October - November - 2003

LATEST UPDATES ON INDIAN TOURISM, HOTELS, AIRLINES, DESTINATIONS, ETC

 

AIRLINES UPDATE

AIR-INDIA CELBERATES 71ST BIRTHDAY WITH “SPECIAL” CHILDREN: Air India on it 71st Birthday brought cheer to 340 physically and mentally challenged children along with some adults suffering from terminal diseases. They were chosen as special guests to fly with the Maharaja to commemorate the 71st anniversary of J R D Tata’s historic flight from Karachi to Bombay via Ahmedabad on October 15, 1932. The 75-minute cross country flight over Bombay, Pune, Matheran and Kolhapur kept the passengers busy with a drawing competition on board and live entertainment provided by Bollywood stars.

Air-India to increase flights to Singapore: From 26 October, AI has increased its frequency of flights from six flights to eight flights per week, two flights out of them will be intended to Jakarto from day flights to night flights per week, frequency has been ncreased to Kuala Lumpur. Now flights from Chennai to Saudi Arabia are introduced, that will fly twice a week. Frequency of flights has been increased to US from Mumbai-15 to 20 flights; to Chicago from Mumbai- 3 to 6 flights a week.

 

AIR-INDIA GETS NOD FOR HUGE EXPANSION PLAN: It has decided to acquire 28 aircraft at a cost of Rs 10000 crore as part of its expansion plan. It would include 10 long-range and 18 short-range ones. Airbus A-340 260-seater has been chosen for the medium capacity long-range slot. Boeing’s 15—seater B737-800 has been chosen for the small capacity short-range role. Eighty-five per cent of money will come form export credit agencies and rest from commercial loans.

 

JAL INCREASES FREQUENCY TO INDIA: Japan Airlines (JAL) is another East Asian Carrier increasing frequencies to India as tourist traffic increases. JAL recently added one more service to Delhi. It is planning a daily flight between Japan and India. Today JAL flies 3 times a week (Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday) out of India.

 

TURKISH AIRLINES RECOMMENCES INDIA SERVICE: Turkish Airlines has restarted its services to India after a gap of several years. It was flagged off by the Indian Prime Minister during his official visit to Turkey. In India, they are being represented by Inter Globe Air Transport. Turkish Airlines has a fleet of 65 aircrafts and flies to 76 international and 27 domestic destinations.

Gulf Air to begin Bangalore flights: Gulf Air of Bahrain, Oman and United Arab Emirates plans to operate on Airbus A-320 for Bangalore flight. From Bangalore to Bahrain on Tuesdays
and Fridays of each month starting from October end. The flight is being launched within six months of airline starting 4-times a week service into Kochi in July 2003.

DIRECT INTERNATIONAL CHARTER FLIGHTS BETWEEN UK & AMRITSAR: London-Amritsar chartered flights between London and Amritsar a chartered service has begun which was
launched on 16 Oct with inaugural flight. They provide Punjabi cuisine and Punjabi speaking crew. From November 2, the weekly Sunday flight started.

 

Air Sahara starts its flight to SRI LANKA on 10 Nov: Following a major policy decision during talks between Prime Minsiter of Sri Lanka, Mr. Ranil Wickremasinghe and Indian Prime Minister Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee private airlines in India have been allowed to fly to Sri Lanka. sCurrently only Indian Airlines and Srilankan Airlines are flying between the two countries. India has also announced an open skies policy for a limited period during the winter season. Air Sahara started its inaugural flight to Colombo on 10^th Nov.

 

With an 168 seater Boeing 737-800, the airline would be flying daily flights from Delhi – Bangalore – Colombo – Delhi & Mumbai – Colombo – Delhi. In addition, the airline will also start bi-weekly flights of relatively smaller capacity from three Buddhist touch points (Sarnath-Varanasi, Bodhgaya – Patna & Kushinagar – Gorakhpur).

 

PHUKET AIR CHARTERS TO GAYA: Phuket Air is to operate a total of 20 Charters (every Monday) Bangkok-Gaya-Bangkok using 737-200 aircraft. If this is successful then Phuket Air plans scheduled flights on this sector from September 2004. This is a welcome move by an airline from the ASEAN and will certainly add to the Buddhist traffic from this region. It is reliably learnt that a private airline from Indonesia is also planning Charters on this sector in the not too distant future.

 

One-minute check in by BA: The airlines have decided to roll out 190 new self-service check-in kiosks. They are of the size automatic teller machine at the main airports. This is to strengthen the speed of check-in by using touch-screen technology to allow passengers with any class of ticket to view an aircraft's floor plan. They can select their seat and may even get an upgrade if required. This procedure will take less than a minute time.

