Srinagar, Nov.16 (ANI): As the autumn sets in the Kashmir Valley, tourists from different parts of the world have arrived here to enjoy the weather. 

Though the picturesque valley has always been a major fascination for domestic and international tourists throughout the year, being here during the autumn season, that begins with September and lasts till early December, is a distinct joy.

According to the Jammu and Kashmir tourism department, the season is alluring a good number of both domestic and overseas tourists.

"We are getting very good response this autumn season. A good number of tourists are coming here. This is a season of colours and one can get to see a hue of red, brown, golden. Chinar tree especially looks brilliant when it changes colour in this season. Kashmir's beauty enhances manifold during autumn, people should come to see it," said   Sarmad Hafiz, Joint Director Tourism.


Ahead of the chilly Kashmiri winters, the major attraction in autumn is the Chinar tree, added Hafiz.

The attractive Chinar trees dot the entire valley and during autumn, its dry red leaves give it a golden colour.

The leaves of Chinar change many colours before they fall. Its leaves which are deep green in summers turn slightly reddish autumn eludes and turns crimson red before it finally becomes brown and falls from the branch.

Autumn, the harbinger of winters in the valley is marked by a blaze on huge Chinar trees with brown five-lobed leaves falling to melodious cracking sounds.

"We are here on vacation. We have seen Gulmarg, Pahalgam and are now seeing Srinagar. The whole city looks golden in this season. Kashmir is heaven. My friends and family have been enjoying our stay here a lot," said Rekha Joshi, a non-resident Indian tourist.

"We wanted to see Kashmir in a different season than the usual snowy winters and all, hence, we came now and it is beautiful. We are having a lot of fun," added Neeta, another tourist.

Tourists in Kashmir enjoy the snowfall during winter, blossoming aroma of spring, radiant foliage in summer or the flaming beauty of autumn during the year. (ANI)
--MP

Labels: Tourism

New Delhi, Nov 16 (ANI): One of Delhi's oldest five-star hotels Hotel Ashok is all set to get a facelift at a total cost of146.35 crore rupees. India Tourism Development Corporation Limited (ITDC) has worked out a plan to undertake a major renovation work at the hotel Ashok.

 

Through this renovation work, ITDC will be able to maintain décor and upkeep of world class level and to provide modern state of the art facilities in the hotel, which will help them to compete with private players in the hospitality sector.

 

The proposed renovation plan is envisaged to be funded at 50 per cent (Rs. 73 crore) through equity to be provided by the Center and the balance (Rs. 73.35 crore) is to be raised by ITDC through term loans from banks, financial institutions and internal resources.

 

The Cabinet has approved to increase the ITDC's authorized capital from Rs. 75 crore to Rs. 150 crore. (ANI)-AJ

Labels: Tourism

Bhopal, Nov 11 (ANI): Thousands of people gathered on the outskirts Bhopal on Saturday to cherish a buffalo fight, which is organised a day after Diwali every year.

Over a dozen buffaloes decked up with painted horns and feathers fought at the local ground in Kaetha village as ecstatic villagers wildly cheered on.

"This is an age old tradition and we have really enjoyed it...Although this is wrong, but since it is an age old tradition therefore it cannot be broken." Rampal Singh, a spectator, said.

Continuing for several generations, the event is organised every year just a day after Diwali-the festival of lights. Buffalo that manages to send its rival out of the marked field is declared the winner.

Buffaloes taking part in the fight are served rich food, lots of butter, milk and sometimes alcohol to enrage them. They are also fed dry fruits and nuts before the fight.

"This is an age old tradition. The buffalos are fed with about 10 litres of milk a day to prepare them for the fight...We celebrate the day after Diwali with much fervour and gaiety," said Anil Yadav, a villager. (ANI)
- AY

Labels: Tourism

AA: By Rajiv Kimta

Manali, Nov.8 (ANI): With the onset of winter in Himachal Pradesh, a large number of tourists from different parts of the country are visiting the scenic foothills of Himalayas to learn Yoga and meditation.

Vashisht, three kilometres from Manali, is home to hundreds of foreign tourists who want to learn meditation being conducted at an ongoing seasonal Yoga camp in nature's lap.

