Silchar to Tirupati Flights

  About Silchar

Silchar is a small town in the state of Assam, located on the South-Eastern side from the state capital Guwahati. It has been coined as the 'Island of Peace' by the former Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi. The city is nestled amid wide expanses of lush greenery. Much of Silchar's cultural heritage is a testament to the British influence on the town. There have been various developments in terms of building the airport to cashing in on the tea plantations, that have taken in recent years. The quaint town is one of the developing cities in India with a busy airport. The Silchar airport was initially a Royal Air Force that was built during the Second World war by the Britishers. However, after the war was over and they lost command in India, the airport was passed on to the Royal Indian Air Force, which eventually opted to open a commercial airport.

The small town enjoys a good number of tourists because of the neutral yet pleasant climate it has to offer. The flights to Silchar are also well-connected, further enhancing tourism in the city. The accommodation is not lavish, but you can still book a hotel room in Silchar and enjoy the scenic views.

Best time to visit Silchar

Silchar's location is ideal for travelling at any time of the year. There is no restriction as such to visit Silchar only in specific seasons. However, the experience of Silchar's beauty can only be experienced depending on the time you visit the small town. The climate is quite neutral and perfect for many who wish to take up an impromptu flight to Silchar and relish the serenity of the place. Winters in Silchar can be quite cold with temperatures falling down to 10 degree Celsius. The season kicks off from October and stretches on till March. The trails turn misty, and the city looks beautiful under the winter sun. This is the perfect time to visit if you wish to indulge in some exploring of Silchar while engaging in adventure activities.

Summers in Silchar are also quite pleasant as the temperature ranges between 25 degree Celsius and 35 degree Celsius. Starting from April, the summers stay with Silchar till June. The season does witness many tourists for its pleasant ambience and environment, making it the peak season. With the enchanting weather and sublime air, exploring more of Silchar definitely becomes easier. The sun isn't too harsh and helps tourists check out some of the attractions without sweating it out.

Monsoons in Silchar begin from July and stretch up to September. Due to its location and the torrent rains that the town witnesses, travelling during monsoon is not advisable. The city sees frequent showers, which could turn somewhat risky as the possibility of floods in Silchar is quite high. Not to mention how the roads turn mucky too, making transit within the town difficult. The flight tickets to Silchar might drop during the off-season. If you think you can deal with the heavy rains, then you should give it a go and also get some great deals on flights to Silchar.

Places to visit in Silchar

Silchar's fame comes from the vast expanse of teas that it grows. They have a dedicated Tea Garden which showcases how the tea plants are maintained and everything pertaining to the processing of the leaves. With its a beautiful sight and informative tour, visiting the Tea Garden is a must when in Silchar. You should also check out Haflong, which is a small but quaint hilly town which is surrounded by scintillating water streams, green hills and exquisite waterfalls. Silchar is also famous for all the temples it has, including the Kancha Kanti Kali Temple, Bhuban Temple and ISKCON Temple.

Things to do in Silchar

There are very few things that can be done in Silchar. One of the top things to do would be to go on a pilgrimage and visit all the lovely temples that are present in the town. Or you can always opt to venture out of the town, a few kilometres away and find some new travel expeditions to indulge in. Khaspur seems like an excellent option to try this out. It has relics from the Dimasa kingdom and some tourist attractions. You can visit the place and check it out. If you're looking for peace and serenity, then you should visit the Dolu Lake and go on a photography excursion. The place offers some scenic views that would make for good postcards.

Food and Restaurants in Silchar

Silchar's food culture is not as flourishing as one would expect. Assamese cuisine is known to be eccentric from the rest of the cities in the country. With the Bengali-influence interspersed with their own flavours, the cuisine is certainly one of a kind and delicious. Some of the famous authentic dishes from the Assamese culture include Khar, an exquisite meat delicacy which also has flavours of raw papaya, taro and pulses. The dish is certainly odd but worth the try.

Assamese also indulge in cooking duck and are pretty good at it. Their duck meat curry is one of the best. However, the dish is only reserved for special occasions which include festivals, weddings and more. If you do come across something called an Oou Khatta, do not hesitate to try. The sweet and sour chutney is made from elephant apple and is a blast of flavours in the mouth. There is a handful but relevant vegetarian food options too. The famous one is Xaak Aru Bhaji, which is a mix of vegetables cooked together and garnished with herbs, garlic, ginger and lemon.

There are a few good restaurants in Silchar, but none of them exclusively sell the real Assamese cuisine. In fact, to cater to the tourist crowd, they often have dishes that are famous and easy to sell. Nevertheless, you should still check out their down-to-earth dishes. Nahaz, Sudakshina, Eclipse - The Restro Lounge, Hasty Tasty, Swarupa Restaurant are some names that you should remember when you go to Silchar.