 

Austrian Air to fly daily: The airlines have announced the conversion of its Delhi-Vienna flight into a daily operation. It has also planned to begin services to Mumbai as well. The airline has increased its flights from 5 to 7 a week from October 26 that will follow over 80% passenger load factor. Initially they will operate three flights to Mumbai and than ramp it gradually. Airbus A330-200 with 24 business class seats and 235 economy seats will be used for Delhi-Vienna route. The airline finds India as a promising market.

 

CHINA AIRLINES AIMING TO INCREASE FREQUENCIES TO INDIA: The airline from Taiwan is not only aiming at expanding operations in India by increasing its flight frequencies from present three to five in a week, but is also expanding its fleet size by introducing a new aircraft, A340-300 . Already launched on October 27, it would resume the services on a regular basis from November 17.

 

Open skies for Asean - closing horizons for IA/AI: Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee at Bali, Indonesia made an announcement declaring 'open skies policy' for 10 member of association of South East Asian nations. Airlines of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam will be allowed to operate daily flights to Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai. ASEAN airlines can also operate flights to bring tourists to 18 other destinations, which will give boost to local ceremony.  TOP

 

HOTELS NEWS

 

WelcomeHeritage turns to old homes: The Welcome Heritage is introducing new segment in-old homes. The hotel chain is looking for old commercially viable homes in Goa, tea estates in Nilgiris and northeast. They have entered southern India by signing up properties of Maharaja of Mysore-Rajendra Vilas Palace; Fern hill Palace and Regency Villas. The franchise agreement was signed Mr. Wadiyar and Mr. Gaj Singh. Rajendra Vilas Palace has 25 suites while Fernhill Palace has 70 suites. There is an investment of Rs.3 crore for renovation and restorations in the propreties.the group plans to introduce Chittor, Orchha, Chhattisgarh and Pondicherry under its belt of 30 properties.

 

OBEROI LAUNCHES CRUISE ON THE BACKWAETRS: The 4 nights and 5 day Vrinda experience combines 2 nights in Cochin and a splendid 2 night cruise aboard the M.V. Vrinda. Discover the rich heritage of Kerala and the backwaters. To the traveller, Cochin offers a chance to partake in a rich history, replete with influences as varied as Portuguese, Dutch, British, Arabic and Jewish. Discover, as well, the many-hued and wonderful world of the Kerala backwaters.

 

Snake-boats are used to race the backwaters in a tradition going back centuries. Experience cuisine that will leave you with memories for years to come. Kerala was once the centre of the spice trade that sparked off the voyages of discovery from Europe. Discover this world, rightly called – “God’s Own Country”. For more information, please contact us or visit www.oberoihotels.com.  TOP

 

FESTIVALS / MARTS & EVENTS

 

PUNJAB’S MORE THAN AGRICULTURE (HERITAGE FESTIVALS TO BRING ABOUT CULTURAL RENAISSANCE): The Baba Jassa Singh Festival “Sharad Utsav” (October 17-19) of Kapurthala spearheaded the cultural season in Punjab. This coincided with the birth anniversary (October 20) of Baba Jassa Singh the founder of Kapurthala. The celebrations were organized in collaboration with INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage). The second heritage festival will take place in Amritsar (December 3-7) and the third in Patiala (February 14-23, 2004). The Amritsar festival is being held for the first time and the venue is the Khalsa College. The Patiala event like last year will be held in Quila Mubarak.

 

BUDDHA FESTIVAL CELEBRATED IN TAWANG (29 – 31 Oct): This popular festival was celebrated in Arunachal Pradesh from October 29 to 31. Situated at approximately 10,000 feet Tawang has the famous 400-year-old monastery (the largest in India and one of the largest in South East Asia). Besides monastic masked dances and other tribal dances; archery competitions and other traditional games regaled the visitors. Handicrafts of the area, flower shows, food festivals added to the colour and excitement.

 

CHHATH FESTIVAL 30-31 Oct: This is an agrarian prayer for prosperity, a type of thanksgiving. It is a religious festival wherein folks from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh pray at the banks or river. It derives its name from the day it is held, i.e. the sixth day after Diwali according to the lunar calendar. People worship the sun at an important period after the monsoons (and before the winter), when the sunlight is needed to dry the ground, so that the next crop of wheat can be planted. In fact, the freshly cut sugarcane figures in the offerings made to the sun. The distinctive Prasad during Chhath is thekua – a mix of wheat, jaggery and milk which is deep fried in ghee, further underlining the agrarian character of this figure.

