City of most picturesque Canals-Amsterdam,town of historical Windmills/green houses-Zaanse Schans. Town bustling with Creativity,Innovation,Technology-Eindhoven.Cycling on twinkling paths in Van Gogh starry nights-Nuenen Village

During our 50 days foreign visit in Sept/Oct.2019, We set off from Eindhoven on a tour of Amsterdam & Zaanse Schans. Also we made visits to the Van GoghNuenen village & to the Eindhoven town bustling with creativity & innovation

Our visit to Amsterdam was quite pleasant with very refreshing Boat Cruise on the river Amstel, with an Audio guide on board, panoramic views of beautiful buildings & monuments ,shipyards, museums on the way with numerous bridges .After visiting Amsterdam and having a delicious meals at an Indian restaurant, we proceeded to Zaanse Schans for visiting the historic windmills, green wooden houses, artisan workshops, rare handicrafts,mills ,barns ,cycling and sailing tours of the region. Also we visited the prime locations of Eindhoven town such as Museums, Phillips Electronic Industry, Zoo &parks, Churches, Football stadium,PreHistorisch Dorp.We also paid a visit to Nuenen -Van Gogh village,VanGogh museum,nature parks ,Artgalleries, Literary art & music tour, Vincentre-the starting point of Cycling on twinkling paths in the Van Gogh starry- nights.

About AMSTERDAM :

Its the capital of Netherlands in the North Holland known for its artistic heritage, narrow houses, elaborate canal system, legacy of Cities’ 17th century golden age. Amsterdam became the most important ports in the world with canals measuring 100kms in length and is on the UNESCO World heritage site, AMS Stock Exchange is the oldest stock exchange of the world.Its VG Museum, works by Rembrant and Vermeer are unique works of significance. Cycling is key to the city’s character with numerous bike paths. There are numerous museums, research institutes, theatres, cultural centres, well- preserved historic homes ,6750 buildings dating from 16th to 18th century are crowded into an area of 2000 acres dissected by 160 canals, numerous houseboats, picturesque bridge links.90 islands, population-8,72,680,Eight districts, Area 219.32Sqkm,currency-Euro,Language-Dutch.Nearest Airport is Schiphol.

Its Origin lies in the 12th Century when two fisherman living along the bank of river Amstel built a bridge. The mouth of the river, where Damrak is now ,formed a natural harbour which became important trading exchange for large cargo ships into smaller ships. Its refered as the VENICE OF NORTH due to the number of canals which form a world heritage site.

Tourist Attractions :

1)Van Gogh museum,2)Rijks museum,3)Anne Frank house,4)Dam Square,5)Rembrandt house museum6)Heineken Experience.7)Central station,8)Vondel park ,9)Jordaan ,9)Royal Palace ,10)Nemo Science museum ,11)Madam Tussauds ,12)Magere bridge ,13)Amsterdam Dungeon,14)Bloemen market,15)The Oude Church.

About ZAANSE SCHANS :

Its a municipality in North Holland Province in Zaandam town near Amsterdam. Historic first windmills, distinctive green wooden houses were relocated here to create the 18th/19thcentury village. The Zaanse Schans museum has regional dresses, costumes, model windmills, barns and workshops and interactive exhibits on Chocolate making. Artisans workshops demonstrate rare handicrafts such as wooden carvings, barrel making. Its best known for well preserved historic wind mills and houses from 1961 to 1974 old buildings from all over Zaanse Schans. The old Museum was established in 1994 near first windmill. There are both cycling and sailing trips of Zaanse Schans area., the 17th century 600 windmills were constructed creating the first industrial zone. They were used for grinding spices, produce paint, wood and make oil. A number of these still exist and can be visited to see how these windpowered machines work inside out.

Tourist attractions:

1)Zaanse Schans windmill park.2)Zaanse Schans museum-an Industrial heritage site.3)Paint mill De Kat.4)Windmill De Zoeker. 5)Time museum.6)Mollinos museum.7)Wooden shoe workshop. 8) Zhansche mill .

About NUENEN :

It is a town in municipality of Nuenen in the North Brant province of Netherlands( 7km from Eindhoven central).From 1883 to 1885 ,Vincent Van Gogh lived and worked in Nuenen. He was a dutch post-impressionist painter and a drawing artist who is amongst the most famous figures in the western art. In over a decade he created about 2100 art works including 860 oil paintings most of which date from the last two years of his life. Background of the potato eaters may be the place where VVG created his first true painting masterpiece. In 1944, the town was a battlefield scene during the operation market garden. The local dialect is called Peelands. Population was 22,437 in 2009.The Vincentre is the starting point of several pedestrians and bicycle tours to 21 sites that were important to VVG’s life & work. Discover the Van Gogh -Roosegarden cycle path near Eindhoven, the Dutch city of lights.

Places of Interest:

1)Vincentre museum,2)Ruimte in beeld,3)Nuenen Broek,Van Gogh village,4)Sights and landmarks-VVG statue,5)Windhoren mollen de Roosdonck6)Salon Nune vile museum-ancestral home(1874) of Margot Begemann, close friend of VVG.,7) Cycling tracking twinkling path based on Van Gogh starry nights.8)Literary,Art & Music tour -footsteps of Van Gogh walking tour including museum.9)Van Gogh Kerkji, 10) SHE- Art gallery ,etc.

About Eindhoven:

Its a city in the province of North Brant in south Netherlands known as technology & design hub, its the birthplace of Phillips Electronics which built the Phillips stadium, home to the PSV Soccer team. Eindhoven city looks a combination of modern metropolis and typically brabantse ambience bustling with creativity, innovation and exciting events that merge design and technology. The Phillips museum traces the company’s design history. The Van Abbe museum focuses on art and design. D A F museum on DAF trucks and automobiles. Population is 2.13 lakhs in 2019,Area is 88.87 Sq km and is fifth largest city of Netherlands. The Eindhoven Airport is connected to 75 European countries. Its history is dominated by Industrial development and inextricably linked to Electronics giant &remains a European technology hub hosting a Technical University and many companies& cooperative initiatives. It has a vibrant urban culture. The Eindhoven Tech University is Research driven & is 186th in world ranking where excellent Research & high lab facilities go hand in hand making impact on Scientific & societal issues. Its popularly called the Dutch city of lights.

Tourist attractions:

1)The Phillips museum,2)The Van Abbe museum,3)The DAF Museum.4)St. Catherines Church,4)Evoluon,5)Veldhovan Zoo,6)Genneper Park,7)PreHistorisch Dorp,7)PSV Eindhoven museum.8)Dierenrijk Zoo,9)Inkijk museum and 10)Ton Smith Huis museum.11)Flying Pins,12)Stadswandelpark. 13)Holland Casino. 14)Hovenring, 15)Rumite in beeld,16)Eindhoven central mosque,17)Water mill in Kollen, 18)Parktheatre,19)Phillips Stadium.20)Dr.A F Phillips Observatory.

FESTIVALS:

1)GLOW FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS or international light and Art festival is organised in mid Nov. every year with light artists coming from all over the world at St. Catherines Church.

