हंपी के कुछ हिस्सों में घूमते हुए कई बार लगता नहीं कि हम पांच सौ साल पुराने इतिहास के बीच हैं। सब कुछ इतना जीवंत लगता है। वहां जाकर महसूस होता है कि जीत का अहसास कितनी भव्यता प्रदान करता है और हार उस भव्यता को किस कदर मटियामेट कर देती है। हंपी में ये दोनों ही नजारे साथ-साथ देखने को मिलते हैं ............................................................... हेमकुटा पहाडि़यों पर बने इक्कीस शिव मंदिरों में से एक में मैंने बारिश से बचने के लिए अपने गाइड के साथ शरण ले रखी थी। पीछे विशाल चट्टानों से बहता पानी बहुत सुंदर लग रहा था। उसने छोटे-छोटे झरनों के आकार ले लिए थे। सामने विरुपाक्ष मंदिर के तीनों शिखर एक साथ दिखाई दे रहे थे। विरुपाक्ष मंदिर हंपी के उन गिने-चुने मंदिरों में से है जिनमें आज भी विधिवत पूजा होती है। विरुपाक्ष मंदिर के भीतर जितनी चहल-पहल थी, उसके उलट हेमकुटा पहाड़ी स...
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Wildlife lovers are jubilant as babies of estuarine crocodiles have emerged out of the eggshells in and around the crocodile research farm in Bhitarkanika national park in Odisha's Kendrapara district. Over 500 crocodile hatchlings have so far broken out of the eggshells to make their way into water-bodies and water-inlets of Bhitarkanika national park. The rare natural phenomenon which is still in progress was watched by few ground-level forest staff. Forest personnel maintained safe distance from the nests as human interference turns the reptiles violent and aggressive. Fifty six crocodile nests were sighted in the wild this year by enumerators. Emergence of fledgling crocodiles sans mothers was a visual treat. Female crocodiles lay 50 to 60 eggs and the hatchlings usually emerge ...
Read MoreWith unrelenting rains submerging parts of Alappuzha, organisers are fearing poor spectator response to the hugely popular Nehru Boat Race. The event is held every year on the second Saturday of August. Alappuzha has been hit by torrential rains, making life miserable. A good section of the working class is without work."Many parts of our town are submerged," said Tomy Pullikattil, one of the organisers of the famed race. He said ticket sales had not picked up like in earlier years. While tickets worth Rs.3.6 million got sold in the last edition, it is feared it will be difficult to touch that figure this time. It was in 1952 when then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru visited Kerala. A pageantry of boats accompanied him from Kottayam to Alappuzha. The race's origin was an impromptu race con
Read MoreWildlife lovers would soon be able to enjoy a safari ride in jeeps with animals like tiger, leopard, elephant and bison moving around in natural surroundings inside the Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary in West Bengal in India. The state forest department has prepared a detailed project report to allow safari in the southern section of the Mahananda forests located near Siliguri. Plan is yet to be cleared by Central Zoo Authority (CZA). Safaris will be in an area of 700 acres of the forest where wildlife is seen in its natural surroundings. Spread across more than 150 sq km of area in north Bengal,the Mahananda sanctuary is rich in flora and fauna. Wildlife species which can be found in the forests include the Royal Bengal Tiger, Himalayan black bear, leopard, sambar, spotted and barking...
Read Moreछोटा सा लेकिन प्राकृतिक दृष्टि से बेहद खूबसूरत राज्य सिक्किम हिमालय के ठीक पूर्वी छोर पर स्थित है। हिमालय से इसकी नजदीकी इतनी ज्यादा है कि इस पर दुनिया की तीसरी सबसे ऊंची चोटी कंचनजंघा (8598 मीटर) की छत्रछाया मानी जाती है। यही वजह है कि सिक्किम कंचनजंघा को देवता की तरह पूजता है। प्राकृतिक रूप से भरा-पूरा और राजनीतिक दृष्टि से शांत यह राज्य हाल के सालों में बड़ी तेजी से पर्यटकों के प्रमुख आकर्षण के रूप में उभरा है। सिक्किम के बारे में एक रोचक बात यह है कि यहां समुद्र तल से 224 मीटर से लेकर 8590 मीटर तक की ऊंचाई वाले स्थान है। बर्फीली चोटियां हैं तो घने जंगल भी। धान के लहलहाते खेत हैं और उछलती-कूदती नदियां भी। इसलिए यहां वनस्पति, फल-फूलों, वन्य प्राणियों आदि की जो जैव-विविधता देखने को मिलती है, वह बड़ी दुर्लभ है। राज्य चार जिलों में बंटा हुआ है और चारों के नाम चार दिशाओं पर रखे गए ...