 

AD ASIA 2003 BEGINS IN JAIPUR FROM NOVEMBER 11: Asia’s biggest advertising Congress Ad Asia is being held from November 11 to 15 in Jaipur. More than 1500 top ranking delegates from all over the world will be attending. The marketing luminaries of successful ad campaigns such as Nike, Harley Davidson and Starbucks will rub shoulders with “core competency” guru C K Prahlad and Jack Trout. Charles Handy, author of “The age of Unreason” and “The Elephant and the Flea” will attend the Congress and deliver the closing address.

 

THE VII World Bamboo Congress: World Bamboo Organisation is pleased to announce that the VII WBC will be held in New Delhi during 29 February - 5 March 2004. The principal sponsor and host is the Office of the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Government of India. A trade fair and exhibition of bamboo products and machines will also be held during the Congress. The 6-day event is being timed such that it will run parallel with the International Handicrafts and Gifts Fair, New Delhi, that is one of the largest such events in the world.

The VII World Bamboo Congress is a development oriented event: "Bamboo for Development - Prosperity for People and the Environment."  TOP

NEWS MEANS GOOD NEWS (India)

 

Kalka Shimla RAILWAYS’ 100 years celebrations in Shimla ON 9^th NOV: This popular train celebrated its 100^th anniversary on 9^th November. A steam engine which completed its 97^th birthday pulled the newly attired train. Six railway stations have been painted afresh. Efforts are on to get it the coveted status of World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

 

RANIKHET MAY GET HERITAGE CANTT STATUS: If the Army has its way, this beautiful hill town may soon be declared a heritage cantonment. This town houses a several buildings and churches of the British era, one of them built in 1830. So far, the army has been looking after these buildings. At a height of 1829 metre, this quaint hill station is situated in Uttaranchal.

 

CHITRAKOTE FALLS ILLUMINATED: The Chief Minister inaugurated the illumination of the country’s biggest waterfall, Chitrakote falls. Additionally, a luxury campsite located on the banks was also inaugurated. The Falls, which is almost 60% of the majestic Niagara Falls, form on the river Indravati and fall from a height of 100 feet, creating this magnificent spectacle. For the first time in India, such a mammoth fall has been illuminated.

 

PRINCE CHARLES MADE 9 DAYS INDIA TOUR: During his 9 days India tour from 28^th Oct – 5 Jan, Prince Charles met variety of common people. Prince Charles takes a great deal of interest in heritage conservation and so enjoyed his visit to Humayun’s Tomb which has recently received a facelift. He was very impressed with the restored water channels and waterfalls and wanted documented details of the process of garden restoration carried out at the Tomb. Mike Austin an artist accompanying the Prince was left behind to make detailed sketches of the monument so as to be able to draw a water colour later. Apparently Prince Charles enjoys sketching and painting and would have liked to do it himself but he was pressed for time.

 

In Jaipur he was a guest of the former Maharaja (of Jaipur), who gave him a royal welcome to the City Palace replete with elephants, red carpet, music and a gathering of erstwhile Royals. He also went to see projects in the villages of Rajasthan (near Amber).

 

Jodhpur’s Maharaja Gaj Singh drove the Prince in a jeep to his Mehrangarh Fort, showing him the restoration work carried out there. In Bombay beside the film set of The Rising, he was intrigued by the “dabbawallas” (Tiffin carriers), where about 2,00,000 lunch boxes are delivered daily by using a unique method, to different offices in Bombay. A visit to the Victoria Terminus rounded up the 9-day tour with a stop at the heritage room where he saw over 100 exhibits related to the history of Indian Rail He spent over one hour at the Dilli Haat. He sampled organic food, a project dear to his heart, as he has set up a firm to promote organic foods, called “Duchy Originals”. Lichi Sharbat (Juice) and amaranth muffins were part of the menu. The Prince then visited some of the stalls selling hand woven textiles, part of the “India Weaves 2003” exhibition. He stopped for a bit of shopping, picking up silk products from Benares, Madhuban and Karnataka, a pashmina scarf, ikat stole and jute bag.

 

RICHARD GERE AND GOLDIE HAWN GIFT $ 1 MILLION FOR TIBETANS IN MCLEODGANJ: Famous Hollywood stars Richard Gere and Goldie Hawn have gifted a very generous US $ 1 million to improve living conditions of Tibetans in Mcleodganj close to Dharamsala in the North of India. Both stars have been espousing the cause of Tibetans in exile for a long time.

 

INDIA 9TH MOST POPULAR DESTINATION - “CONDE NAST TRAVELLER UK”: As per research by Conde Nast UK Readers Travel Awards, a trip to India is preferred over even Greece, Malaysia and Switzerland by Europeans and Americans. In fact India is the 9th most popular destination with Italy at No 1 followed by Australia and France. In anticipation of increased traffic the National Carrier Air India is doubling its flight frequencies from the US and Europe which will mean an additional 4300 seats per week.