2)Lichtjesroute festival

It is organised in autumn to mark city’s liberation from German occupation in 1944.Concert venues and theatres such as Evoluon former home of Phillips science centre and now a conference center and music venue.

AN APPEAL TO ALL MY FELLOW BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF THIS PLANET Even while I am writing my Blogs on subjects other than the COVID-19 Pandemic, the issue of its spread and measures being taken worldwide for its containment & treatment are predominant on my mind being a matter of paramount importance to the entire world community. As a responsible human being ,I earnestly appeal to one and all to strictly adhere to the guidelines(subject to updates)of Doctors, Governments’ authorised officials and Administration to contain its spread &to maintain the law & order situation in our respective countries.Lets all keep safe by affording to live without each other (social distancing) for saving lives.Thus we will surely win the war against COVID-19. Lets rest assured.

BREATHTAKING JOURNEY THROUGH THE ENDLESS PANORAMA OF MAJESTIC JUNGFRAUJOCH:SWISS ALPS ON TOP OF EUROPE

INTERLAKEN CITY WITH THE TWO LAKES & THE SWISS ALPS IN BERNESE OBERLAND ,SWITZERLAND

On the night of 10th Sept.2019:

We ,a family of four, started from Eindhovan for our 5-day tour to Jungfraujoch-the Swiss Alps (at a height of 3454 mts) in the Bernese Oberland (Switzerland) catching a bus to Zurich(reached at 10AM) and then boarding a train(at 13hrs) to Interlaken(west) via Bern reaching at 15hrs.It was a very pleasant journey with bewitching vistas of beautiful mountaineous landscapes, trees and mesmerizing lakes as we passed them by train. we reached our pre-booked rented accommodation -a 2BHK house (quite comfortable with a beautiful kitchen& balcony) overlooking a canal offering a very refreshing aura about it.Got refreshed &took early dinner before a good nights sleep. On 12/09/2019 ,We proceeded to Interlaken(east) to catch our train bound for Jungfru through Lauterbrunnen(sighted the famous waterfall off the mountain),Wengen, Allmond, Kleine Scheidegg and Eismeer. On the way we had breathtaking views of the mesmerizing plateaus, glaciers and valleys .At Eismeer we took photos of the snow covered valleys all around. On reaching the peak we had our hearts fill of the surrounding mountain ranges and the famous Aletsch glacier in the distance, wonderful view of the colorful heliopter circling difficult peaks of the iconic trio of Eiger, Monch and Jungfro peaks .Enjoyed the Sphinx Rock Observatory, glacier plateau, Jungfrau Panorama, Ice palace,Swiss chocolate &the cafetaria with delicious dishes & beverages. Indulged in various ice sports such as skiing, snowboarding & skating.It was a magical treat as we started our return journey to Interlaken. Interlaken :It is a premier holiday destination and internationally renowned conference centre. It is the starting point of many excursions .It is the between Lake Thun & lake Brienz at the foot of the stunning mountain trio -Eiger(3970mts), Monch (4107mts) and Jungfrau.(3454mts).

Main components of the journey to Junfgrau:

The departure point for the journey into Jungfrau valley is Interlaken, the tourist metropolis between lake Thun &lake Brienz. Since 1890,the Bernese Oberland Railway(BOB) links Interlaken with Jungfrau and provides continuous service all the year round with 1 million tourists visiting the place. Kleine Scheidegg at 2061 mts lies directly at the foot of the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau massifs and affords the view of Eiger north face.125 years ago, Wengeralp railways made the region accessible. Kleine Scheidegg can be reached easily from Grindelwald or from Lautterbrunnen along the foot of Eiger north face. Modern transport operate on both sides providing pleasant journey and outstanding vistas. From Eiger glacier Jungfrau railway travels through a 7.1km tunnel upto Jungfrau. At the Eismeer intermediate station, visitors gain their first dreamlike impression of a high alpine mountain setting carved out of eternal ice & snow.

MAKING A TRAIN -CHANGEOVER AT KLEINE SCHEIDEGGThe last leg of arrival to the Swiss Alps-Jungfrau.

The highlight of the journey is the arrival at Jungfrau-the Top of Europe at an elevation of 3454mts, is the highest railway station in Europe. The unique marvels of nature in the UNESCO Swiss Alps World heritage site are simply breathtaking. Vistas of Aletsch Glacier are simply stunning. On clear day the view to north extends as far as Vosges mountain range in France and heights of black forest in Germany. The Swiss flag was hoisted directly over the ice palace on the Glacier platform of the Jungfrau in 1912.

The attractions: Facilities open all the year round.

1)SPHINX ,3571mts -From the railway station we reach the Sphinx hall and then to the Sphinx observatory 112mts above by lift from where we get the panoramic views of the surrounding vistas. 2)Jungfrau Panorama: It conveys a 360* wraparound experience of the mountain world.3)Alpine Sensation: Here the development of the Alps and history of the Jungfrau railways is presented in the 250 long adventure trail.4)Ice Palace: A hall where crystalline-ice sculptures are created for the visitors .The hall temperature is maintained to minus three degrees to compensate for the body heat given off by the visitors.5) Swiss Plateau: Visitors assemble here to take personal photographs in front of the Swiss Flag.6)Swiss Chocolate Heaven: The Lindt Chocolate heaven is the latest innovation that no visitor should miss .Visitors learn about the history and production of Chocolate.7)Glacier hike from Jungfrau to Monchsjoch hut at 3657mts is conducted from March to October ,in good weather only.8)Helicopter service to view the 3 peaks.

13/09/2019:

We went for a Boat ride from Interlaken to Thun on the lake visiting many beautiful places on the scheduled halts namely; Neuhaus,Beatenbutch,Merligen,Spiez,Faulensee,Leissigen,Darligen.We had delicious meals on board and enjoyed the tour immensely.

SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL !!!

After the joyous boat ride, We went for yet another sport; Paragliding which was very thrilling &adventurous event.Came back to our house-stay after a quite happy outing.

14/09/2019:

It being our last leg of the tour we decided to go for Jetboat adventure on the lake Brienz, Interlaken(East).It was really very exciting and thrilling experience especially the 360* spin of the boat in a very small rotating radius. It was real fun and adventure. In the evening we went to yet another location of Interlaken :

Harder Klum: The Top of Interlaken– This excursion destination with its stunning vistas can be reached by funicular railways in 10 minutes. Visitors can have finest views of the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau as well as lakes Thun and Brienz from the viewing platform. The Panorama restaurant offers many delicious dishes and musical entertainment for the visitors .We enjoyed the location by taking photos of spots so vividly visible there.

15/09/2019.

Today we started our return journey by catching train to Zurich & then taking flight to Amsterdam. From there we took train to Eindhovan & reached late evening marking the end of a very sensational tour of Jungfrau-Top of the Europe.

SPORTS ACTIVITIES AVAILABLE-

1)PARAGLIDING,2)SKY DIVING,3)KANYON SWING,4)BUNJEE JUMPING,5)GLACIER TREKKING , 6)CANYONING, 7)SLEDGING, 8)SNOW SHOEING, 9)RIVER RAFTING, 10)SKATING.

