But if you find a good airline package (see "It's a Big Deal" on Page 10), searching for the offbeat will still lend great value in Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Laos and even Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore, as well as closer to home in Nepal or Bhutan.

Views into rooms: (from above) A traditional Ladakhi house in Ulley; Sawantwadi, is one of the Culture Aangan homestays & one of the Tata Plantations bungalows at Chikmagalur; and Nandan Farms, .

www.tatacoffee.com/ plantation_trails/ overview.htm

Tariff: Rs3,080-4,312 (including breakfast and taxes).

Meals: Lunch and dinner Rs305-325 each.

Getting there: Around 253km by car from Bangalore (best bet, with a halfway stop at Mysore); you can also take the train to Mysore, then cab it.

Total cost (3N/4D): Around Rs20,000 for stay and meals, and fuel if you drive. Though there are extra charges for all activities.

Tip: Bring cash; phone lines may not work, and it can be impossible to charge a card.

CULTURE AANGAN
Sawantwadi, Sindhudurg, Maharashtra
These Sawantwadi homestays in Sindhudurg district are an hour-and-a-half drive from the Goa airport. Choose from three homesteads: Pitruchaya, Sreeyog Paryatan and Nandan Farms. It's a lovely taste of living close to the land, as well as of the famous Malvani coastal cuisine. Pinguli shadow puppetry and folk art, painted wooden toys and Ganjifa cards are the other attractions, besides the usual complement of forts, beaches, temples and waterfalls. Make it a long break (it's very affordable).

www.cultureaangan.com

Tariff: Rs2,000 per head (all meals and taxes included).

Getting there: Take the Mandovi Express or Konkan Kanya from Mumbai to Sawantwadi.

Or fly to Dabolim, then take a cab.

Transport costs: Train fare for around Rs1,650 (one-way, first class AC on the Konkan Kanya) per person, plus Rs1,000 for the cab, organized by Culture Aangan.

Total cost (6N/7D): Around Rs32,000, including tariffs in highest category, first class AC train fares for two (ex-Mumbai) and incidentals.

OLD HARBOUR HOTEL
Kochi, Kerala
City vacations can be both affordable and comfortable, if you select a modest room in a lovely property--such as this restored Dutch-styled heritage mansion.

On the other hand, if you take the train, you could afford a first class AC berth and the hotel suite. It's a great base to explore old Cochin.

www.oldharbourhotel.com
Tariff: Rs7,500-Rs14,600 (icluding breakfast and taxes).

Getting there: Fly to Kochi, or take a train.

Transport: Around Rs20,000 for Delhi-Kochi return fare for two.

Total cost (3N/4D): Rs42,500 (for the superior rooms), including tariff and breakfast (assuming you eat out in the city for your main meals), and airfare from Delhi. If you take the train or fly in from another city, say Bangalore, you should be able to afford a room upgrade within the same budget.

What you'll pay extra for: Lunch and dinner.

HIMALAYAN HOMESTAYS
Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir
The Unesco-sponsored Himalayan Homestays are a Snow Leopard Conservancy-India Trust initiative. This is community-driven eco-tourism: solar-heated water, dry-composting loos, candle-lit evenings--all with the warmth of a traditional Ladakhi home. Local guides can accompany you on a nature/wildlife tour. Households along the Hemis, Sham and Zanskar trekking routes have signed on.

www.himalayan-homestays.com

Tariff: Around Rs615 (all meals included).

Getting there: Fly to Leh, stop 48 hours to acclimatize, and trek/ drive from there.

Transport: Rs12,500 per person (Delhi-Leh return fare) if you plan early.

Total cost (5N/6D): Around Rs30,000 for stay, meals and air fare ex-Delhi.

You'll pay extra for: Trekking and cold-weather equipment, which you had best bring along (look under "When to Visit" on the website).

Tip: Bring all necessaries; and do not plan to stock up en route.