Tourists hailing from Germany, Italy, Poland, Russia and other countries are attending the Yoga and meditation centres. Most of them believe that learning yoga exercises and practicing other techniques would enable them to develop a much healthier body and peace of mind.

The jam-packed classes demonstrate the enthusiasm of the tourists for the Yoga sessions.

"I think Yoga is very good for my body and my mind. May be more for my mind that my body, but usually both. I heard about this while I was sitting in a cafeteria. I went upto that student and she told me about this place," said Abbey from United States of America.

While many foreigners attend the short- term classes during their visiting to Himachal 0Pradesh, there are many who have adapted Yoga as a lifestyle.

"It's something very good. My body, feels more flexible, my mind is more quiet and calm." said Kashna, practitioner from Poland.

Yoga is an ancient science that prescribes synchronisation of psycho-physical faculties for good health and holistic lifestyle.

According to the senior Yoga teacher Swami Yogananda the foreign tourists are more interested in learning yoga exercises and a guided meditation, while domestic tourists are keen to avail Yoga-based therapies and Ayurvedic or herbal medicines.

"I follow the traditional way of Yoga and my motive is that the traditional way of Yoga should be practised and spread," said Swami Yogananda, senior Yoga teacher.

The visitors believe discipline is important to practice yoga in life. They feel very relaxed and comfortable after practicing yoga. They also believe yoga could help them to deal with stress in the present-day busy lifestyle.

Over the years, the centuries-old Indian practice of Yoga that literally means the union of body and mind has become hugely popular in the West and is even patronised by many Hollywood celebrities.

Yoga conferences are common in the Western countries. In the United States alone, the Indian health and spiritual trend now has more than 16 million followers. (ANI)

Labels: Himachal-Pradesh, Tourism

AA: By Sunil Sharma

Chandigarh, Nov.8 (ANI): Several art lovers from different parts of the country and abroad are participating in the five-day golden jubilee celebrations of the famous Rock Gardens.    

Admirers of Nek Chand, the architect of the Rock Garden of Chandigarh have arrived to participate in the 60th anniversary celebrations to salute this octogenarian's creativity. 

Nek Chand, who turns 83, next month, enjoys honorary citizenship in the U.S and in Paris for his creativity. 

"It is a very big event and that is why I am here .  We have about 14 international delegates coming. There are people who are interested Nek Chand's work all over the world. We think so much of it," said Jane Huskins, international volunteer, Nek Chand Foundation, UK.

The event includes a sculpture workshop that will be supervised by US-based artist-designer Nancey Saghetti, Nek Chand and others. The celebrations that started on Wednesday (Nov.7) will last till Sunday (Nov.11).

Spread over 25 acres with sculptures made from assorted waste material like broken electric accessories, discarded and broken tea sets, toilet seats and flush tanks, this Rock Garden took shape during late 1950s. But it was thrown open to the public in 1976.

Rock garden has earned kudos from professionals and academicians from across the world and the existence of the Nek Chand Foundation in the United Kingdom just bespeaks that. 

Though the years don't actually add up to 60, the Nek Chand Foundation decided to hold the diamond jubilee celebrations this year itself.

It is due to the initiative of this same forum and other fans of Nek Chand that the Chandigarh Administration planned the anniversary celebrations at the Rock Garden.

"Delegates have come from United States and UK. They have come to celebrate the diamond jubilee. There will be so many programmes, workshops and other things that will be performed," said Nek Chand, Founder Director of the Rock Garden in Chandigarh.

Conceptualised and set up by Nek Chand, a man who was neither a born sculptor-artist nor any engineer, the rock garden has stood the test of time. It may be recalled that this innovative garden was on the verge of being demolished twice.

In 1972, an anti-malaria squad deemed it to be a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Again in 1989, there was a proposal to demolish the third phase of the garden to facilitate a car park and a new road.

Nek Chand and his admirers in Chandigarh formed a human shield preventing the bull-dozers from razing this garden of creativity to the ground.

The garden is today a dream world of its own, showcasing creations like village scenes, waterfalls, tunnels, humans and animals --all from waste material.

Nek Chand's statues have been exhibited in museums across the world, including an environment at the Capitol Children's Museum in Washington, DC, and the American Folk Art Museum in New York City.

