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January Issue

Ahmedabad Based 1st Travel e-mag

“The world is a book; those who don‟t travel read only pages.” Said by St. Augustine. Traveling is adding new flavors in life in the form of happiness, joy, enjoyment and fun‟‟. It is about discovering new culture, thoughts, language and colors of life. „We are traveling and so we are growing‟… Get connected with Travelloholic magazine and explore the unseen and seen places in a new way as never did before. Our tag line Says Travel. Explore. Share, so we would like you to be a part of our magazine, now you have chance to share any Travel Experience in form of Story, or any unseen place which is not famous and very little population know about it, but have a fantastic experience for one and can at least be visited once. We also have different flavors where your contribution will be accepted for upcoming issues of our magazine, i.e. „Travel Slap‟, „Naughty Traveler‟ and Anti-Traveler‟. Travel slap: any negative journey experiences where you were head with

difficulties and problems.

Naughty Traveler: any naughty experience of a trip.

Anti-Traveler: any experience of a satisfied Person who do not like to travel.

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Published by: Travelloholic Digital Media

Edited by: Manish Asnani

Designed by: Prashant Patil

Published by: Travelloholic Digital Media

Edited by: Manish Asnani

Designed by: Prashant Patil

Did you Missed the Earlier Issue of

Travelloholic Travel Magazine

October 2011

Ko Phi Phi Don Amazing Thailand can be explored visiting Ko Phi Phi Island, Be ready for a virtual exploration if you are going to read.

Jambughoda Conversation with the nature at Jambughoda can be felt if you are ready to talk to nature

Dholavira The most ancient city of Asia; A place built 5000 years ago.

Excited ?

November 2011 Ladakh Super Natural Beauty on the paradise called Earth. Ladhak is one of the place still uncovered by many travel freaks.

Zainabad The real Kutch experience where you can enjoy peace with interesting sight seeing spots

Seychelles Unexplored Paradise; collection of 115 inner and outer is-lands, if you are a water lover, this place is for you

December 2011

Jordan Ancient Wonders, Modern Luxuries: Favorite for those who follows

Rann Utsav The Celebration of Life, unique manifestation of varied cul-tural ethos of the region. Opportunity to explore white Rann

Himachal Pradesh Mini Switzerland. Unlock facts of cool winds; Khajjiar, Chamba, Dalhousie.

Editor’s Note

Welcome 2012

Welcome to virtual room of secret pleasure. „‟Year 2012 aboard‟‟

Fun, celebration and excitement ahead. Secrets makes idea of

travel more interesting for travelers. Hope you have started your

year with music of lights and happiness.

Did you miss the Bus? It feels so good to be back – since long Travelloholic team is collecting experience from travelers to re-energise new trends

and flavors for readers to unlock the temptation hidden in the place, I found that travelers love to share their experience of

their Journeys and also love to read experience of others too.

What we see we create; in this issue we have tried something new for you - feedback communicated that picture speaks more

than words. This issue mainly focuses on Forest travel lovers; try to understand what the journey has been like: Imagine that it

would catch on in such a way

The last meal

There is lot to read and a lot to be excited over. Allow us to give

you a way to explore the world.

Manish Asnani Editor-in-chief

January

In this issue...

Destinitions

17 Heritage City

Unique Heritage

23 Indian Forests

Adventure begins here

Travel Stories

27 Summit of Stok Kangri Jai Govind Meena

30 Trip to Gir

RJ Ayush

35 Ooty

Shilpi Bishnoi

38 Udaipur

Pranay choudhary

More Stuff

Travel Article 47

Know Unknown 51

Poem O Travel 49

Travel Toonz 43

Captured Moments 41

Cover Story

01 Japan The land of Rising Sun

P01 Japan

P23 Indian Forests

P46 King‟s Life

Sasan Gir

P17 Heritage City Gujarat

Jap

an

02

Land of the Rising Sun

As Japan has undergone periods of openness and isolation throughout its history, Japanese culture is if anything unique. While heavy Chinese influences are evident in traditional Japanese culture, it has also retained many native Japanese customs, resulting in a seemingly seamless blend.

Season’s of Japan are very famous for tourism Winter is a good time to go skiing or hot-spring hopping, but as some buildings lack central heating, it's often miserably cold indoors.

