held early next year in the town.

"Ganges Committee members, volunteers and seers start the cleaning drive of the river after the Ganges canal is closed for some time annually. We are removing clothes, wood, iron and glass pieces from the river, thrown by people into the Ganges unknowingly. We have started the cleaning drive so that the pilgrims coming here find the river Ganges clean," said Ram Kumar Mishra, president, Ganges Committee.

Rajasthan International Folk Festival 2009 at Mehrangarh Fort

5 day Rajasthan International Folk Festival 2009 started at the Mehrangarh Fort. In this festival more than 150 local and international folk, classical and fusion artistes will participate, the festival is presented by two of the country?s leading heritage trusts - Mehrangarh Museum Trust (MMT) of Jodhpur and Jaipur Virasat Foundation (JVF).

Festival director Divya Bhatia said, "We have aimed at creating a music festival with a specific folk ethos, where various genres of music can celebrate their essential vitality together."