India Travel – Beyond the regular Tour and Travel Packages

India Travel – Beyond the regular tour and travel packages

There is an India beyond the Golden Triangle of Delhi-Taj Mahal-Jaipur and possibly, Goa. Travel to India must include at least some if not all these places that are less-known but manna for the experiential traveler.

This is not to say that one should not visit the regular. Those are a must. But do not ignore or skip the rest. Agreed India is a vast land. And it would take a long long time to cover. But do your best and take your pick from the list below. These are places that aren’t a part of the regular tourist circuit or travel and tour packages… But are supremely interesting nonetheless… That is what make India travel so enriching and interesting.

Many of us living in India have also not visited all the places – I haven’t at least… But between us folks in Beyonder, we have covered most of it… Let’s help you in discovering the lesser known places in India. These are what we focus on – of course, we can also weave in the regular must-do destinations like the Taj Mahal into the India travel package that we curate for you…

India Travel – A smorgasbord of flavors for the experiential traveler

I have always felt that the local cuisine is a great teacher of the history, culture and economy of a land. Think US and fast food or Russia and the heady Vodka or Japan and the intricate Sushi or Nepal and the simple Dal-Bhat… Get the drift?

India is about the Great Thali. For those who are new to the concept of a “thali”, it is a wholesome meal. Carrying a combination of various flavors, treating the consumer’s taste buds with a barrage of flavors – salty, sour, bitter, sweet and spicy.

The Thali is, in a sense, a metaphor for India. Diverse, myriad flavors shaped by centuries of civilization.

Take a look at some of the flavors that, I think, standout…

Oodles of Culture in the India Travel thali

Various cultures, subcultures and religions have shaped the Indian culture as we know it now. The ancient scriptures also are books which have kept pace with time. Festivals are a big contributor to preserving this culture. There is at least one festival celebrated in some part of India every month. These range from harvest festivals to celebration of victory of good over evil… Even to celebration of womanhood!

You will be mistaken if you believe that India is only about spirituality, religion and art forms. An integral part of Indian culture is mathematics, astronomy and the traditional science of Ayurveda which is now gaining popularity worldwide.  For instance, this is also a country of weavers.

You have to make many trips within India to really experience the Indian culture. No amount of writing can do justice to what it is all about. Here’s a short tour of Indian culture  to give you a feel of what I’m talking about…

Generous Portions of History in the India Travel thali

The history of India has been long and arduous given the ancient-ness of this land. It is also the most entertaining. Its not just about wars and retribution and a constant redrawing of borders. Its about love stories, romance, wars, bloodshed, social norms, strange mores, betrayal, games and strangely, spirituality. The remnants of this history isn’t always the best-preserved, but that just adds to the character don’t you think? Of course, there are the beautifully preserved monuments that are on the tourist trail… Take a look at some of the more beguiling that aren’t exactly famous, but stunning nonetheless. Our pick of some of the most interesting and less-known places from India’s history.

In the lap of Nature in the India Travel thali

This a land of natural beauty. Stunning natural beauty at that. What else do you expect from a land, most whose borders are guarded by mighty oceans, desolate deserts and massive mountains? I mean the lofty Himalayas in the North, the deserts of the West and the unending oceans in the South…

A nature lover is a strange creature – some prefer mountains, others the beaches, yet others the deserts, there are lovers of snow, rain and Sun… Some prefer all. But most have their preferences. Nature in India has something for everyone and every preference… Some regular, some strange… Riverine islands? We have one. Highest tea estate in the world? Take it. Living on houseboats on backwaters of the ocean? Of course. You get the drift? 😉 Here are a few of the less visited ones from the Natural Wonders of India.

Dollops of Spirituality in the India Travel thali

While the country has been home to many religions and beliefs over the centuries, it has accepted and amalgamated with ease… Hence it the cradle of many organized religions and many unorganised ones too… In fact, ancient Indian belief systems were of 2 types – Astika (belief in God) and Nastika (atheism in a sense). Imagine – this is a system that believed and accepted a thought process of Atheism! True tolerance I would say…

In the Nastika school of philosophy comes Jainism, Buddhism, Charvaka and Ajivika. There are again 6 orthodox schools of Hindu philosophy – Sankhya, Nyaya, Yoga, Vaisheshika, Purva Mimamsa and Uttara Mimamsa (Vedanta Philosophy).

Let’s look here at some places in India that you can travel to in order to get a taste of the different forms of spirituality practiced here. In addition, of course, to the regular places of worship – the Temples, Churches and Mosques and Gurudwaras that are in abundance in this land. Here’s your taste of travel to Spiritual India.

Large scoops of Wildlife in the India Travel thali

If there is abundance of nature, can wildlife be far behind? A large portion of the country is covered by thick jungle. After all, this is the land that inspired the famous Jungle Book… Carnivores, herbivores, omnivores – take your pick. Animals, birds, marine life – take your pick… And remember, the jungles of India have a very different character from the jungles of Africa or South-east Asia. As do the animal and birds who live in these jungles…

Here are some of the wildlife destinations in India that are must-visits if you are a wildlife kind of person.

A Sprinkling of Romance in the India Travel thali

Like I mentioned, this land has seen a bloody history, some of it interlaced with romance and passion. It has also been a land where the Gods themselves are romantic at heart. And how can they not be? The place itself, the natural beauty, the weather and the culture is one that begets romance… Its after all, the land where the blue-hued God of Romance, Krishna, is revered… Where the God of Love, Kama, is forever ready with his arrow of love… Where the Kamasutra was written many centuries ago. The land that preached universal love through Hinduism, Buddhism and closer to our time, even, Mahatma Gandhi.

It hence boasts of places ideal to the myriad hues of love, from the pristine seclusion of valleys to the lofty isolation of the mountains, the lazy indulgences of the seas, the excitement of the jungles and the adrenalin of adventure sports. In short, the ideal honeymoon destination to celebrate your love. Here are some of our picks of the most romantic destinations in India. Oh, and this is for you, in case you are looking for the best time to visit the unexplored honeymoon destinations of India.

A sheen of Mystery and Myths for the India Travel thali

India has a rich history of centuries of civilization. And hence as an off-shoot, it is a treasure trove of myths and legends. The fact is, there are many rituals and practices, even places, that are shrouded in mystery and conjecture. Logic has a place in this land, but with the rational, comes generous add-ons of irrationality. Irrationality to some, can also be completely rational to others. The American Indian beliefs for instance, have long been labelled as irrational, given the wave of rationalism that swept modern America along with scientific temper, However, with a philosophical eye, they can seem perfectly rational… Sometimes, of course, the philosophical eye can be opened with only with the aid of some funny stuff to imbibe, through smoke or chewing… 😉

Here are some the stranger ones – my favorites and must-dos if you are keen on travel to Mysterious places of India

The Beyonder Difference – garnishing the India Travel thali

These experiences are curated with love and passion by the folks at Beyonder Travel who know their country like the back of their hands. Folks who have experienced the country first-hand. These are meant for people who would like to experience the real India beyond the cities and regular tourist hotspots.