Read MoreTalking about tourism in Kashmir, will generally take you to Srinagar, Gulmarg, Sonmarg and Pahalgam. No doubt that they are the gems of the valley, but there is still a lot besides these four top spots. Lot many places to see and admire and lot beyond the regular natural beauty spots. Naranag is one of them and it was an altogether different experience for me to visit an archaelogical site in such a scenic surroundings. But equally anguished was I to see such a place in total shambles. Nobody to protect or even take care of such an important site. It has been left to be ruined. I was astonished to see that there was not even a single sign board or a plaque which could give visitors any idea about the site, its history, importance or architecture. Go googling was the only option left. ...
Read MoreNature lovers who long for savouring the warmth of congenial wetland spots in Bhitarkanika in Odisha's Kendrapara district would now have to take care of their purse. Visiting the mangrove-infested sites with a shoe-string budget has now become a thing of past. As Bhitarkanika National Park reopened for visitors on Thursday, 1st August 2013, authorities have effected a steep hike in boarding and lodging for tourists. The rise is manifold and likely to pinch the middle class and lower middle class visitors. Forest officials said that "For factors beyond our control, the hike was made for better maintenance of government-owned bungalows in Bhitarkanika. The park remained out of bound for tourists and visitors from May 31 till yesterday in view of nesting season of estuarine crocodile."...
Read MoreAlmost for a century it remained to be India's longest sea link, until 2010 when Bandra-Worli sea link was opened. Pamban rail Bridge on Palk Strait in Tamilnadu state of India was opened for traffic in 1914. It has now entered into its hundredth year. This sea link is 2.3 kilometres long and it connects Indian mainland to the Pamban island. Pamban island houses one of the most important pilgrimage sites in India- Rameshwaram. Rameshwaram and Dhanushkodi are mythologically related to epic of Ramayana. The rail bridge also has a parallel road link but it was built quite later. Bridge located at the world's second highest corrosive environment after Miami and in highly cyclone prone area was a challenge to build and was certainly an engineering marvel Pamban rail bridge is for the mo...
Read MoreThe famed Nanda Devi Jaat Yatra, held after every 12 years in Uttarakhand hill state of north India, will not be postponed in wake of the recent rain tragedy in Kedarnath, Chamoli, Rudraprayg areas, which left scores dead and entire hill state shaken. Although, district authorities have suggested keeping it at a local level this time saying they are not in a position to handle big crowds. The Nanda Raj Jaat, known as the Kumbh of Uttarakhand, is slated to be held from August 29 to September 16, 2013. The 280 km and 19-day trek starts from Nauti village and reaches Homkund through Bedini Bugyal, Roopkund and the very difficult Gali pass. The yatra will be organised as per schedule though there was a proposal to postpone it. We spoke to the local people who want it to go on. It is a rel...
Read MoreKennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida has now opened the doors to the world’s most comprehensive and interactive attraction devoted to NASA’s 30-year Space Shuttle Program – Space Shuttle Atlantis. Of the three space-flown orbiters distributed by NASA to science centers and museums throughout the country, only Atlantis is the focal point of a $100 million, 90,000-square-foot attraction containing four multimedia and cinematic productions and more than 60 interactive experiences that invite guests to “be the astronaut” and to celebrate the people, passion and patriotism behind the shuttle program. Space Shuttle Atlantis is included in regular admission to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Only at Space Shuttle Atlantis can guests come literally nose-to-nose with an actua
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