 

VISA RESTRICTIONS EASED BY INDIA AND CHINA: Relations between India and China are improving and trade is on the increase. This augurs well for the visa regime, making Indian and Chinese businessman and tourists the ultimate gainers. Rules for business, tourist, student, employment and other types of visas have been laid down and simplified. Businessmen can now apply for a six-month multiple entry business visa.

 

WORLD’S LARGEST TANKHA TO BE ON VIEW IN INDIA IN DECEMBER: In December as the grand finale of the 50th anniversary celebrations of diplomatic ties between India and Japan the world’s largest Tankha/Mandala will be displayed in India. Weighing 2,000 kilos and measuring 70m X 50m ( 229 ft X 164 ft) over 10,000 artists from 16 countries worked on it in Japan for 5 years depicting  vignettes from Buddha’s life. Since Buddhism traveled to the world from India Japan felt it is befitting that the Tankha is first viewed in India before travelling to other parts of the world. It will be displayed in a prominent place and consecrated by a special ceremony “to put the Soul in it”. From Delhi it will be taken to Nalanda from where Buddha’s doctrine traveled to China and Japan. Most probably the unveiling of the Thanka will take place in India between December 7-12. 

 

CHARLES AND DEREK LUTYENS WALKED AROUND DELHI TO SEE THE CITY THAT LUTYENS BUILT: Derek Lutyens, grand nephew of Sir Edwin Lutyens (Chief architect of Imperial Delhi) celebrated his birthday in Delhi, calling it the “perfect birthday gift”. He and his cousin Charles with their wives were on a visit to India (part of a 38 member group) organized by the Lutyens Trust in London in collaboration with INTACH (the India National Trust for art and Cultural Heritage). It was a nostalgic and emotional trip for the Lutyens family as they walked down Rajpath. At a seminar “Preservation of Lutyens’ Delhi”, organized by INTACH a small booklet was released; “A Capital story,” a guide to Lutyens Delhi giving the buildings designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker in Central Delhi.

 

IRON HORSE TOURISM PROMOTED IN JAIPUR: Two Steam engines raced each other to celebrate the first anniversary of the North Western Railway zone in Jaipur. The 50 km (30 mile) race between the 2 stalwarts, each pulling 4 bogies, took place on 2 October and visitors could ride in style for only Rs 42 (barely 1 Dollar). The objective of this race was to promote tourist travel by train, a journey with its own unique charm. In the planning stage are steam engines on tourist circuits such as the “Golden triangle” of Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur. This winter the Sultanpur bird sanctuary well be connected to Delhi by a steam locomotive-pulled train (once a week). The Fairy Queen, the oldest functional steam engine, will operate on the circular Ring Rail route starting at Pragati Maidan (Exhibition grounds and terminating at Nizamuddin. Steam Heritage Tourism is all set to take off.

 

KASHMIR’S DAL LAKE FIRST IN THE WORLD TO BE WI-FI ENABLED: A 10 km / 6 miles zone of the Dal Lake has been turned into a wi-fi “hotspot” by the Madras (Chennai) based Dax Network. Six houseboats have been fitted with the wi-fi enabling equipment. The Dal is the world’s first lake to be wi-fi enabled, where laptops can plug into the internet wirelessly Except for 2 months of heavy snowfall tourists will be able to access internet around the year. With the successful completion of this project Dax is looking at other lakes in the country such as Nainital in Uttaranchal, Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu and Hussain Sagar in Hyderabad.

 

CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER VISITS OLD DELHI BAZAARS AND GOLDEN TEMPLE AMRITSAR: The Canadian Prime Minister Mr. Jean Chretien, after his official duties, decided to see the “real India” and went to Chandni Chowk. He enjoyed eating Jalebies (an Indian Sweet) at Dariba (Silver street) and walked to the Cycle market He enjoyed the sights, sounds and colour of the old streets of Delhi and walked to the Jama Masjid (the Old Mosque). On Diwali day he visited the Golden Temple at Amritsar accompanied by Mr. Herb Dhaliwal (of Indian extraction) his National resources Minister.

 

SWISS PRESIDENT ON INDIA VISIT: Swiss President is on an official visit to India currently.

