If you are planning to book tickets for a trip to India in March, be prepared for a holiday full of colours and celebrations. March marks the onset of spring and everyone is in a joyous mood. The season is celebrated throughout the country with great zeal and zest.

The atmosphere is all the more colourful as the fun-packed festival of Holi is also celebrated in March.

Since India is a vast country, different places have different ways of celebrating the festival, but broadly it is about getting together with your friends and family and dousing each other with colours and water.

Roots of the Festival

If you are curious about cultural traditions, you will definitely love the legend of Holi. The festival of Holi celebrates the triumph of good over evil. It is associated with the folklore of Holika, a demoness. She had a boon, which protected her from fire. Holika tried to kill her nephew Prahlad by jumping into fire with him but god had other plans. She died, while Prahlad remained unharmed. The next day, people celebrated the end of Holika in a colourful way. Till date, a bonfire is lit on the night before Holi to symbolise the death of Holika and the morning after, Holi is celebrated.

When and Where

In 2016, Holi will be celebrated on the 24th of March, though at some places the festival will be celebrated on the 23rd.  The festivities take place in almost every part of India. Certain places are especially well known for Holi celebrations and also have religious significance, concerning the festival. Places like Shantiniketan in the state of West Bengal celebrate Vasantotsav (festival of spring) while places like Mathura and Vrindavan in the state of Uttar Pradesh are richly steeped in the legends of how Lord Krishna played holi.

Food and Drink during Holi

Apart from smearing each other with colours, there are special feasts. The best way to experience the authentic sense of camaraderie and festivity is to join a house party with a local family. However, many of the hotels also arrange special Holi parties and meals. In quite a few places, the natives consume Thandhai. It’s a cool and sweet intoxicating drink made with the mashed leaves and flower buds of the female cannabis plant.

The Konark Dance Festival is going to be held from 19th to 23rd February 2016 in the state of Odisha, India. It brings the best of the classical and traditional dance forms, from different parts of the country.

It also offers insights into the affluent culture and heritage of India. Maestros and dance enthusiasts from almost every style of Indian classical dance forms, including Chhau, Kathakali, Manipuri, Mohiniattam, Bharatnatyam and Odissi, are going to participate in this 5-day carnival. If you are planning to visit India in February and want to know about the culture and different dance forms, attending this festival is a must.

Overview

Konark Dance & Music Festival was started by Padmashree Guru Gangadhar Pradhan in 1986. It can appropriately be billed as the forerunner of the contemporary cultural festivals in Odisha. The main objective of this annual festival is to bring various artists together on a platform and to create a spirit of international cultural brotherhood and amity. The dance forms are presented on the spectacular stage of the Natyashala in the iconic Sun Temple of Konark.

Tickets

There are different categories of tickets available on their website, including VIP Gold Class + hotel stay for couples and for one person, VIP Gold Class for couples as well as for one person, and gold class tickets for couples and for one person. From every ticket, 90% of the proceeds will go to the “Children of Hope”, an initiative to empower the underprivileged children. The remaining 10 % will be received by the organisation.

Highlights

The festival includes a fun filled Crafts Mela (fair) which will add to the charm. The mela will feature some of the best souvenirs, sculptures and handicrafts by highly skilled artists and craftsmen. The products will be for both display and sale. The festival will also feature world renowned personalities from the streams of Indian classical song, dance and theatre. In the past, some of the world renowned names that have been a part of the festival include Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Ustad Zakir Hussain, Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia and Dr. Vaijayantimala Bali among others.

Tulips, apart from being one of the most colourful varieties of flowers are also among those flower species which can be found in most of the countries, across the globe.

They are spring bloomers which makes people from various places believe, that these colourful flowers bring warmth and happiness. There are a large number of places which organise tulip festivals across the world to celebrate the onset of tulips and spring.

Keukenhof, Lisse, the Netherlands

(24th March to 16th May 2016)

Keukenhof is a spectacular tulip festival and involves the planting of seven million buds every year. The 32 Hectare flower park is located at half an hour’s drive from Amsterdam.  More than 800 varieties of tulips bloom during the spring season making the whole ambiance colourful and bright. If you are planning to buy tickets for Amsterdam in the holidays, visiting Keukenhof with the family is a must. Apart from the vast flowerbed, you can attend the amazing flower shows, exceptional artwork, inspiring gardens and splendid events.

