Essel World - Welcome to India's Largest Amusement Park

image source -http://www.esselworld.in

Essel World - The place to be ! For those of you who are unaware about Essel World, let me tell you that Essel World is one of the most popular amusement parks in India. It is located in Gorai, Mumbai, India. Spread over 64 acres (260,000 m2) of land, Essel World attracts over 10,000 visitors everyday. It is an ideal destination to have fun with your family and ofcourse.. friends. Essel World has 34 major rides not including the coin operated games and the rides involving water. Also, it actually consists of two parks - Essel World proper and Water Kingdom ( added in 1998). Essel World is considered to be India's first amusement park. It’s never-before seen attractions set amidst unique architecture with international standard amenities and hygiene; catapult Water Kingdom into a different league. It is the only, truly international water park experience in India. With an an turnover in crores, it is now being seen as a "huge success"

Fun never stops at Essel World. The major attractions at Essel World are:

• Rides - Family Rides, Adult Rides, Children Rides
• Ice Skating Rink
• Bowling Alley
• Dance Floor
• FAB5Team

Plus there's lot more!

Come and experience a whole new world of excitement and fun.

Source - http://www.esselworld.in

The Gateway of India - The most famous monument in Mumbai

Mumbai has many famous monuments. One such famous monument is - The Gateway of India The Gateway of India is located on the waterfront in Apollo Bunder area in South Mumbai, the Gateway is a basalt arch 26 metres (85 ft) high. In earlier times, the Gateway was the monument that visitors arriving by boat would have first seen in the city of Bombay.

The Gateway of India is a symbol of both Hinduism and Islam. This is evident from the architecture of the monument. Most of the architectural style has been derived from the Muslim architectural style. The design pillars have been taken from Hindu temples whereas the design of the gateway's window come from Muslim architectural style. Thus making it a symbol of unity among Hindus and Muslims.

A little about the history behind the Gateway of India - The foundation for Gateway of India was laid in the year 1911 and the whole structure got completed by the year 1924. It was designed and developed by a well know architect during that period named - George Wittet. The main idea behind creating this world class monument was to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary to Bombay, prior to the Delhi Durbar, in December 1911. And one more historical fact associated with it is - The last British troops to leave India, the First Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry, passed through the Gateway in a ceremony on 28 February 1948.

The Gateway of India truly stands as a testimony to the imperial bygone era of the city. It is an architectural wonder in real sense, definitely worth visiting !

Hazi Ali Dargah | Hazi Ali Tomb | Hazi Ali Information | Hazi Ali Mumbai | Hazi Ali Dargah Mumbai | Hazi Ali Tomb Mumbai | Hazi Ali History

In this post today, we will be seeing everything about Hazi Ali Dargah - One of the most popular religious places in Mumbai. One can visit many popular places in Mumbai but Hazi Ali stands out from the crowd as its the most sacred place in Mumbai.

Hazi Ali Dargah is located on an islet off the coast of Worli in Southern part of Mumbai. Lying as it does in the heart of the city, the dargah is one of the most recognizable landmarks of Mumbai. It is most likely for anyone to believe that Hazi Ali Dargah is the sacred place only for the muslims but its only a myth. The Hazi Ali Dargah is popular both among hindus and muslims. And surprisingly more among Hindus. It is extremely famous amongst the Hindu population in Mumbai, Maharashtra and South Gujarat.

To tell you more about the Dragah, this Hazi Ali Dargah was built in 1431 in memory of a Muslim preacher, Syed Peer Haji Ali Shah Bukhari. There are many legendary stories associated with it.

Two of the most popular stories associated with the making of Hazi Ali Dargah are :

• It is believed that it is the tomb of Hazi Ali, a wealthy merchant who gave up worldly possessions and became a saint after returning from a pilgrimage to Mecca. Also, it is believed that the tomb or dargah is actually the place where Hazi Ali died.
  
  
• Another popular story associated with the Dargah is that while on a pilgrimage to Mecca, Hazi Ali got sick and he died. Before his death, Hazi Ali had directed his followers to cast his coffin into the Arabian Sea in case he dies. His followers did the same after his death. His casket was casted into the Arabian Sea. Drifting in the high seas for many days, the coffin finally came and rested on a tiny islet around half a kilometre in the bay off what is today known as Worli, south-central Mumbai. Taking that as some kind of divine sign, his followers buried the coffin on that islet. Gradually over the years, small additions were made to the shrine, which progressively became famous as the Haji Ali Dargah.

As many as 40,000 pilgrims visit the shrine on Thursdays and Fridays.