KHEM VILLAS
Ranthambhore, Rajasthan
This treasure (Best Hidden Gems--Asia, TripAdvisor 2008 Travelers' Choice awards) is run by Usha and Goverdhan Singh Rathore (son of wildlife activist Fateh Singh Rathore) with Pritam Singh (of ethnic boutique Anokhi), who ensure you are very well looked after. The location is beautiful, the accommodation so delightful you may never want to stir. Smaller wildlife and birds come almost to your door. Meals are a mix of traditional and global cuisines, all vegetarian, using organic produce grown on the property. Opt for the cottages, if only for the view and a bath under the stars, though the tents are attractive, too (it's lovely even in the monsoons, though the park is closed).

www.khemvillas.com

Tariff: Rs8,000-15,000 (including all meals and taxes).

Getting there: Take the August Kranti Rajdhani Express to Sawai Madhopur; request a (free) pick-up from the station.

Transport: Rs650 per person one way on two-tier AC from Delhi.

Total cost (3N/4D): Around Rs50,000 for a cottage, two-tier AC train fare and a tiger safari or two.

You'll pay extra for: Park entrance fees and safaris, alcoholic or aerated beverages.

 Not the backpacking crowd, but rather, the type that is willing to spend on a different travel experience.

While there are still plenty of Westerners seeking low-budget Eastern spirituality, India has recently started attracting a different class of visitors - men and women who won't be spending their nights bunking in a dingy room with a bunch of backpackers.

Americans, for example, who traditionally favour destinations in Europe, are increasingly venturing further.

New tourists have helped feed a boom in travel to India. The country is now almost as popular a destination for Americans as Spain.

Last year, about five million travellers visited India, nearly double from 2000, according to the Tourism Ministry. Visitors from the US accounted for 15.7 per cent of the total.

These include a large number of business travellers, wealthy retirees out to explore India from the comfortable confines of an air-conditioned luxury bus or train, and people of Indian origin eager to see their parents' - or grandparents' - homeland.

What has made India as attractive as Europe or South America for American travellers is a combination of a booming economy, an aggressive marketing campaign and what the Tourism Ministry describes as 'the diversity of our product'.

Most international airlines fly to New Delhi, making it a natural first destination for visitors to India.

The city is more than a sleepy administrative centre. Tourists can spend days gawking at the sprawling British colonial-era bungalows and exploring the crowded bylanes of Old Delhi, the capital of India's medieval Moghul rulers.

About 200km south of Delhi - close enough for a day trip - is Agra, home to the Taj Mahal, the white-marble monument to love.

It was built by the Moghul emperor Shah Jahan between 1632 and 1654 for his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The monument, a must-see for most tourists, hosts about three million visitors a year.

A bit farther afield is Rajasthan, a region in western India famous for its fabulous splash of colours, medieval forts, ancient temples and camel safaris.

There, visitors can spend a night in one of the myriad palaces that have been converted to hotels, getting waited on hand and foot, much like the maharajas of bygone days.

But The New-Delhi-Agra-Rajasthan circuit known as the 'Golden Triangle' is just one corner of the country.

What might make India daunting - a vast, complicated country of 1.1 billion people where dozens of languages are spoken across an area of almost 2.6 million sq km - is also its biggest draw.

There are the hippie haunts of Varanasi and Rishikesh on the banks of the Ganges, sacred to millions of devout Hindus; the all-night raves on the beaches of Goa, a slice of India once ruled by Portugal; the luxury resorts on the sparkling backwaters of Kerala; the spartan yoga retreats and the bare-bones experience of Ayurvedic holistic healing in the Himalayas.

(abode of snow) are considered the mystical dwelling of the gods from ancient times. Ancient texts, such as the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the Puranas, and the Vedas, all sing in unison of the glory and wonder of the Himalayas. A large number of mountain peaks and ranges in the Himalayas are named after Lord Shiva, the Lord of Mountains.

The pilgrimage to Kailash and Mansarovar is considered one of the most difficult treks in Asia. The distance is tremendous, the weather is harsh, the supplies are almost non-existent, not to speak of the lurking fear of bandits. In spite of these difficulties and hardships, a magnetic pull draws thousands of pilgrims and tourists to this place every year.