The John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Wisconsin, USA owns the largest collection of Nek Chand's work outside Chandigarh. The pieces are currently on exhibition there through January 2008 as part of the museum's focus on artist environment builders, or outsider artists.

In 2007, an exhibition of Nek Chand's work also took place at the RIBA gallery in Liverpool, UK from April 16 to May 11. The exhibition displayed survey drawings of the garden's architecture and landscaping, and plans to be a travelling exhibition.

Volunteers from Britain visit the garden twice a year to manually carry out restoration work on Nek Chand's creations, particularly those vandalised by graffiti and physically damaged in some cases. (ANI)

Labels: Tourism

AA: Washington, Nov.6 (ANI): A study of 157 wildlife reserves throughout the Indian subcontinent, comprising India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal, has found that 21 of these protected areas meet the criteria needed for promoting large healthy tiger populations.

The 21 areas are concentrated in a few regions in Central India, and the Indian borders with Nepal and Bhutan. Eighteen of the protected areas currently contain tiger populations.

The remaining 129 protected areas do not have the potential to sustain high numbers of tigers. Nonetheless, these reserves could be capable of containing tigers over the long term if the landscape surrounding the reserves are better managed to reduce negative impacts.

The research that appears in the most recent edition of the journal Biological Conservation, said these protected areas have the potential to support between 58 percent and 95 percent of the subcontinent's potential tiger capacity, estimated to be between 3,500 to 6,500 tigers.

"We were happy to find that the most important reserves identified in the study already have made tiger conservation a priority," lead author Dr. Jai Ranganathan of the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, was quoted, as saying.

The tiger is endangered in all of its natural habitats, a range stretching from India down into Southeast Asia as far as the island of Sumatra, and in the Russian Far East, and is listed as endangered according to both international and U.S. law.

In the absence of reliable data to produce a reliable estimate, tiger conservationists say the big cats may currently number between 1,500 to 4,000 animals in the four countries combined.

The study is a part of continuing efforts to conserve the tigers and their wild lands wherever they survive.

On a broader scale, WCS is currently working with the Panthera Foundation on an ambitious new program that calls for a 50 percent increase in tiger numbers in key areas over the next decade.

This new initiative, called "Tigers Forever," blends a business model with hard science, and has already attracted the attention of venture capitalists who have pledged an initial 10 million dollars to go to specific projects to support the initiative.

Unlike earlier efforts to set tiger conservation targets that were mostly based on land cover maps, this study for the first time incorporated field data on tiger densities derived from the pioneering camera trapping work of WCS researcher Dr. Ullas Karanth and colleagues.

The study also assessed the impact of the landscape matrix surrounding the reserves using tiger population models based on measured and expected tiger densities.

Though no truly accurate global numbers exist, conservationists guess that 5,000 tigers remain in the wild. About 150 years ago, 100,000 tigers may have roamed throughout much of Asia. (ANI)

Labels: Tourism

MP: Dharamshala, Oct.30 (ANI): Dharamshala town, famous world over as the abode of the Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama, hosts a large number of students from across the country, during winters. 

An estimated 5,000 students visit Dharamshala during November and December, which is otherwise an off-season for tourists. The arrival of several groups of students from various schools or colleges cheers locals.

These student groups are curious to learn about Tibetan culture and the temple and other Buddhist establishments. Besides, the local climate and the spiritual ambience of the robed monks attract one and all. 

"We specially visited this monastery here. I find this shrine very interesting," said Meenakshi, a college student from Punjab.

According to travel tour operators and locals, the student groups prefer visiting the abode of the Dalai Lama.

"Now there is (an) addition to the tourism sector through educational tours and obviously most of them have some vital interest in the field of Buddhism and they want to see the developments projected by His Holiness Dalai Lama and his people -- the Buddhists and the Tibetans in the area. It has really left an impact on the minds of the people," says Prem Sagar, President of Mcleodganj Travel and Tourism Association.

These students enjoy shopping while visiting the Tibetan markets, which sell a variety of things ranging from street jewellery to Buddhist religious books.

Also known as Mini Lhasa, Dharamsala, with its large number of monasteries and a centre of Buddhist learning, attracts over 600,000 foreign tourists every year.