OTHER RECOMMENDED TOURIST DESTINATIONS:

1) LUCERN ,2) Mt.PILATUS,3) Mt. TITLIS, 4)SCHILTHORN.

OUR FIRST FOREIGN TOUR TO NETHERLANDS,FRANCE, BELGIUM & SWITZERLAND

On the 18th Aug.2019:

We set off on our maiden foreign tour of 50days from IGIA,Delhi to Amsterdam via Dubai(enjoying the astonishing night views of the city below from the Aircraft)to reunite with son Abhimanyu & daughter in law Akanksha who are settled in Eindhovan-Netherlands.We reached Amsterdam and then to Eindhoven (110km away)by train enjoying very curiously the amazing landscapes and tall buildings on the way .In contrast to big cities, Eindhovan city looked a combination of modern metropolis & typically Brabantse ambience burstling with creativity ,innovation& exciting events that merge design & Technology.After reaching Eindhoven & reuniting with the children, we decided to rest & acclimatize ourselves for a few days planning our travel destinations already on our travel list. In this post I will cover our tour to Paris and Brussels only.

On 31/8/19, We took a 3-day Guided bus tour to Paris and Brussels:

We had a marvellous trip to Paris driving through smooth highways and the panoramic countryside. On the way viewed the Brussels Airport and the picturesque landscapes. Reached hotel IBIS & had a good nights sleep after a tasty dinner. On 01/9/19 after breakfast, we set off for visit of Paris city with historical monuments and buildings of architectural beauty. Had an exciting boatride in the river Seine and the mesmerising view of the Glowing Eiffel Tower in the night. It was so very fabulous. On 02/9/19, We went for our Brussels city tour which boasted of great architectural excellence in all buildings & monuments. The tour to Atomium and Mini Europe was very enchanting and a treat to the eyes. The tour was an unforgetable experience .

About PARIS :

It is the cosmopolitan capital and populous city of France with a population of 2.148 million ,in an area of 105sq km. Since 17th century it has been one of Europe’s major centres of Finance, Arts, diplomacy ,Fashion, Science and Commerce. Paris region has a GDP of 709 billion Euros in 2017.It is the second most expensive city in the world after Singapore and ahead of Zurich, Hongkong, Oslo,& Geneva(as per cost of living survey-2018).It is located in north of France on river Seine. It has the reputation of being the most beautiful and romantic of all cities, it is dubbed as the City of light and Capital of fashion. River Seine is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Official language is French .Currency is Euro being part of European Union. Prime minister: Edouard Phillipe, President: Emanuel Macron. Budget Hotels; Baymont, La Quinta Inn ,Comfort Inn, Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn. Quality Inn ,Paris Inn ,Motel 6, Kings Inn.

MAIN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS:

1) Eiffel Tower 2)Notre Dame de Paris, 3)Loure Museum, 4)Arc deTromphe,5)Saint Chappelle,6)Sacre-Coere,7)Ile de la cite,8)Montmatre,9)Placede la Concorde, 10)Palais Garnier, 11)Champ Elysees, 12) Luxemberg Garden,13)Canal Saint Martin,14)Le Marais,14)Rolland Garros Stadium, 15)Pont de arts. 16)Grand Mosque of Paris, 17)Loure Palace, 18)Pont Neuf, 19)Les Invalides, 20)Disneyland Paris.

About BRUSSELS :

It is the Capital of Belgium with Area of 162 Sq km,population 1.2 Million(2019) comprising 19 municipalities apart from major cities of Ghent, Antewerp,Leuven &Waloon Brant.Its the richest region in Belgium as per GDP per Capita. Language:Bilingual-French Dutch.Airports: Brussels,Brussels South& Chaleroi A/P.Currency-Euro.There are about90 museums,Parks,Architectural monuments& bars. Accomodations are available in all ranges from Budget hotels to medium & Luxury class.Hop on &Hop off buses are available at a very reasonable charge of 25Euros for Guided Tours through a Brussels Card plying at regular intervals between Central station,Sablon,Manneken Pis, Royal Palace,Cin Quantenaire,National Basilica,Europian Parliament,Atomium /Mini Europe,Grand Place.The Brussels card may be used for availing admission to museums/monuments,discount on stores,restaurants and bars. Some Specialities of Brussels are Chocolate and beer .

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS OF BRUSSELS:

1)Grande palace,2)Cathedral of Michael& Saint Gudula,3)Brussels Stock Exchange,4)Le Cracheur fountain,5)Royal St.Hubert Galleries6)Museum Square7)Brussels park8)Royal Palace9)Royal conservatory 10) Fountain of Minerva,11)Anneessens,12)Egmont palace,13)Lady of Sablon,14)Palace of justice, 15)Hale Gate ,16)Le Bellone, 17)Castle Laeken ,18)Martyrs Square 19)Errupting Mt. Veruvious,

20)MINI EUROPE :

All of Europe animated in miniature.Its a miniature park with Area 2400sqmt located in Bruparch at the foot of Atomium in Brussels at a display scale of 1:25.About 80 cities and 350 buildings are represented with trains ,mills,cable cars. It was an amazing tour to discover European Union:its culture & beautiful monuments.Best example of”Learning with Entertainment”. A must see destination.

TRAVEL SUGGESTION:

The “Correspondent of France hi Europe magazine” has suggested to discover one of the most beautiful, charming& picturesque village in Southern France 700km from Paris: LES BAUX DE PROVENCE ,15 km from Arlles and 25km from Avignon,is a 13th- century medieval village.It has a spectacular position in the Alpilles mountain set atop a rocky outcrop that is crowned with a ruined castle which is painstakingly being restored being a popular tourist attraction(Around 1 million people/year).Its only 15 km from Arlles-the residence of Vincent Van Gaugh who is a renowned Dutch legend. From time to time many exhibitions/Light & Sound shows are organised for the tourists such as 1)2010- Leonardo de Vinci for his significant works. 2)2012- Van Gough -Painter of Colours. 3)Latest Exhibition on Van Gough Starry Night from 1st Mar.to 5th Dec.2020. for the actual enthusiasts.

