Kumarakom Backwaters

Kerala is known for its panoramic backwater stretches, lush green paddy fields, highlands and beaches. A major backwater stretch lies in Kottayam district, where a network of rivers and canals empty into the great expanse of water called the Vembanad Lake. Located at Kumarakom 16 km from Kottayam town, the Vembanad Lake, an enchanting picnic spot and a fast developing backwater tourism destination, offers boating, fishing and sight seeing experiences that are truly exhilarating.

Kumarakom is a serenely beautiful and scenic backwater destination, a charming peninsula jutting into the ever-effervescent Vembanad Lake that is dotted with plenty of traditional rice boats and canoes, leaving a scene that is immensely pleasing to the eye.

When nature is all you need to recuperate, Kumarakom is undoubtedly one of the most invigorating and fascinating places to unwind in Kerala. The slender coconut palms standing here, there and everywhere, its never ending paddy fields, meandering lagoons and backwaters and mangroves with nestling birds of a hundred varieties will all serve to calm and inspire your mind.

The backwater houses a variety of species of both flora and fauna. It’s rich in marine life especially the exclusive kumarakom karimeen or pearl spotted fish, konju or tiger prawns, njandu or crabs, chemmeen or prawns and many more. As and when the monsoon winds bring rain to the shores of Vembanad Lake, Kumarakom gets transformed into a rich fertile land. The streams and lagoons break their banks to nourish the shrubs that sprout from every available space. The place is renowned for its mangrove shores and the bird sanctuary.

Kumarakom is well-equipped with a range of luxury and budget resorts with unique leisure options like ayurveda massage, yoga, meditation, swimming, fishing and boating. The adventurous could indulge in water sports such as wind sailing and water skiing. You could even take a canoe out into the quiet lake, and armed with a fishing rod, catch your own supper. The local spring season emerges from August and coincides with the harvest ferstival of Onam when locals enjoy in festivities and tourism blooms. 

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Best Tourist Places Manali, Himachal Pradesh

best Tourist Places Bhrigu Lake is a lake located at an elevation of around 4.300 meters (14,100 ft) in Kullu district, Himachal Pradesh, India. It is located to the east side of the Rohtang Pass and is around 6 kilometers (3.7 mi) from Gulaba village. It can be reached either by trekking to Vashishth Temple, which is famous for its hot springs, which is close to the town of Manali or Gulaba village. Actually there is no settlement is Gulaba and is actually an area of Pir Panjal mountain range. It is named after Maharishi Bhrigu

Hidimba Devi Temple in. It is located on a deodar covered hill in Manali, some 3kms from the bus stop and few minutes walk from Old Manali. It is an ancient cave temple built in 1553 by Raja Bahadur Singh. Built over a huge rock, the sanctum is covered by three tiered roof of wooden planks. The fourth metal umbrella completes the outermost covering. 

The Pandoh Dam is an embankment dam on the Beas River in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh, India. Under the Beas Project, the dam was completed in 1977 and its primary purpose is hydroelectric power generation.

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Must Visit Best Beaches and Tourist Places in Goa

Goa is world renowned for its beaches and attracts innumerable domestic and foreign tourists every year. The perfect holiday in Goa for many tourists is to laze under the sun on the picturesque and romantic beaches of Goa. When you picture Goa the first thing that comes to your mind is pristine scenic beauty of the s tate that nature God has blessed on it. But yes, there's much more to Goa than it's beaches. The tiny emarald land can boast of its unique history and culture. The culture here shows the confluence of the east and the west. The state is home to both beautiful temples and magnificent churches. The state's history dates back to 3rd century BC.

Various dynasties such as Kadambas, Silaharas, Rashtrakutas, Chalukyas, Bahamani Muslims etc have ruled Goa. But the strongest influence was that of the Portuguese. The state of Goa was a Portuguese colony for 450 years till 1962. The Indo-Portuguese culture and architecture here speak for the Portuguese influence on the state. Tourists can get a glimpse of the glorious history preserved in churches, forts, villages and cities.

