On this New Year 2021, lets all be on a noble mission :- To nurture the ideology of building a great civilized society together. Creating a better & more cultured human life Through positive words lets attain our goals of enlightenment.

Great Einstein said- Everything is Vibration: Good vibes enhance happiness. There is no better attitude than accomplishing a mission of helping the poor and needy- in alleviating pain and poverty & bringing smile to their faces thus spreading happiness.

Forgiveness can help repair damages and impart peace of mind to the forgiver. Self reflection is an essential instrument to learn innumerable lessons.

Self belief & hopefulness is the great ability to spot light at the end of the tunnel in times of distress. Lets never loose hope and fight the adversities till the very end. Positivity is like a potent searchlight capable of piercing all clouds of darkness & despair.

• 

• 

• 

My dear readers(friends & fellow bloggers)-I am posting here some nice & inspiring quotes (the ‘Good Morning wishes’ which caught my eye) and which may inspire us to come out stronger in facing new challenges of the New Year-2021.I am indebted to my fellow bloggers for inspiring me to pen down this writeup.💖Happy New Yr 2021💖

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Congratulations on getting 100 follows on ‘Travel &Share‘ Current tally is 101.

It was a pleasant beginning of my day today when I received this notification. I hereby convey my gratitude to all my readers for the great support & encouragement which means a lot to me and without which it wouldn’t have been possible in the first place. It is just about an year now since I started blogging and have posted around 30 blogs on my site which you all have appreciated so much. Owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, travel to tourist destinations has almost come to a halt and also travel blogs posts have understandably declined. Lets hope that it all resumes in a few months from now. Till then we must keep our cool and engage in virtual tourism in order to keep our interests alive! I ‘travel & share’ my experiences with other awesome bloggers who have set travel goals for you! Isn’t it such a tremendous idea, friends?

Wish you all a great time ahead & a very happy & prosperous New Year-2021.😁

• 

• 

• 

• 

NARORA is indeed an incredible destination with diverse avenues of interest. Its an important Pilgrimage centre where lakhs of devotees have a dip in the holy Ganges in various ghats on the occasion of fairs and festivals organised all over the year. The Ganges water is extremely important to Indian Hindu population for religious reasons besides providing water for drinking as well as irrigation purposes (through Lower Ganga Canal & Parallel Lower Ganga Canal emanating from the Narora Barrage).Its considered as the most sacred river & is worshipped as Goddess Ganga Mata owing to peoples’ strong faith. There are numerous parks for recreation of children and is a beautiful picnic spot near the Narora Barrage. Due to its fairly high dissolved Oxygen level in Ganges water ,it has reasonable self purifying capabilities. However nutrient heads containing Nitrogen and Phosphorous have increased in recent years but water is fairly potable having reasonable TDS. Apart from the holy Ganges Ghats there are other religious sites such as Narwar Vidyalay ,Rajghat Narora, Ramghat, Karanvas, Anupshahr,etc.The place is renowned for the Nuclear Power Station having 2 units of 2×220=440 MW capacity(operated by the NPCIL) contributing to the Northern grid. Narora is a prominent Ramsar site declared in the yr. 2005 having a diverse variety of birds and animals. It has good connectivity by road as well as railways with major cities of UP, Raj., Haryana as well as with the national capital ,Delhi.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

About NARORA :Its a small town located on the banks of holy river Ganga in the Bulandshahr distt. of UP,India. Apart from the holy river flowing through it there are many Ghats having a dip in the Ganges & temples for offering prayers. Located at 5km from Narora are two Units of nuclear power plants with a capacity of 2×220=440MW of PHWR type. The Unit-1 commenced commercial operation on 1/1/1991 and Unit-2 commenced commercial operation on 1/7/1992.As per 2011 sensus-population=20376.(male-54%,female-46%)Average literacy is 58.1%(male-65%,female-49%)lower than the natural average of 59.5%.EDUCATION:There are some good educational institutions for children:-1)Raghuneel blooming buds school,2)Sriram Public school,3)AECS(NAPS),Narora ,4)Narora Public school,5)Irrigation Inter college,Kalkatti,6)Narvar Vidyalaya,7)Irrigation public school,8)Govt. Junior high school,Naudeyi.9)Govt. Primary school.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED BY NAPS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION: The recent Climate conference in Paris finding Nuclear Energy the best way to deal with the dangerous climate changes .A survey by NAPS in and around Narora shows that rich diversity of birds, reptiles and dolphins can safely exist around a nuclear power station. A 3-day seminar was conducted from 10/12/15 to monitor the nature of environment and nuclear power station and to help ensure the wild life. As part of Environment & Stewardship Program (ESP) of NAPS finding species of bird with total of 5306 birds, 6 species of turtles plus 18 endangered Gangetic river Dolphins and Ghadiyals. NAPS has been carrying out scientific studies on birds,mammals and reptiles. The wetlands of 265 square kms of upper Ganga from Brijghat to Narora barrage stretch were declared Ramsar site in 2005. NAPS organised an Annual Bird Marathon – a one day event that generates a database of the birds in the region. NAPS has also established turtle breeding facility here.

About Narora Atomic Power Plant(NAPS 1&2)2×220 MW capacity. Located in the small town of Narora(Bulandshahr),the NAPS serves the Northern Grid. NAPS unit-1 began commercial operation in Jan 91 and Unit-2 in July 92 contributing handsomely to the National Power Grid of India. On 31/5/93, a major fire occured in NAPS-1 when two steam blades failed in the last stage of the LP Turbine which resulted in severe imbalance in TG leading to rupturing of Hydrogen seal and Lubeoil lines leading to fire.The operating crew acted efficiently and shut down the reactor by manual actuation of the PSD within the failure of turbine . Thanks to the NAPS team who worked persistently to avert the extreme casualty. Although the NAPS 1 was fully rehabilitated after the fire, a second incident hit the Unit-2 in September 1999 when the Air-Locking door malfunctioned. The unit was immediately shutdown for one month to carry out the needed repairs. Also a major Tritium leak occurred around this time by December 1999, the facilities had been inspected by BIS and its environment management system had to be certified. The certification was followed by the voluntary opening of NAPS to WANO peer review in year 2000. Later, NAPS became the first ISO-14001 certified Atomic Power Station in Asia and also received the Golden Peacock Award from the World Environment Foundation for its efforts in environment preservation.

UNIT-1 (2019-20) Availability factor-100%,Generation=35802MUs,Capacity factor-97%(Oct-2020)

UNIT-2(2019-20) Availability factor-100%,Generation=35564MUs,Capacity factor-94%(Oct-2020)

Achievements – 25/8/2020: NAPS-2(Its an indigenous PHWR which became operational in July 1992) became the fourth Indian reactor to achieve milestone of 731 days of continuous operation after Kaiga station 1 (962 days). RAPS-3 =777 days and RAPS-5 =765 days continuous safe operation.

• 

N. P. C. I. L : Its a public sector enterprise under the administrative control of the DAE, Govt of India. Registered in Sept.1987 for operating the NPPs and constructing new power for generation of Electricity under the AEA 1962.It has equity participation in Bhavini ,another PSU of DAE which implements FBRs programs in India. Presently operating 22 Commercial reactors with installed capacity of 6780MW,two BWRs & 18 PHWRs and 2VVER Reactors-KKNPS-1&2 at Kudankulam.1x100MW PHWR(RAPS-1) is in decommissioned state owned by DAE. Currently there are 8 Reactors under different stages of construction of total 6200MW Mission of NPCIL :To develop NP Technology and to produce Nuclear power as a safe environmentally benign and economically viable source of electrical energy to meet the increasing demand of electricity requirement of the country.

ABBREVATIONS USED: PHWR-Pressurised Heavy water Reactor, BWR-Boiling Water Reactor, LWR-Light water Reactor, BHAVINI-Bhartiya Nabhikiya Vidhyut Nigam, VVER-Voda Voda Energo Reactor, KKNPS-Kudamkulan Nuclear Power Station, UC-Under construction ,CO-under Commercial Operation. RAPP-Rajasthan Atomic Power Project, NPCIL-Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. AERB-Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, IAEA-International Atomic Energy Agency, AECS-Atomic Energy central School, RPS-Rana Pratap Sagar. RB-Rawatbhata, NP -Nuclear power. WANO-World Association of Nuclear Operators.

• 

PLACES WORTH VISITING AROUND NARORA:

1) RAJGHAT NARORA, a gram panchayat Rajghat is situated in Rajghat banger village in Debai Tehsil of Bulandshahar district at a distance of 12 KM from Dibai .Narora town is 5KM away located on the banks of Ganga, there are several temples mainly lord Hanuman with a 40 ft high statue. Rajghat Narora Rly Station has connectivity with Agra, Bareilly, Aligarh, Kanpur, Allahabad, Dehradun, Rishikesh etc.

2) KARANVAS – It is 12 KM away from Narora. As the legend has it, in the time of Mahabharata this was place of great king karna who used to donate 50KG of gold everyday. Here is located the famous temple of Kalyani. AHAR -On the bank of river Ganga is situated the temple of golden Avantika & lord Shiva.

• 

• 

• 

3)ANUPSHAHAR – It is also know as chhoti kashi. It is a city and a municipal board in bulandshahar district. It is near holy river ganda on the bangar alluvial. AS per the ancient history, founder of anupshahar was the bargujar clawn of rajghat . Anuprai who founded anupshahar between 1605 and 1628 during the regime of Moghul jahangir king anup also built fort.

4)DIBAI – Its a town and a municipal board under bulandshara district. Its a tehsil and constituency of LA in UP. As per census 2011, population 39902. It is divided in 25wards, 47 villages. Dibai dehat is gram panchayat of Dibai village

5)BULANDSHAHR – It is a city and municipal board and is administative HQ Bulandshahar district of UP. The city is a part of Delhi NCR. History of bulandhshar dates back to older than 1200 BC. The region is near to the capital of Pandavas. With time king Parma made a fort in this region and king named Abhibaran laid the foundation of a tower called Baran which was translated to …languages as Bulandshahar. It is an important grain producing agricultural district – Wheat, Potatoes, Maize and sugar are the main produce.

6) KHURJA – is 17 KM from Bulandshahar on GT road towards ALigarh known as the pottery town – producing beautiful decorative pieces, cup plates, bowls etc.

7) BADAUN – Its is a holy place in the rohilkhand division of united province. as per professor Goti JOhn this city was named BEdamooth-is an ancient inscription on stone which is now in lucknow museam. In this period it was called panchal. s per the stone writings there was a vilage Bhadaulak near it. Muslim historian Mr Rozkhan Lodhi said that king Ashoka built a budhvihar and quila and he named it Budhaman, It is located near holy river ganga. its 235 KM from Delhi. Religion Both Hindu and muslim.Important places – 1. Gauri shankar mandir 2. Jama Masjid. As per mythological stories, Badaun was named after Ahir prince Budh and was founded in 905 AD. Rathore kings ruled at Badaun in 12th century. Kutubuddin captured it in 1196

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

8)ATRAULI: Its a city & muncipal board in Aligarh distt. about 25 km from it & 20km from Narora.

9)ALIGARH: Its 60km from Narora .Recorded history of Aligarh begins with the establishment of the Aligarh fort in 16th century .It has a renowned University, AMU which was founded here as Muhammadan Anglo Oriental College in 1875 initiating the Aligarh movement .Before 18th century Aligarh was known as Kol .The history before the 12th century is obscure .Before the Muslim conquest, Kol was held by the Dor Rajputs. At the time of Mahmud of Ghazni ,the chief of Dor was Hardutta of Baran.In 1194,Qutubuddin Aibak appointed Hisam-ud-din Ulbakas the first Muslim Governor of Kol. Battle of Aligarh was fought in Sept.1803 during second Anglo Maratha war(1803-1805)at Aligarh fort and established British rule.The British besieged the fort and established British rule. In 1804 Aligarh district was formed with Claude Russel as the first collector of the district.

• 

• 

10)NARWAR VIDYALAY: SHRI SANGVED MAHAVIDYALAYA, Narwar ,Narora, established in the yr 1903,affiliated college in 1923,University-Sampurnanand Vishwavidyalaya ,Varanasi,State Public Univ.,private-aided,autonomous,Area=4.81 Acres, Discipline-Sanskrit, Courses-Regular , Undergraduate Program-Shastri-Shastri,Post graduate program-Acharya. Its located near bank of Ganges-Narvar Ghat.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

11)BELON MATA MANDIR: About 5km from Narora is the renowned temple of Belon Mata where hundreds of devotees pay their prayers to the mata everyday.

• 

• 

MY NARORA CONNECTION :My father served the Gandhisagar Hydel Project, MP from 1958 to 1961 before shifting to Rana Pratap Sagar, Rawatbhata for the RPS Dam project. I was only two yrs old then. After that he was appointed in RAPP in 1963 for the civil survey work. I took admission in the RAPP- AECS and passed the All India Hr. Sec exam-1975(CBSE) from AECS-3 School! Thus I spent my entire childhood at RB. Meanwhile my father got transferred to NAPP, Narora for the Narora Project construction work and I completed my further education in UP. In Sept.1980,I joined GAMMON INDIA LTD. as an Electrical Engineer for the construction work of 2Nos. ND Cooling Towers at NAPP Site, Narora where I served upto Aug.1981. Thereafter like a dream coming true, I got appointed as an Electrical Maintenance Trainee and joined RAPS, Rawatbhata in Sept.1981 to reunite again with the place of my dreams/childhood days. Served RAPS, Rawatbhata for four yrs before I was transferred to NAPP for the Commissioning work of NAPS-1&2 in Nov.1985. I served NAPS -1&2 for 14 yrs before I was deputed for the work of Uranium Exploration and Research and joined AMDER/WR at Jaipur in Nov.1999. I have retired from AMD in Jan.2019 as Scientific Officer-E after putting up over 38 yrs service in DAE/Govt.of India. That was indeed a very fruitful period of my entire life memories of which I will cherish throughout my remaining life.

