LuxeBook September 2022

Nearest airport: Coimbatore International Airport is the nearest airport to Ooty. The distance from Coimbatore Airport to Ooty is around 87.2 kilometres. The nearest railhead is Mettupalyam, 40 kilometres from Ooty. Places to stay: Savoy - IHCL SeleQtions, Fortune Resort Sullivan Court - Member ITC Hotel Group, Ooty Hemis Festival, Leh When it comes to festivals of India, one often misses out on the festivities in Leh. Celebrated in the backdrop of the Himalayas every June, the Hemis festival is one of a kind opportunity to see the lifestyle and culture of the indigenous people of Ladakh. Marking the birth of Guru Padmasambhava, the Hemis Festival is one of the most important Buddhist celebrations in Leh and is held in one of the most-visited monasteries in Ladakh, Hemis Monastery. The festival is a two-day event and is celebrated on the 10th day of the Tse-Chu, in the Lunar month according to the Tibetan Calendar— around June- July. The highlights of the festival include the Cham Dance and other traditional dances that are performed on the beats of drums and cymbals and on the tunes of long pipes like Tibetan music instruments. On both days, giant thangkas (Buddhist paintings) are unfurled for the public. The festival truly celebrates the unique culture of this gem. Nearest airport: Leh Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport Places to stay: TUTC, Chamba Camp, Thiksey, Stok Palace, Leh Champakulam Boat Race, Kerala One of the oldest of boat races in Kerala, the Champakulam Boat Race and festival is one you cannot miss. Also known as Champakkulam Moolam Vallam Kali, it is held annually on river Pamba at Champakkulam in Alappuzha. The day sees the largest sporting event in the world that tests the skills, speed, and endurance of the participants. Held normally in June or July, and kick starts with massive boats splitting the waters apart as ancient boat songs are hummed. The races are held on River Padma on Moolam Day and span across various categories including Nehru Boat Race, Chundan (snake boat), churulan, iruttu kuthi, veppu, and many more. Nearest airport: Kochi International Airport (85 km), Railway station is Alappuzha (17 km) Places to stay: Sterling Lake Palace Alleppey, Marari Beach Resort Hornbill Festival, Nagaland Get immersed in the unique and colourful Naga tribal dances, food, music and folklore – all at one place. Celebrated by the tribes of Nagaland, it is held at Naga Heritage Village, Kisama, about 12 km from Kohima, usually in the first week of December. The festival sees unique cultural displays and is aimed at protecting the rich ethnic culture of Nagaland. It is a norm for all the tribes of Nagaland to take part in this festival. The Festival is named after the hornbill, the endemic bird of Nagaland, which is displayed in folklore Hornbill Festival, Nagaland in most of the state’s tribes. Festival highlights include Traditional Naga Morungs Exhibition and sale of Arts and Crafts, Food Stalls, Herbal Medicine Stalls, Flower shows and sales, Cultural Medley - songs and dances, Fashion shows, Beauty Contest, Traditional Archery, Naga wrestling, Indigenous Games, and Musical concerts. Nearest airport: Dimapur Airport Places to stay: Niathu Resort, Niraamaya Retreats Aradura Kohima Torgya Monastery Festival, Arunachal Pradesh Torgya is celebrated every January on the 28th to 30th of Dawachukchipa (11th of the moon calendar), which corresponds to January 10-12. The celebration goes on for three full days. A festival to welcome a new year, the Torgya festival is celebrated by the Monpa community of Arunachal Pradesh. The basic belief of the people is that the celebration will eliminate any kind of evil spirits from Earth and protect them from natural calamities. Celebrated in the courtyard of the Tawang Monastery, the celebration starts with the recitation of religious texts and Monastic dances. A ritual monastic dance called chham is the main attraction. The dances are performed by the monks from the monastery itself. This traditional dance is accompanied by huge drums and cymbals, gigantic horns and clarinets. The colourful costumes and robes worn while dancing brings it to life. Nearest airport: Guwahati Aiprort. The journey will take a total of 18-20hours. Travellers must first take the 4-6hour bus from Guwahati to Tezpur where an overnight stay is advised. Places to stay: Dondrub Homestay & Resort, Tawang, The Shangri-La Serene Madai Festival, Chhattisgarh Despite being a popular tribal festival in Chhattisgarh, Madai Festival is little known to people from other parts of the country. During the festival, folk dance and music, prayers performances, and the sacrifice of goats are rituals that take place. It is associated with the conclusion of the annual harvest and focuses on thanking local gods and goddesses for their protection and goodwill. The Madai festival is celebrated by the tribes of the Kanker, Dantewada and Bastar regions and is spread from December to March. In December, celebrations start in Bastar to honour the goddess Kesharpal Kesharpalin Devi. In January, the people of Kanker, Charama and Kurna celebrate the festival. In February the festival goes back to Bastar towards the end of February, and the festival goes to Antagarh, Narayanpur and Bhanupratappur. Finally, in March it goes to Kondagaon, Keshkal and Bhopalpattanam. You can also get a taste of the delicious food in the region while scouting through tribal handicrafts at the festival. Nearest airport: Swami Vivekanand Airport, Raipur, which is 127 km away from the city. Places to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Raipur , Mayfair Lake Resort If you are a traveller who is fuelled by curiosity and has an unapologetic love to discover new cultures, bookmark these festivals of India to plan your travels around the country. Torgya Monastery Festival, Arunachal Pradesh Madai Festival, Chhattisgarh 36| L U X E B O O K | S E P T E MB E R 2 0 2 2 S E P T E MB E R 2 0 2 2 | L U X E B O O K | 37