Bangalore to Goa  Trip by Abhijit Roy on Team-BHP

This was the trip which was long due but just couldn’t materialize due to many constraints. Swarup (friend & neighbour, my ex-ITC colleague) also joined in this venture. Nikhil and Eslyn was also due to join us but was forced to back out due to illness and leave issues respectively. First Swarup booked the ITC Holiday Home in Dona Paula (luckily we got vacancy) and it was upto me to decide and plan the rest. I started my research on the route and based on discussions with Mr. Kumar and others in indiahighways group, felt that the Shimoga & Sirsi routes are the best so far out of the four available routes (other two Hubli-Ankola & NH4A were rejected). I didn’t want to take the Shimoga route as I have already done it before and hence zeroed it on the Haveri – Mirjan route. A day before bought all the snacks, a tankful at OMR, tyre pressure check etc.
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Koti Lingeshwara Temple - One Crore Lingas of Lord Shiva

Kotilingeshwara is the principal deity of the Kotilingeshwara temple. This temple lies in the Kammasandra village in the district of Kolar. The Kotilingeshwara temple houses the biggest Shivalinga in the entire world. It is said that during Mahashivaratri, there are close to two lakh devotees who visit this place every year. Kotilingeshwara is about 6 kilometers from the famous Kolar gold fields.

The Kotilingeshwara temple is located in a peaceful environment. There is plush greenery surrounding the temple. This world famous temple has lakhs of shivalingas that are spread over fifteen acres of land. There are close to 86 lakh shivalingas in the temple. The shivalingas are of various sizes and this is how the temple has got its name ‘Kotilingeshwara’.

There are more than a million lingas that have been installed in and around the temple over thirteen acres of land. The temple architecture is simply superb and you cannot help but wonder how these lingas would have been installed. Just outside the temple there are two flower trees, one Nagalinga and Cannon Ball flower. It is said that unmarried women who pray and tie a yellow thread to the tree are blessed with a happy married life.

The credit for constructing the Kotilingeshwara temple rests with Swamy Sambha Shivamurthy. The temple can be visited from early morning till about 9 PM at night. The tallest linga stands at 180 feet which is about 33 meters in height. There is a very big Nandi in front of the Kinga. The other small temples in and around the vicinity of the Kotilingeshwara temple are of Vishnu, Brahma, Maheshwara, Ganapati, Rama, lakshmana, Sita temple and Anjaneya.

It is said that the epic Ramayana took place during the Treta Yuga. The war between Sri Rama and Ravana clearly depicts victory of good over evil. When Lord Rama attained victory, he travelled from Dhanuskodi to Rameshwaram and installed the Linga. This was a noble way to providing moksha to those who perished. Lord Rama offered his prayers to this Linga and prayed for people who laid their lives down in the battle. It is said that in the Kali Yuga, the Kotilingeshwara temple has been built for instilling the same culture of peace, divinity and prosperity.

How to Get to Kotilingeshwara Temple

It is possible to reach the Kotilingeshwara temple from Kolar. You have to reach Bangalore and then proceed for Kolar. If you intend on driving down from Bangalore, then be prepared for a two and half hour drive. Bangalore is the closest airport. There are trains plying between Bangalore, Mangalore, Hubli, Hassan and Kolar. Other than the summer months, you can visit the temple any time between July and January.

Facts about Kotilingeshwara Temple

• Daily pooja is performed at six in the morning and six in the evening by priests.
• There are drums and music at the time of the pooja.
• Mantras are recited and holy water is poured on the lingas.
• Devotees can offer prayers to Kotilingeshwara by installing shivalingas.
• The Kotilingeshwara temple also has rest house facilities.
• Devotees who want to reside in the guest houses may have to do prior bookings.
• Annadhanam (free food) is provided to all the devotees every afternoon.

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The Best Beach Destinations in USA, America

By Molly Feltner

The United States contains some of the most beautiful tourist places, travel destinations and diverse beaches in the world, and experiences can range from quirky amusements and raucous parties to formidable volcanoes and desolate acres of sand and shoreline, depending on where you travel. Whatever your tastes, we've gathered some of the most well-reviewed and widely adored beach destinations in the United States.

Anna Maria Island, Florida

The hidden beach destination Floridians escape to, Anna Maria Island has somehow managed to keep condo towers, all-fast-food chains, amusement parks, and glitzy mega-resorts off its shores. In fact, no construction on the this seven-mile long barrier island on Florida's Gulf Coast is more than three stories tall, Subway is the only franchise, and 60% of its land is open beach. And, it's affordable, especially in the summer. You can rent vacation homes with water views and pools for well under $1,000 per week and get seafood entrees at beachfront restaurants for under $15.

