Must Visit Holiday Spots in October

An exuberant time in India, October is the best time to visit most of the sought after destinations. Though it is the season of rains, travelling in India is not necessarily to be avoided. With monsoon rains easing and festivals being celebrated in full swing, October in India is all about lights, music, cool weather, vibrant colours and drizzles. We give you details about places that please your eyes as well as soul to visit in India during the month of October.

Kolkata: The festivals and folk-art are irresistible and brilliantly colorful in Kolkata. India's cultural cauldron of West Bengal combines the arts, the city, the countryside, mountains, and nature. The most happening festival of the Bengalis can be sensed with its spurt of fanfare on all the four days of Durga Puja that is usually celebrated during the last week of September to the first week of October.

Jaipur:



Call it the land of kings or the land of colors, Rajasthan's heritage, culture, safaris, sand dunes, lush forests and wildlife-makes it a destination nonpareil. Visit Rajasthan during October and you will get to be a part of the eclectic Rajasthan International Folk festival, which is first of its kind in India showcasing the regional roots music and the arts. An exhilarating fusion of interactive educational events, stage performances, and night long jam sessions has performers including singers, dancers, instrumentalists and storytellers from various Rajasthani folk communities. The festival has a dazzling location in and around the imposing Mehrangarh Fort.

Mysore:



Mysore is an easy place to be in - there's enough to do here, whether you're looking for a cultural weekend, a spiritual retreat or a treat for the kids. Mysore has become tantamount with the Dasara (or Dussehra) festival- the most extravagant festival of the city. Celebrated with pomp and grandeur since centuries, the tradition is still carried on though the scale of celebration has watered down. Celebrated during September or October, the feast is a must see feast for the eyes.

Srinagar:



The undoubted "Heaven on Earth", you have to visit the valley of Jammu and Kashmir to see how intricate history merges with unrivaled beauty of nature to make it the heaven on earth. The valley's season is in its best behavior during the months of March to October where the seasons are not too brutal. For those wanting to enjoy the initial chills of winter that usually sets in during November or December, it is advised to head to the valley during October.

Kullu Manali:



Kullu - Manali, the Gateway Himalaya in the state of Himachal Pradesh maintains its charm and tranquility that together offers a blend of beauty and adventure. North-India's most popular destination is also one of the most sought-after destinations during October for its pleasant climate as well as bustling-with-energy Dussehra mela. The origin of Dussehra in Kullu lay in regal vogue and it fostered on religious, social and economic factors and ultimately came to be entrenched, because of the inborn love of the hill-men for fun, frolic, exhibited in community singing and dancing.