THE SAMBHAR LAKE : Mother Nature’s Unique & Amazing Gift to the Thar desert

SAMBHAR LAKE :

It is an amazingly beautiful municipality in Jaipur district and is the largest inland salt lake of India located at 80 km SW of Jaipur and 64km NE of Ajmer. To the East of lake is located Sambhar town,to the North is Gudha town and to the NW is Nawa town. Sambhar lake has an archeological site Naliasar dating back to the 2000BC at a distance of 4kms towards south on the Sambhar- Naraina road The people of Sambhar have diverse cultures, languages and religious beliefs but live in cohesion respecting each others religions and beliefs.There are so many temples, Gurudwaras and Mosques in Sambhar town.Like any responsible citizen they unite in diversity. The lake is spread in an Area of 230sq km(subject to monsoon condition) a length of 35.5km,width of 11km and depth of 2’to9.8′ surrounding the historical town of Sambhar which, in turn, is surrounded by Aravali hills on all sides. It contributes to 9%(about 1,96,000 Tonnes per year) of India’s total salt production .Its managed by Sambhar salts Ltd,a joint venture of Hindustan salts and the Govt. of Rajasthan. As per 2001 senses-Population was 22,327 people(52%males,48%females) .Literacy rate was 79% higher than state average of 66%.Owing to the ancient history and rich cultural heritage, Sambhar is now renowned for tourist attractions such as the Devayani sarovar, Sarmishtha bhavan,Dadudayal Taposthali,film shooting locations and cultural& traditional mahotsavs being organised throughout the whole year .There is a Wildlife sanctuary and the lake is home to thousands of domestic(from hot western parts of India) and migratory birds from cold artic/north pole regions of the world.It was the capital of Chahamanas dynasty (Chauhan rulers-Agnivanshi rajputs) who ruled the NW India-Raj,Delhi and Haryana from 6th to 12th century before they shifted their capital to Ajmer. Shakambhari mata is the tutelary Godess (kuldevi)of Chauhan rajputs. There are some remanants of the old Kila and forts in Sambhar town(although almost extinct now).The panoramic view of the salt lake with the Blue coloured engine connected to the salt-carrying wagons with the long network of narrow-gauge rail tracks (for transporting cristallized salt from kyars to the processing plant) is immensely fascinating in the day as well as in moonlit nights. One has to be there in order to experience the mesmerising effect of the rare spectacle.

MAA SHAKAMBHARI DEVI

History of Sambhar Lake:

Jodhabai, the daughter of Raja Bharmal of Amber(presently the Jaipur state)was married to Akbar in 1562 at Sambhar lake town. As per the Indian epic Mahabharata ,Devayani (daughter of sage Shukracharya-the guru of daitya king Vrishparva)was married to Yayati of Lunar dynasty. Sarmistha daughter of the daitya king was given to Yayati as dowry. A temple and the Devayani sarovar is dedicated to Devayani. Also there is a Sarmistha bhavan nearby the salt lake. A legend says that in the 6th century, Shakambari devi the tutelary Godess of Chauhan Rajputs and consort of Lord Shiva,converted a dense forest into a plain of silver as payment in return for a specific service. Subsequenty at the request of inhabitants who dreaded the greed and strife such a procession would beget ,she transformed the silver plain into a salt lake called Sambhar lake as a variation of name for Shakambari .The temple is dedicated to Shakambari devi. In recent excavations of 1934, terracotta ,stonewares, decorated discs, coins were found of which some are presently exhibitted in the Albert hall museum ,Jaipur.The clay stupa recovered in the excavations indicate Budhist culture at that time. Prithviraj Chauhan(1166-1192CE) was a king from the Chahamana dynasty who ruled NW India-Raj.,Haryana and Delhi from 1178 to 1192 CE. Shakambari was their capital till around 1135 when it was shifted to Ajaymeru (presently Ajmer). In 1192, Mohd.Gauri defeated Prithviraj Chauhan in the second battle of Tarain and this defeat served as a landmark of the Islamic conquest of India & around 700 yrs of moghul rule in India.

About Sambhar Lake:

Sambhar lake recieves water from endorheic basin.Its catchment area is 5700 sqkm and is a saline wetland with fluctuating water depthaccordind to season.Its located in Nagaur ,Jaipur distt.also bordering with Ajmer distt.For collection of salt a dam 5.1km length was made of sandstone dividing the lake basin.Production Procedure: After salt water reaches a concentration,it is released from westside to eastside by help of dam gates.In east side there are salt evaporation ponds and salt reservoirs,canal and salt panes separated by narrow wads.British also built a railroad on eastside to connect Sambhar lake city to the salt works. Sambhar Salts ltd owns 3% of the eastern lake.Apart from this there are private contractors.Rivers draining the lake are Mendha,Rupangarh,Khandel,Karian.There are 38 clusters of villages surrounding the lake: Sambhar Gudha,Jabdinagar,Nawa,Jhak, Korsina,Jhapok ,kuri ,Tyoda , Govindi ,Nandha,Sinodiya ,Arvik ki dhani,khanadja,khakharki,kerwa ki dhani, Rajas, Jalwali ki dhani.The brine of this lake has low Potassium concentration.Traditional process is monsoon dependent.The river water reacts with lake sediments and becomes brine.It takes 50 days to evaporate leaving cristallized salt.

Its a Ramsar site-a Wetland of International Importance.

Ecological and Environmental concerns :

The salt Nacl concentration in lakewater varies from season to season in the pan kyars and accordingly the colour of the brine ranges from green ,orange,pink,purple and red due to bloom of the Haloalkaliphic microorganism.The Archael isolates can be a source of haloalkaliphic enzymes for biotechnological applications.The temp. reaches 45’c in the summers and 5’c in winters.Sambhar lake is a Ramsar site :A recognised wetland of international importance because this wetland is a key wintering area for thousands of Flamingoes, Pelicans,waterfouls,Coots,Stilts,Redsahanks,gullbilledtern,tuftedduck,common teal,pintail,Gadwall,brownheaded gulls&other bird species from northern Asia.Specialize Algae and bacteria growing in Lake support the lake ecology & provides colour and sustains migrating waterflow.The other wildlife in nearby forest is the Neelgai, deer&foxes.Also there are camel safaris &excursions to Tiger reserve.

IN NOV.2019 :

Sambhar lake faced the first bird emergency and the worst avian catastrophes due to tragic death of about 18000 birds of 29 species including northern Shovellers that flew from Europe, Pallas gulls from Mangolia and southern Russia.Indian Ornithologists were awe-struck by the enmass deaths of the birds.On getting the news,the State Administration immediately swung into action.The CM,Mr Ashok Gehlot himself took up the reins of the rescue operations and ordered immediate inquiry and investigation by expert panels and do needful to save the live birds in the lake area.He also ordered the state wetland authorities to be made operational.On 20th Nov. the Raj. Highcourt took notice and sought report from the concerning department regarding the cause of the enmass deaths of the birds.Vicera samples of the dead birds were sent to Bikaner & IVRI,Bareilly for testing.The test reports revealed the cause of death to be Avian Botulism caused by Maggets germ which inflicts paralysis in the infected birds and their subsequent death.The NGT immediately ordered suspension of salt production and asked reports from the National wetland authority, RSWA, Raj. Pollution control board and DM ,Jaipur due to which 25000 workers got unemployed and loss of 25LT Salt production per year.

Concrete steps taken for conservation of wildlife by local administration are:

1)Proper procedure was followed for disposal of the dead birds as it was the only way to prevent spread of the disease to other living birds in the area.2)Reinforce Lake conservation policy 3)Curb illegal minning. 4)Drone survey of the area.5)Formulate proper SOP.6)Proper steps to prevent Tourism in the area from disturbing natural habitat of birds.7)Keep Nagaur area under observation to prevent recurrence such mishappening.8)Rehabilitation of live birds was done at Ratan talab enclosure and Kachoda nursery for treatment before releasing back to their natural habitats.9)Deploy trained Veterinary experts to monitor& deal with such bird emergencies keeping proper records of observations.10)Routine inspection by AWC coordinators of wetland health.