LOCATION
Kailash lies in the Nagri region of Western Tibet. A part of the region is inhabited by few nomadic tribes while the rest is a vast empty plain, devoid of any vegetation. Naked hills of rose, violet and flaming orange scatter off into the distance. The Mansarovar Lake is 15 miles wide and 55 miles in circumference. The turquoise water of the lake is said to possess miraculous healing properties.

BEST TIME TO VISIT
The best time for visiting Kailash Mansarovar is between the middle of May to the middle of October. The weather is generally stable and visibility is at its best during this time. Temperatures are cool during the day and below freezing at night.

HISTORY
Hindus regard Mt. Kailash as the mythical Mt. Meru, the divine center of the universe around which the whole creation revolves. It is described in the ancient texts as a fantastic "World Pillar", its roots in the lowest hell and its top touching the heavens. Sprawling below is the sacred Mansarovar, which is born of the mind of Brahma. A single circuit of Kailash is said to erase the sins of an age, while 108, a holy number, ensures Nirvana.

Buddhists regard Mt Kailash as the Kang Rinpoche, the precious snow mountain. For them, Kailash is a gigantic natural mandala; it is the epicenter of tantrik forces. Buddhists believe that Queen Maya, Buddha's mother, was carried here by the gods and washed before giving birth to Buddha. They undertake arduous journey from Ladakh, Bhutan, Nepal, Mongolia and every corner of Tibet to this place. The Jain religion considers Kailash as Mount Ashtapada. Rishabhdev, the founder of Jainism, attained spiritual liberation atop this summit. To the Bonpos, who are the followers of Tibet's old pre-Buddhist beliefs, it is the 'nine-story Swastika Mountain'-the mystic 'soul' of the entire region.

TOURISTS ATTRACTIONS
The parikrama around Mt. Kailash starts and finishes at Tarchen. From Tarchen, the pilgrim circuit enters the Lha Chhu (God's River) valley, a spectacular canyon below the mountain's western flanks. In the northern face, the trail climbs to the Dolma Pass (18,600 ft.), and then descends quickly into the Lham Chhu Khyer valley before returning to Tarchen. It is 52-km circuit around Mt. Kailash.

The Mansarovar parikrama covers Huore, Chugu and Zaidi, a distance of around 75 km.

PLACES AROUND KAILASH MANSAROVAR PARIKRAMA
Shortly after the Dolma Pass is a large lake called Gouri Kund. A dip in the holy waters of Gouri Kund is believed to vanquish all languor.

Rakshash Tal is just 10 km from Mansarovar. It is at a height of 14,900 ft and is 150 ft deep. The two lakes, Mansarovar and Rakshash Tal, are the highest freshwater bodies in the world connected by a channel called Ganga Chu.

HOW TO REACH
The route from New Delhi consists of both bus journey and high-altitude mountain trekking. The bus route covers the following track:

Delhi-Gajraula-Kathgodam-Nainital-Bhowali-Almora-Kausani-Bageshwar-Chowakari-Didihat-Dharchula via Jauljibi-Tawaghat.

The trekking route which takes the pilgrims through some beautiful terrains and passes, covers the following:

Tawaghat-Thanidar-Pangu-Sosa-Narayan Ashram-Sirkha-Rungling Top-Simkhola-Gala-Jipti-Malpa-Gudhi-Guji-Garbhyang-Kalapani-Avidhag-Lipu Lekh Pass-Pala-Taklakot.

The first halt is at Kasauni near Nainital, which is famous for its sunrise beauty, and the next at Dharchula.

• West Bengal

• Kolkata

Places Of Interest: Belur Math, Botanical Garden, Dakshineshwar Temple, Howarh Bridge, Jain Temple, Kali Temple, Marble Palace, Nakhoda Mosque, National Library, Rabindra Sarobar, Raj Bhavan, Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, Sahid Minar (Ochterlony Monument), St.Paul's Cathedral, Victoria Memorial, Zoological Gardens.

Museums an Art Galleries: Academy of Fine Arts, Birla Academy of Art & Culture, Birla Industrial, Technological Museum, Birla Planetarium, Gurusaday Museum, Nehru Children's Museum, Rabindra Bharati Museum, State Archaeological Gallery, Victoria Memorial Hall Museum.

