Fred Travels

Mumbai get to have a rare sight each year when a sea of pink marvels the eyes of onlookers at Sewri. The wetlands in the Sewri-Mahul area witness the beauty of migrating flamingoes around February-march each year. Although, with the construction of the proposed coastal road – the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link connecting Sewri with Uran in Navi Mumbai, the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHP) claims to see a downfall in the number of visitors this year. For the past few years, Mumbaikars are rejoicing this mesmerizing view of pink plumes - about more than 15,000 flamingoes that are flocking against the backdrop of lush mangroves along the central Mumbai coastline. The BNHP however feels that these migrators may change preferences of location due to alteration of these wetlands.

However, hope always prevails nature enthusiasts who are waiting with their cameras and binoculars to capture this breathtaking sights. Buses are arranged from Sewri station to Sewri jetty between 12.30 pm and 5 pm with BNHS experts and volunteers explaining to enthusiasts through spotting scopes and binoculars about the Lesser and Greater flamingos and other species, including sandpipers and kingfishers. Past years have seen a rise in people coming to have a peek of these beauties. As soon as a flock of flamingos starts to appear over the horizon, people are enthralled at the sight of the pink beauties. The numbers gradually begin increasing - both flamingos and of the visitors.

The Flamingo Festival is one of the steps towards spreading awareness about the importance of biodiversity and its conservation. Visitors including corporates, students, government employees and the common masses are becoming more sensitive to the issue. This will go a long way in safeguarding the natural habitats of Mumbai.

The Flamingo festival will certainly notch bird watching to another level! So, get ready to Get, Set, Go!

Planning to visit Mumbai : Click Here

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The vibrant city of Nashik proudly exports various types of wines not only in other parts of India but all around the world. The wine capital is ready to add another feather to its cap while presenting the India Grape Harvest Festival in the month of March 2017. Branding Nashik to a whole new level, this month-long extravagant festival is to be held from March 1, 2017.

[caption id="attachment_508" align="alignnone" width="600"] Wine[/caption]

Organised by the tourism ministry of the state government, this festival aims to promote tourism and wine gourmet in the country. This festival is inspired by a festival held by the Indian Grape Processing Board (IGPB) of the central government in Vinchur Wine Park in 2013, after which no harvest festivals were organized.

[caption id="attachment_505" align="alignnone" width="616"] Grape Stomping[/caption]

The India Grape Harvest Festival is to be held at 20 locations across the district of Nashik with 12 participating wineries and 3 & 5 star agro destination vineyards. Visitors can enjoy winery tours, grape stomping tours and wine tasting sessions. Overnight guests can also avail of tents.

 

Planning to visit Nashik : Click Here

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Job satisfaction = better performance. Corporate employers have evolved in the era of keeping their talent acquisitioned team and employees happy and satisfied, thereby retaining them and providing them a sense of belonging.  Human resource experts believe that non-traditional, non-cash rewards can have a greater impact on the performance of employees. Thus, churning out the traditional cash bonus which employees received for good performance, Incentive Corporate Tours have begun making their mark in the travel world. Companies are trending to give out all expense paid trips as tokens of appreciation to their employees, thereby aiming to create a bond which goes beyond professionalism. These tours generally are announced in groups and involve various travel packages – both domestic and foreign tours. In result, organisations have noticed remarkable degrees of better performance and commitment to work from their personnel.

Keeping in mind, the trend of Incentive Tours, we at Fred Travels understand the laborious planning and co-ordinating that group travel packages entail. These tasks of managing group incentive excursions and events for employees can be time consuming and requires patience in dealing with operators, restaurants, hotels and other vendors in order to put together the program you desire. Fred travels does exactly this! We at Fred Travels can help you plan and execute your incentive programs and take the stress out of the experience.  Give us your budget, brief information of guests traveling and sit back to rely on us to give you the best travel experience.