• 

• 

• 

• 

MY READERS MAY PL. NOTE:I am indebted to Wikipedia & my NAPS service tenure for the required information for the blog & request my readers to inform me on this site for required correction, if any! Thanks and Happy Reading!

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Rawatbhata is a town in the Chittorgarh distt. of Rajasthan ,India on the banks of river Chambal with a large Rana Pratap Sagar Dam built over it. Its 50 km from Kota city famous for the competitive/ Coaching classes. Rawatbhata is renowned for the largest Nuclear site with max no. of operating units at a single location! I have spent my whole childhood and a part of adulthood in this small place which never stops mesmerizing me.The spectacular views of Rawatbhata pave a strong foundation of the fact that this lovely place is indeed an Oasis in Rajasthan. This heaven blossoms to another level during monsoon when one can enjoy the place to the fullest. There are some beautiful places(ancient ruins & religious sites comparable to some precious antiques of nature) and waterfalls such as Bhaisrorgarh, Chullia falls, submersible bridge, Parajhar, Saddledam, Charbhujanath temple, Jain Shwetambhar temple, United Church, ,Gurudwara ,Shivmandir, Jama masjid/Madina masjid &Maharana Pratap-Chetak statue on a hill at Vikramnagar/RAPP Township. In addition to being the largest nuclear site in India, Rawatbhata also boasts of a Heavy water plant (100T/Yr Capacity)and a Nuclear Fuel Complex-a new fuel fabrication facility being set up by NFC, Hyderabad here. In addition to these there are innumerable tourist destinations such as Geparnath mahadev /waterfalls, Kota city, Bundi & Ranthanbhore .Rawatbhata is a heavenly site with diverse avenues of natural beauty, Hydroelectric & Nuclear plants at one place.

• 

• 

About RAWATBHATA : Its a city, Tehsil and Nagarpalika in Chittor distt. of Raj. Its renowned for the 8 Nuclear Power plants: RAPS-1(1X100MW- Decommissioned), RAPS-2(1X200MW),RAPS-3/4/5/6(4X220MW),and 2Nos. RAPP-7&8 (2X700MW) are in the construction stages. Apart from the 8 Nuclear plants ,there is a 100 T/yr capacity Heavy Water production plant and an under construction Nuclear fuel complex facility being set up here. RB has one of the largest dams of Raj. built over river Chambal-Ranapratap Sagar dam equipped with a 172MW Hydroelectric power station (4x43MW). Area: 21.53 sq km,Population-37,701(2011-Censes),Sex ratio :927/1000.Literacy rate- 85.82%which is higher than the national literacy rate of 74.04%.Its divided into 40 wards .RB Muncipality has administration over 8397 houses to which it caters to basic amenities like water and sewage facilities. (A)SCHOOLS :Govt. Schools :-1)AECS-2/3/4 under AEES. State Govt.schools:-1)2 SSC Schools,2)2 Sr Sec schools.3)2 Upper primary schools,4)5 Primary schools,6) 1Sanskrit Sec school.(B)Colleges:-BA/B COM,BSC,B.ED+STC, Govt ITI(Fitter/welder/electronics),Private ITI.(C)Hospitals :Govt.Ayurveda hospital, Lahoti hospital, RAPS Hospital, RRVUNL and Vimla hospital.(D)Post Offices:-1)Vikramnagar,2)Anukiran,3)New market.

Important Locations :-

A)Dams on Chambal river :Chambal enters MP in Mhow and exits from gorge section into the plains of Rajasthan at Kota.There are 4 dams constructed over Chambal river for Electricity generation and irrigation purposes.

• 

• 

1)Gandhisagar Dam, MP :Its located at Mandsor distt.Neemuch of MP and was constructed in the yr.1960 and has a 125MW(25X5)Hydroelectric generating station, 2)Rana Pratapsagar dam, Rawatbhata: Water released from GS Dam,MP is utilized by RPS Dam for generating 172MW(4X43)by Hydroelectric station.RPS Dam also supplies water to RAPS for electricity generation.Constuction of RPS Dam was started in 1953 and completed in 1970 and was inaugurated by late Smt Indira Gandhi, the then PM of India and named the dam after Great warrior Maharana Pratap.

• 

• 

3)Jawahar sagar Dam :-Its between Rawatbhata and kota generating 60 MW(3X20) Hydroelectric power.4)Kota Barrage :-It uses water for the irrigation purposes only.

B)RR Site-RAPS Units-1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8 :-RAPS-1-Construction of the 220MW Unit was started in 1963 and completed in Dec.1973.Due to some technical reasons its power was reduced to 100MW and later had to be decommissioned owing to multiple system problems.At present it is under DAE. RAPS-2-It is operating at 200MW power. Its commissioning was delayed upto 1981 as Canada stopped their support owing to the 1974 ‘Smiling Buddha” Nuclear test conducted by India.RAPS-3/4(220MW) Commissioned in Dec.1999/Nov.2000, RAPS-5/6(220MW)- Commissioned in Feb.2010/Mar.2010.At present the Nameplate capacity is 1080 MW. RAPP-7/8(700MW) are under construction and may be commissioned in Mar-2022/Mar 2023.Apart from numerous safety and regulations being adhered(as per the Atomic Energy Act-1962) to at RR Site,there is the Personnel Decontamination centre adjacent to the RAPS Hospital. Various agencies such as AERB,WANO,IAEA ensure implementation of safety regulations& compliance of prescribed safeguards from time to time. There is no compromise on safety of personnel working in the site. Annual full body checkups are conducted for detecting any exposure to irradiations above the permissible levels apart from the use of protective gear compulsory as per the location of the work undertaken. ABBREVATIONS USED:1)PHWR-Pressurised Heavy water Reactor, BWR-Boiling Water Reactor, LWR-Light water Reactor, BHAVINI-Bhartiya Nabhikiya Vidhyut Nigam, VVER-Voda Voda Energo Reactor, KKNPS-Kudamkulan Nuclear Power Station,UC-Under construction ,CO-Commercial Operation. RAPP-Rajastahan Atomic Power Project, NPCIL-Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. AERB-Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, IAEA-International Atomic Energy Agency, AECS-Atomic Energy central School, RPS-Rana Pratap Sagar. RB-Rawatbhata, NP -Nuclear power. WANO-World Association of Nuclear Operators.

C)NPCIL : Its a public sector enterprise under the administrative control of the DAE, Govt of India. Registered in Sept.1987 for operating the NPPs and constructing new power for generation of Electricity under the AEA 1962.It has equity participation in Bhavini ,another PSU of DAE which implements FBRs programs in India. Presently operating 22 Commercial reactors with installed capacity of 6780MW,two BWRs & 18 PHWRs and 2VVER Reactors-KKNPS-1&2 at Kudankulam.1x100MW PHWR(RAPS-1) is in decommissioned state owned by DAE. Currently there are 8 Reactors under different stages of construction of total 6200MW Mission of NPCIL :To develop NP Technology and to produce Nuclear power as a safe environmentally benign and economically viable source of electrical energy to meet the increasing demand of electricity requirement of the country.

D)Heavy water Plant :Its adjacent to the RAPP Site. Its solely indigenous effort& based over Bi thermal H2O-H2S exchange Process called GS Process. It recieves its electrical power &steam from RAPS. Capacity is 80MT/Yr. Date of commissioning:01-04-1985. E)Nuclear Fuel Complex ,Rawatbhata :NFC Hyderabad is setting up a new facility at Rawatbhata adjacent to the Heavy water Plant with a capacity of 500 TPY PHWR Fuel fabrication and 65 TPY Capacity fuel cladding fabrication. Production of fuel bundle is scheduled in July 2022.In 5yrs time the capacity will be enhanced to 1000TPY after which this site will be the worlds largest production site.

LOCAL PLACES OF INTEREST :

• 

• 

• 

1)BAROLI TEMPLE COMPLEX :Its located in Baroli village in RB having 8 temples within it and an additional temple 1 km away. Built in Gurjar -Pratihara style is dated back to the 10th century AD. All 9 temples are under ASI for conservation and protection.2)CHARBHUJANATH TEMPLE: Its located in RB with a divine Idol of Charbhujanathji in Jhalar Baori. 3)PARAJHAR WATER FALLS :Its near Parajhar gaon known for cave temple of Lord Shiva.Its a beautiful picnic spot except that a dangerous location known for many fatal casualities.4)SADDLE DAM :Its a non gated stone and mud dam to divert the chambal water towards the main RPS Damand away from some villages. Having a nicely kept garden as a good picnic spot.4)CHULIA FALLS:A series of amazing waterfalls taking the shape of Chudiyan(bangles).A riverbed has surfaced because of the construction of RAPS Dam on Chambal river.Another nice picnic spot. 5)SUBMERSIBLE BRIDGE , 6)STATUE OF RANA PRATAP & CHETAK :RPS Dam is connected to Vikramnagar (RAPS TOWNSHIP) on a small hill by a road .There is a large metal statue of Maharana Pratap & Chetak which is also an important view point of Rawatbhata city .There is a well maintained garden here for the tourists.7)BHAINSRORGARH :Its 7 KM from Rawatbhata ,and 125 km from Chittorgarh.Its an impregnable fort inhabited from at least 2nd Century BC located between two rivers Chambal and Bamani.It was a seat of Mewar and princely state of Sisodia clan.It was built by Rawat Lal Singh of Salumber.BRG was granted as “Jagir”.Maharana Jagat Sngh II of Mewar in 1741 AD. There is a Bhaisrorgarh Wild life Sanctuary with wild animals in their natural habitats.

• 

• 

8)GEPARNATH MAHADEV/WATERFALLS :Around 30km from RB is the Gepernath mahadev temple with a Shiva idol and Shivlinga believed to be 500 yrs old located around 400 feet below ground level.Its nature’s miracle that there is continuous waterfall on the Shivling.Owing to numerous waterfalls it is a very nice picnic spot especially in rainy season.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

SOME OTHER TOURIST DESTINATIONS : 1)CHITTORGARH :Its the distt. headquarter of RB at a distance of 130km,and the former capital of Sisodia Rajput dynasty located on the bank rivers Gambhiri and Berach.Its famous for the Chittor Fort or the Vijay Sthamb which is the largest in India and Asia.The fort was built by Mewar King Rana Kumbha in 1448 to commemmorate his victory over the combined army of Malwa and Gujarat led by Mohd. Khilji.The Vijay sthambh is dedicated to Lord Vishnu.

• 

• 

2)KOTA :It was previously called Kotah and is around 50 km from Rawatbhata situated on the banks of river Chambal.Its a major coaching hub for competative exams of IIT/JEE/NEET/Medical.It was the erstwhile Rajput kingdom of Bundi and became a separate princely state in the 17th Century.Main attractions of Kota are :-1)Kota Barrage,2)Kota fort/City palace,3)Maharao Madho Singh museum,4)Jagmandir(10th century),5)7-Wonders Park,6)Chambal gardens,7)Kota stone,8)University of kota,9)Vardhman mahavir open Univ.,10) Govt.Engg college &Medical college,11)Pharmacy college,12)kota Agricultural Univ.13)kota kachori &Namkeen

• 

3)BUNDI: Its a district in Hadoti region of Raj.located in a narrow valley of Aravali hills.The main inhabitants in ancient times were local tribes of which Parihar Tribes Meena were prominent.Bundi’s name was derived fromfrom former Meena Tribal Chief called Bundela Meena .Bundi was previously called Bunda-ka Nal where Nal means narrow ways.In 14/15th century,the Hadas of Bundi were the vassals of Sisodias of Mewar and ruled by the title of Raoraja. Its 30 km from Kota. 4)RANTHAMBHOR :The fort lies within the Ranthambore national park near the city of Sawaimadhopur,parks being the hunting grounds of Maharajas of Jaipur until Indian Independence.The fort was under the rule of Chahamana rajputs(Chauhans)till the defeat of Prithvi Raj Chauhan until the 13th century, when it came under the rule of Mohd.Ghori.Its famous for Tiger safari & elegant Ranthambhor fort.Its 230km from kota.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

MY RAWATBHATA CONNECTION :My father served the Gandhisagar Hydel Project,MP from 1958 to 1961 before shifting to Rana Pratap Sagar,Rawatbhata for the RPS Dam project.I was only two yrs old then.After that he joined RAPP in 1963 for the civil survey work.I took admission in the RAPP- AECS and passed the All India Hr. Sec exam-1975(CBSE) from AECS-1 School! Thus I spent my entire childhood at RB. Meanwhile my father got transferred to NAPP, Narora for the Project construction work and I completed my further education in UP. Like a dream coming true, I got appointed as an Electrical Maintenance Trainee and joined RAPS,Rawatbhata in Sept.1981 to reunite again with the place of my dreams. Served RAPS for four yrs before I was transferred to NAPP for the Commissioning work of NAPS-1&2 in Nov.1985.I served NAPS -1&2 for 14 yrs before I was deputed for the work of Uranium Exploration and Research and joined AMDER/WR at Jaipur in Nov.1999.I have retired from AMD in Jan.2019 as Scientific Officer-E after putting up over 38 yrs service in the DAE. That was indeed a very fruitful period of my entire life.

• 

• 

• 

• 

Thus I have spent my entire childhood and a part of my adulthood in Rawatbhata of which I have very fond memories- of playfulness, childish innocence and of being an obedient and disciplined student with due regard to my respected teachers. I am posting some photos of my schoolmates/teachers which I have preserved so long as my precious possessions. That was some quality time in my life. Rawatbhata is like heaven to me so close to my heart & I miss no opportunity to visit the place which is, indeed ,an Oasis in the state of Rajasthan.

PL.NOTE MY READERS:I am indebted to Wikipedia for the required information for the blog & request my readers to inform on this site for any required correction !Thanks and Happy Reading!