 

AFRO ASIAN GAMES MARKED BY SPECTACULAR OPENING AND CLOSING CEREMONIES (27 Oct – 01 Nov’03): “Sheroo”, the lion mascot welcomed over 2000 athletes from 97 African and Asian countries to Hyderabad for the Afro Asian Games. Besides the spirit of competitive camaraderie the Games engendered, the opening and closing ceremonies were spectacular, what with fly pasts, puppets and music and a breath taking performance by China’s Imperial Circus and Shankar Mahdevans rendition of the theme song.

 

Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Chandrababu Naidu said, “the past 10 days witnessed outstanding performances and memorable victories by sportspersons from the two continents. The outstanding athletes, even those who could not win medals, deserve our respect and gratitude for their performances."

 

CULTURAL EXTRAVAGANZA AT HAMPI NOVEMBER 3 TO 5 AND DARJEELING NOV 7 TO 17: The World Heritage site of Hampi received about thousands of visitors during the Hampi Utsav November 3 to 5. The capital of the once mighty Vijaynagar Empire echoed to the sound of music, dance, theatre and exhibitions.

 

Darjeeling’s fiesta – Carnival 2003 – much like the Goa Carnival will lure visitors to Darjeeling. Planned is a Vintage Land Rover parade and a display of adventure sports such as paragliding, white water rafting, rock climbing and a “Run Darjeeling” marathon.

 

BADRINATH COMPLEX TO GET MAJOR FACELIFT: A major facelift and clean up operation is planned for the holy shrine of Badrinath in Uttaranchal. All encroachments will be removed and landscaping will add to the ambience of the area. Facilities such as parking, lighting up of the temple and proper drainage will go a long way in making the pilgrims progress more pleasant. The Badrinath shrine will close for the winter on 19 November, Kedarnath will close on 25 October.  TOP

 

  NEWS MEANS GOOD NEWS (International)

U.K. introduces transit visa for Indian nationals: All nationals travelling through the U.k will require a transit visa from 17th October 2003, the British High Commission said. They previously could travel without visa if they were passing through with 24 hrs. on their way. Also it applies to the nationals of Pakistan, Angola, Cameroon as well as Lebanon.

TAIPEI FINISHES WORK ON WORLD’S TALLEST BUILDING: Construction crews finished building the world’s tallest skyscraper in Taiwan on October 18. The 1676 foot tall, 101 storey structure looks like a stack of gift boxes, but the developers liken it with a bamboo shoot with notch sections. Called Taipei 101, the building will house offices, a mall and an observatory.

AUSTRALIA HAILS THE INDIAN BRIDE: “Brides of the Orient” the first ever-multicultural bridal show was held in Melbourne, Australia with a lot of glamour and fanfare. The theme was bridal wear, costumes, jewellery and even photographers and car services that specialise in bridal and wedding arrangements. Its main highlights were fashion shows and mock weddings. The Indian Brides as well as the Indian costumes stole the show and were the main crowd pullers. Major participants included Mercedes, BMW, Rolls Royce and even Kalaniketan as well as CIIE. Air India was invited to be the sole Airline participant and that added a befitting finale to the Indian Contingent. This exhibition was visited by about 30000 people.

 

MINI GIR FOREST TO BE RECREATED IN SWISS ALPS: Zurich Zoo celebrates it’s 75th anniversary in 2004 and has planned to make the 2 Asiatic lions gifted by India to the Swiss Government in 1991 on the country’s 700th anniversary, feel comfortable. A Swiss landscape artist visited Gir to make an in-depth study of the 5000 square km Gir forest in order to recreate the forest indoors complete with its flora and fauna. In the midst of the Swiss Alps 10,000 sq mt in the Zurich Zoo have been set aside for the “Gir in Switzerland” project. The lion also happens to be the symbol of Zurich so several programs around the lion have been planned for next year.

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SPECIAL FEATURE

CULTURAL SIDE OF RAJASTHAN: Music and dance are deeply ingrained in the life of Rajasthanis. The cool stillness of the desert after the searing heat of the day and the upsurge of life in the short-lived rainy season or spring are filled with soulful, full-throated music and rhythmic dance.

Harmonious diversity: All the regions of Rajasthan have their distinct folk entertainment. The dance styles differ and so do the songs. Interestingly, even the musical instruments are different.

The hilly tracts of central and southern Rajasthan are rich in community entertainments because of the lifestyle of tribes like the Bhils, Meena, Banjaras, Saharias and Garasias.

Eastern Rajasthan is fertile  and affluent, with plenty of patrons to sustain professional entertainers like the Bhats, Kamads, Bhopas, Kacchi Ghodi dancers and Kathputli (puppeteer).

People in the harsh scantily-populated desert areas of Western Rajasthan have very little leisure for merrymaking. Therefore, in this region, entertainment is provided by professional performers like the Bhats, Dholis, Mirasis, Nats, Sargadas and Bhands.