MAIN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS:

1)MAA SHAKAMBARI TEMPLE& CHHATRI.2)DEVAYANI SAROVAR.3)SHARMISTHA BHAVAN.4)SAMBHAR SALT LAKE& PRODUCTION UNITS/WORKS.4)SAMBHAR HERTAGE RESORTS&TATI DHARAMSHALA.5)SAMBHAR SALT MUSEUM& TOWN HALL LIBRARY.6)SAINT DADUDAYAL TAPOSTHALI.7)SUKHSAGAR ASHRAM.8)HAZRAT HASMUDDIN CHISTIDARGAH & KARBALLA.9)WILD LIFE SANCTURY&SBR. LAKE NATIONAL PARK10)NALIASAR LAKE.11)TOWN HALL LIBRARY,12)BIRD WATCHING/FILM SHOOTING SITES of many films such as:Delhi-6, Jodha Akbar ,Veer,Gulaal ,Highway-2014,Drona, Zila Ghaziabad ,Tevar ,PK,Ramleela,Super-30 and Bard of blood.13)SONGS: DJ Wallebabu,car me music baja,Margaye,Mit gaye lut gaye,14)Limca book of World record by Nissan GT-R.in Sambhar lake.

FESTIVALS & FAIRS:

1)Nandiyaji ka mela.2)Dussehra mela.3)Teej-Gangaur ka mela.4)Tejaji ka mela.5)Devayaniji ka mela.6)Maa Shakambhari ka mela(Sambhar mela)7)Special sweet stalls selling the speciality of Sambhar-the sweet & fiki (sugarless) Findi(fenny) which is so very tasty. Namkeen findi is no more prepared as it is no longer in demand.

BEST TIME TO VISIT SAMBHAR:

Its from October to March as in monsoon season neither animals nor salt production can be witnessed.

WORTH MENTIONING PERSONALITY OF SAMBHAR LAKE:

DOCTOR SINGH is a living legend of Sambhar lake right since 1960 when he assumed charge of Medical Officer of Sambhar salt hospital and continues to serve, untiringly, the common masses through his unchallengeable diagnosis and treatment at such a nominal fees and nominal cost of medicines and tests even after his retirement from the Office of Medical Incharge of the salt hospital, Sambhar salts. He has truly championed the cause of serving the poor & common man for reducing their grievances. In the process, a dual relationship has perpetuated between him & and his patients. They cant think without him for their well- being and neither he can think about his routine life without them. He is truely GOD to them. Unlike any good human being he has discharged his social human responsibilities(S.H.Rs.) towards the disadvantaged and needy with clinical efficiency. In turn, we wish him and his better half(who has always stood beside him ),good health for their future life. We salute him for his invaluable contributions to Sambhar and without paying visit to him the tour of Sambhar lake/maa Shakambhari is considered to be incomplete.

श्रद्धांजलि

देवलोक गमन :14 दिसम्बर , २०२१

NOTE: Although all datas & statistics in this writeup are drawn from reliable sources but if, in case, any information is found to be incorrect, it may pl. be communicated on this site & which will be duly edited & corrected.

K I N N A U R : The Land between Heaven & the Earth in eastern Himachal Pradesh

K I N N A U R :

It is known for its scenic beauty, mesmerising landscapes with lush green valleys and rocky mountain with Sutluj , Baspa & Spiti rivers flowing through it. A brotherly fusion of Hinduism & Buddhism at one place reflects the existence of a culture of a different sort which is well preserved by its people in this era of rapid modernisation. Hindus visit Kinnaur Kailash (6050mts) believed to be home of Lord Shiva and a 79 ft rock resembles a Shivlinga which changes colour as the day progresses.Other ancient traditions speak of the exile of Pandavas and the time they spent in Kinnaur as per the episode from the epic Mahabharata. There are Buddhist monastaries and temples which hold a special importance for the religious followings of the people.At Saharan,40 KMs from Rampur, is the sacred Bhimkali mata temple. Apart from religion,Kinnaur has a vast scope for adventure sports like trekking & skiing.There are a variety of fairs and festivals and traditional dances organised all the year round. Baisakhi is celebrated in the month of April.Fishing of Trout fish is common in Baspa river .Kinnaur is famous for its delicious apples,Chilgoza,Apricot ,handlooms and handicrafts. Slight traces of modernisation can be seen in the town ,its culture and people but the area continues to be pristine ,pure and magnificiently beautiful like the towns Bhabanagar, Kalpa, Nichar, Pooh, Wangtu and Sangla.Some other places of significance are Recong peo, Rampur Bushahr,Kamru fort,Nako lake,,Chango, Raksham & Chitkul valley.

About KINNAUR :

It is one of the 12 administrative distts. of HP located in the NE corner of HP bordering Tibet in the East. It is devided into 3 administrative areas -Pooh,Kalpa and Nichar and has 6 Tehsils- Kalpa,Pooh ,Sangla,Moorang, Hangrang and Nichar. Administrative headquarter is RecongPeo. Its second least populated distt. of HP (84121 persons) after Lahaul & Spiti(31564 persons). As per 2011 census – population speaking Kinnauri-72%, Nepali-8%, Hindi-3.5%, Pahari -3.5%, Bhojpuri and Punjabi about 1%each .Literacy rate is 88.37%male,71.34% female.Sex ratio is women 818 to 1000 males.Its 225 KMs from Simla .3 mountain ranges Zanskar,Greater Himalayas and Dauladhar enclose valleys of Sutlej ,Spiti and Baspa whose slopes are covered with thick woods, orchards,fields and hamlets.It is famous for Mt. Kinnaur Kailash located here( with a peak of 79 mts),Mt 6473mts,and Mt.Raldang (5499mts.).The distt. was opened to public in year 1989.The old Hindustan Tibet Road, constructed by Lord Dalhousie in 1850,passes through Kinnaur valley along the bank of Sutluj and finally enters Tibet at ShipliLa pass.Best time& weather to visit is April to june.At 3000mts ,Sutluj enters India from Tibet near village Namgia and divides Kinnaur roughly into two parts.Area-6401sqkm. There are 3 blocks, panchayats-65 and police stations -6.Its a mountaineous area with altitude between 7612 ft to 22362 ft.

HISTORY of KINNAUR :

Kinnaur was part of erstwhile Chini Tehsil of Mahasu distt.It became a separate distt. on 01/05/1960.It was a part of erstwhile princely state of Bushahr principality which had its capital at Kamru.Later the capital was shifted to Rampur Bushahr.After the fall of Kannauj empire the ruler of Kamru annexed adjoining territories by force and laid the foundation of the state of Bushahr to which the region of Kinnaur belonged till the dissolution of the state after Independence of India.In the early 19th century the Gurkhas of Nepal captured large part of present day HP including Bushahr.Later on the British intervened and expelled them and the Treaty of Sagauli was signed in 1815-16.With the Indias Indepence in 1947and creation of Himachal Pradesh in 1972 ,geographic isolation steadily eroded.With setting up of Hydro projects,spread of education and economic growth with scientific horticultural practices began bringing their own changes.Relaxation of ILPs in mid 90s opened the area for tourism. In the absence of authentic records the early history of Kinnaur region is obscure and reference of kinnaur is by a large confined to legends and mythological beliefs.