Spring is one of the best times of year to be in Japan. The temperatures are warm but not

hot, there's not too much rain, and March-April brings the justly famous cherry blossoms and is a time of revelry and festivals.

Summer starts with a dreary rainy season and Autumn, starting in September, is also an

excellent time to be in Japan.

04

… which pretty much shuts down the country from December 30 to January 3. Japanese head home to their families (which means massive transport congestion), eat festive foods and head out to the neighborhood temple at the stroke of midnight to wish in the New Year. Many Japanese often travel to other countries as well, and prices for airfares are very high.

The most important holiday‟s in Japan is New Year

06

Enjoyment : Fun Celebration

Enjoyment : Fun

08

Must not miss

10

Wildlife

12

Places to Go

Places to Go

14

Other Attractions

Other Attractions

16

Ahmedabad is a unique city, combination of an ancient heritage with a vibrant

present. Situated on the bank of river Sabarmati, the city‟s wealthy and exciting past is embodied in its rich kaleidoscope of history, art and culture.

Ahmedabad is known for its colorful festivals, rich culture heritage and Gujarati food.

The love for the tradition gives more value to the visitors from different places to

explore the city in an exclusive chic. The acceleration to tourism has been experience

because of the friendly behavior of residents which make their journey more

comfortable and enjoyable.

Herit

ag

e c

ity

Festivals get tourists into the city;

Navratri (festival of nine nights) bring tourist to explore tradition of

festival by wearing colorful attire and dancing, you can see every age

of people celebrating Navratri festi-val at its best worshiping god for

whole nine nights. And Interna-tional Kite Festival fills the gap to

those who miss Navratri; IDEA OF FLYING KITES – UTTRAYAN has

greater importance in having fun with air and instrument of paper, a

thread makes possible to fly a Kite in air and believe me you really

need some skills to long last your

kite in air if you are in Ahmedabad.

Apart from all this Ahmedabad is

ready for the status to the title of

world heritage city; there are so

many monuments which makes

tourist curious to step down. Large

number of foreigners are been seen

showing interest in Heritage of the

city.

18

Heritage

Temple

Adalaj ki vav

Walk

Jama mosque

Heritage hotel

Old housing

20

Attractions of the City:

Sabarmati Ashram

Akshardham Temple

Bhadra Kali Mandir

Kankaria Lake

Sidi Syed Mosque

Bhadra Fort

Juma Masjid

Adalaj Step-Well

Thol Bird Sanctuary

A Trip: Do not miss

Heritage walk of Ahmedabad.

Laser Light and Musical water

show at Akshardham Temple.

Science City.

The Calico Museum being one of

the finest textile museums in the

world.

Shankus water park

Shopping The taste of handicraft would make you

feel wow; do not miss to take some gifts for your friends from the collection

of Handicraft Products. Women‟s do like to shop for beautiful Gujarati Dresses

and accessories.

Uttarayan is celebrated

every year on 14th January, known as Makar Sankranti in

other parts of north India, and Pongal in Tamil Nadu,

and continues on the 15th.

The festival of Uttarayan is a uniquely Gujarati phenomenon, when the skies over most

cities of the state fill with kites from before dawn until well after dark. The festival marks the days in the Hindu calendar when winter begins turning to summer, known as

Makar Sankranti or Uttarayan. On what is usually a bright warm sunny day with brisk breezes to lift the kites aloft, across the state almost all normal activity is shut down

and everyone takes to the rooftops and roadways to fly kites and compete with their neighbors.

How to get here:

By Air: Ahmedabad is connected with all major domestic and International routes

By Rail: Ahmedabad is directly connected to Bombay, Delhi, Calcutta, Madras,

Trivandrum, Varanasi etc.

22

Indian forests are the second largest land used in India after agriculture. These forests in India are blessed with the rich flora and fauna. Indian forests

are spread over an area of 67.83 million hectare, that covers 20.64 % of total country's geographical area. To conserve this natural treasure of plants and

animals several wildlife sanctuaries and national parks have been installed

These evergreen and tropical green Indian forests are the paradise for nature and adventure lovers. In these Indian forest you may find total 45,000 species

of flora and 81,000 of fauna species. Besides 95 national parks, 500 wildlife sanctuaries along with two conservation reserves offer the best opportunity for

green forest trails in India.