Folk traditions and classical forms found royal patronage in Rajasthan. A major school of the sophisticated classical Kathak dance form originated in Jaipur, as did Dhrupad singing. The rulers of Jaisalmer extended patronage to the Manganiyar community.

Musical Instruments: The haunting melody of Rajasthan evokes from a variety of delightfully primitive looking instruments. The stringed variety include the Sarangi,  Rawanhattha, Kamayacha, Morchang and Ektara.

Percussion instruments come in all shapes and sizes from the huge Nagaras and Dhols to the tiny Damrus. The Daf and Chang are a big favourite of the Holi (the festival of colours) revellers.

Flutes and bagpipers come in local flavours such as Shehnai, Poongi, Algoza, Tarpi, Been and Bankia.

Folk Dances: Rajasthani dances have a life of their own, a vigorous rhythm that is hard to describe. Whether it is the community dances such as the men-only Gair, or the women-only Ghoomar, or the Gair Ghoomar in which both men and women participate.

Or the Kachhi Ghodi dance where men in elaborate costumes ride equally well-decorated dummy horses, while a singer narrates the exploits of the Bavaria bandits of Shekhawati.

Or the sensuous Snake dance of the Kalbeliya gypsies of Jaisalmer, in which women accentuate supple and snake-like movements.

Or the spell-binding Fire dance of Bikaner and Churu where men dance on a platform of smoldering embers.

Other popular dances include the Chari dance of Kishangarh and the Drum dance of Jalore.

Then of course, there are the colourful Kathputli (puppet) shows, which are a hot favourite with every traveller to Rajasthan.  TOP

 DESTINATION/S OF THE MONTH

PERIYAR (THEKKADY): Thekkady is one of the major destinations of the state of Kerala, the God’s own country. Due to its unmatched natural beauty and serenity, this small town is visited by a large number of tourists every year. The town also houses one of world’s most fascinating natural wildlife sanctuaries. Thekkady is also the major base point to access some of the other exotic sites in Kerala as well as in Tamil Nadu. A visit to Thekkady also provides you the opportunity to see wildlife at close ranges, besides the varied vegetation and a wide variety of birds. Lying at an altitude of 700-1900 m above sea level, Thekkady has a cool and comfortable climate. Out here, you can also go for treks and mountain walks.

Sightseeing: Thekkady has a lot to offer you in sightseeing. The name Thekkady, for those who have already visited this place, brings to mind images of elephants, unending chains of hills and spice-scented plantations. Moreover, the flora and fauna of the Periyar wildlife sanctuary is absolutely thrilling. The wildlife sanctuary here is the natural habitat of a wide variety of animal species. The Periyar Lake is a paradise for the nature lovers. It gives you an opportunity to observe the wild animals roaming in the jungle. The lake is also a birdwatcher’s delight. The greatest attraction of Periyar Lake, however, is the herds of wild elephants that come down to play in the lake. Moreover, the Sanctuary Watch Tower situated in the forest interior gives you a panoramic view of the park.

Excursions: Thekkady has innumerable excursion destinations for you to visit. To start with, Peermede, located at a distance of 44 km is an important site to visit. Apart from Peermede the palm-fringed backwaters of Kottayam and Kumarakom make both these places the must visit excursion points. Moreover, the exciting boathouses here also give you once in a lifetime experience to roam on a fully furnished ’house’ on the water. Madurai, located in the nearby state of Tamil Nadu is another interesting place to visit. Known as the temple city of India, Madurai also holds importance as a centre for learning. Kumily (a plantation town), Murikkady (known for its cardamom, coffee and pepper plantations), Pandikuzhi and Mangla Devi temple are some of the few more places to visit during your excursion from Thekkady.

 NATURE DOES MATTER

Stranded elephant calf rescued AT Borjuri, Kaziranga, October 4, 2003: A month old male elephant calf was rescued at a river island on river Brahmaputra, near Tezpur, on October 2 in the north-eastern state of Assam. Several attempts by forest officials to reunite it with its natal herd failed.

 

A grand party awaits winged tourists IN GOA: There's plenty of food and abundant freshwater. Various government departments are on an overdrive following a direction from the Bench of the Bombay High Court that the picturesque Carambolim lake should be de-weeded.

The lake, spread over 70 hectares, is home to over a 100 species of birds, some of which fly from Russia, China and Mongolia. The chief conservator of forest and chief wildlife warden, Goa, D Pandey, said the lake has been cleared of the
Salvina Molesta, a floating aquatic weed belonging to the family of floating fern and a native of Brazil, to make the lake habitable for the birds.