Posted by D .S .Chauhan , November 5, 2020 Posted in Uncategorized

I am fortunate to be nominated for ‘The Black Cat Blue Sea Award’  by another wonderful blogger -Aishwarya Meti .She keeps us motivated through her writeups on diverse issues & subjects. Thanks for nominating me.Checkout her blogs on the site- http://mybestvisioninwords.wordpress.com 

This award is for bloggers who strive to write for everybody, and no matter how many viewers they get make an impact on a reader. This award is an expression of gratitude to the nominee. It should be awarded to anybody that you choose deserves it and it doesn’t mean that they must have hundreds of followers and likes.

Rules for this award are;

1) Anybody nominated, can nominate seven (lucky number) other bloggers.

2) Anybody nominated answers three questions.

3) The question you ask while nominating can be any three questions.

4) If any of the question asked are offending or simply do not want to be answered, the nominee does not have to answer them to earn the award.

My nominees are :

1) Nitin Singh-Nithinks.com

2) Aradhana Singh

3) Indira-my third eye

4) Dulcy Singh

5) Dolly Vas

6) Harini Kannan

7) Anam Gour

Questions asked to me were :-

1) Which country you like to visit (your dream place)and why ?

Ans: Of course ,I will love to explore my country India :The land of dreams and romances,of fabulous wealth and poverty,of splendour and rags of palaces and hovels,of Tigers/Elephants and Cobras in its jungles,a country with thousands tongues, religions and Gods,mother of History,Legends and traditions,diversityof cultures, country endowed with an imperishable interest for peasants and princes ,for literate or ignorant, wise and fool,rich and poor,bonded or free.The one land all people desire to see and having seen once strive to see it again and again of all the rest of the Globe combined. India has lot to offer only we must have the hunger to discover our own country.

2) What are the achievements you are most proud of ?

Ans :Through a little bit of moral education ,I have learnt to become a gentleman with compassion for all the living beings on the Earth, a Social worker trying to help the needy and the disadvantaged and above all , a human being. Thats my achievement !

3) Your piece of advice to me as a blogger (or all the bloggers out there).

Ans: Just be yourself as God made you to be what you are ! Write whatever you want to write as it is your blog. Never give up, eventually someone will find your blog and give you the due recognition. Be creative :create your own unique blog through your own unique presentation style.

Thank you for your wonderful questions.

My questions to nominees are:

1)What inspired you to blog and have you met your all blogging objectives?

2) What is your favorite blog post you have produced till date? Cite its finer points!

3) How are you coping with the COVID-19 Pandemic(the measures taken)? What is your source of motivation to salvage peace/stability of mind in these difficult situations ?

Good luck !

Thank you !

Posted by D .S .Chauhan , November 5, 2020 Posted in Uncategorized

My site : D S Chauhan……..http:// travelshare.travel.blog

• 

• 

• 

GUJARAT is considered the growth engine of India spearheading the growth of the country (owing to its rapid growth rate) contributing to India’s Industrial production & Capital. Its known for its stable & business-friendly policies and proactive administration. Its success is its people and the rich cultural heritage having the 5th largest economy in India. Its the 5th largest state by area and ninth largest by population. Its one of the most developed Industrial state and manufacturing hub. The official language is Gujarati. The oil refinery at Jamnagar is the worlds largest grass root refinery at a single location operated by Reliance Industries. Alang ship recycling yard (50km SE of Bhavnagar)is the world’s largest. Gujarat produces surplus electrical power which it exports to neighbouring states. The cheapest car Nano(Tata motors) is manufactured here. Notable personalities are-Mahatma Gandhi who spearheaded the Independence struggle, Sardar Patel-the Iron man, Jamshedji Tata & renowned Nuclear Scientist Vikram Sarabhai.In 1960 Ahemdabad was made the capital of Gujarat. After that a new capital city Gandhinagar was planned named after Gandhiji on 01-12-2015 which is 32 km from Ahmedabad. History of Gujarat dates back to more than 4500 yrs with the finding of sites of Dholavira & Lothal of Indus valley civilization. From time Gujarat has witnessed various eras of Ashoka, Solanki ,Moghul, Maratha, Gaekwads & British. They have left great marks of their presence in Gujarat in the form of Architectural marvels. Some of the world famous are the sun temple of Modhera ,the step wells of Patan &Adlaj, the Toran of Vadnagar ,the Jain temples of Palitana ,the fort of Junagarh ,the world heritage site of Champaner and Gandhi Ashram. Gujarat is abode of Gods like Lord Shiva ,Lord Krishna and Goddess Shakti. It also has Holy Jain Temples, ancient Buddhist Caves, Parsi pilgrimage sites, excellent Mosques ,Churches and synagogues.Nature becons tourists to Gujarat with beautiful landscapes defined by long sea coasts, beaches deserts and mountains.Visit the ancient Dinosaur fossil site of Balasinor,the Gir forest which is the only abode of Asiatic Lions,the white desert of the Rann of Kutch,the wild ass sanctuary,the lakes of Nalsarovar and Narain sarovar,the hill station of Saputara, the beach coast lines and many other scenic and exciting places.

• 

• 

• 

• 

Religion has always influenced all aspects of human civilization & culture inspiring creative talents and aesthetic expressions. Gujarat offers a wide range of religious architecture with buildings associated with diverse faiths of Hinduism, Christianity ,Jainism ,Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Islam ,Sikhism and Judaism-all being treated with deep reverence and devotion of people of Gujarat. Some of the main religious sites are-Somnath,Junagarh,Dwarika(Jamnagar),Palitana(Bhavnagar),Ambaji, Pavagarh(Baroda) Kayavarohan near Baroda- a temple older than Kashi ,Syed Mosque and Jama Masjid(Ahemdabad),Udwada-Valsad, Lakhpat Gurudwara in Bhuj. In shrines like Ambaji, Palitana, Girnar,Pavagarh are celebrated in history as Acharyas like Shankara,Ramanuja, Vallabh, and devotees like Narsinh Mehta ,Mirabai ,Nanak and Kabir offered worship at these shrines.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

MAIN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS :

1)GANDHINAGAR :

Its the capital city of Gujarat located on the banks of Sabarmati named after Rashtrapita Mahatma Gandhi. The beautiful city is well planned & devided into sectors with wide roads. The Akshardham temple here is a massive Hindu temple with ornate carvings and sculpted pillars &water show in its sprawling gardens .Dandi Kutir museum traces the life of Mahatma Gandhi Swami Narayan temple, children’s Hiran park ,Sarita park,& lakes for boating are are some tourist attractions.

2)AHEMADABAD:

Its the largest city and former capital of Gujarat. Its an important economic and industrial hub in India declared as a Unicef World Heritage city.It was established in 1411 AD by Sultan Ahmed Shah and located on banks of Sabarmati and is the largest centre of Textile production. Places of Interest :1)Sabarmati River front, 2)Motera stadium, 3)Kankaria lake, 4)Jama Masjid,5)Siddi Syed Masjid,6)Rani Roopmati masjid with 12 pillars &3 domes.7)Gandhi Ashram -established in 1915 from where Mahatma Gandhi started the Salt satyagrah and Dandi March in 1930 during struggle for Independence.8)Sabarmati Ashram where Bapuji lived for 30 years after returning from Africa.There is a Gandhi museum here.9)Lothal :78km from Ahemdabad is a link between Mohanjodaro and Harappa Civilization. In 1955 it was a well planned town at the time of hurricane.10)Nalsarovar :It has 360 islands and is a heaven for bird watchers. Birds from all over the places come to take shelter here before changing their habitats. Boating is a popular sport here.

• 

• 

• 

• 

3)JAMNAGAR :

It was established by Jadeja Rajput Sardar Jam Rawal in 1540.Its a city with a blend of modernity and ancient era. There is the world’s only Ayurveda University and famous for its Tie & dye (bandhani art).There is the only Solar hospital Solarium established by Raja Ranjit Singh for treating patients by solar rays.Other places of interest:1)Lakota museum,2)Dr Ambedkar garden.3)Kali mandir,4)Manik bhai mukti dham,5)Shahi mahal, 6)DWARIKA :Its a Hindu pilgrimage on the shores of Arabian sea. Dwarikadhish Lord Krishna temple is is at a distance of 2km from the town also called Jag mandir or Ranchhod mandir.Its a 7-storey,72 pillars mandir with intricate carvings.There are Swargdwar and Mokshdwar. On the way to Bhetdwarika there is Rukhmani devi temple, Shankracharya math,Bhadrakash,Brahma kumari temple,Nageshwar temple and Sunset point,7)BHETDWARIKA :35 km from Dwarika in the Arabian sea is the Bhetwarika where Sri Krishna lived with his family.The ancient house can be seen here. There is train and bus facility upto 30 km from Dwarika .5km to travel by boat .As per prevalent belief ,Bhetdwarika is the actual abode of Lord Krishna.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

4)JUNAGARH :Its an ancient fortified city with an old fort as the name suggests.It is considered sacred by Hindus and Jains & is rich with bustling bazars and narrow streets with dominant periods of Jainism, Hinduism, Buddhism &Islam. Steeped in beautiful history, culture ,spirituality and religion ,Junagarh is the soul of Sourastra.Places of interest:1)Upperkot-2300 yrs old historical &majestic forts.2)Jama Masjid-It was originally the palace of Ranakdevi but was converted to Mosque by Sultan Md. Begda,3)Buddhist Caves carved out of monolithic rock formations,4)Ashokan Rock edicts -located on the way to Girnar talehti are proclamations etched on the rock as declared by Emperor Ashoka in 3rd century,5)Mt. Girnar-the highest point in Gujarat& one of the most important hindu & Jain pilgrimage site spread over 5 summits. There are temples of 22nd Tirthankara Neminath ,Amba mata ,Guru Gorkhnath,Asad shikar,Lord Duttatreya &Kalika mata,6)Darbar hall museum,7)Mahabat Maqbara-the best preserved monument of Babi period of the period of Nawab Mahabhat Khan with exquisite architecture.8)Old Swaminath temple.9)Gir National park,60 km from Junagarh its the only habitat of Asiatic Lion ,it houses 300 leopards, Sambhars,Nilgais, Blue bulls, Chowsingha , Chinkara, Jackal ,Jungle cat, Striped Hyena, Indian fox,& about 40 species of reptiles&amphibians &variety of 250 birds. Also ‘Gir Safari’ is an attraction for tourists.

10)SOMNATH :The first historical temple at Somnath is believed to have been built between 320 &500AD at a distance of 79 kms. Sardar Patel visited Somnath and resolved to rennovate it. Every year a 4-day fare is organised on Kartik sud, the day of Shiva’s son Kartikey’s birth.11)Adi Chadi Vav.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

5)VADODARA :

Its known as the ‘Sanskarinagari’(cultural hub) located on the banks of Vishwamitri river 112km SE of Ahemdabad. Being a major city of Gujarat its a booming production centre .The city is vibrant in its celebration of festivals & entertainment. Some tourist attractions are:-1)Sayaji Baug :This is a unique garden in 45 hectares with many attractions such as Planetorium, toy train for children and a Zoo that houses various species of animals and birds,2)Vadodara museum :It has wide ranging collections ranging from coins,musical instruments,,Mughal miniatures,& sculptures to textile artifacts from Japan, Tibet,Nepal and Egypt.,3)Laxmi Vilas palace :Built by Sayaji Rao in 1817 AD as his residence having royal architecture.4)Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum: Its housed in Laxmi Vilas palace, it displays large number of art belonging to royal family.5)Sri Aurobindo niwas having a library, space for meditation &a sales outlet.6)Kirti mandir was the royal Chambers of the Gaekwads who played a vital role in Vadodara’s growth.7)Maharaja Sayaji Rao University, 8)Pavagarh Hill(45km from Vadodara) :There is a beautiful temple of Goddess Kali on the hill’s summit.Its one of the 51 Shaktipeeths with a 5km walk to reach there.9)Dakor :Nestled in Kheda distt.Dekor is known for its grand temple of Shri Krishna which has a historical significance.10)Sankheda is famous for Kharadi community specializing in lattice work on and handicraft.11)Champaner:Its a historical city located in Panchmahal distt.47 km from Vadodara.With amazing architecture Champaner is today the site of Champaner Pavagarh Archeological park which UNESCO designated a world heritage site in 2004.

• 

• 

• 

• 

6)KUTCH & BHUJ :

Its one of the largest distts. covering the western part of the state with tradition,culture and colourful exuberance with larger part being the Rann of Kutch. Its eminently beautiful with notable mud architecture, lively craft traditions.The people are full of lively spirit and warmth. ‘Its the land of Magical Wonders’. Places of interest : 1)Aina mahal 2)Parag mahal :Architectural masterpiece of Bhuj designed by Scottish architect,Darbar hall of city palace,Hindu temple.3)Sharad Baug palace,4)Kutch museum,5)Khavda-town with excellent potters and leather craftsmen, block printing and hand made dolls and textile products.Its the largest Flamingo colony during migration and a departure point to Kalo Dungar.,6)Chhari Dhand,7)Narayan sarovar,8)Kalo dungar-the black hill of Kutch has a picturesque scenery and a panoramic view of Rann of kutch.Its one of the tallest peaks of kutch.Its at 97 km from Bhuj.9)Hamirsar Lake and Royal Chhatradis.Its a 450 yrs old lake in Bhuj named after Jadeja ruler Rao Hamir (1525-1537),the founder of Bhuj,10)BHUJ :Its an important town and entry point to kutch.There is barren land and Thar dessert and thereafter the Pak border with expanses of salt.Its famous for kutch museum, temples, Masjids and handicrafts,11) Lakhpat Fort :Lakhpat sits at a point where the Kori creek meets the Great Runn of kutch. Guru Nanak ,the first Guru of Sikhism is believed to have camped at Lakhpat on his way to and from Mecca. It has a Gurudwara Nishan Sahib.It is 140km from Bhuj.12)Mandvi -it has a beach, ship building yard ,walking track along the river, bazar, Kashi vishwanath temple, Vijayvilas palace, Bhadreshwar. Its 60 km from Bhuj.13)Dholavira -It is an excavation of Indus valley civilization and Harrapan culture dating back to 4500yrs .The inscriptions are large sized signs of Harrappan scripts/signboards which are undeciphered till date. Its 250 km from Bhuj. The Rann Utsav is celebrated from Dec. to Feb. every year which gives the real kutch experience to tourists.