Himachal Pradesh has become the preferred destination for tourists due to turbulence in Jammu and Kashmir.

Located in the Dhauladhar Himalayan ranges, Dharamsala, the home of Tibetan spiritual head the Dalai Lama, is famous for its scenic beauty.

Tourists from far-flung eastern States, which have moderate climate throughout, are seen in large numbers in the valley. Tourism is the mainstay of State's economy. (ANI)

Labels: Tourism

MP: Aizwal, Oct 26 (ANI): The first ever Bamboo festival was held here recently to showcase the states bamboo products and to promote tourism in the state.

The three-day festival was organised by the tourism department with the theme "promote tourism".

In the festival, where the stalls were put up under the banner "bamboo, the ultimate source of prosperity" provided a magnificent platform for traders to display their bamboo and other indigenous products.

C.Ramhluna, PCCF, Mizoram and Chairman of State Bamboo Steering Committee said, "Bamboo has been utilised for building, construction and also for the purpose of irrigation facility. I think Bamboo contributes a lot in our daily life."

Apart from the stalls of indigenous product, there was an exhibition-cum-sale of different handloom and handicraft products, along with displaying various major fruits and flowers of the state.

"We just want to show our varieties of products of Bamboo. We are also using it for flower stands. We also have different kinds of Bamboo," said Margaretv Vanlalijani, a horticulture development officer and a participant. 

A fashion show displaying both the traditional Mizo handloom dresses as well as the modern designers outfits, was the centre of attraction.

Mizoram is a state with the total area of 21,087 sqkm, out of which bamboo   orchards occupying an area of 7882 sqkm. (ANI)

Labels: Mizoram, Tourism

A red alert has been sounded after forest officials got information from their sources that some gangs from the Rajasthan and Haryana have become active in the adjoining national park areas.

These poachers are in search of the right moment to hunt down the tigers.

"On the occasion of festivals like Diwali, Dusshera and Holi, fractious elements will do anything (kill tigers for pleasure) and indulge in revelry. So we are maintaining a vigil in our area, regularly patrolling public places, to find from sources the areas from where these miscreants are infiltrating. ", said Daljeet Singh, beat officer.

The forest officials are leaving no stone unturned and they have increased vigilance. They are checking every vehicle that passes through the forest area and patrolling is going on round the clock.

"On the directive from higher authorities, a red alert has been sounded in the Rajaji park area and patrolling is going on in every range," said M.S.Negi, range officer, Chila range.

The two national park areas have been very sensitive and in the recent decades many tigers have been killed.

Wildlife experts say an estimated 1,500 tigers have been poached in India in the past decade. In the last year alone, there have been around 100 cases of tiger poaching.

A century ago, there were some 40,000 tigers in India. Now, officials estimate there are about 3,700 tigers left although some environment groups put the number at less than 2,000.

There was uproar in India after reports in March 2005 that the entire tiger population in the Sariska forest sanctuary had been wiped out by poachers, with fears that the situation might be mirrored in other reserves across the country.

Trade in tiger skin and products are illegal but poachers still operate with impunity because a single animal can fetch up to dollar 50,000 in the international market.

Organs, teeth, bones and penises fetch high prices in China and south East Asian nations, where they are used in ancient medicines. (ANI)

Labels: Tourism

Kullu, Oct.22 (ANI): As the Dussehra festival was celebrated across the country on Sunday with the burning of the effigies of demon King Ravana, his brother Kumbhakarna and his son Meghnath, people in Himachal have begun celebrating the week-long Kullu Dussehra.

Tens of thousands of people congregate in Kullu to participate in the event.Kullu's royal Pal family, dressed in their finest, perform the rituals associated with the festival that is marked by traditional dances and massive processions.

Kullu Dussehra dates back to the 17th century when the local King Jaganand installed an idol of Raghunath (Lord Rama) on his throne as an act of penance, after which the Lord Raghunatha came to be known as the ruling deity of the valley.

"Ravana was vanquished on a full moon night. There used to be a time when Dussehra would finish on the full moon night. During British times, it was agreed to have a seven-day event," said Maheshwar Singh, a descendent of Kullu's erstwhile royal family.