Srinagar Tulip Festival, Kashmir, India

(7th May to 14th May 2016)

India’s Srinagar Tulip Festival is the largest tulip festival in South Asia and has been named after one of the former prime ministers of India, late Indira Gandhi. The festival starts during the spring to summer months of March to May. This year, the festival will start on the 7th of May at Siraj Bagh Chesmahsahi in Srinagar, the capital of Jammu and Kashmir. This festival is a feast for the eyes. If you are planning to book tickets for India, this summer, remember to attend the beautiful festival in Srinagar.

Canadian Tulip Festival, Ottawa, Canada

(12th to 23rd May 2016)

Celebrated in Ottawa annually in the month of May, the Canadian Tulip Festival commenced in 1953 to celebrate and conserve the rich heritage of Canada and to commemorate the role of the country in liberating the Dutch Army at the time of the Second World War. Till this day the tulip remains the sign of friendship and springtime for the amiable and friendly people of Canada.

Tesselaar Tulip Festival, Silvan, Australia

(8th September to 4th October 2016)

The time of celebrating the festival arrives in September and October when it is springtime in Australia. The Tesselaar Tulip Festival is held in the cosy town of Silvan. It is about an hour’s drive from the city of Melbourne. A one-of-a-kind event, Tesselaar Tulip Festival draws a large number of local and foreign tourists.

February in India is a pleasant and cheerful month when people start coming out of their homes, after a cold winter spell. Another reason why the month brings cheer to everyone is because it starts a year-long chain of exciting festivals.The year 2016 brings India’s top three annual festivals with new and exciting events and festivals. Have a look at the three best annual events in India.

Surajkund International Crafts Mela (Delhi)

This year, Surajkund International Crafts Mela is going to celebrate its 29th anniversary. The fair is an international affair, where different states of India participate by bringing the best and finest of handicrafts, handlooms, accessories, furniture and metalwork.

More than 400 artists and artisans come together to demonstrate and display their art and skill from all over the country. The fair will commence on the 1st of February and will run till the 15th of February.

Goa Carnival (Goa)

The vibrant and famous Goa Carnival, which initially started as a local feast before Lent by the Portuguese settlers in the eighteenth century, has become one of the most famous events of the state, and perhaps the whole country.

Every year, revellers from far and wide join the festivities with floats, parades, music and dance. The carnival starts with the Food and Culture Festival in Panaji whereas the festivities end with a formal ball held in Panaji. This year the carnival will run from 6th to 9th February.

Sufi Sutra International Sufi Music Festival (Kolkata)

Celebrating the amazing spirit of Sufi music for the 6th year, Sufi Sutra International Sufi Music Festival is all set to play host to a number of international and local Sufi musicians from various places such as Turkey, Scotland, Portugal, Hungary, Burkina Faso and Brazil to name a few. Sufi is known and revered worldwide as the music of the soul and is often used as the instrument to transcend from the physical realm to the spiritual depths. Apart from the concerts in the evening, there will be various music workshops and an exhibition during the daytime. The Festival will be inaugurated on the 5th of February and will end on the 7th of February. To attend, one needs to book the tickets/passes.

India, with an exciting mix of nature, history and culture, attracts hordes of global tourists and backpackers alike.

While tips on dressing for female travellers may differ from one place to the other, there are some important points one would do well to adhere to. The following tips and ideas on what to wear in India may help you fit in better.

In Metro Cities

If you’re in metropolitan cities like Mumbai or Delhi, you can usually get away with jeans, short skirts, and sleeveless shirts/tops in certain areas. However, it’s not advisable to wear too revealing clothes as this may get you lots of unwanted attention. You’ll also see foreign tourists wearing Indian clothes to fit in with the local crowds. Most metro cities in India have clothing stores where you can shop for kurtas, kameez and scarves at considerably cheap prices. If you happen to visit during summers, don’t forget to carry a hat and sunglasses.