• 

• 

7)SAPUTARA :

Its located in mountain range of Dang distt. at 873mts elevation is a tourist attraction for its tribal population in cool weather ,sunset and sunrise point. There is a lake,a museum and Mahadev temple. Sarp ganga shore it is famous for snake worship, an attraction for the tourists. 8)BHAVNAGAR : Established by Rajput king in 1260AD is a modern port .Present look is given to Bhavnagar by Bhavsinghji in 1743.Its Industrial centre with a good port. The city is beautiful .There is a bartan museum, library ,Gauri shankar lake,Gandhi memorial, and Lock darwaja .Palitana is an important Jain pilgrimage in the base of mount Shatrunjay. There are 863 Jain temples in marble with world class carvings. Gaumukha temple is the main temple here.

FAIRS AND FESTIVALS : 1)TARNETAR FAIR : Its held every year being one of the most important festivals of Sourastra dating back to the 13/14th century.Its attended by over 2,00,000 people at Tarnetar temple belonging to Solanki era-who worshipped Lord Shiva.This is unique 110 yrs old eventtht celebrates the ‘Swayamvar’ ceremony between men and women.Exhibition on embroidary work ,cattle show,sports competitions, Raas,Garba,Duha and folk dance Hudi are part of the fair. 2)International kite festival at Ahemdabad.3)Navratri festival: Literally meaning nine night. This is the longest dance festival in Gujarat-the celebration of the reverence of the divine Goddess Amba devi in the form of bhajans and garbas. The prevalant forms of dances are Garbas and Raas. The rythem and steps of Garbas and praises of Lord krishna with Dhol, tashen, Dandia, Raas and Garba. 4)Garba Dance :Various forms of Garba dances include Garba, Gofan,Garbi ,Teen taali, Dandia Raas,Tippani,Hinch,Hudo.5)FARES :Ambaji mela, Bhavnath mela ,Dekor mata mela,Dwarika mata mela,Madhavrai mela, Pavagarh mela &Somnath mela. 6)RANN UTSAV :It is celebrated at Kharagodha -Little Rann of kutch.

• 

• 

TEXTILE & HANDICRAFTS TOUR OF GUJARAT : PATAN SAREES,AJRAKH BLOCK PRINTS,BANDHANI EMBROIDERY,BATIK PRINTS,CARVED WOODS,COPPER COATED METALBELLS,HANDICRAFTED KNIVES,HANDLOOM WEAVING,KHARAD,LAC TURNED WOOD,LEATHER WORK,MASHROO,MUD CRAFT,POTTERY,ROGAN,SILVER CRAFT,ETC.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Visit to the neighbouring Union Territory :Daman & Diu:During one of the numerous tours of Gujarat,I visited Daman& Diu &had a wonderful experience of being with nature. DAMAN: A former Portuguese colony with famous beaches, Colonial Architectural Churches, twin towns of Nani-Daman & Moti -Daman with amazing Forts, etc. DIU :Its a coastal tour of the Diu Island. A bridge connects the Island with Gujarat state. Overlooking the Arabian Sea is the Diu fort, a 16th century citadel features a lighthouse, citadel and cannons. I enjoyed visit to both the destinations enormously.

• 

• 

• 

• 

PL.NOTE : I am very grateful to the Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Ltd & Indian Map service for their very informative booklets & maps for providing information &promoting tourism in the state. It was very beneficial for me in this writeup. My readers may kindly inform me on this site for required corrections ,if any !

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

MADHYA PRADESH :I have made a number of wonderful trips to the splendid destinations of MP getting enlightened on each occasion by its heritage, culture, exquisite art and the sites of spiritual salvation. Its an amazing state in the heart of India which retains landmarks from eras throughout Indian history. Begun in the 10th century, its Hindu and Jain temples at Khajuraho are renowned for their carvings of erotic sculptures,most prominently Kandaria Mahadeva,a temple with more than 800 sculptures. Its home to the cultural heritage of Hinduism,Buddhism ,Jainism with innumerable monuments ,exquisitely carved temples,stupas,forts and palaces dotted all over the state. It has won best Tourism state National award in the consecutive years-2015/2016/2017 Three monuments in the state are declared as World Heritage sites by UNESCO-1)Khajuraho group of monuments-1986,2)Buddhist monuments of Sanchi-1989,3)Rock shelters of Bhimbetka-2003 with exquisite mesolithic rock painting. Pachmarhi hillstation (a legacy of British Architecture that lives on) is widely known as the Queen of Satpura beside its beautiful waterfalls and rich diversity. There are two Jyotirlingas in MP out of the total 12 in India, namely Mahabaleshwar temple in Ujjain and Omkareshwar. MP has bagged the award for best State for Adventure Sports alongwith Uttarakhand with 5 water sports destinations in the state. Its organising Jal mahotsav-2020.Khajuraho is organising Dance Festival every year in Feb/March. Khajuraho is famous for its carved and embellished temples and sculptures which are over 1000 yrs old. Representation of Navarasas meaning nine moods or expressions of valour, horror, fear, anger, laughter, sorrow wonder, love and tranquillity. Also based on Kamsutra ,the sculptures of Khajuraho are legendary for the graphic and realistic illustrated scenes of lovemaking. The floodlit sculptures in the temple stand testimony to that. I have visited Khajuraho twice in 1985&1987 and experienced the splendor of the place. In 1985 tour with my friends during the dance festival I was fortunate to witness the amazing spectacle of the Odissi dance performance by Great Sonal Mansingh(Padma Bhushan recipient-1992).The juxtaposition of the dances against the backdrop of the temples was a very unique experience for the performer as well as the audience !There are 10 National parks,3 Biosheres managed by Project Tiger. Narmada and Chambal are the two main rivers of the state.The state is blessed with some of the most beautiful landscapes of India.It has a vast forest cover and natural beauty .There are numerous adventure sports destinations.Bhopal is a city of historic gardens and lakes.Close to Bhopal is Bhojpur whose ancient tales is a journey back in time where the history resides .Raja Bhoj ,who was the founder of Bhopal, was a king from Parmara dynasty with his kingdom centered around the Malwa region.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

About MADHYA PRADESH :

Its a state in Central India with capital at Bhopal, largest city Indore, Jabalpur, Gwalior, Rewa and Ujjain being other major cities.MP is the second largest state by area &fifth largest state by population.It borders UP to the NE ,Chattisgarh to the SE ,Maharastra to South,Gujarat to the West and Rajasthan to the NE. It has 52 districts. Before year 2000,when Chhatisgarh was part of MP,it was the largest state of India.In 2000,Chattisgarh got statehood as part of States Reorganisation Act. After Independence, MP was created in 1950 from former British Central Provinces Berar and princely states of Makrai and Chhatisgarh with Nagpur as its capital.In 1956 the state of Madhya Bharat ,Vindhya pradesh and Bhopal were merged into MP and southern region Vidarbha was ceded to Bombay state.Bhopal was made its capital. CLIMATE :Typical Indian climate with hot ,rainy and cold seasons.Sub tropical condition prevail all over the state with temp. between 30*c &45*c. Cool dry clear skies ,gentle breeze/pleasant weather prevail from Nov. to March with temp. 8* to 20*c. CONNECTIVITY: There is good connectivity with major cities by Air, Rail& Road transport. CULTURE & CELEBRATION: Tribal fairs & festivals are in the ethnic lifestyle of the colourful tribes of the land with fun filled enjoyment marked by great entertainment.1)Bhagoria haat festival,2) MUSIC &DANCE FESTIVALS: Find a whole new dimension of in MP because of the Grandeur of Architecture and History. a)Khajuraho dance festival, b)Tansen music Festival, c)Malwa Utsav, etc. FOOD: There is a mix of Rajasthani,Gujarati& Maharastrian tastes. Bhopal serves meat delicacies.Indore and Ujjain churn out host of vegetarian delights. Indore is famous as the Street food capital of India.Its famous for the Chhappan Dukaan with a row of 56 shops. Sarafa bazar at the historic Rajwada comes alive at night with food carts and eateries so very delicious to the taste buds. STAY :Good number of resorts and hotels for tourist in every popular destination offering very comfortable stay for buisness purpose or pleasure trips.Many modern hotels are converted from havelies, heritage palaces, forts, jungle resorts, nature resorts,huge convocation centres, fantastic indivisual owned retreats. MPSTDC Hotel-Amarkantak holiday homes, Bandhavgarh white tiger Forest Lodge, Bargi-Maikal resort,Bedaghat Motel marble rock. OFFICIAL LANGUAGE :Hindi. Marathi is spoken largely while Adivasis speak their own language. POPULATION: 7,25,97,565 as per 2011 sensus.Tribal population is 15 million(21%of the total population.It consists of the ethnic groups/tribes/caste and communities including the indigenous tribes and migrants. The SC/ST constitute a significant portion of the population. Main tribes are Gond ,Bhil, Baiga, Korku & Bhadia out of the 46 recognised ST & 3 of these have been identified as Special primitive tribal group. RELIGION :Main religion is Hinduism followed by Islam/Jainism/Buddhism/Sikhism. FLORA & FAUNA: a)National parks-10 and Dinasaur national park-1,b)Nature reserves -Amarkantak, Bagh caves, Balaghat, Bori National Reserves, Ken Ghariyal ghati gaon, Nora Dehi, Pachmarhi ,Tami ,etc. c)Bio Reserves-Pachmarhi Bio reserve,Amarkantak Bio reserve and Panna national parks are the 3 out of 18 Bio reserves in India located near Jabalpur- Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Pench, Panna and Satpura national parks are managed as Tiger reserve areas. CLASSICAL& FOLK MUSIC :Some noted classical Gharanas are Maiher Gharana, Gwalior Gharana and Senia Gharana. Two of Indias most noted singers-Tansen and Baiju Bawra were born near Gwalior. Noted Dhrupad experts Animuddin Dagar,Gudecha brothers &Udai Bhawalkar are all from MP.Renowned classical singer Kumar Gandharv spent his life in Dewas. Also gret singers Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar ,composer Adesh Srivastava were born in MP. Local style folk singing include Kalbelia.

• 

• 

MAIN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS:

BHOPAL: Its a city of historic gardens and lakes founded by Raja Bhoj. It has many natural and artificial lakes being one of the greenest city in the country.Great weekend getaways from Bhopal are Tawa and Madai .Bhopal have good good muslim population, mosque &there is wonderful celebrations in the month of Ramzan.1)Minto hall Convention Centre is a jewel in the history of Bhopal,2)Upper& lower lake,3)Van vihar national park.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

INDORE :Its the commercial capital of MP located on the Malwa plateau.Its famous for cotton textile & bangles Industry.Its called the -Food city famous for Sarafa-night market,Chappan Dukan ,Lal Bagh palace,Bada Ganpati,Kanch mandri,Bapna statue, Chintaman Ganesh temple. Town hall, Central museum and Chhatris!

GWALIOR :Its known for palaces and temples including ‘Sas Bahu ka mandir’,Teli ka mandir, Ancient Gwalior fort, Jai vilas palace (built by Scindia dynasty in the 19th century)which is their residence today.

• 

• 

JABALPUR :Located on shores of Narmada has splendid ghats ,waterfalls and glitters of historical and cultural structures. Bhedhaghat-marble rocks and Dhuandhar falls are eminent destinations. Balance rock is another must see site for tourists.

CHANDERI :Located on the borders of Bundelkhand and Malwa its history takes you to 11th century having 375 monuments & is famous for its intricately designed Chanderi sarees, salwar suits and dress fabrics. Chanderi fort is a vast Mughal fort (at 71 mtrs above the town) whose main gate is known as Khooni darwazah. Its also famous for museum and 1200 ancient Baolis.

KHAJURAHO: The temples of Khajuraho are India’s unique gift to the world representing various emotions and moods. The sculptures are perfect in execution and sumlime in expressions.Its declared as a World Heritage site by UNESCO. The temples in the complex are: 1)Kandaria mahadev, 2)Chausath Yogini, 3)Chitragupta temple, 4)Lakshmi and Vigraha temple,5)Parshwanath temple, 6)Adinath temple,7)Ghantal temple, 8)Shantinath temple,9)Brahma temple,10)Vamana temple,11) Javeri temple, 12))Duladeo temple,13)Chaturbhuj temple.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

MANDU : Its a city of joy famous for tragic love story of Sultan Baz Bahadur(who was the last independent ruler of Mandu) and Rani Roopmati ! Mandu has magnificent palaces, tombs, mosques and monuments. Here the Afghan architecture combine beauty with water conservation in 45*C summer.

ORCHHA : Founded in 16th century Bundela Rajput Chieftain Rudra Pratap ,Orchha was the erstwhile capital city of Bundela rulers on the banks of Betwa river famous for its architectural splendor of Orchha reflects the the glory of the rulers. Places worth visiting are-a)Jahangir mahal built on his visit to Orchha.b)Rai Pravin mahal, c)Ram raja temple, d)Chaturbhuj temple, e)Chhatris ,f)Laxminarain temple g)Phool bagh,h)Sunder mahal ,i)Deogarh.

• 

• 

• 

• 

PANNA & PANNA NATIONAL PARK :Its a paradise for bird watchers with more than 200 species of birds.Panna national park is one of the 3 Biospheres in MP located near Jabalpur managed as Project Tiger areas. PNP is a gemstone of Indian national parks-colourful rocks ,clear water of Ken river.

UJJAIN: Situated on the banks of sacred river Shipra,Ujjain is modern name for Ujjaini.It is famous for Mahakaleshwar temple which houses one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of India. OMKARESHWAR :Its where the only Jyotirlinga located on the banks of holy river Narmada.Its the second Jyotilinga of MP after Ujjain.