In

dia

n F

orests

Indian forest provides you a chance to explore the rich and rare varieties of several

plants, trees, and wildlife in India. Discover the life of forest in wildlife sanctuaries and national parks with the nature experts. Know more about tropical green Indian forests,

tress, plants, herbs, wild creatures with a forest guide.

Important Destinations for Indian Forest Trails Jim Corbett National Park (Uttarakhand)

Gir National Park (Gujarat) Kaziranga National Park (Assam)

Kanha National Park (Madhya Pradesh)

24

Wildlife of India refers to its

rich flora and fauna. It is not confined to the national parks

and wildlife sanctuaries, the luxurious forests/jungles and

Himalayas is abundant with exotic wildlife.

There are many safaris

held in India – mostly in the Tiger reserves, although the

travelers get to see much wildlife in the major national

Parks and sanctuaries.

Have a look at major wildlife

parks in India :-

Kaziranga National Park :-

Kaziranga lies to the south of the Brahmaputra river its boundary for the most part fol-

lows the Mora Diphlu river and runs parallel to National Highway No. 37. It covers an area of 688 sq. kilometers. Kaziranga is famous for the great One-Horned Rhi-

nos. Indian Tiger is natural enemy of rhinos are also there in sizable numbers in this area. Other attractions of this national park include the wild buffalo, magnificent

swamp deer, hog deer, wild boar, Hoolok gibbon, capped langur and ratel (badger).

Gir National Park :-

Gir National Park is haven for Asiatic Tigers. The jungle of Gir wildlife sanctuary is home to Leo, Panther, Lion. Gir today is the only place in the world, outside Africa,

where the lion can be seen in its natural habitat. The Asiatic lion is slightly smaller than its African cousin, nevertheless, a large male lion of the Gir is quite a sight to

behold. The best way to observe the big cats is, of course, in their natural

surroundings, at dawn and dusk, when they are on the prowl. Wildlife viewing in the Girs is best done, by driving around the forest.

Bandhavgarh National Park :-

Set amongst the Vindhyas, in Madhya Pradesh, Bandhavgarh is a small national park,

but with the highest known density of tiger population in India. This is also known as White Tiger territory. These have been found in the old state of Rewa for many

years. The other species found in abundance in Bandhavgarh are the gaur or Indian bison, the sambar, the barking deer and the nilgai.

Ranthambore National Park :-

Near the township of Sawai Madhopur, in the state of Rajasthan, Ranthambore National

Park is an outstanding example of Project Tiger's efforts at conservationin the country.

The forests around the Ranthambore Fort were once, the private hunting grounds of the Maharajas of Jaipur. The desire to preserve the game in these forests for sport, was

responsible for their conservation, and subsequent rescue by Project Tiger.

Amidst the dark and luxurious woods of south Bengal passing though the canals are the

murdy mangroves of Sundarbans – popularly renowned as the habitat of Royal Bengal Tigers. Its loftiness has even left pug marks on the tracks of Himalayas at the height of

10,000 ft. As you start your exotic journey in Sundarbans, you get the opportunity to trace the pug marks of the Royal Bengal Tigers on the marshy region.

The Royal Bengal are the special attraction of the Sundarban National Park.

The reserve was once the popular hunting ground popular among the Rajah's and Maharajah's. But after the depleting population of Tigers in India, Project Tiger was in-

troduced in the park in 1973. Its core area which is around 1330 sq kms in area is now a national park, also categorized as the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Royal Bengal Tiger in Indian Forests

Explore the famous Tiger Reserves in India to know more about the Royal Bengal

Tigers :-

Bandipur & Nagarhole National Parks, Karnataka

Namdhapha National Park, Arunachal The Palamu Tiger Reserve, Bihar

Simplipal National Park, Orissa

Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu Nagarjunasagar Tiger Reserve, Andhra Pradesh

26

Story 1

My Second Best adventure

– Summit of Stok Kangri

Jai Govind Meena

I got an invitation from Rakesh (Trek the Himalayas) to join them for Stok Kangri

Expedition, I also wanted to go but I had some urgent work to finish at home, so I have to say “No”. But in my heart, I was longing to say yes at once. Finally just a day

before- when they were about to begin from Manali to Ladhakh I called him up and asked him to wait for me. I left Jaipur by the morning train and reachedDelhi and

booked myself for the onward journey to Manali

Adventure starts from here…I reached Manali on early morning of the next day. We were total 7 people plus the, trekking equipment. With entire equipment and 7 of us

can‟t go in one Jeep or Toyota Qualis. So, we sent some of the stuff ahead in a bus as suggested by our driver Mr. Tule Ram. We started past 12 noon from Manali. Our route

was the famous Manali to Ladhakh via some of the world‟s highest motorable roads RohtangPass, Nakki La, Baralacha La andTanglang La (La in Tibetan means a pass).