How to reach Silchar (Transportation)

By Air

Silchar Airport was originally built by the British as Royal Air Force. However, after the freedom movement, when the British left the country, the authority changed to the Royal Indian Air Force. The airport has been used for commercial purposes since then. Located about 29 km away from the main city area of Silchar in Assam, the airport does enjoy a good number of flights and passengers. Flights to Silchar regularly fly as it is one of the busiest airports in the state. Located at 338 ft above the sea level, the airport offers quite a scenic view during take-off and landing. The airport enjoys great flight connectivity from Silchar to major cities such as Delhi, Kolkata and Guwahati. In fact, Air India, SpiceJet and IndiGo airlines have dedicated flights to Silchar, enabling the city to be of reach for major Indian cities.

The airport has only one terminal and handles flights taking domestic routes to Silchar. From Silchar airport to the main city, there are Volvo bus services made available to help travellers with their travel plans. There are taxi cabs also present at the airport that you can hire. These are the only two modes of transport to reach the city centre. However, once you're in the city, you can book a hotel in Silchar and start exploring.

By Rail

Silchar railway station is also called Bhasha Shahid Railway Station, which could be a mouthful to say. The location is precisely in the middle of the city, making transport within the city easy. The railway has excellent connection from Silchar to the rest of Indian cities. There are trains from Silchar connecting with Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Vizag, Coimbatore, Guwahati, Bhubaneswar, Agartala, Patna, Thiruvananthapuram and more. On a total, it is claimed that the city connects with approximately 170 cities in the country. Considering how the train connectivity from Silchar to other cities in India is so impeccable, the demand for it is also high.

Hence, you should book your tickets to Silchar in advance. It is necessary to get a confirmed ticket and for that to happen, you will have to book tickets in advance. Despite having only three platforms, the station has managed to maintain a good log of cities visiting and exiting Silchar.

By Road                                                                             

Flight tickets to Silchar could be exorbitant due to its high demand. However, in comparison, the road is believed to be the most convenient way to reach the city. The domestic road routes to Silchar are perfectly connected, leading many travellers to opt for this choice. Some travellers actually get down at Guwahati and opt for a bus journey. Since roadway is the most favourable way to reach Silchar, many visit the state capital and take buses from there.

The Assam State Transport Corporation (ATSC) provides public AC and non-AC buses to passengers heading to Silchar from Guwahati. In fact, major cities in the North-east offer to travel to Silchar via their dedicated buses.

  About Tirupati

Tirupati or Tirumala as a lot of people call it, is one of the most visited temples in India. It's also one of the richest shrines in the country. Tirupati is the place of worship for Lord Balaji or Sri Venkateshwara, an avatar of Lord Vishnu. Hundreds and thousands of devotees visit Tirupati daily to offer their prayers. It is a tradition among a lot of people to shave their heads and offer their hair at his feet to seek his blessings. It is believed that Lord Vishnu incarnated on earth as Balaji to save mankind from all the troubles in Kali Yug. People wait for hours in a queue to get a glimpse of God and offer their prayers. The temple is located on seven hills in Andhra Pradesh, which is yet another speciality about the temple. Though Tirupati is majorly known for its religious significance, there is a lot more than you can do here.

You can visit the Sri Venkateswara National Park after your darshan. The beautiful landscape and view of the valleys will take your breath away. The Sri Venkateswara National Park was built in 1989 and was declared a National Park in 1998. The national park is home to a lot of exotic animals like the Nilgai, Flying Lizard, Hyena and Golden Gecko. You have to pay a certain price for tickets to enter the park and spending some time here will definitely be a treat to the eyes and the mind. If you are in Tirupati with your family and kids, the little ones will definitely be delighted to spot the animals. In addition to this, the holy place also boasts of a Deer Park. You'll find different species of deer and might even get to feed them. You'll find solace from the crowd and spend some time with nature and nature's best here.

You can also immerse in the holy waters of Papavinasam Theertham. It is believed that taking a dip in this holy water will rid you of your sins. Just being here calms your mind and takes you to your happy place. You will also find a lot of waterfalls like the Talakona waterfall, Vaikuntha theertham and so on. There will be several places in the complex where you can sit and meditate. The early morning aarti is one of the most overwhelming and divine feelings. The chants and devotional mantras echo through the hills early in the morning. Swami Pushkarini lake is also a highly recommended place to visit in Tirupati.