• 

• 

PENCH NATIONAL PARK: or Pench Tiger Reserve inspired Rudyard Kiplings famous work-The Jungle Book.Today it boasts of the highest density of herbivores in India. PANCHMARHI :Its a hillstation in the Hoshangabad district and is a cantonement since the British raj.Its popularly called the Queen of Satpura at a height of 1067 mts in a valley of Satpura range..Dhupgarh is at a height of 1352 is located in Satpura range.Its a part of the Biosphere reserve famous for Tiger reserve,satpura national park,Lord Shiva temple ,Pandavas of mahabharata.Its under the administration of Panchmarhi cantonement board serving the Indian Army-centre of Army’s education core. Climate is mild ,warm and temperate.1)Pandav caves,2)Sunset point,3)Bee fall ,4)Pachmarhi lake spot,5)Trishuls at Chauragarh, 6)Satpura national park,7)Dhupgarh,8) Sethani Ghat(Narmadapuram)

• 

• 

• 

• 

BHIMBETKA: This site is second oldest cave paintings in the world.The Bhimketaka rock shelters exhibit the earliest traces of human life in India. Its stone age rock paintings are approx.9000 yrs old. Its a world Heritage site .

CHITRAKOOT : Its located in the hills of northern Vindhyas and is a peaceful place where Lord Rama& Sita mata spent 11 of their 14 yrs of exile in the forests of Chitrakoot. Its a holy town closely associated with the epic Ramayana on the banks of the river Mandakini. It has many ghats is believed to be the place where sage Atri and Anasnya meditated. KANHA NATIONAL PARK : Its one of the most tourist friendly national parks providing shelter to some rarely seen wildlife species like world famous Barasingha deer. SANCHI : Its known for its stupas,monastaries,temples and pillars dating from 3rd century BC to 12th century AD.Its a world heritage site. AMARKANTAK : Surrounded by a rich variety of flora,its a unique natural heritage area and is a meeting point of Vindhya and Satpura ranges.A hilly region covered with dense forests.The Narmada river is one of the holliest and longest rivers of India originating from here.considered very sacred and worshipped throughout the region! Its There is a Brahma statue here with various deities located here.

• 

• 

BANDHAVGARH NATIONAL PARK : Its blessed with rich flora and fauna .The forest is full of animals and birds such as world famous tigers, leapords ,wild dogs ,Barasingha ,mouse deer, etc.

• 

• 

GANDHISAGAR DAM: Its one of the major dams built on Chambal river located in Mandsaur ,Neemuch distt. of MP. Its a masonary gravity dam completed in the year 1960. It has a 125MW (25x5MW) Hydroelectric Generating station .Water released from here is utilized at Rana Pratap sagar dam,Rawatbhata downstream for the 172MW (4X43MW) Hydroelectric generating station as well as for irrigation purposes. At Gandhi sagar dam a beautiful park and a tourist complex is developed with an elegant statue of Chambal mata providing water to two children signifying MP State and Rajasthan state. In the year 1968,I visited the place through our educational tour to Gandhisagar when I was studying in Rawatbhata in 5th standard.As small children,we enjoyed the trip a lot. Still further downstream there is the Jawahar sagar dam midway between Rawatbhata and Kota having a Hydroelectric station-60MW(3X20MW)and still further downstream is the Kota Barrage using the water for irrigation purposes. Chambal river is one of the cleanest perenial rivers of India.It originates at Janapav south of Mhow town in Vindhya range in MP. It flows through Rajasthan before turning SE to join the Yamuna in UP.It ends at the confluence of Chambal, Kwari ,Yamuna, Sind, Pahuj, at Pachnada in UP.

• 

• 

• 

• 

Other Tourist Attractions:- BATESHWAR TEMPLE COMPLEX,PADAVALI,MORENA./ CHAUSATH YOGINI TEMPLE ,MITAVALI,MORENA./ SHAHASTRA BAHU TEMPLE,GWALIOR FORT./ SHIV TEMPLE AT BHOJPUR/ BENI SAGAR LAKE/ ARCHEALOGICAL MUSEUM / RAJGARH PALACE,/ PANDAV FALLS/ KEN GHARIYAL SANCTUARY / KUNDALPUR JAIN TEMPLES NEAR DAMOH/ HINGLAJGARH TEERTHAM,BHANPURA,DISTT.MANDSAUR.

• 

• 

• 

• 

Note: My sincere gratitude to Wikkipedia for the much needed references on MP. & MP Incoming site for their great travel services & catalogues helping me provide tourism information in MP. My readers may pl. inform me for any incorrect information on this site which will be duly corrected.

I made numerous amazing trips (from 1979 to 2019)to the charming hillstations & the holy spiritual destinations of Uttarakhand alongwith friends and family & on each occasion there was a wonderful celebration of the natives’ warm-heartedness, bewitching vistas of the snow-capped peaks/mesmerising landscapes and spiritual enlightenment. Its a beautiful destination with amazing snow capped peaks, villages along winding mountaneous roads with rivers curling their way through hills/waterfalls and shimmering lakes in the midst of crowded towns. The numerous parks boast of states’ continued effort to conserve wild life,its rich culture & religious heritage. An adventurer’s paradise with sports like Skiing ,rafting, mountaineering , paragliding & trekking. People are warm-hearted, hospitable& religious always ready to extend generosity & help. Religion is pretty serious business not only to attract tourists but as an important part of day to day life.Almost every house has a corner for deities and daily prayers. Its a true family destination as peaceful and full of activity as one may like it to be.Ride on the rapids,walking down hilly roads,spiritual cleansing in the holy Ganges & offering prayers to our Deities in the temples in the quest for peace and salvation in this holy Devabhoomi state.Its known for Hindu pilgrimage sites .Rishikesh is a major centre for Yoga studies.The city holds the evening Ganga Aarti-a sacred gathering on the sacred Ganga river. Jim Corbett National park shelters Bengal tigers and other wildlife.Lakes and valleys like Nainital/Bhimtal/Naukuchiatal are scenic wonderlands along with snowcapped peaks and pine trees lined up in slopes with breathtaking beauty. Valley of flowers -A UNESCO heritage site. Great destination in all seasons but normally visitors come in summers it being mild & pleasant weather then.

About UTTARAKHAND : Its often referred to as the Devabhoomi due to numerous Hindu temples and Pilgrimage centres.It borders Tibet to the North,Nepal to East,UP to South,HP to West & NW.It has 13 districts with Winter Capital at Dehradun and summer capital at Gairsain-a town in Chamoli distt.The high Court is located at Nainital. Official language is Hindi& additional language is Sanskrit. 1)GEOGRAPHY :The state is divided into two divisions as follows : A)GARHWAL division consisting of Uttarkashi,Chamoli ,Dehradun,Pauri Garhwal, Haridwar,Rudraprayag and Tehri Garhwal, B)KUMAON division consisting of Haldwani ,Nainital,Rudrapur, Almora ,Pithoragarh,Mukteshwar,Ranikhet, Binsar &Jageshwar.Apart from Garhwali &Kumaoni,other tribes that exist in Uttarakhand are Jadh ,Marcha ,Tolcha, Shanka,Buksha,Tharu,Jaunsari,Bhatia,Raji, & Gujjars engaged in different professions . Nestled in the lap of Himalayas UK has a highly varied topography with snow-covered peaks,roaring streams,glaciers,deep canyons,beautiful lakes with some of the highest peaks in UK :1)NandaDevi-25646ft,2)Kamet-25446ft,3)Badrinath-23420ft 2)LANGUAGES :Pahadi is a beautiful amalgamation of Nepali,Sanskrit and Prakrit. 3)ECONOMY:Agriculture &tourism and farming are popular living source of revenue.In Doon valley,Haridwar and Rishikesh,Udahmsinghnagar and Nainital such as potatoes & Cauliflower in step farming/cascadingsteps of medicinal plants,herbs that are grown for Pharma Industries.For tourism industry, there are hotels,restaurants and tranportation .4)RELIGION :Its called ‘Abode of Gods’, Heterodox Buddhists and Hindus. Devabhoomi as many of the Hindu deities are enshrined here in mountains and along the rivers. Most sacred are the Char Dham Yatra in the four shrines of Gangotri, Yamnotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath-Pilgrimage to them is tough and supposed to ensure eternal salvation. The Ganga flowing down to the plains meets its tributaries at what are called the Panch prayag-five sacred sangams of the rivers at Vishnuprayag, Nandprayag, Karnaprayag, Rudraprayag and Devaprayag. Historical Gurudwaras of Hemkund sahib near the valley of flowers is an important centre for Sikhs. Piran Kaliyar is equally important for Muslims where Dargah & Hazrat Allauddin Sabri Kaliyan (a sufi saint)was built by Ibrahim Lodhi.Its between Haridwar and Roorkee. Tunganath is a Hindu pilgrimage of Lord Shiva .Nanak Matta is 60 km from Rudrapur -a Sikh pilgrimage and Gurudwara.5)Arts and Literature :a)Dehradun Literature festival,b)Sumitranandan Pant Museum, Kausani .6)CUISINE :Popular dishes-Gatta, Galbulas,Swal,Gulghut ,Arsa, Buckwheat, Other dishes -Dabuk, Chains, Kap,,Bhatiya, Jaula,Phana, Paliyo, Chutkani & Sei. Balmithai-a popular Kumaoni sweet.7)DANCES :Chholia dance of Kumaon, 8)SPORTS: Main sport is football. Other sports are skydiving, paragliding, trekking, bunjee jumping, rafting, etc. There is US Football Association and RG International Cricket Stadium at Dehradun and Haldwani,9)Population :As per 2011 Census-10,086,292… 10) LITERACY: 79.63% 11) SEX RATIO :963F/1000M

HISTORY OF UTTARAKHAND :As early as the 7th to the 14th century,the Katyuri dynasty dominated the region from Katyur(presently Baijnath)valley in Kumaon.Jaunsar -Bawar was part of Garhwal Kingdom which was captured sometime by Sirmour rulers being on the border area.Later on Garhwal kings defeated Sirmor winning back Jaunsar- Bawar.In 1829 Jaunsar-bawar was incorporated in Chakrata tehsil which had been part of Punjab state of Sirmour till British conquered it along with Dehradun after the 1814 war with Gurkhas.The area was established as Indian Army Cantonment in 1866.Jaunsary language is spoken by most people of the region.The medieval period was a time of great monetary and artistic prosperity when the region was consolidated under Garhwal kingdom in the West and Kumaon kingdom in the East.From 13th to 18th century Kumaon prospered under the Chand rajas .Garhwal was likewise unified under the rule of Parmar Rajas.In 1791,the expanding Gurkha empire of Nepal overran Almora the seat of Kumaon kingdom.In1803,the Garhwal kingdom also fell Gurkhas under Amar Singh Thapa.With the conclusion of Anglo Nepalis war in 1816, a rump portion of Garhwal kingdom was reestablished from Tehri and British Garhwal and Kumaon ceded to the British as part of Treaty of Sugauli.After Independence,the Garhwal kingdom was merged into UP State.Then in 1990 there was Uttarakhand movement for statehood.In Sept 1998 the UPLA Council passed the UP Reorganisation bill which began the process of formation of a new state.Indian parliament passed the UP Reorganisation act 2000 and on 9th Nov.2000, UK became the 27th state of India.This day is celebrated as the Foundation day of Uttarakhand when there is a week-long celebration with numerous programes of states heritage and culture.

TOURIST DESTINATIONS OF UTTARAKHAND STATE :

1) DEHRADUN :Its the capital of UK at the Himalayan foothills and is the seat of administration.It offers serene environs,mild climate,proximity to Mussourie,Rishikesh &Haridwar and favoured destination for adventure ,Pilgrimage,business and education.Main landmarks are: a)Clock tower -a business and education hub.2)Tapkeshwar Shiv mandir-known for Shivratri festival celebration.3)Shahastradhara is a thousandfold spring which has medicinal benefits.4)Shopping centre of basmati rice/Lichis &Dussehri mangoes,5)Forest Research Institute ,Dehradun.6)Paltan bazar,7)Sikh temple and Gurudwara, Nanaksar.8)Mindrolling Monastary with great stupa,9)Robbers cave,10)Indian Millitary academy,11)Doon school.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

2)MUSSOURIE :Its one of the most mesmerizing hillstations in Dehradun distt.popularly called the Queen of hillstaions.located at 35 km from DDN at the foothills of Garhwal Himalayan range at an elev. of 6578ft surrounded by Doon valley and Shivalik range.Major landmarks:1)Landour a)Millitary Cantt.2)Township of Barlowganj,c)Muncipal garden,d)Happy valley and Jaripani falls.Its a large Tibetan settlement with delicious variety of food in Chardukan square,Lakhamandal,2)Dhanaulti hillstation at 24 km from Mussourie.Doon valley and snow covered Garhwal Himalayan range can be viewed from here.3)Camel back,4)Mall road,5)Lal Tibba,5)Kempty falls,6)Gun hill,7)Lake mist,8)Nagdevata mandir,9)Himalayan weavers,10)Jwala devi temple,

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

3)CHAKRATA; Pristine little hillstation about 92 km from DDN occupying Chakrata and kilani hills with great view of Great himalayas with sloping forests of Deodar/Himalayan oak. 4)KANATAL :A little hamlet at 2600mts offers captivating view of snow clad Garhwal himalayas with various adventure sports.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

5)NAINITAL :At a height of 1937 mts is a glittering jewel in the Himalayan neclace dotted with lakes.It has its own legend wovenarond the lake,name derives from Indian Goddess Naina devi the presiding idol of the region.1)Lakes with paddle boats and yatch :Sattal,Bhimtal,Nauku-Chiatal ,2)St John’s Church,3)Cheena peak or Naina peak.4)Ropeway at mall,5)Sunset at Hanumangarh Temple.6)Bhimtal is 22km from Nainitalnamed after Bhim ,the strongest of the 5 Pandavas.in the epic Mahabharata.7)Nakuchiatal -lake with nine corners.

