Top 10 Places to Visit in India – Part 1

India – People across the globe talk about this land of “Unity in Diversity” for many things like travel, food, people, and economy etc. India is a home for more than a billion people, an absolute blend of numerous cultures. From heaps of sacred places, serene temples to spirited festivals, magnificent beaches, frosty & snow laid mountains, lantern-lit villages to superlative cities. Love it or hate it, this incredible country has got everything to leave an impression on you and make your trip a memorable one. No matter where you visit, every place in India has got something unique to offer to its travelers. Since we keep on hopping from place to place, we have put to together some of the best places to visit in India. So grab some popcorn and read on

1. Kashmir-  The Paradise on Earth

Beautiful Kashmir

After visiting Kashmir, people often struggle to describe it since adjectives like, beautiful and awesome don’t seem to do it any justice. For lack of a better superlative, Kashmir is generally described as Heaven or paradise on Earth.  Kashmir is at the peak of the map of India and is surrounded by the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range. The valley’s beauty is enhanced by the truly spell bounding lakes, fresh water streams, delicious apple orchards, mighty ice capped mountains and lush meadows. Adding some spectacular views, Lush green surroundings, fresh non polluted mountain air and scenic landscapes makes Kashmir one of the best places to visit in India.

Also if you are an adventure junkie, Kashmir has its share of adrenaline pumping activities like Water Rafting, Trekking, Winter Sports, Wetlands, Wildlife, etc.

All in all, Kashmir has something for everyone. So be it Adventure fanatics, spirituality or just holiday revelers, Kashmir is sure to satisfy everyone. So don’t wait and visit this amazing tourist destination or at least put it on your bucket list

2. Ladakh- The Moon land

Barren but Beautiful Ladakh - Pic by deeptrivia

A close second to Kashmir, there probably is no other place in the world quite like this travel destination. Set high up in the Himalaya’s at 3,000 m (9,800 ft), Ladakh is a plateau in the Indus Valley between the Karakoram mountain range in the north and the main Great Himalayas to the south. Its altitude ranges from 9000 to 25000 feet.

Ladakh is renowned for its remote mountain beauty and culture. It’s sometimes referred as “Moon land” & “Little Tibet” because of its natural barren beauty landscape and inhabitation by Tibetan people respectively. The main source of water is winter snowfall, this feeds the glaciers from which melt water, carried down by streams, irrigates the fields in summer. 

The beautiful road from Ladakh to Tso Mori - Pic by t3rmin4t0r

What makes this tourist destination even more special is that it takes considerable effort to reach it. Sure there is a 45 minute flight but that’s probably as exciting as a trip to your typical shopping mall. To really experience the true essence of Ladakh, we recommend a road trip by car, bike, jeep or bus. Sure the tough mountain roads do take a lot out of you, but nothing quite beats the experience of getting to Ladakh.

Once in Ladakh, make sure you visit the Leh Palace, Tso Mori Lake, and Nubra Valley as well the number of monasteries dotting Ladakh.  The sheer beauty of this place, combined with its amazing culture and the breathtaking journey to get there makes this number 2 on the best places to visit in India

3. Goa- God’s heaven on Earth

Another Sunset in Goa- Pic by Arun Katiyar

The common quote “Good things come in small packages” holds true for Goa since in terms of geographical area, Goa is the smallest state in India. However that doesn’t stop it from being the best places to visit in India attracting more than 2 million visitors annually.  With its pretty beaches, awesome seafood, vivid nightlife, picturesque churches and water sports, it’s not hard to figure out why.

And the fun does’nt stop just there. Goa has oodles of activities you can indulge in depending on your choice and taste. If you are a bit on the laidback side, then you can just idle away time on popular beaches like Anjuna Beach and Baga Beach or visit some of the awesome churches. If you are looking for your dose of adrenaline, you can indulge in water sports like paragliding, windsurfing, jet skiing and lots more.  If food and drink makes your day, try out some of the sumptuous seafood (our pick Goan fish curry!) and the famous Fenny (Goan Liquor) at your disposal.In the end, Goa is the kind of place that although is located in India, seems like a different country altogether. With a curious mix of national and international cultures, golden sands, never ending parties and having some of the most awesome beaches in India, Goa keeps on throwing up more and more reasons why it’s worth visiting time and again. This makes it number 3 in our list of the best places to visit in India

4. Kerala- God’s own Country

The Calming Kerala Backwaters - Pic by albany_tim

Not including tourist places in south India would not make this list complete. And they don’t come any better than Kerala. Kerala offers a very unique travel experience; it is famous for its natural beauty, amazing white sand beaches, delicious sea food, ayurvedic health resorts, enchanting art forms, magical festivals, cultural monuments and backwaters.