Reach
By Air: Well Connected with the major cities.
By Rail: Howrah and Sealdah are the main railway stations in Calcutta. Calcutta is well Connected with the major cities.
By Road: Well Connected with the major cities.

• Sunderbans

Reach
By Air: Nearest airport is Calcutta- 131 kms which is connected with all major cities in India.
By Rail: From Calcutta there are suburban train to Canning and buses to Namkhana, Raidighi, Sonakhali and Najat from where Motor launch services are available for Sundarbans.
By Road: Namkhana- 105 kms, Sonakhali- 100 kms, Raidighi- 76 kms, Canning- 64 kms, Najat- 92 kms.

• Jaldapara Sanctuary

Reach
By Air: Bagdogra is the nearest airport-Shiliguri to Bagdogra - 13 kms.
By Rail: All the mail & express trains stop at Birpara/Hasimara railway stations both are 20 kms away from the sanctuary.
By Road: Jaldapara is connected with Darjeeling and Shiliguri. By Road: Darjeeling-Shiliguri-Jalpaiguri- ( via New Teesta Bridge)- Mainaguri- Dhupguri- Gairkata- Birpara- Madarihat- 224 kms.

• Vishnupur

Places Of Interest: Ras Mancha, Dalmadal Cannon, Jor Bangla Temple, Madan Mohan Temple, Malleswar Temple, Lalji Temple, Mrinmoyee Mandir, Shyam Rai Temple, Malla King's Fort, Jogesh Chandra Pura Kirti Bhavan Museum.

Reach
By Air: Nearest airport Calcutta is 201 kms away from Vishnupur.
By Rail: Vishnupur, the railway station is connected with Calcutta (Howrah).
By Road: Calcutta- 151 kms, Durgapur- 81 kms, Purulia- 145 kms, Bankura- 34 kms, Mukutmanipur.

• Darjeeling

Reach
By Air: Bagdogra Airport- 96 kms is directly connected to Calcutta, Delhi, Patna, Guwahati and other places of North-East India.
By Rail: Directly connected to Calcutta, Delhi, Guwahati, Madras, Bombay, Bangalore, Bhubaneshwar, Tirupati, Trivandrum, Cochin.
By Road: Calcutta- 651 kms, Gangtok- 100 kms, Kalimpong- 51 kms.

Click on "Full Story" For Read These Points

• Bakkhali

• Shantiniketan

• Sagardwip (Sagar Island)

• Raijang Bird Sanctuary

• Plassey

• Kurseeong

• Kalimpong

• Durgapur

• Digha

An Anthology can be like a clumsy herd of beasts. It can totter in circles, loping and swaying, covering much ground but getting nowhere. Reflected in Water, though, holds out the promise of a graceful progress, if not a purposeful journey. And perhaps Goa is best understood in this manner for it seems to belong, variously, to the Catholic convert, the Hindu majority settler, the IndoPortuguese descendant, the smitten tourist, the Indian government and the wistful expatriate. This anthology reflects the various perspectives, even the sense of ownership all these people have of Goa.

Essays, stories, poems, polemical tracts and even the occasional cartoon and lyrics of a song make up the selection of this book. At times full of whimsy, at times dead serious, this anthology covers a wide range. And that gives the book the freedom to spin out and loop back in: a discussion on Goan gastronomy by Antoine Lewis enlarges into a larger vision of intercontinental cultural exchange, a description of the fertile land by Richard Lannoy connects with the transfer of the caste system into the Christian community. That Hindu Goans should revere a saint that invited the Inquisition home, that the Konkani tiatr (theatre) should have made its debut on Easter Sunday in South Bombay, these are some of the small ironies that are a staple of the Goan experience. The informative pieces seem to revel in the nuances and celebrate the in congruities of the Goan experience. After nearly five centuries of colonial rule, Goa had seen irreversible changes. While the rest of India moved into independence, the `liberation' from Portugal resulted in mixed feelings for some.

While the essays draw the outlines of a changing Goa, the stories and poems fill them in with an intuitive appreciation of various social processes

As a classic exercise in hegemony, the colonisers intermarried with the natives of Goa, building a social structure that could not be toppled like the statutes of Albuquerque and Vasco da Gama.