About the structure, The dargah is built on a tiny islet located 500 yards from the coast, in the middle of Worli Bay, in the vicinity of Worli. The islet is linked to the city precinct of Mahalakshmi by a narrow causeway. This causeway is not bound by railings, and is lashed by the sea during high-tide. Therefore, the dargah is accessible only during low tide. This 500-yard-walk on the causeway, with the sea on both sides, is one of the highlights of a trip to the shrine.

The whitewashed structure occupies an area of 4,500 metres, and an 85 foot (26 m) tower is the architectural highlight of the edifice. The tomb within the mosque is covered by a brocaded red and green chaddar (tomb cover sheet). It is supported by an exquisite silver frame. The main hall has marble pillars embellished with coloured mirror work: blue, green, yellow chips. The ninety-nine names of Allah are also written on the pillars.

Hazi Azi Dargah is a must visit for anyone traveling to Mumbai. It is truly one of the most sacred places to visit in Mumbai and ofcourse, India.

Sources -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haji_Ali_Dargah

Goa - The Holidaymaker's Paradise

Goa is truly the holiday-maker's paradise. Undoubtedly, Goa is the best holidaying spot in India. Goa has everything to offer to its visitors. Breathtakingly beautiful blue beaches, sensuous silvery sands, fabulous flora and fauna, rich cultural heritage, captivating churches, and terrific temples, Goa has it all. The feasts and festivals of Goa are the other things not to be missed. The Indian state of Goa beckons you for the time of your life.

A diverse tourist locale, Gorgeous Goa is celebrated the world over for its laidback culture, sun kissed beaches, Gothic churches and rocking nightlife. What’s more, Gorgeous Goa’s exotic seafood will have you licking your fingers and asking for more. So come and sip a beer, enjoy bird watching, relax with a massage or indulge in water sports. At Gorgeous Goa travels, everyday is a holiday!

There are many places to be visited in Goa. Some of the most important places to be visited are -

Panaji

* Old district of Fontainhas
* Chapel of St Sebastian
* The Church of the Immaculate Conception
* Mandovi River

Old Goa

* Basilica of Bom Jesus
* Convent & Church of St Francis of Assisi
* Portuguese-Gothic Se Cathedral
* 'Golden Bell'
* Church of St Cajetan

Goa Beaches

* Anjuna Beach
* Baga Beach
* Benaulim Beach
* Bogmolo Beach
* Calangute Beach
* Cavelosim Beach
* Chapora Beach
* Colva Beach
* Dona Paula Beach
* Miramar Beach
* Pololem Beach
* Vagator Beach
* Varca Beach

Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary

Molem National Park

Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary

Dudhsagar Waterfalls

Now, the most important question - How to reach Goa? You can easily travel to Goa via railways, airways and roadways.

By Rail

The Konkan Railway makes Goa easily accessible by rail from cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Mangalore , Ernakulam and Thiruvanantapuram . The daily New Delhi (Nizamuddin) to Vasco-da-Gama Goa Express has been resumed. Goa is also linked to Bangalore, Chennai , Hyderabad and Pune via Londa.

By Air

Dabolim Airport, 30-km from the state capital Panaji, has coach services operating to and from the airport. All the major hotels also arrange transport for the guests. A prepaid taxi service is also available over here. All the major airline services have daily flights to Goa from Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai and Pune and twice a week from Chennai and Kochi. The International Service of airlines also connects Goa with Kuwait and Sharjah twice a week.

By Road

The Goan Transport Corporation, Kadamba, runs long-distance services throughout the state from their main stand at Panjim, Mapusa, Margao and destinations in the adjoining states of Maharashtra and Karnataka. Private buses, serving everywhere else including the coastal resorts, are affordable, frequent, and more relaxed than many in India.

Sources -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goa
http://www.goahub.com/

Shared Cabs Services | Shared Taxi Services | Pune-Mumbai Shared Taxi Services | Pune -Mumbai Shared Cabs Services

For those who were looking for better alternative to book for eCabs services, there is one good news. eCabs will soon be launching its new service - Shared Cabs Services. As you can make out from the term, this service will enable fellow passengers to have a much better travel experience then before. This is so because previously, one had to book the whole cab to travel from one destination to another even if he/she was the lone passenger. That simply meant more cost and loads of inconvenience faced during travel.

So as to provide much better travel experience to our fellow travelers, eCabs is all set to debut its first of its kind"Shared Cabs Services". With eCabs shared cabs service, now people can easily travel from one destination to another without facing the inconveniences of booking the whole cab. With eCabs shared services, you can -

• Travel Much Easier and Faster
• Save Cost
• Save Time