This noxious weed has no true roots and multiplies into a dense mat that kills native plants and removes oxygen from water. Bird Life International, the Royal Society for Bird
Protection, England, and the BNHS have together identified 450 important bird areas. Among them is the Carambolim lake. The weed had made the birds stay away for quite some years. They will be encouraged to fly to Goa now.

The arrival of the birds in October coincides with the beginning of the tourist season. Those taking the Konkan train would be in twittering company for the Karmali station in Old Goa is situated on the western embankment of the lake and offers a prolific and open view. The vegetation in the area offers a lot for the pecking crowd to choose from. The lake holds over 20 lakh cubic metres of water when flooded during monsoon.    

                                               
The respective affidavits filed by the departments ensure that the sluice gates are properly operated and the breaches in the dams are plugged so that there is no leakage and runoff and the birds can continue with their party. The Konkan Railway
Corporation Limited will provide galvanised chain mesh on either side of the lake on the railway embankment to prevent any waste effluent or dry garbage from trains from flowing into the lake.

 

MORE MIGRATORY BIRDS TO VISIT DELHI ZOO THIS YEAR: The early onset of winter preceded by good monsoons may attract more migratory birds to the Delhi zoo this year. The pintails, shovellers, teals, dabchicks and coots are expected to arrive from Malaysia, Indonesia and other South-East Asian countries. Many birds from the Siberian region would be migrating shortly to the freezing temperature there.  TOP

PERMANENT FEATURE -  GOA

Ten more structures declared as protected monuments: Ten more ancient and historical sites in the State have been brought under the protective shield of the Goa, Daman and Diu Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1978 with effect from October 16, 2003.

These include the Fort of Reis Magos at Verem, the Fortress of Khorjuve at Aldona, the Cave of Sidhanath at Surla, the Mosque and Tank at Tar Surla, the British Cemetery at Dona Paula, the Fortress of St Estevam, the Fort at Marmagoa, the site of Kaivailya Math at Consua-Cortalim, the Cave at Shigao-Sanguem and the site of Narayandev at Vichundra in Sanguem.

It may be recalled that a notification had been issued by the Department of Archives and Archaeology in July last year proposing to protect 12 monuments and sites, and had sought for objections from the general public.

However objections were received on the proposal to protect two sites namely Fort Aguada and the Curca Fountain which have been dropped from the final notification issued on October 16, 2003.

With the inclusion of 10 more sites and remains under the Act, a total of 52 sites and remains of archaeological importance are now protected and to be maintained by the State government through the Department of Archives and Archaeology.

From the ten new sites included in the Act, the State government is in ownership of six of the sites namely the Fort of Reis Magos, the Khorjuve Fortress, the Cave at Sidhnath, the site of Fortress at St Estevam, the Fort of Mormugao and the site of Kaivailya Math at Consua.

According to information available, the Fort of Reis Magos was sought to be included for protection under the Act way back in 1983. The plan was however abandoned and till recently negotiations to hand it over to a private party also failed. As such the fort has now been included in the list for protected sites and sought to be conserved and maintained.

Presently, the Department of Archives and Archaeology is carrying out the conservation of the mosque and tank at Tar Surla and will thereafter throw open this site as a tourist spot. It is learnt that renowned architect K D Sadhale has been entrusted with the task of conservation of rock carving sites and some others.

Divar temple site to boost pilgrim tourism: The area around Hatkeshwar temple in Divar at the confluence of Sapth Sangam (where seven rivulets meet) has been tentatively identified for promoting pilgrim tourism. Though it is at the preliminary stage, the government is planning to acquire some 40,000 sq meter land for the project. This will include reconstruction of the old Hatkeshwar temple and installation of a huge Lord Ganesh idol, creation of facilities there for displaying replicas of traditional occupations, arts and crafts, a small auditorium, bathing facilities for women, restaurant, etc. Besides plans are also in the offing for the development of a lake, about 200 metre from this spot.

As per plans drawn by a private architect, it will depict a pilgrim complex on the lines of those
in Benaras. Abhijit Sadhale has suggested that only laterite, granite and wood be used for putting up the project. Pornem Tirth can be reached by a cruise boat from Panjim in 45 minutes providing a breath-taking view on both sides of the Mandovi to the visitor.

Boat Festival: The same was celebrated in Goa at Sanquelim on 7^th Nov. Small boats made of paper, thermocol, cardboard, etc. were lit and set afloat in the river there as part of the concluding Diwali ceremonies.

SKY BUS PROJECT: It was the prototype of the  Rs.500 crore SKY BUS METRO moving at a speed of 100 kms p.h. having one unit comprising of two coaches with capacities of 150 passengers each which when implemented in two phases will cover a distance of 10.50 km Mapusa - Guirim - Porvorim Teen Building Secretariat Mandovi Cruise Jetty  and later Miramar and Dona Paula. 