"My trip to Anna Maria made me feel in a nostalgic sense what beach vacations must have been like 20 or 30 years ago," says Tim Leffel, author of Make Your Travel Dollars Worth a Fortune, who visited the island with his family in 2006. "It has something other destinations have lost. It's an old-fashioned place where you can just relax and hang out on the beach with your kids, without arcades and other distractions."

While doing nothing is the island's prime pastime, there are plenty of options when you want something to do. You can snorkel, kayak, or fish in the Gulf's clear waters, or explore the island's three small communities, Bradenton Beach, Holmes Beach, and the town of Anna Maria. A free trolley runs up and down the length of the island, making it easy to check out the island's boutique shops or restaurants. For dining, you can try affordable local favorites such as the Cafe on the Beach, which is known for its all-you-can-eat pancakes for $4.25, and Star Fish Company, whose dockside restaurant serves the local catch with sides from $7 to $15 per meal.

Where to stay: Most accommodations on Anna Maria are vacation rentals or small condo resorts. Vacation Rentals by Owner has pages of Anna Maria Island rentals, some priced as low as $500 per week. A number of rental brokers can also set you up with a vacation house. If you'd prefer to stay at a condo resort, two of the most well-know properties are the Tradewinds Resort and Tortuga Inn Beach Resort, which are both managed by the same company. Nightly rates start $110 and $115, respectively.

Getting there: A pair of bridges connects the island to the mainland. Anna Maria is about an hour's drive from the Tampa airport and 45 minutes from St. Petersburg. To check prices from your city, use SmarterTravel.com's price-comparison tool.

Online resources: Learn more by browsing the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce website and the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau website, which also covers nearby Longboat Key and the greater Bradenton area on the mainland.

San Mateo County, California

The majority of leisure travelers who fly into Bay Area airports head into San Francisco, out to the wine regions, or down the freeway towards Monterey to explore Big Sur. Most skip over San Mateo County, the region in between San Francisco and Monterey. And that's fine for those who do visit. Less crowding makes it easier to enjoy the region's dramatic coastline, its charming small towns like Half Moon Bay and Princeton by the Sea, and its bounty of locally produced vegetables, fruit, and flowers.

"There is so much diversity and so much to do here, especially if you like the outdoors," says lifelong San Mateo resident Barbara Evers. "There are gorgeous long walking beaches along the coast and hundreds of miles of hiking trails in the Santa Cruz Mountains. You can hike through redwood forests and get spectacular vistas with the Pacific on one side and the Bay on the other."

Half Moon Bay, an upscale but friendly little town, is nearby a number of good beaches. "Cowell Ranch State Beach is my favorite, a sort of hidden place that's a half-mile walk off the highway," says Evers. "My husband and I love to go there in the evening with a bottle of wine and watch the sun set." You can see a spectacle of a different kind on the beach in Año Nuevo State Reserve, where the world's largest mainland population of elephant seals comes to breed. Breeding season occurs in the winter and spring, but seals can be seen year-round.

In the summertime, visitors traveling through this rich horticultural and agricultural region can also shop at numerous farmers' and floral markets, pick their own berries at organic farms, and go on nursery tours. Plus, the county supports area restaurants that use local produce, so foodies who like their meals farm-to-table fresh have lots of choices. "Duarte's Tavern in Pescadero is one of my favorites," says Evers. "I love their cream of artichoke and green chile soups."

Where to stay: San Mateo County has a wide range of accommodations options, many quite affordable. Hostelling International runs an all-ages-welcome hostel with private rooms at the Pigeon Point Lighthouse in Pescadero. Dorm beds start at $19 per night, while private rooms start at $53. You'll find a number of reasonably-priced B&Bs in and around Half Moon Bay, including the Victorian-era San Benito House. Summer rates start at only $65 per night. For outdoor lovers, Evers recommends staying in the tent bungalows at Costanoa, an "eco adventure resort" 25 miles south of Half Moon Bay. Summer rates start at $115 per night. "They have everything from horseback riding and guided hikes to kids' activities and a spa," says Evers.

Getting there: Half Moon Bay is about a half-hour drive from San Francisco International airport. JetBlue now flies to this airport (not just Oakland and San Jose), and Southwest will begin service in August. To compares fares from your city, use SmarterTravel.com's price-comparison tool.