The road condition from Marhi to Rohtang pass was like as if there is no road at all and one has to drive though 2 feet of mud. At several points small cars were struck and

there was a huge traffic jam. It took us 5-6 hours to cross RohtangPass from Manali

where the total distance was 60 KM only. The drive from Rohtang to Leh is full of adventure, superb landscapes, high altitude passes, criss cross roads, amazing cot-

tage hotels, white parachute shops etc. but I don‟t want to get into those details (that makes altogether different story). Next day around 10 PM we reached Leh with a night

halt in Khoksar.

Leh is the capital of Ladhakh region of Indian state ofJammu and Kashmir. “Ladhakh”

meansLandofPassedin Tibetan language and It is also called the colddesertofIndia. Both stands true for Ladhakh is surrounded by mountains and it receives minimal rainfall

and at an average altitude of 10,000 ft it is a cold desert. From November to May this remains cut off from rest of the world except for flights.

Stok Kangri: (elevation 6153Mts or 20,182 feet) is the highest mountain in the Stok

range of theHimalayas in the Ladakh. The peak is located in Hemis National Park. It been declared as the trekking peak by IMF, so this makes it very famous among the

serious and amateur mountaineers. It requires minimal technical skills but because of its altitude one must have proper fitness and a well planned acclimatization schedule to

high altitude.

We were given two days to rest and acclimatize our self but I came by the road and

fully acclimatize to Leh‟s altitude so we had a quick excursion to Khardung La “the highest motorable road in world”, Leh Palace and Leh city. Smoking and alcohol should

be strictly avoided because it slows down your acclimatization process but I couldn‟t resist myself having some beer and few puffs. We started the next day around 9 AM

and reached Stok village by jeeps and it‟s the place where the trail to stok starts. We reached basecamp with one night halt at Manokarma and it was easy trail for me even

with a backpack weight of around 10-12Kgs. We went for two small height gain treks to near by hill of our campsite and one till the snow patch to practice and get used to

crampons as most of us have never used them before.

28

Height of Adventure (6153Mts) We were briefed during our evening tea the today we are going for our first summit at-

tempt and we were told after dinner at 7 PM have good sleep for 4-5 Hours. We were divided in two parties first one to leave basecamp at 11.30 and second one at 12.30, I

was party to second one. After having our dinner Rakesh, Sandeep and me went to our tent packed our backpacks and equipments, then slipped into our sleeping bags and

after that our discussion started on various topics which ended at around 10 and we

slept for one and half hour then I woke up Sandeep and told him that we are half an hour behind schedule. Sandeep went with the first party as he was leading it and

Rakesh and me with the second one. We left basecamp around 12.30, I clicked picture of my wrist watch and didn‟t take out my camera until the sunrise. There were two

thing which were posing challenge first one was cold and second one was thin air lead-ing to heavy breathing at an altitude which was around 4900Mts. I used to take four

five steps and I was out of breath. We kept walking with our headlights on and it was full moon which helped us a lot. Soon came the first steep climb where we came to

know the real effects of high altitude. I was taking three breaths for every one step.

We reached advance basecamp where mountaineers set up the advance camp and here

we meet our own advance party. It was still dark and we seeing the series of head-lamps at a distance around 1KM, they were not moving and our guide told us that that

is the place where we need to put up our crampons. I kept walking with my fellow team members and following our high altitude guide Mr. Pasang from Nepal who had many

accolades in mountaineering including summiting Everest thrice and a marathon runner from Everest basecamp to Lukla. We were walking over the frozen ice and at some

places we were hearing sound of water flowing beneath us but not visible, even we heard the sound of ice breaking which was very frightening. Now we reached the spot

where need to put our crampons and those headlamps were visible from far distance. It took almost three hours to reach here. It was around 4 „O‟ clock in the morning and it

was very cold, I was feeling thirsty and took out my water bottle but it was frozen. I started shivering I put two extra layers of lowers, a wind proof jacket and an extra pair

of gloves. I put on my gaiters but unable to wear crampons, Pasang helped me in wearing them. Now we were above 5500 Mts which is to be considered as extreme high

altitude and there were clear sign of mountain sickness. Acute headache and feverish

feeling was killing. Now ahead of us was the toughest part of the climb gradient of 45 degrees, hard frozen snow and very thin air. I was taking one step and breathing three

times. I looked forward carrying a question in mind “How much is left” and then back-ward and thinking “How much progress I have made”. When I was looking at fellow

climbers I was laughing how slow we were walking everybody there was struggling for breath.

