The peacock is the national bird of India and found throughout the country. When peacocks start their courtship it usually heralds the onset of the monsoon and therefore is regarded as an auspicious symbol.
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SPECIAL FEATURE 26/11/08
India is the perfect destination for anyone with a special occasion to celebrate. Whether it is a wedding, a honeymoon, renewing vows, a special birthday, the trip of a lifetime or just a “spoil yourself” break, India has something to offer you.
Nowadays India has a range of accommodation to suit every taste. There are comfortable homestays where a guest can stay in a family home and enjoy authentic Indian hospitality. Former royal palaces have been converted into heritage hotels and offer the opportunity to live like a Maharaja or a Maharani in opulent surroundings www.samode.com. In Darjeeling in the east of the country a working tea estate gives you the flavour of colonial times. It has restored one of its traditional planters’ bungalows into a tastefully decorated mountain retreat with views across to Kanchenjunga in the Himalaya. www.glenburnteaestate.com.
Luxury hotel chains like the Oberoi Hotels and Resorts and Taj Group consistently feature in lists of the world’s best hotels. They pride themselves on providing first class service and an impeccable eye for detail, giving their guests an unforgettable experience.
The Oberoi Wildflower Hall Hotel, Shimla pampers and spoils its guests amid breathtaking Himalayan mountains. Guests can combine early morning yoga with an afternoon of white water rafting rounded off with a relaxing massage. At the opposite end of the country the Kairali Ayurvedic Health Resort in the Palakkad district of Kerala is an award winning ayurvedic health resort offering tranquil surroundings to promote inner peace and health. It introduces the visitor to the benefits of the ancient treatment of Ayurvedic medicine, founded in Kerala centuries ago.
India offers unique monuments which are the essence of romance, like the Taj Mahal. Few visitors return disappointed from viewing the ultimate symbol of love. It was described as “a teardrop on the cheek of time” by Sir Rabindranath Tagore. To Rudyard Kipling it was “...the embodiment of all things pure, all things holy, and all things unhappy.” People think only of its romance but behind the beauty there were tears. 
Shah Jahan, the Mughal Emperor, was devastated by the death of his wife Mumtaz Mahal after giving birth to her 14th child. In her memory he created this memorial which took 20 years to complete and involved the blood and sweat of 20,000 labourers. The expense was huge financially and emotionally for Shah Jahan and his life ended with him imprisoned by his own son in the Agra Fort overlooking his beloved Taj Mahal.
The Oberoi Amarvilas hotel offers its guests the reality of opening their curtains and viewing the Taj Mahal from their bedroom.
Romance can also be found on the canals of Kerala in the south. Traditional houseboats, once designed for carrying rice and spices, are now used to transport visitors into the sleepy backwaters of India’s smallest state. They offer glimpses of rural life in a state which is quite unique within India. The land is green and lush with paddy fields and coconut palms. Guests can watch ladies washing their clothes or their dishes by the side of the canal or watch men climb trees to cut down coconuts. It is the perfect excuse to kick off your shoes, settle back with a chilled drink and a good book and let Keralan life unfold before you. At night, as the moon rises over the fields you can dine on fresh seafood prepared by the crew and savour the tranquillity and romance.
Adventurous guests can choose to take a hot air balloon in Rajasthan (j) or ride into the desert on horseback, or camel, and stay overnight in luxury tents www.rohetgarh.com. Sit around a campfire under the stars, chatting and eating after your adventure. What greater adventure is there than to track a tiger through the Indian forests. Your first glimpse of a tiger in the wild will stay with you forever. The Bengal tiger is a symbol of India and its national animal. India is blessed with the largest population of tigers in the wild and they are protected in National Parks around the country. There are many lodges and tented accommodation to suit the needs of the visitors, budget or luxury. Madhya Pradesh in central India boasts many parks, Bandhavgarh, Kanha, Panna, Pench are the main ones. Ranthambhore, in Rajasthan, allows guests to combine the culture of a Golden Triangle trip (Delhi- Agra-Jaipur) with some wildlife excitement www.sherbagh.com.
If you are happy just to chill out on the beach, try Goa which is so much more than a hippy hang-out. There is an intriguing mix of its colonial Portuguese past and modern India. Or get a bit more remote with a trip out to the Lakshadweep Islands, off the Keralan coast, and enjoy scuba diving, snorkelling and deep sea fishing. Eco – friendly deluxe cottages on the beach, inspired by fishermen’s huts, offer you the perfect room with a view www.cghearth.com.
Whatever the celebration, whatever the dream, India has a destination for you. Contact us to help you make your dream come true....
NOV 2008
PHOTOS
(a) Samode Haveli Courtyard, Jaipur
(b) The Singalila suite, Glenburn Tea Estate
(c) Suite at The Oberoi Rajvilas, Jaipur
(d) ALL: The Taj Lake Palace Hotel, Udaipur: Bathroom in Jagtarang suite; Lake Palace Hotel; Sajjan Niwas suite Lake Palace Hotel.
(e) ALL: Oberoi Wildflower Hall in the Himalayas, near Shimla: Yoga at spa; white water rafting; pool view.
(f) Suite at The Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra
(g) Sunset cruise with Spice Coast Cruises, Kerala
(h) Hot air balloon over Samode Palace, near Jaipur
(i) Wilderness Camp, Rohet near Jodhpur
(j) Campfire at Sherbagh, Ranthambhore
(k) Terrace dining at Mahua Kothi, Bandhavgarh Taj Hotels
(l) Tents at Sherbagh, Ranthambhore
(m) Lakshadweep
(n) Diving at Bangaram Island, Lakshadweep cgh earth hotels
(o) Bangaram Island beach cottage view