• 

• 

6)CHAMBA :At an elevation of 1600mts &about 50km from Mussourie is an ideal spot for a quiet vacation. Offers majestic view of Himalayas and Bhagirathi river.

7)OLD & NEW TEHRI :Its a city in Garhwal distt.and derives its name from ‘Trihari’ signifying a place that washes away the 3 types of Sins-sins born out of Mansa,Vacha,and Karmana(through thoughts,words and deeds).Tehri Garhwal is surrounded by distts. of Rudraprayag,Dehradun ,Uttarkashi and Pauri Garhwal. Tehri dam is the highest dam in India on the Bhagirathi river near Tehri with Tehri Hydroelectric Complex phase-I (1000MW=250 MW X4) completed in 2006 with a reservoir for Irrigation ,muncipal water,etc.! HISTORY OF TEHRI GARHWAL : In 1803.Sudarshan Shah’s father King Pradumn Shah was killed in war with Gurkhas!king Sudarshan shah established his capital at Tehri town. His successors Pratap Shah ,Kirti Shah and Narendra Shah established Capitals at Pratapgarh, Kirtinagar and Narendranagar repectively.Their dynasty ruled for 1815 to 1949.Manabendra Shah ruled from 1946 to 1949.Parmar dynasty (12th to 15th century) and Shah dynasty (from 15th to 20th century) !Old town of Tehri was located at the confluence of Bhagirathi and Bilangana rivers.Tehri was the capital of Princely state of Tehri Garhwal in British India. Construction of Tehri dam totally submerged the old tehri in Oct.2005 after 90 yrs of its establishment after which New Tehri came into existence with total 11 wards in it. PLACES WORTH VISITING:1)Pantwari village,2)Kirtinagar,3)Ghansali,4)Chandrabadani devi temple.5)Tehri dam,6)Devi Kunjapuri temple,7)Sri Adinath Digambar temple,8)Panwali Kantha-a popular trek of UK ,9)Narendra nagar is tourist attraction to view river Ganga & Doon valley.10)Mahaseer taal,11)Sehastra taal,,12)Khatling Glacier,13)Tehri mahal.14)Koteshwar dam is a gravity dam 22km downstream of Tehri dam. Its a part of Tehri hydroelectric Complex

• 

• 

• 

• 

8)MUKTESHWAR :At 2286 mts elev. it Sri Adinath Digambar templeoffers 180* view of Himalayan range.It is famous for the classic novel-“The man eaters of Kumaon”written by Jim Corbett who hunted many tigers and leopards.The temple is devoted to Lord Shiva with a white marble Lingam.See peaks of Nanda Devi,Nanda Ghunti,Trishul and Panchchauli at sunrise.

9)LANSEDOWNE :At 1706 mts elevation,it is a beautiful and picturesque hillstation in Paudi Garhwal.Main landmarks are-1)Garhwal Rifles Regimental centre,2)Garhwal office of Indian army command office,3)War memorial,4)Tarkeshwar mahadev Shiv temple,5)St Mary’s Church.Here tourism is not commercial but eco-friendly.

10)RANIKHET :Pretty hillstation town in Almora distt. Main Landmarks-1)Indian army Kumaon Regiment headquarter,2)Golf Course ,3)Rich flora and fauna with amazing mountain views.Known for delicious fruits.4)Nearby destinations-Dwarahat,Sitalakhet and Tarikhet.

11)DHANCHULI :Enchanting little village with enchanting view of Himalayas,lush forests.1)Potato and fruit orchards on terrace cut hillsides,2)Trekking through mountain trails,

12)ALMORA :A town with a unparallelled charm with mesmerising views. In the Kumaoni hills of snow-capped himalayan range with Koshi and Suyal rivers. Rich cultural heritage: Unique handicrafts,Kumaon’s cuisine and magnificent wildlife-400 species of plants.Many temples-Kesar Devi,Banari devi,Chitai ,Binsar mahadev,Garhwal and Baijnath .A sun temple is located at Katarmal. Very creative people-Govind Ballabh Pant,dancer Udaisharan, Nobel Leureate Sir Donald Ross and Lyricist Prasoon Joshi are people with roots in Almora.

13)KAUSANI :Famous for mountain views and tea gardens.Mahatma Gandhi spent some time here!Its considered jewel of Himalayas.Literature lovers must visit -1)Pant museum dedicated to Sumitranandan Pant.2)Beautiful view of the Himalayan peaks.3)Trekking to Pinakeshwar. 4)Shiva temple.

14)CHAUKORI :Its a tiny hillstationin Pithoragarh distt. in western Himalayas in Kumaon division at an elev. of 2010mts with views of Nandadevi and Nanda kot. Its at 10 km from Berinag another picturesque hillstation.

15)PITHORAGARH :Its the easternmost distt. of Uttarakhand and shares its boundary with Nepal and Tibet-rich in ecological diversity popularly known as Solar valleys!A place of exquisite natural beauty and serenity and is often referred as mini Kashmir.There is Kapileshwar mahadev mandir dedicated to Lord Shiva.From here Pilgrims take journey to holy shrines of Kailash mansarovar .This valley also nestles the snow crested peaks Nanda devi east and west, below these mighty peaks lie the Alpine valleys and glaciers like Milam,Ralam ,Namik and Sunderdunga.

16)LOHAGHAT :Experience the Historical riches of little town and mythological in banks of river Lovahati.Worth Visiting Places:1)Mayavati ashram,2)Shyamal Taal,3)Abbot mount,4)Forti village,5)Gurudwara sahib,6)Galchauraha,7)Varansur fort,8)Fight carnival called Bagwal.

17)KHIRSU :Its an alluring fairy tale land of matchless and unsullied beauty.Pristine silence reins the atmosphere,birdsong create a symphony of serenity that makes it a rare Himalayan treat!

18) BINSAR :Its a hillstation in Almora distt with natural beauty &landscapes offering amazing glimpses of Himalayan range.It has cool and soothing weather essential to rejunevate our spirits. ATTRACTIONS :1)Binsar is an adventurer’s delight for trekkers,2)Binsar valley is home to unique flora fauna. 3)Bineshwar temple dedicated to Lord Shiva built in 16th century by King Kalyan Chand.4)Binsar national park. 19)BARKOT, 20)GUPTAKASHI ,21)GAURIKUND.

SPIRITUAL & PACIFYING DESTINATIONS: Coming here for peace of mind & returning happier! 1)HARIDWAR :One of the holiest cities Gateway to the 4 major Pilgrim sites.Here Ganges leaves the mountains and enters the great plain of north. Thousands of pilgrims come here yearly take a dip in the Ganges and encounter the vibrant mix of folklore,mythology and tradition.Every 12 yrs Kumbha Mela is celebrated here and Ganga aarti is performed in the evening along the bank of river at Har ki Paudi with diyas lit.Haridwar means Gateway to the Gods associated with Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. Places of Interest :1)Har ki Paudi,2)Kankhal ghat,3)Mansa devi,4)Chandi devi temple,5)Maya devi temple.

2)RISHIKESH :Its 25km from Haridwar comes under Dehradun distt.Its a centre of Yoga, meditation &Spiritualism !Taking a dip is essencial part of Pilgrimage Laxman Jhula ,a suspension bridge is famous landmark.It is haven for spiritual seeekers and as the Yoga capital of the world.It hosts the International yoga festival hosted by excellent vegetaranian food,masala chai ,cold lassi.Adventure sports:hub of white water rafting on rough rapids,hiking,backpacking &bungee jumping.

3)JAGESHWAR :At 35 km from Almora its a pilgrimage centre and an archeological delight .There are 124 large and small temples under the ASI having interesting display of sculptures and idols.Nageshwar temple is one of the 12 Jyitirlings is believed to be located here.Also there is the Jageshwar mahadev temple in Jageshwar.

4)PATAL BHUVANESHWAR :Its a limestone cave temple located at 14 km from Gangolighat in Pithoragarh distt.The cave is 160 mt long and 90ft deep.Legend has it that this cave enshrines Lord Shiva &33crore Gods.Devotees claim the forms of Ganesha,Sheshnag,Garudh,Shivlinga and Kalbhairavi distinctly visible.The temple was built in 12th century by Chand kings.Adi Shankaracharya visited this cave in AD 1191.

• 

• 

• 

• 

5)CHAR DHAM YATRA (The challenging circuit):Means the four abodes and the purpose of yatra of Himalayas is pilgrimage to the Heavenly abodes-Yamnotri,Kedarnath,Gangotri &Badrinath all in the beautiful mountains of UK not to be mistaken with the longer Chardham yatra of Jagannath Puri,Rameshwaram,Dwarika,and Badrinath shrines located on the 4 different corners of India.Badrinath features in both the yatras.A)YAMNOTRI :Place of origin of sacred river Yamnotri with temple of Goddess located here. B)GANGOTRI :Its the origin of river Ganga-the holiest of rivers though it orinpginates at Gaumukh around 18km away. Aarti on the bank of river is mesmerising ritual . C)KEDARNATH:It is dedicated to lord Shiva.Its one of the 12 Jyotirlingas where Lord Shiva permanently resides.Temple was built in 8th century AD by Shankaracharya himself. D)BADRINATH :The shrine is dedicated to Lord Vishnu at a height of 3750mts.Legend goes that when Lord Vishnu was living here ,Goddess Laxmi,his wife took the form of a Badri,a berry tree to protect Vishnu from direct heat of sun. Lord Vishnu announced the name of the temple to be Badrinath after the Goddess.

• 

• 

6)NANDADEVI RAJ JAT YATRA:Its a festival celebrated every 12 years in UK .There is a charming legend that Goddess Nanda devi returning to her abode the Gangauti peak supposed to be Shivas residence through a trek of 280km whose starting point is Nauty village of Chamoli distt.where the descendents of royal priests live.Idols of Goddess made of gold is placed on Ringal in Chantoli(an umbrella alongwith 4-horned ram that acts as a guide) All this ends on the 22nd day at Homkund.Here Goddess is decorated as a bride and people bid farewelland ceremonially send off as she has reached her destination. Its a joyous and sorrowful occassion as festivities come to an end.(During my Roopkund Trek-2013,I passed through many points of the Nandadevi Raj jat yatra)

7)KAILASH MANSAROVAR YATRA :Journey to the abode of Shiva.

8)HEMKUND SAHIB

9)TUNGANATH 10)PIRAN KALIYAR 11)NANAK MATTA

ADVENTURE SPORTS :From trekking to white water rafting to paragliding are venues for travellers wanting some thrilling moments in life.Uttarkashi is a trekkers paradise TREKKING: Some famous treks worth taking up if you are a trekking enthusiast: 1)Almora-Jageshwar-Binsar Trek,2)Almora-Doonagiri-Kausani trek,3)Nag-Tibba trek,4)Joshimath -Auli-Kwari pass trek,5)Pindari Glacier trek,6)Kafni Glacier trek,7)Sunderdunga Glacier trek,8)Gangotri-Gaumukh-Nandanvan-Tapovan trek.9)Nandadevi base camp trek,10)Gangotri -Bhojkhark-Kedartal trek,11)Roopkund trek (I performed this strenuous trek in 2013-Interested readers may kindly go through my blog on ‘Roopkund’ on my site)

• 

• 

• 

• 

2)CAMPING ON BUGGYALS :a)DAYARA BUGGYAL, b)Bedini Buggyal(I have camped here during my exciting Roopkund trek in Jun 2013.

• 

• 

3)SKIING IN AULI :(16km from Joshimath).Auli offers a 180*panoramic view of Himalayas and peaks such as Nandadevi,Kamet and Mana parwat.GMVN provides state of the art facilities for winter sports and conducts short term skii courses at Auli.

4)RAFTING :Streches along Alaknanda ,Dhauliganga and Kali rivers have several challenging rapids.Alaknanda and Bhagirathi are main tributaries of Ganga and meet at Devprayag. Rafting courses are conducted by GMVN.

5)ANGLING :The golden Mahasheer fish is available in Kosi river and at Yamuna Bridge near Kempty fall.

6)MOUNTAIN BIKING/CYCLING :Both Kumaon & Garhwal regions provide good trails for mountain bikers. Dehradun to Mussourie (35km), and at foothills of Nainital near Ramnagar.

7)PARASAILING &PARAGLIDING in Pithoragarh, Rishikesh ,Mussorie, Dayara Buggyal, Dhanaulti ridge and Bedini Buggyal

WILDLIFE DESTINATIONS :

1)CORBETT NATIONAL PARK named after well known author & wildlife conservationist Jim Corbett who created this oldest reserve.It was established in 1936 in Nainital distt. having 1200 species of flora &fauna.Project tiger for conservation of Royal bengal tiger. 2)GOVING PASHU VIHAR,3)RAJAJI NATIONAL PARK,4)KEDARNATH SANCTUARY , 5)NANDADEVI NATIONAL PARK,6)BINSAR WILDLIFE SANCTUARY at 35km from Almora.It was the summer capital of Chand kings and popular tourist destination. There are more than 200 bird species.

• 

• 

• 

NOTE :-MY DEAR READERS ARE REQUESTED TO KINDLY INFORM ME ON THIS SITE FOR REQUIRED CORRECTIONS(IF ANY) ALTHOUGH I HAVE REFERRED WIKKIPAEDIA FOR THE MUCH-NEEDED DETAILS IN THE WRITEUP.I HAVE TAKEN GUIDANCE OF UTTARAKHAND TOURISM (DISCOVERING UTTARAKHAND)WEBSITE-TO WHOM I AM VERY MUCH THANKFUL FOR PROMOTION OF TOURISM IN UK ! HAPPY READING !