Backwaters which are a chain of lagoons are an integral part of Kerala’s Tourism Scenario and provide a really relaxing experience. Linked by a myriad of manmade and natural canals, they criss cross half of the length of Kerala. The ever popular houseboats navigate this labyrinth giving you amazing views and a sense of calm which rejuvenates your mind and body.  Must visit places along these backwaters include Kumarakom (bird sanctuary), Astamudi Lake (largest fresh water lake) and Kannur-Valiyaparambu (scenic beauty).

Kerala is one of the ten ‘Paradises found’ declared by the National Geographic Traveler, for its varied geography and devastating greenery. It is a land much applauded for the contemporary nature of its cultural ethos, and much appreciated for the soothing, revitalizing bliss that it is. It is a perfect destination for holidays, honeymoon, art, culture, tradition, health care, yoga, ayurveda and meditation.  Kerala is “God’s own country” indeed and is our number 4 for the best places to visit in India.

5. Rajasthan- The Land of Royals

Photo of the Jaipur Palace in Rajasthan - Pic by mckaysavage

The mere mention of Rajasthan conjures up images and visions of the Maharajas, Rajputana, Brave and fearless Rajput warriors, Breathtaking Palaces and Forts along with royal hospitality and splendor.  If there is one place that can transport you into a bygone era, it has to be Rajasthan.

Decked with monuments covered in history, Rajasthan is home to some of the most stunning places you can see. Be it Jaipur the capital, the famous lakes and palace of Udaipur, the barren but beautiful desserts of Bikaner, the blue hued Jaisalmer or the high hill station Mt Abu, Rajasthan’s bag of surprises are never-ending.  Combined with ASI’s amazing preservation work, most of the monuments, forts and palaces of Rajasthan still seem like time capsules where time has stood still.

In case the sheer enormity of places to visit in Rajasthan scares you, just hop on to the Palace on Wheels. Designed with a sharp eye for luxury, the Palace on wheels is a one of a kind train which has superlative interiors, lavish meals, classy wines, and personalized services. Its old world charm combined with modern amenities and excellent comfort are sure to leave you impressed and feeling like a royal Maharaja yourself.

Rajasthan is a place that will give a window to old world charm and a black and white era you must have heard of but never experienced.  It’s also a shopper’s delight with textiles in mirror work, embroidery & prints, semi-precious stones and handicrafts like wooden furniture, carpets and blue pottery. Music and culture aficionados will love the highly cultivated classical music and dance unique to Rajasthan.  With so many wonderful places to visit in Rajasthan, things to do and the lovely old world charm, this is tourist destination that reminds us that the old days weren’t all that bad after all. This makes it our number 5 for the best places to visit in India

Till now we have detailed some awesome places to visit in India which include Kashmir, Ladakh, Goa, Kerala and Rajasthan. Which will be the other 5? Stay tuned till next week for part 2.


Next Page : Top 10 Places to Visit in India – Part 2

Jeithu Kaattuvom

This is our first short film. we will try to give our best. First of all, we release our trailer and then we will release our film. WAIT AND SEE

Sorry Friends Mobile Video Coverage quality is poor sorry to all

Actor

Sathish

Manikandan

Camera

Sridhar

Music

Dinesh

Editing

Lalith Naveen

How Solar Panels Work

There are two main types of solar panels 1) solar electric panels and 2) solar water heating panels. We'll discuss water heating later. Right now, let's talk about solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, which provide electricity.

How PV Panels Work

PV systems convert sunlight directly into electricity. “Photo” refers to light and “voltaic” to electricity. A PV cell is made of a semiconductor material, usually crystalline silicon, which absorbs sunlight. You’ve seen PV cells at work in simple mechanisms like watches and calculators. You’ve probably even seen them for signs on the road. More complex PV systems produce solar electricity for houses and the utility grid. The utility grid is the power source available to your local electricity provider.   