Fred Travels organizes corporate and incentive tours in Mumbai, extended all over Maharashtra and Goa. Keep your worries at bay with Fred Travels, as we expertise in handling inbound tour services for all sizes of groups. Select from our specifically designed packages to explore Mumbai, Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka. Fred Travels also lets you customize your travel plans, considering your needs and budget. Find the best deals with us and we assure you to provide the best rewarding tour for your employees.

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Monsoon season is about to conclude and they say the monsoons come to an end with the celebration of Dassehra. Dassehra is celebrated with great fervor and pomp throughout India. Yet, during this time of the year, it is best to visit Mysore - the Palace city, because this festival is the ‘nadahabba’ (state’s festival) of Karnataka. This place displays a distinct tradition of celebrating this fiesta, an extraordinary pageant, that draws the attention of many.

Mysore, earlier named Mysuru or Mahishur, has extravagant roots spread deep into the mythical past. Legend has it that Goddess Chamundeshwari of Chamundeshwari Temple, assassinated Mahishasura- the sinful buffalo-headed demon, after a long fierce battle. It is his name from which the name Mahishur or Mysuru came into existence. While the festival of Dassehra denotes the victory of Good over Evil, the execution of Mahishasura shared the same inspiration. Hence, Dassehra aka Vijayadashmi is celebrated here with glory and gaiety.

The celebration in the city...

[caption id="attachment_294" align="alignnone" width="600"] Cultural Events In Mysore, Karnataka India[/caption]

The grandeur of this festivals includes different cultural activities and events. The celebration continues for 10 days, beginning with the first nine days of Navaratri (the worship of Goddess Durga for nine days) with Vijayadashmi (Dasahara - ten days) at culmination.

Navaratri

[caption id="attachment_303" align="alignnone" width="600"] Golden Throne at Mysore Palace, India[/caption]

On the first day of Navaratri, the king takes a ceremonial bath and performs various sacred rites in front of Goddess Chamundi,his family deity. He then enters the durbar and worships the throne as per the ancient rituals. He is then presented the royal sword after which the royal 21- gun salute is announced. Following this, the king attains his kingly throne and the magnificent celebration begins with music and dance performances, a parade of uniformed soldiers, etc. Local legend says that this throne is said to have been used by Vikramaditya, the famous King of ancient Ujjain.

On the day of Mahanavmi, the royal sword is worshiped paying respect to the family deity. This tradition, first started in the year 1610 by the Wodeyar King - Raja Wodeyar I, is still continued even today with the current scion of the Wodeyar family, Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar.

The puja 

[caption id="attachment_301" align="alignnone" width="600"] Goddess Chamundeshwari, Chamundeshwari Temple Mysore[/caption]

On the 10th day of Dassehra, before the procession begins, the royal couple worships the Divine Mother atop the Chamunda Hill in the Chamundeshwari Temple. They perform various sacred rituals with devotion and dedication. It is then the idol of the Divine Mother is taken out for the procession. This bronze idol of mother Durga in the form of Mahisasura-mardini is believed to be found in the 5th Century.

Jamboo Savari Procession

[caption id="attachment_291" align="alignnone" width="600"] Jambu Savari procession Mysore, Karnataka India[/caption]

Jamboo Savari - the traditional procession is held in the Mysore city. The highlight of this event is the idol of the Goddess Chamundeshwari, placed in a golden howdah on the top of a decorated elephant. Once the procession begins, music bands, dance groups, tableau from the history, parades performed by NCC Scots and armed forces, the royal identities, follows the magnificently decorated elephant. This event starts from the Mysore Palace and concludes at a place called ‘Bannimantap’. Here, the Banni tree is worshiped. Legend from the epic Mahabharata narrates that Banni tree was used by the Pandavas to hide their arms while they were on their exile of incognito (Agnatavasa). In the earlier days, the kings worshiped this tree before embarking any warfare, to achieve victory in the war. An event called as Panjina Kavayithu (torch-light parade) is held in Bannimantap culminating the festival.