Though you will have to adhere to certain decorum and rules when visiting the temple. A strict dress code to wear something traditional must be followed in the temple vicinity. You are also not allowed to consume alcohol or non-vegetarian food while you are in the temple premises. Not to mention, the queue can tend to get on your nerves, so avoid getting into any fights or heated arguments. You will not be allowed to bring any of your gadgets like the camera or phone. While a lot of people believe that shaving their head off and donating their hair is essential, it entirely depends on you and whether you want to do it. It will be fairly easier for you to find and book a hotel in Tirupati.

Best Time to Visit Tirupati

September to February is an ideal time to visit Tirupati. This is when the city experiences winter and the weather is quite pleasant during the day. It can get quite nippy in the night and early mornings can be quite chilly though. The summer will be pretty unpleasant to handle since the southern part of India does experience scorching heat during April and May. It rains in Tirupati from July to September, and while monsoon does make the weather quite pleasant, it won't be the best time to climb the hill even by a car or bus.

Places to Visit in Tirupati

Apart from the main temple of Tirumala Balaji, it is also mandatory to offer your prayers at Sri Padmavathi Ammavari temple. It is believed that your prayers will not be complete unless you pray to the Goddess, and according to scriptures, it is important that you pay respects to the Goddess first before heading to Tirumala. Sri Padmavathi Ammavari temple is not very close to Lord Balaji's temple. After offering your prayers at the Sri Venkateswara Temple, you can visit the Srivari Museum to know more about Tirupati's inception and how it became one of the most popular temples in the country.

Head over to Papavinasam Theertham to take a dip in the holy water. It is believed that it will wash away your sins, and it also calms your mind instantly. It's the sheer sanctity of the place that makes you embrace your spiritual side. Tirupati is also home to many exotic animals. The Sri Venkateswara National Park houses animals like Hyenas, Nilgai, Golden Gecko and more. You can visit the National Park with your family or alone. You must also visit the Deer Park that has deers of different species, and they're quite friendly, too. If you're lucky, you might get to feed the deers.

Take a tour of the Srivara Museum. You'll get to read more stories about the inception of the temple and the Gods and Goddesses. Since the temple is located on seven hills, each hill has been named after a God or devotee of mythological importance. There is Vrushabhadri, which is also called as the Hill of Nandi, the biggest devotee of Lord Shiva and also an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Anjanadri is the Hill of Hanuman, Neeladri is the Hill of Neela Devi, Garudachalam is the Hill of Garuda, Seshadri is the Hill of Sesha, Narayanadri is the Hill of Narayana and Venkatadri is the Hill of Venkateswara.

There are also a lot of sub-temples and shrines that you can visit along with the Sri Padmavathi Ammavari and Sri Venkateswara temples.

Things to do in Tirupati

Find a spot in the temple after your darshan and just sit in peace to meditate for a while before you make your itinerary. Do not forget to take the famous Tirupati laddoo that is served as the prasad. The temple also serves puliogare, a savoury rice, that is also served as the prasad. The temple city can get noisy, so get away from the hubbub of the crowded places and visit one of the famous waterfalls. You can quietly sit and admire the nature around you. The serene aura of the place and the breathtakingly beautiful scenario makes for the perfect place to take pictures, too.

The National Park and the Deer Park make for the perfect locations to put your wildlife photography skills to the test. While a lot of people rent a car or take a bus to get up to the hill, some even walk or climb all the way up. Though some do it because they love a nice trek, a lot of people do it out of pure devotion to the Gods. Don't just go to Tirupati to offer your prayers to God but also make the most of it by getting to know more about the place and visiting all of the other places mentioned here. Being close to nature is also one of the best places and moments to introspect or to just leave all your worries behind and live in the moment. You will surely be able to leave all your worries behind and be optimistic effortlessly once you visit Tirumala.

Food and Restaurants in Tirupati

While there will be no non-vegetarian food served within the temple premises or on the hilltop, you will find restaurants serving non-veg food a little away from Tirumala. Andhra Spice and Hyderabad House are some of the popular restaurants that serve non-vegetarian food. It goes without saying that it will be quite easy to find South Indian food in the area, and the food will not disappoint you one bit.

How to reach Tirupati (Transportation)

By Air

While there is no international connectivity of flights directly, the domestic flights frequently run to and from Tirupati Airport. You will get pretty good flight deals and cheap flight tickets, too, if you book at the right time. Don't forget to look for offers on flights online. You can also land at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad and take a bus or hire a cab from the airport to Tirumala.

By Rail

Tirupati Railway station is connected to domestic routes like Bangalore, Chennai, Vishakapatnam and Madurai. Renigunta station is also quite close to Tirupati and an easier way to get to Tirupati.

By Road

You will find multiple bus services that run from cities like Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai and every part of Andhra Pradesh to Tirupati. It is advisable to carry a few medicines or chocolates with you if you suffer from motion sickness because the way to go up the hill is going to be full of twists and turns.