Get ready and pack your luggage for Dubai-a dream Asian holiday destination. Standing right next to the historic Persian Gulf, Dubai is hailed as one of the most advanced cities in the modern world. A vibrant urban setting and a vivacious cosmopolitan culture provides Dubai with a repertoire of accommodation, attractions, adventure and shopping options. Your trip to Dubai promises you with a plethora of opportunities, which is bound to create an indelible impression on your mind.
On the World Map The city of Dubai is situated in the United Arab Emirates and surrounded by the Persian Gulf. It lies in the north-western part of the country and is also termed as its capital. Connectivity Dubai is a very well connected destination for commercial or leisure travel as it shares a very good communication facility with the modern cities of the world. The Dubai International Airport operates overseas flights on a regular basis. You can easily come here from the popular cities of the world like New York, London, Berlin and Paris as an international traveller. Glimpses As you venture out for a memorable trip to Dubai, the city awaits your arrival with a number of attractions. You can visit the popular destinations with your friends and family to witness an everlasting holiday experience. The various attractions provides you with an insight on the them and their importance to city life. Dubai Creek: Often referred to as one of the most technologically advanced harbours in Asia, the Dubai Creek is a must visit for you. The quaint ambiance and the serenity of the place adds up to the majestic view of the Persian Gulf in the foreground. You can also enjoy a taxi boat ride on the creek waters. Grand Mosque: The ancient heritage site of religious history in Dubai, the Grand Mosque stands with grandeur and panache. The recently renovated structure has an enticing collection of 54 domes, which reflects its legacy. Bedouin Village: Live up the experience of a lifetime by stepping into the Bedouin Village amidst the sandy deserts of Al Maha. Touch the sand dunes, hop on to a camel ride or just enjoy the serene seclusion. Hatta: Just located on the outskirts of the city, the town of Hatta provides you with a scenic escapade as you a take a peek at the gorgeous mountainous landscape. A glimpse of history also awaits you as you enter the Hatta fort with its grand architectural design. Shopping Dubai also stands out as an exclusive shopping destination and often termed as a shopper's paradise. The fabulous gold markets of Dubai welcomes you with a range of designer jewelry at cheap prices. The spice markets of Dubai exhibits a traditional shopping legacy which dates back to the time of its origin. The snazzy shopping malls of the city also sells branded items from all parts of the globe. The Dubai Shopping Festival is one of the important tourism events of the city. So, come for a holiday in Dubai and ready to get enthralled.
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Harmandir Sahib is also popularly known as Darbar Sahib or Golden Temple is a major part of the Golden Triangle Tour. The English-speaking world knows the temple as Golden Temple due to its gold coating. Harmandir Sahib gets its name from Hari, which means God. Sikhs from all across the globe visit Amritsar to pay their respects to Harmandir Sahib.
Guru Arjan Sahib is the Fifth Nanak in Sikhism. He thought of an idea of constructing an opulent worship place for the Sikh community. It was he who designed Harmandir Sahib’s architecture. Guru Amardas Sahib was the Third Nanak in Sikhism. He made plans to excavate the holy tank, known as ‘Amritsar’ or ‘Amrit Sarovar’. The plans were executed by Guru Ramdas Sahib, who was supervised by Baba Budha ji. The land for building the temple was gained by the previous Guru Sahibs by paying money. Some zamindars or landlords from neighboring villages donated land at no cost. Elaborate planning was done to create a fully-equipped town. Creation of the tank (sarovar) began simultaneously with the construction of the town. The year was 1570. Work was completed in AD 1577. Hazrat Mian Mir ji, who was a Muslim saint from Lahore, laid the foundation for Guru Arjan Sahib. Guru Arjan Sahib supervised the construction work. He got assistance from well-known Sikhs, including Baba Budha ji, Bhai Gurdas ji, and Bhai Sahlo ji. Numerous devoted Sikhs, too, got involved. Guru Arjan Sahib built Harmandir Sahib on a lower level. This was in sharp contradiction to Hindu Temple architecture, which believed in erecting structures at a higher level. Most Hindu temples have only one gate that serves as entrance and exit. Harmandir Sahib, on the other hand, is open on all four sides. Harmandir Sahib became a symbol for Sikhism. The temple does not differentiate between individuals on the basis of creed, caste, religion, and sex. People from all faiths can gain entry here. The construction work was concluded in AD 1601. Guru Arjan Sahib installed the Guru Granth Sahib in the temple. Baba Budha ji was appointed as the first Granthi or reader. The construction of the temple created an exclusive pilgrimage center or ‘Tirath’ for the Sikhs. Harmandir Sahib is constructed on square platform that stretches for 67 feet. It lies in the center of the sarovar. A door is placed on each of the four directions. The Darshani Deori, which is an arch, lies at the causeway’s shore end. The bridge has a connection with ‘Pardakshna’ or circumambulatory path, which is 13 feet wide. It leads to the ‘Har ki Paure’ or steps of God. Har ki Paure’s first floor has nonstop readings of the Guru Granth Sahib. Harmandir Sahib’s architecture is a unique blend of Hindu and Muslim culture. Haridwar, the revered Sapta Puri that bears the sacred ground for Kumbh mela celebrations, is well connected by rail, road and flight services to the adjacent major cities of the nation. One would always find this ‘Gateway to Gods’ bustling with pilgrims and seekers. A trip to Haridwar is considered supremely auspicious for a Hindu to undertake at least once in his life. If you are apprehensive about the availability of transportation within, around, to and from the city, the following guide will help you.