The train is operated by computers and no engine driver It is eco friendly economic and a high speed rail based mass transit media. For easy understanding of its operation it resembles
an upside down turned train clinging to rails.  It is roughly about 6mt from the ground and averages an approximate height of 10mt.

The pylons are erected in the centre of the road hence no land acquisition is involved.  There is an automatic ticket counter and the use of smart cards for season tickets and daily tickets is all computer operated. 

There are turnstyles for the normal commuters entering the trains while the physically challenged have direct access to the train cars.  There will be stations erected at each of the above and lifts have been provided. The top of the floor (terrace) where the rails will glide will be used for commercial purpose setting up kiosks of cyber cafes restaurants etc.  One needs to see to believe this unique technique. There is a chute provided for escape in the event of an accident.

From Mapusa to Panaji one will get a breathtaking and panoramic view of the river Mandovi etc. Let it be clear that the project has been earmarked for Goa NOT because it is needed in Goa or there is high commuter density on this route Mapusa to Dona Paula. But since the route measures only about 17.15 km and the commuter density is adequate it has been preferred only for the experiment.

The other option Panaji to Margao though having a better density was not favoured as it is about 33 km. Once the project when completed in 2005 end it will be used for metros in the rest of the country. There is no land acquisition and hence it is the cheapest in terms of economics.

Considering Goa is a favoured tourist destination this project when completed in two years will be a tourist attraction as well.  Besides that since the permanent venue for the International Film Festival is going to be in capital city Panaji this will be a tourist attraction in the initial years.

One can visit www.sky-bus-metro.com for further details and also see the same at the Margao Railway Station, of the two coaches any one will be preferred.

GOA’S CARAMBOLIM LAKE DE-WEEDED FOR WINGED VISITORS: Thanks to abundant rain; plenty of food is available for the annual arrival of, migratory birds in October. The Carambolim lake is home to over a 100 species of birds every year, some flying in from far off Russia, Mongolia and China. This winter travelers taking the Konkan train would get a ring side view of the birds as the Karmali Station in old Goa lies on the western embankment of the lake. TOP

 CONTEST

Just Answer Five Simple Questions:

 

1)      In which city of India would you find the Golden Temple

a.      Amritsar                       c. Tirupati

b.      Chennai                       d. Madurai

 

2)      In which state of India would you find the Rumtek monastery?

a.      Bihar                            c. Sikkim

b.      Kashmir                        d. Himachal

 

3)      Where in India would you find the Saptkoteshwar temple?

a.      Goa                              c. Uttar Praqdesh

b.      Maharashtra                d. Punjab

 

4)      The only place where you can find the Asiatic lions:

a.      Gir                                c. Kanha

b.      Periyar                         d. Corbett

 

5)      India was recently visited by the Prince of which country?

a.      UK                                c. Jordan

b.      Netherlands                 d. Bali              

 

LAST DATE: 25 Nov’03 to send your entries at the email address pmaurya@vsnl.net

ANSWERS OF LAST CONTEST:

1)    Famous Pushkar Fair held in Rajasthan is being celebrated on which dates in November this year? ANS: 5 – 8 Nov

 

1)      Where would you find the Palamau Wildlife sanctuary famous for tigers?       ANS: Jharkhand

 

2)      Western Ghat hills of India have been adjudged as one of the 15 most bio-diverse zones in the world by which authority?                   

ANS: National Geographic    

 

3)      Cherapunji in Meghalaya has distinction in what way? ANS: As it rains over 2500 cm a year

 

4)      Where was the Kumbh fair held in India recently? ANS: Nasik                      

 

WINNER OF LAST CONTEST: The proud winner of the last contest is Mr. Markus Kiener & Mr. Tom Michiels, Switzerland! He is being sent a book on India!  TOP

 

Our Contacts:

INDIA INVITES
Shop No 1, Coelho Apartments
Aquem Alto, Margao

GOA - 403601, INDIA

Telephone: ++91-832-2715781 Fax: 2713421

 

NOTE: This newsletter is currently being sent to about 1000 select tour operators, individuals, friends, tourist offices, and other organizations. The news contents of this are compiled through various resources, newsletters, magazines, newspapers, books, etc and are being customized to suit our needs of balanced information in tourism and its related field. The newsletter itself does not carry any commercial value and the sole purpose is to increase the awareness and disseminate the available information in a fast manner to the people concerned in the trade. We try to provide the news as authentic and correct as possible, however, there might be errors sometimes.   TOP

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