Over 250 to 300 deities are said to descend from their temples to pay obeisance to Lord Raghunatha, the presiding deity of the Kullu Dussehra. Idols of these deities are brought from different parts of Kullu and adjoining Mandi District and are kept at a camp at Dhalpur area. And, the people who carry the deities here also camp along with them.

These people are then formally invited to come for the Dussehra festivities by the State Government, which pays them an incentive which range from Rs.10, 000 to Rs.70, 000.The grand festival also draws a lot of tourists."It's very different. We have rituals too but you know they are… and we have big rituals. But I think all the people here are more (involved) with the rituals than in our country.

There is more distance between ritual and feelings there," said Beatrix, an Austrian tourist.In 1972, the Kullu Dussehra was declared an "international festival". Since then it has assumed a multi-lingual dimension and cultural troupes from abroad and various parts of the country also perform during the festival. The festival, which symbolises the triumph of good over evil, is marked by prayers, processions and musical programmes based on the Ramayana.

The week-long Kullu Dussehra festival concludes with the sacrifice of a buffalo, a rooster, a lamb, a fish and a crab. Simultaneously, a huge pile of grass is set on fire symbolising the burning of Lanka, the kingdom of Ravana. (ANI)

Labels: Tourism

Kanota (Jaipur), Oct.22 (ANI): Rajasthan's popular "Donkey Fair",
which is known to attract villagers and tourists every year, is no
longer a major attraction. The number of donkeys normally sold during
the fair has dropped to a hundred from thousands that were sold
previously, and old-timers blame the use of modern implements for
this. The fair that at Kanota, which is about 25 kilometres from
Jaipur, is believed to be Asia's biggest. "We used to come here with
our old animals, sell them and buy new ones, But this time, there are
very few animals, I guess, I will have to go back with my old animal
and continue with it only," said Shankar Lal, a donkey owner.

The sharp decline has left locals sceptical about the fair's future.
The fair used to fascinate villagers and customers from Agra, Marwah,
Jaisalmer, Ladakh and Kashmir. But now, it has been reduced to a
village event due to the lack of buyers.Babulal, who earlier had a
donkey sold it at the fair, and today takes pride in the fact that he
owns a horse. "Who uses donkeys these days? I use a horse. Nobody
prefers donkeys. People feel embarrassed," claims Babulal.

Locals also lament the apathy shown by the State tourism
department.Earlier, donkey was regarded as the most suitable beast of
burden in rural India. But with the advent of better roads and cheap
transport, the donkeys have been virtually driven off the roads. Some
donkey traders rue the use of tractors and motor vehicles.

The decrease in the demand for donkeys in the brick-manufacturing
units in the past few years has also affected the sale of donkeys at
the fair. Though provisions to attract crowds are made in different
ways, the craze for the fair is going. The fair also offers prizes to
people who bring the largest number of donkeys or the best breed
variety. This apart, donkeys and horses are made to participate in a
race. The owner of the winning donkeys or horses is given a cash
reward of between rupees 500 to Rs. 10,000. Normally, there are two
types of donkey breeds brought to this fair ---Kathiyawadi and
Marwari, of which the Marwari breed is priced higher. As the demand
for the donkeys is less now, a large number of horses are also being
brought here for sale.

Horses are sought by the Army and the paramilitary forces. They are
also in demand in farm houses. The Donkey Fair is held also as a
celebration in respect of the Goddess Khalkani. According to the
folklore, Chanda Meena, a brave landlord, had rescued a princess in
distress. She, in turn, accepted him as her brother. The princess had
a notorious son named Malay Singh. Chanda Meena wanted to teach him.
He once asked Malay Singh to take a donkey laden with a bagful of gold
coins for the ruler of Delhi. As he reached the temple of Goddess
Khalkani, his greed got the better of him. When he opened the bag, he
found stones instead of coins.

A disturbed and nervous Malay Singh, thinking he would be held
responsible for the disappearance of the coins, worshipped the goddess
at the temple. The stones turned into gold coins. Since then, the
donkey fair is organised to commemorate this miracle. (ANI)

Labels: Tourism

Get My-India News delivered by email. Enter your email address below: We will not use your email for any other purpose other than delivering the movie updates. Read Our Privacy policy.