Read this before you think of March as a month that beckons the coming of summers and staying indoors for most of the time. Fascinating events, colourful festivals and just a little less than perfect weather team up to make March a great month for travellers.
While there are a whole lot of events and festivals in March, including the Sikkim Flower Festival, International Yoga Festival at Rishikesh, Holi Celebrations at Shantiniketan and Jaipur’s Elephant Festival, here is the best of all the destinations for March.
Start packing; this is not a month to stay indoors!
Shantiniketan for Holi
Photo Courtesy – FaceMePLS
Bereft of any rowdiness that has come to be associated with the festival, Holi (March 17) at Shantiniketan is an experience that you must have. Celebrated to welcome spring season, it sees a whole lot of cultural activities, plays, music and folk performances. Hymns ride the wind at Shantiniketan, while colour games are more of decent nature than anywhere in India. Shantiniketan is just the place for March and for the lovers of Holi, or anyone who has grown wary of the festival. This is the time to get back to colours, in a way that was meant to be done.
Nearest rail link to Shantiniketan is at Bolpur.
Alternatively, you can also take a flight to DumDum Airport (Kolkata), which is 213 km from Shantiniketan.
International Yoga Festival at Rishikesh
Photo Courtesy – Ananda in the Himalayas
Imagine yourself in deep meditation, sitting in the Himlayas, with the mighty river Ganga flowing right by your side. This ultimate boho dream is all slated to come true in March. Shivaliks, the lowest range of the Himalayas, will turn hosts for the International Yoga Festival 2014 (March 01 – March 07) at Rishikesh. Spiritual discourses are also the order of the day, though you will have enough of sandy stretches by the Ganga to yourself. A week long event that starts March 1, it sees yoga masters and learners from all over the world. Once here, you will know what made the Beatles fall in love with this place.
Rishikesh is well connected with Delhi via NH 58 as well as the other route via Saharanpur.
The nearest airport is at Dehradun.
Jaipur for Elephant Festival
Photo Courtesy – Faraz Usmani
If you had one chance to go time travelling, it can be nowhere other than the Elephant Festival (March 17) at Jaipur. You’ll have elephants adorned in heavy jewels, wearing colours that make them look like coming straight out of the history lessons that recounted everything from the royalty of India to the Battle of Panipat. Games like Elephant Polo, races and even tug of war make for much of the fervour here. Celebrated in the spirit of Holi, Elephant Festival sees tourists and photographers coming in from India and all over the world. Elephants come strolling in with trinkets on their feet, happily obliging the crowds with loud trumpets! You are allowed gaping, for we know you would not be able to help it.
Jaipur is well connected to Delhi and all the other major cities via road.
You can also hop aboard a flight to Jaipur International Airport.
Now, while I’ll be off to find out what you shouldn’t miss in the month of April, book a holiday for yourself for this month.
Feel free to share your travel experiences here, or your feedback.
Till then, happy travelling.
About the Author
Shikha Gautam loves to play with steering wheels, roads, words, flute and guitar among other things. Not necessarily in that order! You can contact her on twitter @ShikhaGautam