At around 5.30 first rays of fall on us, the feeling I had cannot be expressed, I took out

my camera and clicked few quick shots of sunrise. Walking very slowly we reached the end of the snowpatch. Pasang opened the route and we crossed it one by one. Now the

remaining route was rocky so we removed our crampons. We roped up (Mountaineering technique where in you are attached to one another for safety) and

started walking. It was balancing act as you need maintain proper slack and tension, at times it was very frightening also especially where you are crossing a ridge. Only thing

which was the sole motivation to move is the tall overlooking summit of the peak. We took the final break waited for every one to arrive. Now sun was giving much needed

relief from the cold. I had my energy bar and drank some water. Now we pushed for the final leg of the summit attempt. I freed myself from the rope and was ahead of

everyone. It was last some few steps and I couldn‟t stop myself from running. Hurray!! I was at the summit of Stok Kangri and I kissed the prayer flags there. It was moment

of joy and we congratulated everyone who was there on the summit.

30

Story 2

The Trip to GIR national Forest

Meet the King

RJ Aayush,94.3 My Fm

I am really grateful for this opportunity to share my experience visiting the GIR

NATIONAL FOREST a couple of years before. I was planning to visit the santuarty since quite a time and then the opportunity landed across me where I and few friends

decided to spend the weekend exploring Junagadh esp. Sasan Gir.

Gir National Forest, established in 1965, is spread over a sprawling 545 square miles (1412 km²), of which the National Park only stakes claim to a small part of the area.

It is 40 miles (65 km) southeast from the historic town of Junagadh on the southern-most tip of the Kathiawar Penisula.

So as discussed we booked our stay at the govt lodge, we later came to know that our

room was the same where the acting legend Amitabhji stayed during the promotions of Gujarat tourism. 3 of us in our 20 something were eagerly waiting for the dawn to

break as we were to go for the much awaited safari ride.( None of us slept that night discussing what to expect the day after) I wish I could said that but the reality was that

we were so exhausted that none of us could keep our eyes open ;).

The Next Day: The Guys in Moustashes

As we were told the GYPSY(an open vehicle not to be taken literally) came exactly on

time 6:00 am .. I guess they know what expectations are, and that they should not be broken. So we took a short gypsy ride to the gates of Sasan Gir and were greeted by

two men in moustaches oh no was it uniform .. yaa two men in uniforms I distinctly remember though they also wore moustaches and beautiful smiles. It was like we were

on top of a roller coaster ride expecting free fall. “Aaj toh wapas zinda aana hain boss” were the words that I spoke to the guys with smiles, moustaches and uniform with a

salute and guess what!! they started laughing. The feeling that laughter instilled was of pure FEAR. Time for Free Fall. Let the ride begin.

The Ride: This jungle is mine.

The gates opened for us to enter the Jungle where ASIATIC Lions rule the fear already instilled in our hearts we had no option but to accept what nature had saved for us. We

drove along a narrow kacha rasta eagerly hoping to catch some action ready to shoot the Lions and the other creatures in the jungle with our cameras. For the first twenty

minutes nothing happened the road remained safe, jumping at every small movement in the bushes expecting that a huge monsterly Lion to jump out of them but nothing

happened Rabbits, Deers, Nilgais, a cute looking girl in another gypsy that was suppos-edly going back to drop her safely back to the city. I think as humans we are all impa-

tient and we lost all excitement in those twenty minutes.. But remember the jungle tests your patience..

32

After twenty minutes of driving on a road

that tested our back-

bones we came across an open space

and there they were

soaking sunlight. Sit-

ting as if the they

knew that the jungle

is at peace.

For that certain period

of time we only stared, gazed and

drooled at the king of

the jungle. Our Driver told us that he knew

that we will be seeing

lions today as it was a cold night yesterday

and lions generally

like to get some sun in the early morning.