Palace

[caption id="attachment_299" align="alignnone" width="600"] Mysore Palace During Dassehra, Karnataka , India[/caption]

The city of Mysore is worth visiting during Dassehra because of the self-boasting Mysuru Palace. It is a sight not to be missed when it is illuminated for the ten-days long Mysore Dassehra festival. It daily illuminates with nearly 100,000 light bulbs from 7 pm to 10 pm during the festival. To state a trivial, a whopping amount is spent towards the maintenance of its illumination alone every year, ₹10 million to be precise!

Various cultural and religious programs featuring the music, dance, and tableau of the State of Karnataka are performed in front of the illuminated Palace.

Cultural events

[caption id="attachment_304" align="alignnone" width="600"] Mysore Dasara Flower Show[/caption]

People from various parts of India come here during this period to attend the procession and events. Flower Show is organized by the Mysore Zilla at Kuppanna Park where important seminars regarding farmer’s issue and sustainable agriculture are also conducted. Dassehra Exhibition, another major attraction, is also a part of the on-going festive celebration.It takes place in the ground just opposite to the Palace that continues untill December. Eatables, cosmetics, kitchenware, plastic items, clothes etc. are sold in this exhibition. Kusti Spardhe- is one of the many attractions of the festival where wrestlers from various parts of India come and participate. Other events include Dassehra Kite Festival, Yuva Sambhrama, Sports, and many more.

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The Mumbai streets are fully overjoyed in anticipation of someone coming home for 10-days!! Someone so special, so close to heart that every devotee is busy planning their best to welcome Him - Lord Ganesha! It is His birthday and so people of all faiths and beliefs are gearing up to celebrate it. This 10-day-long Ganeshotsav or Ganesh festival is the best time of the year to visit Ganesh festival . While the festival is celebrated with much pomp and joy, the unity and energy of this city is reflected.

You will see that every single neighborhood will have its own Ganpati Mandal with a beautiful Ganesha idol crafted by its skilled artisans. These pandals often have a mythological story-telling theme and beautifully exceptional decoration which changes every year.

So while you take some Pandal-Tour during these 10 days, you cannot miss visiting these famous pandals in Mumbai and Pune.

Lalbaugcha Raja

[caption id="attachment_260" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Lalbaugcha Raja, Mumbai[/caption]

This iconic idol in Mumbai, the King of Lalbaug, was founded in the year 1934. It is known as ‘Navsacha Ganpati’ which means ‘the one who fulfills every wish’ and hence, it draws massive crowd coming from various places to offer prayers. The most attractive part of the idol is that it feels like the Ganpati is looking at you with so much affection.

 

GSB Seva Mandal

[caption id="attachment_263" align="alignnone" width="858"] GSB Seva Mandal, Mumbai[/caption]

Mumbaikars best know this Ganpati as 'Gold Ganpati', it is because the idol is adorn with 60 kg of gold. This mandal was founded by Gowd Saraswat Brahmin community from Karnataka in the year 1954. The sight of this magical idol will definitely leave you awestruck.

 

Khetwadicha Raja

[caption id="attachment_280" align="alignnone" width="600"] Khetwadicha Raja, Mumbai[/caption]

This place is known for its creative themes and beautiful idols in Mumbai. The award-winning pandal was founded in the year 1959 but saw a growing popularity in the masses in 2000. The all-time favorite themes like Sheesh Mahal, Deep Mahal, Swarg Mahal, Raj Mahal, etc. never cease to impress the countless devotees.

 

Andhericha Raja

[caption id="attachment_265" align="alignnone" width="854"] Andhericha Raja, Mumbai[/caption]

Another remarkable place that every devotee must visit is Andhericha Raja. First started by employees of Tata Special Steel in 1966, today this mandal is managed by Azad Nagar Sarvajanik Utsav Samiti. This Ganpati is not only famous for its mesmerizing idol with the entire decoration, but also for the infamous reputation of fulfilling wishes and frequent visits by celebrities, like Lalbaugcha Raja.