• 

• 

• 

• 

In 2017 We, a family of three persons,set off on a 10-day exciting tour of Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam & Tirupati Balaji and enjoyed the mesmerising vistas of the past with a rich blend of cultural &historical custom traversing over 400 vibrant yrs of Hyderabad . The city is an archipelago of tourist attraction/activities,exploring the amazing historical monuments/museums, relaxing at serene lakes/parks, relishing the scrumptious cuisine & enjoying the shopping experience. Also offered our prayers to various deities in temples.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

About HYDERABAD :

Located on the Deccan plateau,its the capital of Telangana &6th largest metropolitan city in India.The city was famous for its riches,beautiful palaces,pearls &diamonds during the reign of Nizams who ruled for 200 years.Its an incredible blend of ancestral legacy and modern times and state of the art offices & buildings.The influence of IT sector is such on the city that its outskirts are known as Cyberabad. Until the 19th century Hyderabad was known for the pearl industry and the only Golconda-diamonds trading centre in the world.Many traditional brand historic bazars are open.Since 1990 City has emerged as an Indian hub of Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology.Formation of SEZs & HITEC city dedicated to Information Technology to encourage the multinationals to set up operations in Hyderabad.Best season to visit is from Oct. to Feb.Languages :Telugu ,Urdu,Hindi &English. Airport :Rajiv Gandhi Inttn. Airport is at Shamshabad is at 25 km from city. Pushpak is a luxurious bus service connecting many important Hubs in & around the city. Railway :1)Namapally Rly stn.; major railhead,.2)Secunderabad Rly stn is mainly used as boarding- point for superfast/intercity express.3)Kachiguda rly stn caters to South &Western bound trains.Bus stations:1)Mahatma Gandhi B/S is known as Imlibun B/s,.2)Jubillee B/S at Secunderabad runs interstate buses,.3)City bus service caters to the passengers from Rly stn .to various places.Climate:Tropical wet &dry . Temperatures:Summer-40/25’C,Winters-29/13’C.Artificial Lakes created by dams on Musi river-1)Hussain Sagar built in 1562 at city centre,2)Osman Sagar,3)Himayat Sagar.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Original History of the HYDERABAD STATE :

Also known as Hyderabad Deccan,it was a princely state in British India in South Central region of India with its capital at Hyderabad.Its now devided into state of Telangana, Hyderabad in Karnataka region of Karnataka &Marathwada region of Maharastra. Quli Qutub Shah(the 5th ruler of Qutub Shahi Dynasty-(1463 to 1687) established Hyderabad in 1591 on the banks of river Musi to extend the capital beyond the fortified Golconda. The Golconda Fort and Mecca Masjid were both built by Qutub Shah during his rule.In 1687,the city was annexed by Moghuls and came under the rule of Emperor Auranzeb. Hyderabad state was founded by Mir Qamarud-din Khan who was Governor of Deccan under the Moghuls from 1713 to 1721.In 1724 Moghul Governor Nizam Asaf Jah-I decared his soverignity and founded the Asaf Jahi Dynasty (1724-1948) also called the Nizams. Hyderabad served as the imperial capital of Asaf Jahis from 1769 to 1948.As a Capital of princely state of Hyderabad ,the city housed the British Residency and Cantonement till Indian Independence in 1947.Hyderabad was incorporated into Indian Union in 1948 and continued as a capital of Hyderabad state(1948-56).After the introduction of the States Reorganization Act of 1956 ,Hyderabad was made the capital of newly founded Andhra Pradesh. In 2014, AP was bifurcated to form Telangana and Hyderabad became the joint capital of two states with a transit arrangement scheduled to end in 2024.Since 1956, the city has housed the winter office of the President of India.Relics of the Qutub Shahi and Nizam rulers remain visible today.The Charminar has come to symbolise the city.Culture :1)Coat of Arms features the full titles of the Nizam at the bottom and a Dastar,2)Flag of Hyderabad-under the leadership of Asaf Jah-V,state changed its traditional flag.3)Stamps :In 1937,Hyderabad state stamp featuring the Osmania general hospital.4)Anthem :National Anthem of Nizam’s dominion better known as ‘O Osman” was the national anthem of Kingdom of Hyderabad until its annexation with India composed during the time of 7th Nizam Osman Ali Khan.5)Architecture :It was very cosmopolitan in nature influenced by European and Islamic styles-1)Neo classical,2)British Residency(1798),3)Moazzam Jahi market.4)Falaknuma Palace(1893),5)Kacheguga rly stn.,6)Osmania General Hospital.7)City College ,8) High Court.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS :

1)PUBLIC GARDEN (Bagh-e-aam):It is the oldest and biggest park in the city constructed in 1846 by the then Nizam consisting following must see spots :1)Jawahar bal bhawan,2)Jubillee hall,3)State Archeological museum,4)State Legislative assembly,5)Telugu lalita kala,6)Thoranam &Indira Gandhi auditorium,7)Statue of Mahatma Gandhi. 2)BIRLA MANDIR is devoted to Lord Venkateshwara sculpted in black granite known as Balaji of the South. 3)FALAKNUMA PALACE:It was established in 1892by the Paigah nobleman Nawab Vicar Ul Umra.The library here is similar to the one at windsor Castle. 4)CHARMINAR :The dazzling structure was constructed by Md.Quli Qutub Shah in 1591 in the heart of the city.It is a square structure with 4 minarettes in each corner with 4 storeys.Ther is a magnificient mosque on the roof which is the oldest in Hyderabad with prayer hall atop the monument.The remaining roof was used to hold court hearings under the Qutub Shahis. 5)TARAMATI BARADARI :The 17th century monument built for the court musician revived to its old glory.A cultural complex is created around the illuminated monument. 6)MECCA MASJID :Built in 1693 its the biggest mosque of the city.It derives its name from holy mosque Mecca on which it is modelled.It can accomodate 10,000 people. 7)CHOWMAHALLA PALACE :The palace is of exceptional style and grace is famous forbeing the seat of the Asaf Jah dynasty.Dating back over 200yrs ,Chwhahala palace is open to distinguished guests and corporates for hosting various events. 8)GOLCONDA FORT :Literally shephards hill ,its 800 yrs old built and added on to by 3 dynasties that ruled the land then ,the Kakatiyas,the Brahamanis & the Qutub Shahis .There is a 10 mile long boundary wall as a security cover.It was mome to the famous Kohinoor diamond.The Light and sound show is a must see event. 9)HUSSAIN SAGAR LAKE :Originally constructed by Hazrat Hussain Wali in 1562 to meet the water needs of the city.Its an artificial lake famous as Tank Bund connecting Hyderabad & Secunderabad. It has a statue of Buddha on an island with the surrounding garden known as Lunbini park.Can enjoy the musical fountain & boat ride from jetty. 10)NEHRU ZOOLOGICAL PARK :The Hyderabad Zoo and the park was set up in 1959 and made open to public in 1963.The zoo houses the animal & birds alongwith the 200 yrs old Mir Alam Tank. 11)SANGHI TEMPLE :Located in the industrial town Sanghinagar,the temple complex is built on a hillock reached through a Mahadwaram and a long flight of stairs. 12)SHRI UPASMAM :This arts&crafts village exhibits a shopping paradise with diverse kind of handicrafts with numerous artists exhibiting their talent in the Annual bazars ! 13)POCHAMPALLY :Its a well known silk weaving centre in the Nalgonda distt.reputed for ‘IKKAT’ tie and dye weaving that creates multihued designs in cotton or silk for sarees,garments &accessories. 14)OSMANIA UNIVERSITY :A perfect example of Indo Sarasanic architecture with massive moorish arches ,the main block of Osmania Univ. is incredible.Established in 1918,it is among the leading centres of higher education named after Osman Ali Khan. 15)NTR GARDENS :In memory of the Telugu superstar NT Ramarao who became the CM of the erstwhile Andhrapradesh.Its lush green landscape and overlooking Hussain sagar. 16)HYDERABAD BOTANICAL GARDEN:Spread over 120 acres& divided into 19 sectors.17)PAIGAH TOMBS :Mausoleums of the Paigah nobles are architectural marvels displaying Islamic and Rajputana styles with traces of Greek,Persian &Turkish designs with exquisite mossiac work often compared with Tajmahal. 18)RAMOJI FILM CITY :Its the largest incorporated film studio campus covering 2000 acres related to film making.It offers natural and simulated attractions/scenes & tourist attraction /amusement parks and is 25 km east of Hussain sagar lake.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

19)VISAKHAPATNAM :Its the executive capital,most populous city and one of the 4 major cities of AP under smart city mission.It lies between the eastern ghats and the bay of Bengal.Its one of the 9 distt.in the coastal AP with H/Q at Visakhapatnam. Its bound by Odishain North,Vizianagaram distt. in east,East Godavari distt. in Southeast and Bay of Bengal in the South. The city is home to the oldest shipyard &the only natural harbour in the East coast of India& serves as the H/Q of Eastern Nawal command.Its famous for Submarine INS Kursura, Simhachalam temple, RK Beach & Visakha museum, etc.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

20)TIRUPATI TIRUMALA :Tirupati is a city in AP.Its Venkateshwara temple is situated atop one of the 7 peaks of Tirumala hills attracting scores of Hindu pilgrims!Apart from the temple there is the Zoological park with Lions and primates,a waterfall,a cave believed to be sacred.Shri Kapileshwara swami temple is dedicated to lord Shiva.

• 

TOURS CONDUCTED FROM HYDERABAD :1)Daily city light tour,2)Daily Ramoji film city tour,3)Daily heritage half day tour,4)Daily night heritage tour,5)Nizam palaces tour,6)Mallela teertham tour,7)Bhadrachalam tour,8)Nagarjan sagar tour,9)Kakatiya tour,10)Hyderabad- Srisailam tour,11)River package tour,12)Tripati Tirumala tour,13)Warrangal shirdi tour,14)Ooty tour,15)Nizamabad &Kamreddy tour,16)Nalgonda/Yadadri/Bhuvanagiri/Suryapet tour,17)Medak/Siddipet/Sangareddy tour,18)Warrangal/Jangaon/Mahboobabad/Bhupalpally tour,19)Visakhapatnam tour.

LIST OF MUSEUMS :1)Telangana State Museum, 2)Salarjung museum,3)The Nizams museum,4)The Birla Science museum,5)Sudhakar car museum.

FAIRS AND FESTIVALS :1)Sankranti-celebrated as harvest festival by cooking Pongal-a sweet dish +Kite flying. Also Veg and non-Veg Biryani is the speciality of Hyderabadis, 2)All India Industrial Exhibition, 3)Ugadi (March-April), 4)Vinayak Chaturthi (Sept.), 5)Diwali ,6) All India craft mela, 7)Moharram,

SHOPPERS PARADISE : 1)Begum bazar , 2)City centre hall, 3)GVK One mall, 4)Inorbit mall, 5)Laad bazar , 6)Lepakshi handicrafts ,7)Sujana forum mall, 8) Sultan bazar

NOTE :-MY DEAR READERS ARE REQUESTED TO KINDLY INFORM ME ON THIS SITE FOR REQUIRED CORRECTIONS(IF ANY) ALTHOUGH I HAVE REFERRED WIKKIPAEDIA FOR THE MUCH-NEEDED DETAILS IN THE WRITEUP. HAPPY READING !

On 25/12/2003- We ,a group of 8 persons set off(on a 9-seater taxi) for a 7-day exciting tour of the hill- stations & the holy Pilgrimage sites(offered our hearty prayers in all the temples) of Himachal Pradesh & enjoyed the tour immensely!

• 

• 

About HIMACHAL PRADESH :

Himachal Pradesh is popularly called the land of Gods.The people of HP celebrate life everyday which is apparent in their ethnic diversity,the hospitable culture,their attire and dances/festivals/fares’ celebrations.People put forth a rare spectacle of gaity, charm and enthusiasm so that the travelers to this vibrant land outnumber every year. 1)Art and culture of HP : It has grown out from fusion of cultural strains,migration &religious beliefs.Several surviving works have found expression in wall murals ,books ,miniatures ,religious paintings , indigenous art forms blended with moghul style works such as –Kangra school of painting,religious Tibetan arts under patronage of monasteries in Kinnaur,Lahaul Spiti achieved a brilliance of its own. Thangka paintings-depict religious zeal from Buddha’s life.Many domestic altars portray their rare paintings! Museum of Himachal culture &Folk art is located in Manali near Hidimba temple has models created in wooden work of many temples& Forts from the valley,artefact crafts representing local deities & musical instruments carrying a green Pativa of age takes visitors on a journey back in time. 2)Pilgrimage sites,Festivals and fares :There are numerous Pilgrimage sites and temples where thousands of devotees pay their prayers owing to strong belief in their deities :Chintpurni mata,Jwalamukhi,Kangra mata(maa Brijeshwariji),Naina devi, Chamunda devi ,Shringi rishi ,Devta Narsingh and Baba Balaknathji. Main Festivals:-Kullu Dushehra ,Halda,Phagli ,Lohri/makarsankranti,Lossar,Manali winter carnival, new year celebration. 3)Tourism development/renovations in Himachal Pradesh :While traditionally HP was known as the summer destination .deptt. of Tourism &Civil aviation has made special efforts to break the seasonability factor and has diverified the tourism products to attract tourists in all seasons .Nai rahen & nai manzilen is a new initiative to to bring attention to new destinations in the Himalayan state such as:- -Developing boating in lakes-Maharana Pratap sagar dam in Kangra & Largi dam in Kullu. -House boat accomodation ,Shikara ride,camping, HP Guesthouses/hostels/home stays -water sports, adventure sports like paragliding, skiing, Trekking( as in Bir Billing Kangra).

VISITS TO THE TOURIST ATTRACTIONS AND PILGRIMAGE CENTRES :-

• 

• 

• 

(1)PINJORE : Its a town in Panchkula distt. near Chandigarh in a valley overlooking the Shivalik hills known for Pinjore gardens,Asia’s best 17th century Moghul gardens & the HMT factory.History says the five Pandava brothers of Mahabharta epic stayed here during their exile!Its original name was Panchpura later corrupted to Pinjore. Local attractions: 1)Pinjore Gardens:-Its at 22km on the CDG-Kalka road lying at the foothills of lower Shivalik in the Moghul Garden style spread over an area of 100acres. 2)Venue for annual mango festival,3)Mini Zoo,4)Nursery& good number of picnic spots.