We let him take the

credit for it as we did

not care about it. We

were just amazed at

the way something can be at such peace

in a place which we call JUNGLE.

The fear vanished and for the next 10 min-

utes we noticed every

movement of the king its yawning, its

stretching.

We took a turn back to the gates with the

same smile that the

guys with moustaches had happy that we

made it alive out of

the JUNGLE

The King: Worthy to Rule.

34

Story 3

OOTY A place where God Rest

Shilpi Bishnoi

A few years back I choose to b on

an excursion to the gem among

southern hills Udagamandalam

otherwise called as “Ooty”.

It nestles in Nilgiry Mountains

near the trijunction of Tamil

Nadu, Karnatka and Kerela.

We reached there by bus from

Coimbatore, which is at a distance

of 90kms. It was really a boon for

me for those four-five days of

sweltering heat of south.

On entering town I was dazzled to see lush-green golf courses, which otherwise I had

seen on television screen only. I was also amazed to learn that game of snooker was originated in Ooty club over a century ago.

Our exploration started next morning from the Dodabetta peak, which is the highest

peak in the Nilgiris, lying at junction of Western and Eastern Ghats. It gave a promi-nent view of as far as the Mysore plateau from the top of peak. That was a pleasant

place with cool breeze and clouds wandering around us. After enjoying there for an hour or two we went to Botanical Gardens, which were established long back some-

where in late 1840‟s. It is a house of thousand different species of flaura including 30 types of eucalyptus, not to be found in any other hill station of the country.

The best was a fossil tree trunk 20 million years old in the midst of the garden.

The garden also attracted me by colourful charming flowers. Sadly it was not possible for us to see the whole of the garden in a couple of hours as there was furthermore

bundle of ooty‟s beauty bunches to be explored, So we left that place and started towards the “Coonoor” - A small town that stands on a lower ridge of the plateau hav-

ing an equable climate that made it popular as a hill resort in its own right.

…Dolphin‟s nose point, which was something really very awesome; it was a hill resembling like a cute nose of a dolphin. The combination of mighty and attractive hills

wooded with loveliness is difficult to be found anywhere else. Really ooty is the place where nature has unfolded itself with distinctive grandeur and individuality; flaunting of

beauty can attract any individual towards itself, so how was it at all possible by our Bollywood Gaints to stay behind? Movies like „shabad‟ and „jab pyar kisi se hota he‟

were picturized in its scenic beauty. There was a peaceful and cozy ambience of romance, a perfect place to be with one‟s beloved. It reminded me of the song

“madhos dil ki dhadkan,chup si tanhai...” . View points and picnic spots around Conoor

include lamb‟s rock, lady cannings seat, st. Catherine falls, Droog and the most amazing sleeping beauty mountain and lover‟s suicide point. After relishing the eyes

with such picturesque scenic spots our first day came to an end with a rocking D.J party and bon fire in the chilly night.

36

Second day started with the

most exciting activity of girl‟s i.e „shopping‟ in the local

market. A vast area of undulating landscape offered

pleasure of long stroll on beautiful roads of market.

The best parts of ooty‟s market were its chocolate

shops. Those freshly baked chocolates were soooo

yummy and mouth watering that it became very difficult

for me to move out of those shops. I bet they would be

bestest memento of ooty to

be taken for your loved one‟s.

On the way there were bungalows and churches - looked virtually impregnable which

were the remnants of the area‟s first British settlement. After having a delicious south Indian lunch we walked towards rich tea estates, which were a green feast for the

eyes. The scenery was so beautiful and rich aroma of tea leaves filled in air boosted spirits. The sip of hot masala tea prepared from fresh nilgiri tea leaves was something

unforgettable. Presence of friends, picturesque beauty and fantastic sip of nilgiri tea...what else can one ask more for in a sunny day??

In the evening we went to valley View Lake, which covers an area of one and a half

square miles. It was another breathtaking view; there were paddleboats and rowing boats available for boating enthusiastic people. The place reminded of lines of one

another old song “ye kasti wala kya gaa raha he...” There were yet another nature‟s treasures with ooty to be seen but because of time constraints we left the place for our

next destination Mysore. But her nature‟s charm and several attractions compelled me to stay there for an extended period, which was not possible. If you are also one of

those natures‟s and sport lover - passionate about bike riding than bet me ooty is the

perfect place for you. It is going to be both soft on your purse and rich in your experiences…

Rajasthan is one of the most interesting and most visited states in India. Rajasthan

means “Land of the Kings.” It is the home of the Rajputs, the warrior class who were famous for fighting to the death against all odds.