MAIN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS :

(1) RAMPUR :

It is located on the banks of Sutlej river and was a seat of former princely state of Bushair .Being prosperous located on the old trade route,Rampur benefitted from a wide range of economic and cultural exchanges.It is a bustling town retaining substantial measure of its past.Has proximity to the Nathpa Jakhari Hydel project.Coming from Simla, the town of Rampur and Saharan are entry points to kinnaur. (2) SAHARAN :

At 40 km from Rampur,it is a legendary place with remarkable hill architecture and natural beauty.Below the valley river Sutlej,across lie the snow covered Shrikhand peaks which devide Satlej and Beas valleys.Legend says that area is closely linked to the epic Mahabharat and exile of Pandavas.It is regarded as one of the 51 Shaktipeeths and Temple Bhimkali is built with indigenous skills. This was the capital of stateofBushair . (3)BHABA :It is 9km downstream of Wangtu between Taranda and Nathpa Jakhari Dam on the side of Bhaba river.Wangtu bridge is the gateway to the valley link road takes you to the last village of Kafnu. (4)Wangtu :it is close to Indo-Tibet border located on the Hind-Tibet road (5)RecongPeo is the capital of Kinnaur distt.,7km from powari and 8 km from Kalpa.Kothi is 3 km from RP and has a temple dedicated to Godess Chandrika Devi. (6) KALPA :It is a small town in the Sutlej river valley above Recong Peo famous for the Golden Apple variety-a major cash crop of the region.There is the Narayani Ragini temple here .There are some very good Hotels here : perfect view of the valley as well as the majestic Kinnaur Kailash peaks. (7)RAKSHAM:Its a very beautiful village with very charming views of the surrounding landscapes near the Baspa river. (8)CHITKUL :It is the last village having temples dedicated to the local Godess Mathi.(9)NICHAR is a town in kinnaur at an altitude of 2100mts.Its located between Taranda and Wangtu.(10)Pooh is a small town at 6736ft at 58 km from Powari along the NH-22.Itas known for its green fields ,apricot orchards,vineyards and almond trees.It was an important trade centre in early 11th century.Pooh has a Devata temple at Kanam.(11)SANGLA village is set above the right bank of Baspa and has a main market of the valley where essentials are available along with some hotels and Guesthouses.(12)KANAM is 40 km from Powari with a Buddhist monastary of considerable significance and is on the trade route leading to Tibet. (13)NAKO at 3662mt is a town built around a lake 115 km from powari.It has a Buddhist monastary with picturesque hamlets.Pargial peak trek starts from here.(14)KAMRU FORT -A km from Sangla village stands the tower like fort of Kamru. Main gate has the image of Buddha.A series of low gates leads to the 5 stories high tower and is an excellent example of unique architecture.The village has Badrinath temple of the 15th century. The wood and stone structure are the original seat of rulers of Bushahr.Has an image of Kamakhya Devi brought from Assam. (15)CHANGO at 3058 mtsis just on the border of Spiti surrounded by high hills and is famous for quality of Apples that grow in its aridity and low temperatures.(16)MOORANG is an village surrounded by Apricot orchards 15 km from Powari.

OUR TOUR OF KINNAUR:

On 12/10/2013: We , 3 members of family, set off on an enchanting 5-day tour of Kinnaur district hiring a two- way Taxi from Chandigarh.We started and reached Saharan in the evening via Simla and Rampur. Took a hotel and got refreshed after the long journey.Before Dinner and a good nights sleep managed to have some panoramic views of mountain ranges with their magical cascading shades.It was the beginning of the exciting journey to bliss.

13/10/2013: We went for darshan of the Bhimkali , Bhairavji and Lakdavirji temples and offered our prayers. Afterwards we started for Kalpa via Powari and Recongpeo having our lunch at Tapri.On reacing Kalpa we took a room in hotel Kinnaur kailash which had a very clear view of the Majestic Mt. Kinnaur kailash looming large on the horizon. We felt speechless sighting the breathtaking spectacle .After some refreshment we proceeded to visit the Rodhi village monastery,the Vishnu temple and the famous Narayan Nagini temple. Had delicious dinner and deep nice sleep after the days tour.

14/10/2013: Started for Sangla and took hotel room in Rupin River View hotel at Raksham village and were mesmerised by the greenery ang refreshing environment devoid of any pollution.We visited the Kamru fort and proceeded to Chitkul to witness the breathtaking sights of the picturesque landscape.Offered our prayers at the Goddess Mathi temple.It was a devine feeling of tranquility and calmness.

15/10/2013: After having a look at the Kinnaur kailash parikrama route (it is a 8-days trek undertaken by pilgrims every year) at Raksham, we proceeded for an exciting tour of Chango and the Nako lake .It was an experience of a lifetime & enjoyed it thoroughly.

16/10/2013: After our morning refreshments we started our return journey back to Chandigarh trying to savour inside us some of the reminences of the magical tour of the “LAND BETWEEN HEAVEN AND THE EARTH”- KINNAUR

LADAKH:The Land of Endless Discovery of Supernatural Landscapes, Wildly Beautiful High-Altitude Desert with a Distinct Culture in the Western Himalayas

L A D A K H:

Its popularly called the “Little Tibet”,the land of high passes,a place with few resourses and extreme climate.Yet for over 1,000 years it has been home to a thriving culture. Its renowned for its remote mountain beauty and a distinct culture.Development has brought in the inevitable issues of pollution,unemployment,inflation and greed.Though it is threatened by the increasing number of tourists, Ladakh has much to teach the world about ecological sustainability .Ladakhis are poor but their mud- bricks homesteads are large and self reliant in fuel ,dairy products ,barley and Chhang (a barley beer)While the picture perfect Gompas,the fluttering prayer flags, white washed stupas,spinning prayer wheels,Golden Buddhas,colourd murals and red-robed monks impart a sense of solemn serenity and calmness ,Buddhist teachings give a message of peace and non violence.The “HALL OF FAME” depicts vividly the rich culture of Ladakh, the key battles fought here in 1948,1962,1965,1971& 1999, the role of BRO in making roads for strategic defence targets such as supplying essential shipments to the extremely tough locations like the Siachin glacier for the Army camps,role of Ladakhi Scouts in making the nation proud.Here information about Siachin Glacier is available,the memorable Shaurya Sthal where names of Martyrs are engraved on the stone with the statue of Buddha in the centre. The Drass war memorial in Kargill district commemorates the Indian victory in the 1999 Kargil war between India & Pakistan. Its built bythe Indian Army in the town of Drass in the Kargil distt.(of the reconstituted UT on 31/10/2019).