 

Girgaoncha Raja

Girgaoncha Raja, Mumbai

 

Girgaoncha Raja, one of those Eco-friendly Ganesh idols in the city, is made of clay. A distinct feature of this pandal is that every year they make an idol that is over 20 feet high. Go and visit this Pandal and witness a unique but beautiful theme idol.

 

Kasba Ganpati

[caption id="attachment_267" align="alignnone" width="800"] Kasba Ganpati, Pune[/caption]

Kasba Ganpati Mandal is considered as the most important Ganpati idol in Pune. The first idol was install by the great Shivaji Maharaj in 1893 and since then it is known as ‘gram daivat’ - the deity of the city.

 

Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati

[caption id="attachment_268" align="alignnone" width="1600"] Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati, Pune[/caption]

Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati, one of the richest in the state, stands 7.5 ft high adorned with 80kg of gold. The trust running the mandal is one of the wealthiest in the country taking care of several social initiatives.

 

Guruji Talim Mandal

[caption id="attachment_269" align="alignnone" width="640"] Guruji Talim Mandal, Pune[/caption]

This magnificent idol is third in line, in terms of popularity and respect, out of the five main Ganpati in Pune. This was the very first Ganpati Mandal, even before the Tilak’s movement, that was started in Pune by both Hindu and Muslim community.

 

Tulsi Baug Ganesh Mandal

[caption id="attachment_270" align="alignnone" width="375"] Tulsi Baug Ganesh Mandal, Pune[/caption]

Tulsi Baug Ganesh Mandal was started in 1901. The idol gets the fourth honor off the prominent five in Pune. This Ganpati is famous for its unique theme which changes every year. The idol stands 15ft high, the tallest in Pune and has a 125kg silver-coated fist.

 

Tambdi Jogeshwari Ganapati

[caption id="attachment_271" align="alignnone" width="1600"] Tambdi Jogeshwari Ganapati, Pune[/caption]

The idol of this Ganpati is red (Tambdi) in color and is located in Jogeshwari temple, hence the name Tambdi Jogeshwari temple! It is the oldest in Pune and local legend says that even Shivaji visited the temple because he believed this Ganpati to be auspicious. Many devotees pay a visit to this one and so this one should be on your list too.

Now that you have the list you know where exactly to go. Visit these beautifully decorated mandals, seek blessing from this cute looking God and scream Ganpati Bappa Morya! (Hail Lord Ganesha)

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The Ganapati Festival is an awaited time of the year for everyone – kids to grandparents. The divinity and grandiosity of the Ganapati Festival makes it to the bucket lists of travelers in India and abroad alike. This festival marks the celebration of the birth of the beloved elephant God – Ganapati, also known as Ganesh, Bappa and many other names. This 11-days carnival is a beautiful festival which marks pompous spectacles on the first and the last day.

Celebrated by the whole Hindu community, this festival is majorly popular in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The most spectacular celebration to watch take place primarily in Mumbai and Pune. Visiting Mumbai during the Ganapati festival is a true delight for travelers to experience its unique warmth and festive streaks of this vibrant city.

Fondly known as the cute elephant God; Ganesh is considered as a symbol of auspiciousness and wisdom and is worshipped for new beginnings and prosperity. Every festival celebrated by a Hindu poses a first worship to this deity; he is also remembered before people undertake a new journey or venture. He is the most popular of Hindu Gods – a favourite of many too!

Although this religious festival was always celebrated in little temples of people’s homes, it became a community affair only after Lokmanya Tilak, a great freedom fighter of India shaped the traditions of Ganesh Chaturthi to make it a public annual affair of celebrations. Hence this occasion became a more popular public event from a pious religious homely one. Today, one can see huge idols placed in tents called – pandals, organized by certain ‘mandals’ – group of people. A few famous pandals are so popular that the entire city gathers up to seek blessings of the Lord here. These pandals are huge, ornately decorated with unusual themes – sometimes telling a story or giving a message, there are queues of visitors, mayhem of positivity, culture, religion, tradition and sheer joy of visiting the elephant God! A few famous ones in Mumbai are – Lalbaug cha Raja, the G.S.B Mandal’s Richest Ganapati, Girgaum cha Raja and many more. In Pune, the Dagdusheth Halwai’s Ganapati celebrations are beautiful and grand, visited by thousands of devotees.