• 

(2)SIMLA :Its the biggest city and capital of HP.In 1864 it was declared as the summer capital of British India ,after independence city became the capital of Punjab &later on made the capital of HP.Its the principal cultural ,commercial &educational centre of the state.It was the capital city of British Burma from 1942 to 1945. Simla is the terminus of the narrow gauge Kalka-Simla railway completed in1903.Its known for handicrafts shops,pedrestrian avenue,as well as Lakkar Bazar specializing in wooden toys/crafts. Main attractions:1)The Mall,2)The Ridge,3)Jakhu hill,4)Kali Bari,5)Annadale,6)Indian Institute of advanced studies,7)State museum,8)Summer hall,9)Sankat mochan, 10)Tara devi temple,11)Chail with the worlds highest cricket ground at 7220 ft.

• 

• 

(3)KUFRI :Its a small hill station in Simla distt.located at 22km on the NH-22 at an elevation of 2720mts.Kufri is derived from the word kufr meaning ‘lake’ in local language.It was once a part of Kingdom of Nepal until the area was ceded to the British Raj as a part of the Sugauli treaty and it was discovered by the British in 1819. Places of interest :1)Himalayan Wild life Zoo with rare antelopes,felines and birds including the Himalayan Monal-the state bird of HP until 2007.2)Popular skii track. 3)Kufri fun campus,an amusement park for various rides,pools,worlds largest Go cart track-Kufri to Mahasu peak -the highest peak in kufri. 4)Indira tourist park, 5) Chini bungalow-provides the panoramic view of the beautiful locations around.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

(4)MATA MANSA DEVI Temple is devoted to Godess Mansa devi,a form of shakti,in the Panchkula distt. of Haryana spread over 100acres at Shivalik foothills.Its is one of the prominent shakti temples involving 7 Goddesses namely Mansa devi,Nainadevi ,Jawaladevi ,Chintpurni,Ma Brajeshwari,Chamundadevi &Jayantidevi.Thousands of devotees visit the shrine especially during navratra mela.

• 

• 

(5)Mata NAINADEVI :Its situated on the NH-21,located on a hilltop base of which has samadhi of bhagat Jatt Jena Mosh.There are concrete steps leading to thetemple as well as a cable car facility.The hill of Nainadevi overlooks the Govindsagar lake created by the Bhakra nangal Dam which is a concrete gravity dam on the Sutlez river in Bilaspur distt. HP. The dam forms the Govindsagar reservoir.As the legend goes,Goddess Sati burnt herself alive in yagna,which distressed Lord Shiva who picked her corpse on his shoulders and started the Tandava dance.Lord Vishnu unleashed his Chakra and cut Sati’s body into 51 pieces .Nainadevi temple is the place where her eyes fell.The temple is also known as Mahishapeeth because of killing of demon Mahisasur by the Goddess.

• 

• 

(6)Mata CHINTAPURNI :Its a major pilgrimage centre & one of the Shaktipeeths in India & is located in Una distt. of HP.Its one of the 7 major &51 total shaktipeeths. Chinnamasta is interpreted as the severed head as well as the foreheaded one.As Vishnuji severed the burning body of maa into 51 pieces,it is believed that her head fell here and is known as the most important of the 51 Shaktipeeths.Hindu genealogy registers of pilgrimage and marriage records are maintained here by the pandits.In the centre of the temple is the Garbha Grih.The image of mata Chintpurni is installed here in the form of a pindi(a round stone) for her darshana.Delhi-Chintpurni is 420km and Kangra is 55km from Chintpurni.

• 

• 

(7)MATA BRIJESHWARI DEVI & KANGRA FORT :Its a hindu temple also known as Kangra devi mandir dedicated to Goddess Brijeshwari(shaktipeeth)-a form of Durga located in the town of Kangra.Legend says that after Goddess Sati sacrificed herself in honour of Shivain her fathers yagna,Lord Vishnu severed the body of Sati into 51parts by his chakra.Theleft breast of Sati mata fell heremaking it a shaktipeeth.In 1905 the temple was destroyed by a powerful earthquake which was subsequently rebuilt by the Govt. The temple is locatedat 11km away from Kangra rly.station. Kangra Fort :Its located 20 km from town of Dharamshala on the outskirts of Kangra built by royal rajput(Katoch dynasty)of Kangra state which traces its origin to Trigarta kingdom mentioned in Mahabharta epic.Its the largest fort in Himalayas and probably oldest dated fort in India.Its locatedon a mountain near Chamunda devi temple 16km from Nagarkot. Kangra was ruled by Harichand Katoch.Raja Sansar succeeded in recovering the ancient of his ancesters in 1789.Places of interest in Kangra fort:-1)Laxmi narain temple,2)Statue of Rishabnath inside Ambika mata mandir in Kangra fort.3)Jain temple.

• 

• 

• 

• 

(8)CHAMUNDA DEVI TEMPLE :Its among the 51 shaktipeeths in Kangra distt. 15km fromDharamshala.There are 9 devis -Vaishno devi,Chamunda devi,Ma Brijashwari, Ma Chintpurni,maa Jawalamukhi, maa Mansa devi, maa Kalika devi,maa Naina devi &Shakambhari devi.Its peoples belief that all your dreams of pilgrims are fulfilled here.Chamunda devi is devoted to Maa Kali who is the devi of power who killed demons-chund mund it came to be known as Chamunda devi. Its located near Banker river and it is also a very good picnic spot.As per legend, Chamunda devi killed Mahisasur and came to be known as Mahisasur Mardini.

• 

• 

(9)MATA JAWALAMUKHI is a famous shaktipeetha -the deity with a flaming face in kangra distt.Hindu genealogy registers are kept at Jawalimukhi.Raja Bhumi Chand Katoch of Kangra ,a great devotee of Goddess Durga, dreamt of the sacred place and Raja set people to find about the site where a temple was built.Its one of the mahashaktipeetham of the 51 shaktipeethas. Maa Sati’s tongue is believed to have fallen here and Goddess is manifested as tiny flames that burn a flawless blue through fissures in the age old rock.Its built on the Dharamshala-Simla road at 20km from Jwalamukhi railway stn.Havan is performed daily and portions of Durgasaptasati are recited.Maharaja Ranjit Singh visited the temple in 1815 and the Dome of temple was gold plated by him.

• 

• 

(10) DHARAMSHALA :-Its the distt. headquarter of Kangra distt (at 18 kms).The Kangra distt.was part of British Province of Punjab and was the H/Q initially but was moved to Dharamshala in 1855.Main places of interest:-1)Kotwali bazar /Jama masjid/main market.2)Lower Dharamshala,3)Upper Dharamshala /McLeodganj /Dharamkot. 4)HP Cricket Association Stadium,5)Trekking grounds,6)Kangra tea gardens-kangra green tea/black tea/white tea/kashmiri kahwa/masala chai. (11)McLEODGANJ :-Its a suburb of Dharamshala in Kangra distt.Its known as Little Lhasa or Dhasa because of large population of Tibetans.It was named after Sir Friell McLEOD,a Lt. Gen.of Punjab,the sufix Ganj is a common persian word used for neighbourhood. Its an important tourist and pilgrimage centre.In March 1959, Tenzin Gyatso the 14th Dalai Lama fled to India.The Indian Govt.offered him refuge in Dharamshala where he set up the Govt. of Tibet in exile in 1960 and it became its official residence and home to several Buddhist monasteries & thousands of Tibetan refugees.Places of interest:1)Namgyal Monastery also called as Namgyal Monastary Instt. of Buddhist studies or Namgyal Tantrik College.2)Dalai Lama Temple,3)Library of Tibettan works & Archieves, 4)Dal Lake, 5)Bhagsunath, 6)Bhagsu falls.

• 

• 

• 

• 

(12)BABA BALAKNATH :-is a Hindu deity worshipped in NI states of HP ,Punjab and haryana.His shrine is known as Deodh Sidh 45 km from Hamirpur on Bilaspur border and situated in the village Chakmol on hilltop in a natural cave where the idol of Baba Balaknath is placed.Chaitra mela is celebrated every year from 14/3 to 13/3 as he is believed to be reincarnation of Lord Kartikeya son of Lord Shiva & Goddess Parvati devi born in sath -yuga to annihilate demon Tarkashu. He is dear to Goddess Ganga came on the earthly abode as son of Pandit Vishnu and Laxmi in Kathiawad Gujarat. Sidh Baba balaknath is also known as Pannahari or Dudhadhari baba and is known as most gracious God in Hinduism. BBN is known as the most merciful God incarnated in Kaliyuga .He is follower of Shiva (shaivism).

• 

• 

(13) KULLU:- is a muncipal council town that serves as the headquarters of the Kullu .Its located on the banks of Beas riverin Kullu valley about 10km north of airport at Bhuntar Elev.1279mts.Its a broad open valley formed by Beas river between Manali &Largi known for temples and hills covered with Pine/deodar forest and apple orchards.Kullu valley is sandwitched between the Pir Panjal,lower Himalayan &Great Himalayanrange.Its known as the valley of Gods or Devbhoomi due to many pilgrimage sites, Buddhists & Sikhs alike known for open valley meadows & scenic himalayan range.Famous for kullu shawls made of many natural fibres including Pashmina ,sheepwool & angora.Festival of kullu Dussehra,a celebration of Lord Ramas victory over the evil king Ravana in the month of Oct or Nov.(as per hindu calendar)Local attractions:-1)Great Himalayan National park,2)Raghunath temple, 3)Shringi Rishi temple 60km from Kullu in Banjar valley,4)Mahadevi Teerth temple,5)Bijli mahadev temple, 6)Devta Narsingh temple,7)Raison, 8)Shoja, 9)Naggar was capital of kullu for 1400 yrs Famous for a)Gallery houses of paintings, b)old shrines,c)Pagoda shali temple, Festivals & other activities:-a)Kullu Dussehra b),Kullu Holi ,c)Fishing and adventures. (14)MANNIKARAN :-Its located in the Parvati valley on river Parvati north east of Bhuntar in Kullu distt.Its at 1760mts elevation and about 45 km from Kullu.The small town attracts Pilgrms visiting Manali &Kullu to visit hot springs and pilgrim centres of Hindus and Sikhs.An experimental Geothemal energy plant is set up here.Hindus believe that Manu createdhuman life in Mannikaran after the flood.It has temples of deities Rama,Krishna,Vishnu and Shivji. Also there is Mannikaran Gurudwara with beautiful landscapes all around making it an important Pilgrimage centre.

• 

• 

• 

• 

(15)MANALI :-Its a high altitude(2050mts)Himalayan resort town in NW Himachal Pradesh which is a backpacking centre and a beautiful honeymoondestination.Set on the Beas river its a gateway for skiing in Solang valley& trekking in Parvati valley.A jumping off point for paragliders,rafters & moutaineering in Pir Panjal mountains,home to 4000mts high Rohtang pass.Its located in Kullu/beas river valley 544kms from Delhi.Its the beginning of the trade route to Ladakh,popular tourist destination and serves as the Gateway to Lahaul Spiti as well as Leh.Cosmopolitan place where Tibetan,Ladakhi,Kashmir,Kullari and Lahauli people reside.Local occupation is Tourism,farming,Horticulture,handloom industry.Apart from hindi and English spoken here,local language is Kullu language.

• 

• 

• 

• 

History of Manali :Its named after the sanatan Hindu law giver Manu. Manu is derivative of Manu-Alaya which means ‘the abode of Manu’.Legend has it sage Manu stepped off his ark in Manali to create human life after a great flood had deluged the world.Old Manali village has an ancient temple dedicated to sage Manu. HIDIMBA DEVI TEMPLE :Locally known as Dhungari temple .Its an ancient cave temple dedicated to Hidimba devi wife of Bhima,a figure in Indian epic Mahabharta.The temple is surrounded by cedar forest called Dhungari van vihar at the foot of the Himalayas.The sanctuary is built over a rock jutting out of the ground which was worshipped as an image of Deity.The structure was built in 1553 by Maharaja Bahadur Singh.

• 

• 

(16)ROHTANG PASS :-Its a mountain pass at an elevation of 3980 mts on the eastern Pir Panjal range of Himalayas around 51 km from Manali. It connects the Kullu valley with Lahaul spiti valleys of HP.Its open from May to Nov because after that it is difficult to cross because of unpredictable snowstorms &blizzards.This is an ancient trade route between the people on either side of the Pir Panjal and may the oldest &the most frequented pass of the region. The highway is very busy (owing to tourists & millitary/ goods vehicles)and there are frequent traffic jams due to rough terrain compounded by ice and snow! ROHTANG TUNNEL(Atal Bihari tunnel) :-Its a highway tunnel being built under Rohtang Pass in Eastern Panjal range of Himalayas on Leh-Manali highway.At 8.8km length the tunnel will be the longest tunnel in India which is expected to reduce the distance between Manali &Keylong by 46kms. The tunnel is at an elevation of 3100mts whilre Rohtang pass is at 3978 mts. Its scheduled to be completed by the end of 2020.Its part of 479 km Leh-Manali highway.The work of excavation is very tough due adverse climatic conditions.Once the tunnel is thrown open it will provide all-weather connectivity to border areas of HP & Laddakh which otherwise remain cut off for 6 months in winters.

• 

• 

• 

• 

TRAVEL-RECOMMENDATIONS: Although whole of HP is very beautiful destination but some other attractions are :-1) KINNAUR(Recong Peo,Kalpa,Sangla &Saharan) ,2) LAHAULSPITI(KEYLONG/KAZA), 3)DALHOUSIE, 4)KHAJJIAR , 5)CHAMBA, 6)MANI MAHESH, 7)SOLANG VALLEY.

NOTE :-MY DEAR READERS ARE REQUESTED TO KINDLY INFORM ME ON THIS SITE FOR REQUIRED CORRECTIONS(IF ANY) ALTHOUGH I HAVE REFERRED WIKKIPAEDIA FOR MUCH NEEDED DETAILS IN THE WRITEUP. HAPPY READING!