About LADAKH :

Its a union Territory( constituted on 31/10/2019) administerd by India which is a larger region of Kashmir and has been subject of dispute between India, Pakistan & China since 1947.Ladakh is a region with the high plains and deep valleys,South eastern area is with blackish lakes at 13,500 ft.It is devided between Pakistan (NW) as part of northern area and India(South East) as part of UT , China -administered portions of North Eastern Ladakh.It is one of the highest regions of the world .Lowest elevation is the Indus river at 8370ft and highest is Saltori Kangri at 25400ft.Ladakh is bordered by Tibet in the East ,HP to the south , J&K and Baltistan to the west and corner of Xinjiang across the Karakoram pass in the far north.

After the abrogation of Art.370 and reconstitution , India has now 28 states and 8 UTs.In Loksabha J&K have 5 MPs while Ladakh will have 2 MPs.The J&K Highcourt and the Police will also serve the Ladakh UT.

About the two districts of Ladakh:

(1) LEH DISTRICT :-It is the largest town & was established in 1979 as joint capital in the Indian administered Kashmir. Leh was the historical capital of the Himalayan kingdom of Ladakh,the seat of which was in the Leh Palace,the former mansion of the royal family of Ladakh built at the time and the same style as the Potala Palace in Tibet.At 3500 mts elevation it is the largest distt. (59196 sq mts)in India followed by Kutch in Gujarat.It has Aksai chin and Tibet to the east,Lahaul spiti to the south and Kargil distt to the west. Leh is an important trade center at 260KM from Srinagar.

2)KARGIL DISTRICT: It was created from Leh and shares joint H/Qs(Capital of UT) with Leh in the Ladakh region. It was granted LAHDC in the year 2003.Kargil war is often refered to as the “Operation Vijay”. It spans the entire length of Ladakh in the the east, Pak administered Gilgit-Baltistan in the north and HP in the South. It encompasses majority of Zanskar range. Its population inhabits the river valley Drass ,Sure ,Kartse ,wakha and Zanskar. Drass memorial, Kargil was built by Indian Army to commemorate the Indian victory in the 1999 Kargil war between India and Pak fought in May to July 1999 in Kargil distt. along the line of control.

MAIN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS :

1)NUBRA VALLEY : At 10000 ft is a tri-armed valley located to the NE of Ladakh valley .Diskit is in Nubra tehsil abot 150 km from Leh town.It was once a trade route that connected eastern Tibet with Turkistan via the Karakoram pass is the most recently opened area with breathtaking views delightfully hospitable inhabitants .Best season for visit is jul to sept.Local scholars say that its original name was Ldumra(valley of flowers).Shyok river meets the Nubra or Siachin river to form a large valley that separate the Ladakh and Karakoram ranges.Shyok river is a tributory of Indus river.MAITRIYA BUDDHA -a 33yrs old statue symbolises peace and tranquility. (2)Diskit Gompa is the largest gompa in Nubra valley.(3)HUNDER is a village in Leh famous for sanddunes,Bactriancamel located in the Nubra tehsil on the banks of Shyok river.Hundar was once a capital of Nubra kingdomThere are ruins of kings palace and the Langchen khar-a fort on the hilltop called Gula.It has two Buddhist temples -one white and the red temple.Between Hundar and Diskit lie sanddunes.(4)ZOZILA PASS at 3528mts is located in Kargil distt.connecting Kashmir to west DRASS and Suru valley to the NE and Indus valley further east.(5) STOK KANGRI at 25400 ftis the highest mountain in Ladakh region.Its peak is located in the Hemis Natural park 15km SW of Leh.(6)Baralacha pass at 4890mts is in the Zhanskar range connecting L&S(HP) to Leh distt.situated in the Leh-Manali highway.(7)Important Gompas/temples-Hemis,Sputik,Ensa,Guru Lhakhang(phyang)gompa and Choskhor temple complex.(8)Mountaineering,Paragliding,Golf,Trekking and many winter sports.(9)ChaderTrek at Zhanskar with thrilling walk over the frozen river.(10)CHANGPA NOMADS : surviving without telephones and electricity at 10000ft. with only a dull flicker of tungston bulb powerered by a small solar panel.They have thrived for more than a millenium rearing their livestock with minimal resources at Changthang .It is worth visiting the place to realise the extreme conditions of survival.(11)LADAKH MARATHON:9th Addition of the marathon is to held from 11-13Sept.2020 in Leh at an Elevation of 11500ft to 17618ft.

OUR TOUR OF LADAKH:

On 09/10/2009,We(a family of 4persons)took Delhi-Leh flight (enjoying from plane, the enchanting and fascinating views of Zhanskar range,Great Himalayan range and Karakoram mountains capped with snow) proceeded to ITBP Guest house and got accommodation in a spacious room named ” Zhanskar” provided with a gas roomheater. we undertook a half day tour after getting refreshed visiting Sputek monastery, Kalimai mandir ,Hall of fame ,Shanti stupa with a Buddhas idol. On our return way we put up applications for the ILPs for our forthcoming Pangong lake and KhardungLa pass tours.Took dinner and had a good nights sleep. 10/10/2009: Pangong Lake tour: Started for Pangong lake at 150 km with stoppage at Kharu and Sakti village for checking of our ILPs. Army had set up medical camps for treatment of low oxygen problems.They also offered us masala tea as gesture of warmth & hospitality .Pangong lake had a very amazing aura about it . We felt spellbound on seeing the rare spectacle and the multicoloured lake water.Also visited the Thiksay monastery and Shey palace. 11/10/2009: Visit to KhardungLa pass:At 18380 ft.,the mountain pass is north of Leh and gateway to Shyok, Nubra valley, was built in 1976.The Siachin glacier lies way up the valley and the highway is maintained by BRO.This pass is strategically important for India as it is used to supply for Siachin camps for Indian soldiers stationed on the border .It is the third highest pass after MarsimikLa(18314ft) and Mana pass(18410ft).We purchased some sovereigns for friends.Reached and visited the Leh palace. The proceeded to the Indus-Zhanskar sangam 40 km from Leh town.After that we went to see Gurudwara Pathar sahib at 15 km from Leh on the NH-1D.The Gurudwara was constructed in 1517 to commemorate the visit of Guru Nanak dev , the founder Guru of Sikh faith..Returning back we visted the famous Magnetic hill to check the truthfulness of the phenomenon which defies gravity &pulls the stationary vehicles upwards .We had delicious dinner and took good nights sleep.

On 12/10/2009: We prepared for our return journey to Delhi. Before departing we paid our sincere gratitude to all people associated in making our visit to such a “fascinating land of endless discovery” a grand success. I feel very sad and indebted to my friend late Shri Khemraj Sainiji who had made our stay so very comfortable and convenient. May God rest his soul in peace.

VISITS TO THE MESMERIZING & CHARISMATIC “KASHMIR”-THE HEAVEN ON EARTH

KASHMIR :

If there is a heaven on this Earth : It is here , it is here. The mesmerising beauty of Kashmir justifies this quote.If you have not visited Kashmir you have missed out on something worthwhile.Once visited,you will yearn to come back here again and again.Popularly known as ‘Paradise on Earth”, Jammu & Kashmir is famous for its scenic splendour, snow-capped mountains,exquisite monuments,Dal lake Shikara ride,gentle & hospitable local people,adventure sports,massive glaciers,verdant meadows,tall pine trees,river rafting ,paragliding.Its famous for Kashmiri art and crafts, Pashmina Shawls, Paper mache,walnut wood carvings,Kashmiri handicrafts and carpets.It is nestled in the Himalayan Pir Panjal and Karakoram ranges.