Udaipur has a fantastic palace and some beautiful, peaceful lakes. One of the main

highlights of Rajasthan is the local people. Visitors are enchanted by their colorful dress. The people are hard working, friendly and religious. As a class, they are helpful

to tourists and will often not tolerate non-Rajasthanis coming to Rajasthan to take advantage of the tourists. So Rajasthan is relatively hassle-free after you get out of the

big cities.

Udaipur: When talking is high picture speaks more than words.

The Journey begins:

Story 4

Udaipur Joy feels at heaven

Pranay Choudhary

38

40

Photo Story

Madhu Menon

42

44

46

Article

India within India

BIHAR

By Naim Keruwala

India enjoys the position of being the twelfth largest economy in the world and the

fourth largest by purchasing power parity. However, in the UN's Human Development Index, which claims to be a composite of various factors such as health, education, and

income, India ranks 134th among rest of the countries of the world.

The above figures shows the development of our country i.e. Development for one and

Displacement for Other. I got a chance to visit Bihar, an Eastern Central State of India while working as a Consultant for All India Disaster Mitigation Institute for a project

named “Communication Needs for Disaster Management” by ISRO. We were to assess the ground realities and views of the people in three flood affected districts of Bihar

namely Darbhanga, Madhubani and Supaul.

We left from Ahmedabad for Darbhanga on 21st December 2009 and reached our

destination on 23rd afternoon. As soon as we got out from Darbhanga Railway-Station,

we got our first shock. Darbhanga is a district head-quarter and the roads in a district head-quarter are expected to be well-maintained, but the roads just outside the railway

-station were made of Bricks arranged in a Zigzag format. We took a Rickshaw to the main-market and we did saw good roads, but very un-often.

However, this cannot even be considered as a problem as compared to the problems we witnessed further during our journey.

During our 15 days stay in Bihar, we met people who have lost their children due to

starvation. We hear and read a lot about poverty, but witnessing it is a much horrifying experience. When we enjoy 8.5% growth-rate in our economy and celebrate the pros-

perity of our cities, these Indians are sleeping empty-stomach and without a house. Most of the people we met in the villages were land-less, they were just living at a

place which they saw empty and did not knew what would happen to them the very next day.

I met a guy named Lallu Sahdai in a village named „Lakhnaur‟, he was drunk and wearing a white Lungi which could not be considered white anymore even if it was

washed a 100 times. His children looked pale and had a slim body with a big stomach. I asked one of my colleagues about the reason and he said that it‟s a disease caused due

to malnutrition and most of the children in the villages suffers from it. When I asked the guy, Lallu Sahdai about it, he replied “I drink everyday, coz it‟s cheap and dont

make me feel Hungry. Do I have any other Option?” I had nothing to answer to him.

There were many such instances when the people asked me a question and I had

nothing to answer. I met an old lady in Birpur. She was a Brahmin and living in extrem e poverty but she was not granted BPL card just because she was a Brahmin. She said

to me, “My Son is a Thief, But do we have any other option?” She was old and sick, she got free medicine from Government hospital but who would give her food for free and

what about her family. She continued “We are farmers, after the flood our farms are filled with sand. It takes more than 10,000 rupees to get the sand out of our farms. We

have asked the Government to help so many times, but nothing happens. We ask for Employment and still there is nothing” “We are left with just 2 options, either Die of

Hunger or Steal”

This was just one encounter but there are many more families living under such

circumstances. The I.T sector of the country's economy has seen breakneck growth in the past decade: the provision of software services and business process outsourcing

services to foreign (principally US & UK) firms. However, that sector accounts for 0.25

per cent of the labor force. Where are the rest? Nearly half of India's total working-age population (15-59 years of age) is unemployed, most of it not even counted as part of

the labor force. While agriculture continues to employ the majority of those considered employed, it accounts for less than a quarter of the national income,and that share

continues to shrink.

Bihar has the lowest GDP per capita in

India, although there are pockets of higher than the average per capita income. As of 2008, agriculture accounts for 35% of the total economy of Bihar and the plight of the

farmers in the state is unbearable.