Points East Coastal Drive, Prince Edward Island

If the fictional Anne of Green Gables were to visit her hometown of Cavendish on Prince Edward Island (PEI), today, she might turn her freckled nose up at the mini amusement parks, go-kart tracks, and other typical roadside attractions that have sprouted up since the area became a tourist magnet for Anne-fans. She'd probably feel more at home on the underdeveloped eastern side of the island, Points East Coastal Drive, an area of rolling farmland, pine forests, tiny towns with white gabled country houses, and quiet red- and white-sand beaches.

"Nature has sculpted eastern PEI's coastline with an abundance of points of land that frame the bays and shelter the beaches," says Joan Perrin, owner ofStonehedge by the Sea, a vacation rental near the town of Montague. "Going for a drive along the coastal touring route is the best activity. Each day, one can head out for an excursion in a different direction—go to a beach or two, stop at a craft shop, buy an ice cream, walk around a few wharves, talk to the fishermen, visit a lighthouse."

If you want to be more active, you can bike the Confederation Trail, which passes across the top of Points East Coastal Drive and runs all the way to the other side of the island. For not much money, you can also camp in one of the area's five Provincial Parks, go on a seal-watching tour, golf, or kayak. For example, Marine Adventures in Murray River offers an activities package that includes a 30-minute seaplane flight, a seal-watching cruise, and nine holes of golf for about $82 CAD (about $74; see XE.com for current exchange rates).

Scottish and Irish roots run deep for many area residents, and, according to Perrin, ceilidhs, or gatherings with traditional music, happen in different towns almost every night in the summertime. Perrin says outsiders can usually attend for a fee of $6 to $10.

Where to stay: To get a better feel for the countryside, rent a vacation cottage or stay in a B&B. The official PEI visitor's website has extensive listings of all the various accommodations in Points East Coastal Drive, including individual rental homes. You can search by weekly or daily rental rate, which makes it easy to find something in your price range. You'll also find listings for cheap B&Bs, such as the Elms at Brudenell near Montague, where nightly rates start at $90 CAD.

Getting there: Set above Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, PEI is a good 630-mile drive from Boston, so you might consider flying into the airport at Charlottetown. Delta will begin daily non-stop flights from Boston starting June 29. To check prices from your area, use SmarterTravel's price-comparison tool.

East Hawaii

The Big island's visitor's bureau has dubbed East Hawaii the "Wild, Wild East"—the underexplored half of the island where Hawaii's volcanoes make the beaches black and the rainforest conceals delicate tropical flowers and towering waterfalls. Most Big Island visitors just pass through this part of the island on their way to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, but East Hawaii has charms not found elsewhere.

"It's a great destination for the traveler who wants to see the 'real' Hawaii, as opposed to another beautiful resort that could be in any warm climate," says Hawaii-based writer Leslie Lang, whose book, Exploring Historic Hilo, was recently published. "The type of people who'd enjoy it here are more adventurous; they like to meet local people, try local foods, and don't require room service or fancy drinks with umbrellas."

Using the town of Hilo as a base, you can go in search of the perfect black- or green-sand beach or hike to waterfalls. Alternatively you can get a great view of the heavens by visiting the Onizuka Center for International Astronomy, the world's largest observatory for several types of astronomy, on the slopes of Mauna Kea. "Every night of the year at 6 p.m. there is free public star gazing at the visitor center," says Lang. "They roll out portable telescopes and tell you about what you're seeing—it's unbelievable." You can learn more about astronomy and the role it plays in native Hawaiian culture at the new Imiloa Astronomy Center in Hilo for $14.50.

To see wilder country, drive down to Puna, a place known as the Big Island's "outlaw" coast thanks in part to the lava that periodically flows down from Kilauea. Outdoor enthusiasts can experience the volcanic action up close for free, checking out Puna's geothermal ponds, lava beds, steam caves, and vents.

Everyone should visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, the realm of the volcanoes Mauna Loa and Kilauea, which is a 30-mile drive from Hilo. Looking down into volcanic craters and watching active lava flows is well worth the $10 admission fee. You can also hike and bike around the craters.

Where to stay: East Hawaii has no five-star resorts, but is home to smaller hotels, inns, and B&Bs. You can find listings on the Big Island Visitors Bureau website. Some affordable places worth looking at are the Plumeria Hill B&B in Puna where rates start at $95 per night and the Dolphin Bay Hotel in Hilo, where rooms with full kitchens start at $99 per night.

Getting there: ATA runs the only non-stop flights to Hilo's airport, and summer flights, which depart from Oakland, start at $364 plus taxes. You can compare fares from your departure city using SmarterTravel's price-comparison tool.