        PV cells are typically combined into modules, or panels, containing about 40 cells. Roughly ten modules constitute a PV array, or grouping of panels.

             

Details on How PV Panels Work

Most PV panels contain a top protective layer, two specially treated layers of silicon with collecting circuitry attached to the top layer, and a polymer backing layer.

The top layer of silicon is treated to make it electrically negative; the back layer is treated it make it electrically positive. When sunlight knocks electrons loose from the silicon, electrons move up from the bottom layer of silicon and crowd the electrons in the top layer. The electrons freed from the top layer are collected by electrical contacts on the surface of the top layer and routed through an external circuit, thus providing power to the electrical system attached to the panels.

New technology, which we’ll get to in a later section, uses different, less expensive materials than silicon in PV panels to capture sunlight more affordably. 

Where are PV Panels Installed?

Most PV panels go on solar south-facing roofs parallel to the roof’s slope in the northern hemisphere, and on solar north-facing roofs in the southern hemisphere. Some arrays can be mounted on poles or on the ground, but such placement could be prohibited by local regulations or homeowners’ association rules. An important consideration is how many peak sun hours your system will get. Will your solar panels get year-round unshaded sun exposure from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. (the ideal)? Is your climate stormy, foggy, dusty? The power of your system will vary depending on your geographical location. People in the northeastern US, for example, will need more solar panels on their roofs to provide the same amount of solar electricity as someone in Arizona.

What Happens at Night and on Cloudy Days?

Because solar electric systems only produce power when the sun is shining, many consumers also connect their solar system to a utility power grid that provides additional electricity when the solar panels are not producing enough. That type of solar system is called a grid-tied system.

Off-Grid vs. Grid-Tied Systems

Costs also vary depending on whether your solar energy system is grid-tied or off-grid. The cost of installing a typical off-grid PV system in a home ranges from $15,000-$20,000 per kilowatt hour. The cost lowers when the solar system is installed as part of the initial house construction, because it is easier and more cost-efficient to incorporate energy-saving design, PV panels and other equipment during construction than to add them after the house is already built.

Off-grid systems require batteries to store electricity and a charge regulator to make sure the batteries are not under- or overcharged. However, with the cost of extending power lines from the utility grid averaging from $20,00-$80,000 per mile, a PV system can be a wise investment for electricity in remote areas.

here are several varieties of off-grid systems:

• Small stand-alone solar electricity systems are often used for RV power, lighting, cabins, back-up and portable power systems.
• A complete stand-alone solar system provides independence from both fossil fuels and electric utility companies.
• A typical complete stand-alone system uses two inverters to make sure power is available for large loads such as air conditioners, and one inverter can supply power when the other may not be working or needs servicing.
• Such systems require sizable battery storage capacity so electricity is available when adverse weather diminishes solar power.
• Batteries are an expensive component of stand-alone solar systems, initially costing between $80-$200 per kWh for residential use.

Hybrid systems combine PV panels with additional power sources such as fossil-fuel generators.

• A hybrid system uses fewer solar panels than a typical stand-alone system, because a gasoline, propane or diesel generator produces power when solar panels are not producing enough.
• Such systems can be used for cabins, remote homes and to power small medical facilities in third-world countries.

Here's brief comparision of the advantages and disadvantages of a grid tied system verse an off-grid system.

System	Advantages	Disadvatages
Off Grid	Freedom from electric bills Independence of the public utility grid Cost-effective for remote areas without power lines	Higher initial investment than grid-tied systems Expense and maintenance of more system components such as batteries and charge regulators Possibility of power outage in extended periods of adverse sun conditions
Grid Tied	Backup power if the solar system isn’t producing enough Net metering if the solar system is producing too much power Lower initial investment than for most off-grid systems	Some dependence on the utility grid May not be able to use solar system in the event of a grid power failure Some incentives require that contractors demonstrate proper licensing and capability in areas specific to grid-tied installation

                                                                             

                                                                                                                                       

#MWC | Hands-on: HTC Desire S | BestBoyZ

Sound Charge T-Shirt - T-shirt, battery charger

the latest invention in the world of mobile charging technology with an innovative gadget that powers mobile phones using sound.

The Sound Charge uses an existing technology in a revolutionary way; by reversing the use of a product called Piezoelectric film within a specially designed t-shirt, allowing people to charge their mobile phones whilst enjoying their favourite act at Glastonbury.