In one of the villages, we were working till late evening and it was too cold. We were shivering even when we had Jackets, Shawls and various other things to keep us warm

such as gloves, mufflers etc. In such extreme cold, there were children who were abso-

lutely naked just because their parents cannot afford to buy warm clothes for them. They suffer malnutrition just because they don‟t have enough money to buy proper

food.

No doubt India is growing and as an India, we all are proud of it. I am proud of the growth of my country, But the question is, Is every Indian enjoying or benefitting from

this growth? Or is it only the elite class of the Society?

48

Poem o Travel

Shalini shanker

When I search for a lonely path

I always find a destiny

When I search for a Friend

I always find a Philosopher

When I Search for a Question

I always find an answer

When I Search for a lie

I always find a truth behind that lie

When I search for a past

I always find a future

When I search for a love

I always find a Friend

When I Search for a smile

I always find happiness

When I search for a Light

I always find a candle

When I search for tear

I always find a hand to rub that tear

When I search for a drop of water

I always find an ocean

When I search for a book

I always find a library

When I search for myself

I always find a hope

When I search for a Dream

I always find a Plan to fulfil that dream

When I search for a god

I always find my mom……

50

GRAND CANYON

The Grand Canyon is a spectacular destination beyond compare. Located within Grand Canyon National Park in the state of Arizona in the United States, the Grand Canyon is 277 miles (446 km) long, 18 miles (29 km) wide, and over 6,000 feet (1,800 meters) deep. This UNESCO World

Heritage Site and Wonder of the Natural World was carved by the Colorado River over an estimated 17 million years. Now, it tells two billion years of geological history through the layers exposed on its walls. Visitors to the Grand Canyon can enjoy the view from a popular viewpoint on the South Rim. Rafting the Colorado River, or descending the walls of the canyon by hiking or horseback-riding are also popular activities. Helicopter tours of the Grand Canyon are also available for tourist willing

to splurge. The closest international airports to the Grand Canyon are in Las Vegas, Nevada; and Phoenix, Arizona. From there, visitors can reach the park by car.

Walk the path of the eagle

… 4,000 feet above the natural

wonder of the Grand Canyon. Look

down through 2.5 inches of crystal-

clear glass to the Canyon floor

below.

Stand on the edge of an engineering

marvel that extends 70 feet over the

Grand Canyon‟s rim and weighs 1.2

million pounds.

Gaze at the West Rim of the Grand

Canyon, one of the world‟s natural

wonders.

Be Aware

GRAND CANYON SKYWALK

Walk the path of the eagle

… 4,000 feet above the natural

wonder of the Grand Canyon. Look

down through 2.5 inches of crystal-

clear glass to the Canyon floor

below.

Stand on the edge of an engineering

marvel that extends 70 feet over the

Grand Canyon‟s rim and weighs 1.2

million pounds.

Gaze at the West Rim of the Grand

Canyon, one of the world‟s natural

wonders.

52

STONE FOREST

The Bemaraha National Park, situated in the west of Madagascar, has been classified as

a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1990. And for good reason… 752 km² of breathtaking scenery with this incredible stone forest known as the Tsingy.

From the Malagasy word “mitsingitsignia”, which means „to walk on tiptoe‟, the term

Tsingy has been accepted in common language to denote the exceptional topography. This topography of eroded limestone may exist in other areas around the world, but

nowhere as tall, slender and extensive as the spires here.

Beneath this apparent austerity, an extraordinary world of forest canyons, humid caves and burning karst karren is inhabited by fundamentally differing plants and animals

who thrive in close proximity.

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Contributors:

Manish - Edit

Prashant - Design

Nita Ahir - Travel Toonz

Nidhi Jain - Travel Toonz

Ooty Story - Shilpi Bishnoi

Jay Ajudia - Know Unknown

N i rav Jadav - Know Unknown

Shal in i Shanker - Poem O Travel

Ahmedabad photos - Gujarat tourisum

Gir Story - RJ Aayush, 94.3 My Fm

H i m a n s h i G o y a l - C o n t r i b u t o r

Naim Keruwala - B ihar Art ic le

Madhu Menon - Photo Story

Japan Tourism - Japan Photos

Indian Forest - Incredible India

Udaipur Story - Pranay Choudhary

Stok Kangari Story- jai govind meena

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