Gulf Shores, Alabama

When most Americans think of Alabama, sugar-sand beaches and palm trees aren't the first things that come to mind. Many forget that Alabama's heel nudges onto the Gulf of Mexico, its coastline a natural extension of the Florida Panhandle. In fact, this region, Gulf Shores, has 32 miles of enviable waterfront real estate. Once again, the ignorance of others is a boon to the enlightened traveler.

"Gulf Shores is a bit of Florida mixed with southern charm and hospitality," says writer Andrew Der, who visited the area in 2005. "It rivals any Florida destination I've seen, but without the expense or the crowds."

The area has tried to make itself into a laid-back beach destination for families and outdoor enthusiasts, without the flash of theme parks, swanky resorts, and college spring break action. Most visitors come to spend a week relaxing on the beach with occasional forays out to visit the attractions. Nature lovers can explore Gulf Shores' protected wilderness areas including the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge and Gulf State Park. Those interested in learning about Alabama history can check out Fort Morgan State Historic Site, a Civil War era fort. Playing golf at one of Gulf Shores' championship golf courses and fishing are also popular pursuits.

Going out to sample some of the local cuisine, fresh seafood with a southern flair, is a must. "Gulf Shores is known for some of the best seafood in the country—you should not eat anything else while there," says Der. Try the highly acclaimed Gulf Shores Steamer, where a steamed platter of shrimp, crab legs, oysters, and mussels costs $35 for two people. Or, try a shrimp, oyster, or soft-shelled crab po' boy from King Neptune's Seafood Restaurant for around $10.

Where to stay: The vast majority of accommodations in Gulf Shores are rental homes and condos. On the Alabama Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau website, you can search and link to the websites of available properties and rental brokers. One of the most well-reputed condo resorts, Gulf Shores Plantation, rents studio and multi-bedroom condominiums, plus a variety of beachfront vacation cottages. I found weekly rates in July starting around $1,000 with all the fees included. Getting there: Gulf Shores is located about an hour's drive from the Mobile, Alabama, and Pensacola, Florida, airports. You can use SmarterTravel's price-comparison tool to check for the lowest airfares from multiple travel providers.

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Best Tourist Place To Visit in Summer: Manali

Manali's adjoining landscape is usually it's major resource. Set around your Himalayas and Water Beas, your nearby country is actually breathtaking. Yet move knowing that Manali is usually a just some sort of foundation for you to check out the encircling areas. Apart from applying Manali being a foundation for you to check out it's setting, the city per se does not have a good deal to supply if you're the type of traveler whom looks forward to lifestyle, looking, good restaurants and restaurants, etc. Your wats or temples in Manali may just about all be observed by 50 percent each day and after that you may be hard pressed to discover things to do in town for you to sit on by yourself. Old Manali is usually overrun having hippies whom are available mostly for you to smoking hash (which there are increasing around Manali). In the event this may not be your own notion of fun, you may not uncover significantly that is redeeming about it   

Manali correct isn't much better; the key thoroughfare : your Nearby mall : is usually a pedestrianised looking avenue which has stores and restaurants off varieties. Yet yet again, the quality of what's being offered is usually sub-par at greatest. Don't visualize some sort of lively Indian bazaar exactly where there are beautiful community handicrafts and clothes : it's not exactly what your Nearby mall presents. It really is more some sort of hodgepodge associated with greenback retailer trinkets. In other words, Manali provides a pair of types of visitors: stoners and experience searchers. In case you fall into one of them a pair of groups, you might adore Manali. If you don't, move knowing that Manali per se seriously isn't the reason to travel to : the encircling country is usually the one thing well worth finding, and Manali is some sort of foundation for you to check out of which. Hotels in Manali are usually nothing at all close to four to five legend good quality, regardless of what reviews many people market. Normally, you will end up hard pressed to identify a hotel around your own standards if you're utilized to residing at some superstars and over. Will not assume lodges for being clear, much less provide any kind of features. You might also look at different property stays on easily obtainable in Manali or perhaps about Manali region. You could book these types of by way of world wide web. They will include kitchen's along with other features. All this mentioned, before deciding on an appointment, also contemplate perhaps the 15 hour coach experience coming from Delhi might be priced at the idea. In case you are in Asia and Delhi can be your foundation, you might be much better away from researching Jaipur and Agra. You might also utilize Chandigarh while your own foundation and am manali coming from generally there. It is less difficult and will take in relation to 6 for you to 7 hours to succeed in Manali. In case you have to head over to Manali: Hire helpful tips to consider one to different wats or temples and about each of the adjoining country, which can easily always be toured inside of each day. 