At Beaches

Goa and Kerala are two popular beach destinations in India. But both these places have a drastic cultural difference. While, it is okay to wear a bikini in Goa’s beaches, people in Kerala are a tad too conservative to accept revealing clothes. No matter where you are, you may be ogled at.

At Religious Sites

India is full of pilgrimage sites and a few of them such as Amritsar, Varanasi and Mahabali Puram are internationally acclaimed. While visiting such destinations, be sure to dress conservatively. Avoid shorts or short skirts. Jeans are okay, as are shirts/tops that cover shoulders. While entering some temples and religious sanctums, you may need to cover your head. Your scarf may come in handy in such places.

Shoes

Well, it largely depends upon what you’re here for. Most of the cities in India are in the plains, where a pair of sport sandals (for summers) or sport shoes (for winters) would do well. You can wear socks with sandals if it is cool outside. If you plan to trek and climb up the mountains, make sure you have a sturdy pair of climbing boots.

India is fondly known as the land of rivers because of the seven major rivers, along with their tributaries and distributaries, flowing through the peninsula. Over the years, several dams have been built on these rivers for water conservation and proper streaming of the water. Many of these dams make for beautiful tourist spots due to their majestic appearance and overall natural beauty of the rivers.

Tehri Dam

Tehri Dam is located on the Bhagirathi River in the state of Uttarakhand. Apart from being the tallest dam in India, it is also one of the most picturesque dams in the country.

With a staggering height of 261 metres, this structure is also world’s eighth tallest dam. You can enjoy various water sport activities here, such as scooter riding, boating, angling, scuba diving, canoeing, rowing, boating, speed-boating, canoeing, rafting and kayaking. The foggy-mountainous ambience of the Garhwal Valley further attracts tourists from across the globe.

Bhakra Nangal Dam

Bhakra Nangal Dam, situated on Sutlej River in the north Indian province of Himachal Pradesh, is the largest dam in India and second largest in Asia. The reservoir is known as the Gobind Sagar Lake and is a beautiful place to spend some time with your friends and family, especially when you are en route to the hilly McLeod Ganj or Dharamshala.

Nagarjuna Sagar Dam

Known as the world’s biggest masonry dam, the Nagarjuna Sagar Dam is built across the Krishna River in Andhra Pradesh, a southern Indian state.

Nagarjuna Sagar Dam by siddharthav/ CC BY

The dam is a beautiful picnic spot for families who come during holidays and weekends. Remember to take a camera with you as the views from the dam are spectacular. It is also a great place for bird watching; the enthusiastic among you might be able to spot various species of bids in the vicinity of the dam.

If you are a nature lover, and are planning to visit an offbeat yet beautiful place this winter, Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan would be one of the most promising options.

The park is a haven for wildlife photographers, nature lovers and adventure seekers. Let’s have a look at the top 3 places to see in Ranthambore National Park.

Raj Bagh Ruins

The Raj Bagh Ruins are situated between Raj Bagh Talao and the Padam Talao and make for a beautiful old place to visit. The ancient domes, arches, pillars, steps and palace outhouses tell stories of the past and the setting amidst the wilderness lend a nostalgic appeal to the place. The ruins and the surrounding natural beauty draw countless nature lovers. If you are lucky, you will also be able to spot tigers here.

Padam Talao

Padam Talao is the largest lake in the park and the world famous Jogi Mahal is situated on one of the shores of the lake. Padam or Padma means Lotus/Water in the local language. The Padam Lake has been so named because of the water lilies that grow on the surface of the lake during the season. If you are a nature enthusiast, especially with a fondness for wildlife photography, visit the lake at dawn and dusk as numerous animals, including tigers and chinkaras come to drink water at that time.

Ranthambore Fort

The Ranthambore fort is one of the main highlights of the national park. It is located strategically on top of a hill, which overlooks the whole park. No vehicles can go up, so the only way to reach the top is to climb up, which is an exhilarating experience. When you reach the top, one of the most scenic views meets your eye. The fort looks magnificent and you can spot many birds, including vultures and Serpent eagles. There are a number of animals that can be seen here. The entry tickets don’t cost much, although it would be better to go with a guide, in order to know more about the history of the fort.