 

Visiting Mumbai during this pompous carnival can give you a burst of experiences – emotional, cultural, traditional, colourful and at the same time feel calm, serene and divine! Make sure not to miss the first and last day of this festival. The first day is celebrated with the Lord’s arrival with a lot of music, drum beats, songs, fire crackers and traditional pooja performances. While the last day has a bittersweet ending – the Lord is bid adieu with a heavy heart, but joyfully expecting his return soon the next year. The last day is known as – Visarjan day when these idols of Ganesh – whether from people’s homes or the big pandals are immersed in water – usually a lake, river or the sea. A procession takes place to take these idols to their immersion spot where the air is filled with celebratory music, songs and cries of Ganapati Bappa Morya ! The visarjan taking place at Girgaum Chowpatty is a must visit during this festival as the whole of the city’s Ganeshas say Good Bye and people return home feeling content of having served their favourite God, awaiting him the nest year.

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Celebrated in the months of August/September, this festival marks the celebration of the birth of Lord Krishna – Janmashtami. The Dahi Handi ritual is based on the legend of the child-god Krishna stealing butter along with his friends; hence the festival derived its name - dahi: curd, handi: earthen pot. The tradition involves making a human pyramid and breaking an earthen pot filled with curd tied at a height. Later Dahikala (ingredients in the pot) is distributed among everyone. Dahi Handi celebration encourages working in a team, thus signifies the importance of team work. This festival is a way of reliving the mischief and pranks played by Lord Krishna.

A very popular festival in Mumbai, the city is filled with a joyous ambience for this festival as it is a wondrous and amusing event enjoyed by everyone – children to adults. In schools, it is a lovely sight to see little boys and girls dressed up as Lord Krishna and Radha to mark the celebration of this festive time. People play games and people perform dances depicting the various events in Lord Krishna's life. Also known as Gokulashtami, this is the best time of the year to visit and marvel the festivities in the versatile city of Mumbai. Celebrations take place at hundreds of locations across the city with a huge number of people gathered to make the human pyramid and break the clay pots. Several others join in for encouragement and hurrah.

Religious rituals include people observing a fast on the first day of the festival until midnight, as it is believed to be the time when Lord Krishna was born. People offer prayers, singing, and reciting his deeds. At midnight, a traditional prayer is offered and the birth of Krishna is celebrated. Special baby cradles are installed in temples and a small statue placed in them. The most elaborate rituals are performed at Mathura, where Lord Krishna was born and spent his childhood. The huge ISKCON temple complex, in the beach side suburb of Juhu, also has a special festival program.

Handis are set up around the city, and groups of youngsters, called Govinda Pathaks, travel around in trucks trying to break as many handis as possible during the day. Janmashthami celebrations in Mumbai have become an annual big business affair with prizes running into crores of rupees, mega-sponsors, intense competition among various groups, mostly backed by politicians and political parties, attracting millions of locals, domestic and foreign tourists. One of the biggest Dahi Handi competitions (Sankalp Pratishthan Dahi Handi) takes place at the Jamboree Maidan on G M Bhosle Marg in Worli. Bollywood celebrities often make appearances and perform there. The Maharashtra government has decided to accord the status of 'adventure sport' to the centuries old traditional 'Dahi-handi' celebrations that mark Janmashthami every year.

Absorb this exhilarating experience at Mumbai’s Dahi Handi celebrations. Plan your next trip to Mumbai for this pompous festival of frolic with its unique sacredness and divinity!

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