Commit a later date paragliding in Kullu Vly, and after that please take a led horseback experience for you to Shiva's forehead. In case you are going using a small baby or perhaps having parents then you definitely may not always be significantly inclined to utilise experience sports. Therefore you may hang out across the beas water and go to some of the stores advertising kullu shawls or perhaps angora mufflars or perhaps cardigans or perhaps visit current market and walk and get your experience associated with Manali. You may have a small eat outside in some of the peaceful locations in the adjoining country. If you want to notice snowfall then you could head over to Solang pit in the wintertime or perhaps visit Manali in the compacted snow occasion that is coming from economy is shown conclusion for you to walk conclusion. All in all you will need merely 2-3 days, no more, but in order to increase your own remain shell out your own new driver Rs 1500/ 1600 to consider one to Rotang Move for breathtaking landscapes on the Himalayas. It takes mostly a few hours to go to Rotang Move but often it may take a lot more occasion. And so you might want plenty of fortitude and acquire a few eatables and wintertime outfits along with you. You can even obtain off-road unwell the following as it is a an extremely thin air, and so make sure you bring a few drugs but allow it not necessarily dampen your own nature. In case you are forthcoming through summer months you'll find snowfall in rotang cross. Content breaks....

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Vaishno Devi Temple - Must Visit Tourist Place in Northern India

Mata Vaishno Devi is known as the mother who fulfills all wishes and one of the must visit tourist place in North India. The steep 12 kilometer (7.4 miles) trek from the base camp at Katra to the cave temple in the mountains is also one of the hardest tests of devotion. Yet, thousands of disciples - both young and old, undertake this trip every year braving the severe cold or even the persistent monsoon rains.

The pilgrimage to Vaishno Devi begins at Katra. Visitors arrive via train, bus or private taxes at Katra and proceed to the Yatra Registration Counter (YRC). Registration slip in hand, you can begin the trek up to the first check post at Bhanganga. Past the first check post, your next stop is the Bhawan, near the top of Trikoot hill. Once there, make your way to the counter and obtain a Group Number. The time between getting a group number and actually gaining entry will depend on the rush at the time. By issuing group numbers, the Shrine Board is able to regulate the number of visitors, especially during peak summer months and Navratras.

The temple of Mata Vaishno Devi itself enshrines the four pillars of Hindu belief: Dham, Arth, Kaam, and Moksh. The many points that mark the journey to the main temple - Katra, Bhanganga, and Trikoot Hiil, mark the spots where the Mother Goddess herself stopped and prayed.

Vaishno Devi is a spiritual experience. You can experience up close the faith and belief of others - old, handicap, and often in pain, who trek up the mountain for Mata’s darshan, crying Jai Mata Di and motivating each other to walk just a little more.

Unlike other temples, Mata Vaishno Devi’s shrine does not contain any idols or pictures. It is a natural formation of rocks that is shaped like a base and has three heads at the top. These three heads are called ‘Holy Pindis’ and are worshipped as the revelation of Mata Vaishno Devi. This representation of the goddess is immersed in water.

Each of these Holy Pindis is unique, yet together the three exemplify the harmony of goddess, nature and disciple. Each Pindi is distinct in color and texture, but together the three radiate positive energy and hope. The black pindi represents Maha Kali, the goddess of dissolution. Next to her, is the yellow pindi of Mata Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, prosperity and yellow gold. The last, white pindi is of Mata Saraswati, goddess of creation.

You have to dress conservatively while visiting the shrine. Women will also be required to cover their heads with a dupatta (traditional headscarf).

How to reach :

The base is Katra, which is 3 hours from Jammu town. Jammu is well connected with the rest of the country by train and flight. Night buses from North India, especially from Delhi ply regularly as do tourist buses. It is quite some distance from Delhi, and the traffic can get chaotic in katra, so it can be a pain for those who would wish to drive up. The trip wouldn't be complete if one does not check out Patnitop or Jammu as well. Lastly, time your ascent. Lucky ones may get the 2 hour aarti, while others may get stuck waiting for it to finish - and it does snow there at times in winter.

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