• Haridwar is the state of Uttarakhand has numerous tourist attractions, one of which is the Swami Vivekanand Park.

• The Swami Vivekanand Park, placed at a distance of about 3km from the Haridwar bus stand, is one of the most beautiful and serene parks in the region, situated on the banks of River Ganges near Hari Ka Pauri.
• This park triangular in shape is covered by lush fertile greenery and houses a huge statue of Swami Vivekananda, one of India’s most important spiritual reformers of the bygone era. His teachings and philosophy have left an indelible impression on the Indian masses, reviving the ancient Hindu culture and traditions.
• There is also a huge statue of Hindu God Shiva, the main deity of Haridwar, that is nearly 30 meters high, the cynosure of attraction in this park. The statue can be easily viewed from a good distance from the park.
• The sculpture depicts Lord Shiva in standing pose carrying a trident in his left hand and conferring blessings to his devotees with the right hand. A giant king cobra is seen atop the statue, while two smaller serpents are coiled over the arms.
• There’s no entry fee to visit the park. You can enjoy a few moments of tranquillity and stillness in the park with your loved one whilst also watching the Har Ki Pauri from the park.
• You can also view the incessant flow of River Ganga and the surrounding celestial mountains that stand majestically.
• The Swami Vivekanand Park is located just adjacent to the National Highway bypass road. Remember there’s no enough parking space for vehicles, so you need to make your own parking arrangement.
• The nearest railway station is Haridwar; the nearest airport is the Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun, separated by 38km from Haridwar.

Here’s a trivia for you: Do you know where India’s only Japanese temple is located? Not many knew that the quaint hill station of Darjeeling houses a Japanese Temple & Peace Pagoda.

• The Japanese Temple & Peace Pagoda is a 10-minute drive from the heart of the Darjeeling town.
• A two-storied construction that was built in 1972, this temple sports a traditional Japanese style architectural design.
• There is a peace pagoda just adjacent to this temple which displays the four avatars of the founder of Buddhism, the Lord Buddha.
• The town of Darjeeling helps unify people irrespective of faith, creed, and race to attain peace and solace. Nichidatsu Fujii, a Buddhist Monk from Japan, espoused the ideals of Buddhism and helped construct the temple here.
• Temple visitors while leaving will be provided a small sweet ball as ‘prasad’
• Though photography is allowed inside the temple premises, it is prohibited while the prayer is chanted inside the main prayer hall.
• There’s a peace pagoda separated by 100 yards away from the temple that exhibits the four different avatars of Lord Buddha.
• The tallest structure in Darjeeling, the Japanese temple is 28.5m high.
• You can find two concrete models of lions as you ascend upstairs. There are large wall sculptures in polished gold (color finish) depicting the various avatars of Lord Buddha.
• It took three years for Dr M Okha of Japan to construct the temple.
• Take a stroll around the pagoda to witness a fabulous artwork engraved on sandstone that depicts Buddha’s life and some of his relics.
• When the weather is bright and sunny, you can enjoy a spectacular view of the snow-capped peaks and tall mountain ranges.
• A popular destination in Darjeeling, the temple is open to public view from 4:30 AM to 7 PM; there is no entry fee.

If you looking for a cheap tour package to Darjeeling contact Emperor Traveline.

• The College Street is a landmark place in the history of Bengal. Located in the heart of Kolkata, it’s the nerve centre of the city’s literary crowd.
• Situated between Bowbazar and Mahatma Gandhi Road, the College Street is the world’s largest second hand or pre-owned book market and the country’s largest book market.

• The credit for establishing the ‘College Street’ goes to David Hare, who founded the Hindu College in 1817. His mission was to form an institution for providing liberal education and studies to the family of the members of the Hindu community. But it was only under Lord Wellesley, the then governor of Bengal, under whose auspices the street on which the Hindu college is situated was named the College Street.
• Also dubbed as the ‘Boi Para’ meaning ‘book mart’, it is the melting pot of intellectuals, students, academicians, book lovers and scholars of the city.
• It also houses some of Bengal’s most prestigious and acclaimed academic institutions such as the Calcutta Medical College, Sanskrit College, Presidency College, University Of Calcutta, Hindu School and Hare School.
• This place lends a distinct charm that’s very endearing. Most stalls sport a makeshift arrangement with wood, bamboo, canvas and tin sheet on either sides of the road.
• A haven for bookworms as well as bibliophiles, it is a unique book market place that draws both locals as well as tourists who come here just to enjoy the charm of the place.
• If you’re a book lover, you can’t go disappointed if you come here searching for a specific book. Now, what if you don’t get the book you were looking for? Shopkeepers here would ensure you get it at a later date.
• The College Street is the home to popular Indian publishers including Abhijan Publishers, Ananda Publishers and Dey’s publishing.
• It’s also the site of the famous Coffee House part of a chain of the Indian Coffee House restaurant that is run by a group of worker co-operative societies.

• The Fiordland National Park at Queenstown in Newzealand is an amazing natural environment featuring awesome fiords, stunning snow-capped peaks and waterfalls.

• The ancient rainforest is another highlight; they cling ceremoniously to the mountains; the waterfalls drop hundreds of meters down into huge fords; iridescent lakes and granite peaks aren’t different from what they were several centuries ago.
• The fourteen fiords that tassel this south west corner of New Zealand’s south island is widely believed to be 1,00,000 years old, tagging the final details along during the most recent ice age some 10,000 years ago.
• The Maori cite the evolution of the fords to a giant stonemason known as ‘Tute Rakiwhanoa’ who hued out the gorge with his adzes.
• Magnificent waterfalls surround every side of the fiords and fall incessantly as the abundant rainfall of this region makes its way into the sea.
• The great English author Rudyard Kipling described the Fiordland National Park as the ‘Eight wonder of the world’—and rightly so!
• Milford Sound is always fabulous—everyday scenic cruises and flights truly reflect the beauty of the region. You can avail of the eco-cruises in Manapouri or Te Anau to access harder to reach fiords
• Doubtful Sound, located at 421 metres, is the deepest of all fiords in the region. It’s the most happening place for nature freaks, abounding in fur seals, dolphins and penguins.
• Almost two-thirds of the Fiordland National Park is swathed by pod carp and virgin beech woods.
• There’s a 500km stretch of walking tracks that enable you to unravel the primordial world of alpine lakes, mountain peaks and moss-carpet covered valleys.
• Fiordland was recognized as a UN World Heritage site and named ‘Te Wahipounamu’ or the ‘place of greenstone’ after the abundance of mineral resources available in the area.
• There are three ‘Great Walks’ in the Fiordland National Park: the Milford Track, the Kepler Track and the Routeburn.
• Main activities include kayaking and diving for viewing the deep-water sea plants and organisms.