Transportation within and around the city frontiers There’s no better way to explore the city underneath its overwhelming hustle-bustle than to walk its terrain on foot. Even better, one can alight on the many cycle rickshaws plying around and let the rider bhaiyya act as your local tourist guide. Plenty of auto rickshaws would be quite willing to take you to your desired location at the standard rates too. Autos and rickshaws are the most popular modes of transport to get around the many spots within the city. Transportation from Haridwar to other sites Since Haridwar acts as a base for pilgrimages that venture deep into the Himalayas, one comes across many pilgrimage operators working in the city. Of late, Char Dham Taxi Service from Haridwar attracts multitudes towards the holy shrines of Garhwal Himalayas. Most journeys to char dham begin from Haridwar, so it is only natural to encounter no dearth of transport options from the holy city to any of the major pilgrimage centre. How to Reach Haridwar Road: - If you plan to drive to Haridwar, you must know that two national highways pass through the city. National Highway 58 and National Highway 74. NH 58 connects Haridwar with Ghaziabad, Meerut, Delhi, Roorkee, Muzaffarnagar and Roorkee. While NH 74 springs forth from Haridwar itself connecting it with Bareilly, Pilibhit and Nagina in Uttar Pradesh, and Kashipur and Kichha in Uttarakhand. The holy city is located at a distance of 200 km from India capital. It won’t be a good idea to driving to Haridwar during the month of July as the pilgrim rush creates many road blockages. If you plan to reach Haridwar via bus, you would be happy to know there is no dearth of bus services between Haridwar and Delhi. In fact, over 150 buses ply regularly along the route. Haridwar bus station is very close to its railway station. One might get overwhelmed by the chaos of the place. If you are planning to go from the city on bus, it is always a good idea to first acquaint yourself with the condition of its seating before you book the tickets and embark on lengthy (and bumpy!) rides. During the summer months, availability of AC buses can be an issue. Arrive an hour early to ensure confirmed reservations. Rail: - Its railway station namely Haridwar Junction Railway Station is situated on the city’s southern side. One can easily find many hotels walkable from the rail station. There are frequent trains between Haridwar and Delhi (every 4-5 hours) and even more with Rishikesh (every 1 hour). Although one can find trains to Rishikesh too, people tend to prefer travelling by bus because they tend to be faster. The major tourist attraction in Haridwar -Har Ki Pauri- is situated about 2 km away from railway station. Haridwar comes across as a very accessible city for those preferring to reach it via train. It hosts trains from Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Patna, Varanasi, Bareilly, Allahabad, Patna, Gaya, Puri, Lucknow, Indore, Bhopal, Itarsi and Khandwa. Air: - Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun is the nearest domestic airport. It is at a distance of 35 km from the holy city. If you are travelling from abroad, alight at Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi. If you set out on the Chardham Yatra in Uttarakhand, it is likely you will start from Haridwar. The first of the four pilgrimage spots is Yamunotri. Next in the sequence is Gangotri and then comes Kedarnath followed by Badrinath, the final destination. Kedarnath is inarguably the toughest because it involves a trek over rough terrain at height of about 3550 metres or more. It is well to be well prepared for this arduous pilgrimage to Kedarnath. Here are a few tips to help. Travel planning
During Yatra
Permits Check if health permits are required prior to travel and make arrangements to obtain them. Driving
With these tips your Kedarnath Yatra should be a pleasant, enjoyable trip. Chardham Yatra is one of the most revered pilgrimage expeditions for Hindus. The yatra consists in the visit of four holy shrines, namely Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, Badrinath. Hindus feel themselves religiously obligated to visit the Chardhams, which they consider to be a gateway to God’s world. The significance of Chardham Yatra lies in the fact that it is thought to be a path towards ‘moksha’ or salvation. To know more about Chardham travel read on-
How to Reach Chardham To complete your Chardham Yatra you need to complete Darshan of all the four Dhams. You may start your Yatra from Haridwar; the gateway to God’s abode and proceed towards the high Himalayas for Chardham Darshan. To reach Haridwar, you can avail road or rail transport from the nearest metro city, Delhi which is well connected to the rest of India via road, rail & air transport. Also, regular trains run between Haridwar and many other major cities of India. After viewing the splendid Ganga Aarti at Haridwar’s Har ki Pauri Ghat, you may hit the road for Barkot via Mussoorie & Dehradun. From Barkot starts the 5km trek towards the first of the Chardhams, ‘Yamunotri’. If you have physical issues with trekking, you have other options like pony ride or Doli. After Yamunotri Darshan, you may return to Barkot for some rest and relaxation after which you are to proceed towards Uttarkashi. From Uttarkashi you are to move towards the next Dham Gangotri. Once done with Gangotri Darshan, you may return back to Uttarkashi for a night’s halt. After that you are to proceed towards Guptakashi. On reaching, drive straightway to Sonprayag and then Gaurikund. From Gaurikund starts your trek for the third dham, ‘Kedarnath Dham’. After Kedarnath Darshan you are to trek back to Sonprayag and proceed towards Rudraprayag by road. Next the route takes you to the last of the four Dhams, Badrinath Dham. From Rudraprayag, you are to drive to the Badrinath Dham via Joshimath. After the Darshan of Badrinath Dham, you are to return back to Rudraprayag from where you drive back to Haridwar. That completes your Chardham Yatra! The Yatra takes 11-12 days in total. Best Time to Visit Chardhams The Yatra season for Chardhams is between the months April & October. But in between this time span, there is a Monsoon season around months- June & July. The part needs to be avoided strictly. Landslides, heavy rains, slippery pathways could make your journey highly perilous and life threatening. Post October, winter sets in and the weather becomes stingingly chilly. By the end of November, temples are shut down and the area becomes clad with snow. Tips to be followed During Chardham To make your Yatra hassle-free and fulfilling here are some tips you need to abide by-
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