ABOUT Jammu and Kashmir(State):

It was a region formerly administered by India as a state from 1954 to 2019 ,constituting the southern and southeastern portion of the larger Kashmir region which has been the subject of a dispute between India, Pakistan(since 1947)& China(1962).The region of J&K is separated by the line of control from Pakistan Administered territory of Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan in the west and north respectively. Ladakh is also subject to dispute as a part of Kashmir & administered by India as a Union Territory.J&K is named after the two regions it encompasses-the Jammu region and the Kashmir valley.Govt. of Indian occupied Kashmir while the Govt of India and its sources ,in turn,call the territory under Pak as Pak-occupied-Kashmir.

HISTORY :The State of J&K was accorded special status by Article 370 of the constitution of India,flag & administrative economy.Indian citizens from other states were not allowed to purchasing land or property in J&K .The J&K had 3 distinct areas. Hindu majority-Jammu,muslim majority-Kashmir and Budhist-dominated Ladakh.Unrest and violence persisted in Kashmir valley following a disputed state election in 1987, an insurgency persisted over autonomy and rights.The BJP came to power in 2014 and five years later in 2019 election manifesto the Revocation of the Article 370 of constitution of India in order to bring J&K to equal status with other states of of India.A resolution to repeal Article 370 was passed by both houses of the Parliament of India in Aug. 2019.At he same time a re-organisation Act was passed which would reconstitute the state into two Union Territories- J&K and Ladakh which came into affect from 31/10/2019.The UT of J&K is administered under the provisions of Art.239 and 239A of the constitution of India.The President of India appoints the LG for the UT of J&K. The UT remains under the jurisdiction of the J&K High court which will serve as the highcourt for Ladakh. Police services will be continued to be provided by the J&K Police. J&K (Princely state)entity ended in 1952. J&K was Princely state during the British rule 1846-1947.The princely state was created after the First Anglo-Sikh war when East India Co.annexed the Kashmir valley, Jammu, Ladakh and Gilgit-Baltistan from Sikhs as war indeminity then sold the region to Raja of Jammu, Gulab Singh for Rs 75 Lakhs. At the time of partition and political integration of India, Hari Singh ,the ruler of the state delayed making a descision about the future of the state.However due to an uprising and attack by invaders from NW Frontier province,supported by Pakistan forced his hand. On Oct. 1947,Hari Singh acceded to India in return for the Indian Military being airlifted to Kashmir to engage the Pak supported forces.The western and northern distts. presently known as the Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan passed to the control of Pakistan,while the remaining territory stayed under Indian control later becoming the Indian-administered state of JK .J&K now gets a new identity, Ladakh its wish.Laws passed by parliament are applicable to J&K and Ladakh. Earlier the Art’370 prevented the automatic application of laws in J&K .The two federal entities are UT of J&K and UT of Ladakh-along standing wish fulfilled .It is reverse as in case of Goa.J&K will have its own Legislative Assembly for five years.In Lok Sabha , UT of J&K will have 5 MPs and Ladakh will have 2 MPs. On 31/10/2019, Post Abrogation of Art.370, India have 28 states and 8 UTs.

I have visited Kashmir twice ,once in 1986 with wife Anupama and again in 2012 (after about 25 years) alongwith the entire family -we & our two children.

Our First visit to Kashmir :23/11/1986 to 28/11/1986:

On 23/11/86, We reached Srinagar Airport and reached our hotel Neelam (which was bombed and blown away by the terrorists a few years later to our stay and we came to know about this in our second visit to Kashmir ) on the Lalchowk (the city square named Lalchowk by the leftwing activists inspired by the Russian Revolution as they fought Maharaja Harisinghji).Feeing quite fresh despite the long journey, we went for a visit to The Shankracharya Temple on the top of the hill at an elevation of 1000ft above Srinagar valley dedicated to Lord  Shiva. We offered prayers and then had an amazing view of the Kashmir valley down beneath.

On 24/11/86, We went on a Shikara boat ride on the Dal lake upto and around the Charchinar. It was a very refreshing experience owing to the scenic beauty and the natural landscape of the Kashmir valley .After the boatride we proceeded to the exotic Moghul Gardens(Shalimar bagh & Nishant bagh)and Chashma Shahi and were awed by the huge Chinar trees and the charming colourfulness / fragrance of the lovely flowers blossoming there.

On 25/11/86, We went to Pahalgam, a town 95 KM east of Srinagar in Anantnag distt. of JK Union territory.To the NE is the Amarnath Cave Temple,a hindu shrine and site of Amarnath Yatra Pilgrimage .Overa Aru wildlife sanctuary is home to many animals like the Brown bears & musk deers. NE -the Lidder River runs through scenic Betab valley. SE-Tulian lake is flanked by mountain peaks and is mostly frozen.Worth visiting spots are Sheshnag, Lidder museum ,Pahalgam park,Chandanwari and a 900 yrs old Shivmandir is worth visiting . On the way from Srinagar to Anantnag, we visited the Avantipura ruins of the Awantiswami temple built by King Avantivarman in the 9th century AD on the banks of river Jhelum.It is a significant monument for those interested in Indian history.

On 26/11/86 We set off on a tour of Gulmarg -“the meadow of flowers” and a popular skiing destination at 14000ft above msl, lush green meadows ,deep ravines & valleys, snowboarding & trekking ,Maharani temple, Shiva temple, Khilanmarg and a popular destination for shooting of Bollywood movies .We were taken aback by the splendour of the place. We indulged in some skiing and Snowboarding sports and enjoyed a lot.

On 27/11/86, We set off to katra via Jammu(where we visited Raghunath temple) for our Pilgrimage to Mata Vaishno Devi. Stayed in hotel and got registered for the next days climb to the shrine via Adhakwari.

On 28/11/86, We made our on-foot climb to the matas’s shrine ,offered our prayers after the Darshan and came back to Katra in the evening.At night we took our Delhi-bound train and reached safely marking the end of a very exciting and memorable tour of the Paradise on earth-Kashmir.

My second visit to Kashmir Valley was a family visit from 23/10/2012 to 28/10/2012. On 23/10/12, We reached Srinagar Airport and proceeded to the Vasundhara GH for the accommodation booked by us. Had some glimpses of the distant picturesque views of the valley & took complete rest after the long travel to Srinagar-“the paradise on earth”. On 24/10/2012, We went for a visit to the Shankracharya temple and relished the beauty & fragrance of the Moghul gardens-the Shalimar Bagh & the Nishant Bagh.

On 25/10/12 We took a tour to Pahalgam and Chandanwari and enjoyed it.

On 26/10/12,We went on a trip to Sonamarg (meadows of Gold) at 100 KM from Srinagar in Sindh valley through Ganderbal village 5 KM from Kheerbhawani temple. A shrine with Mata Ragini Kund symbolizing Goddess Ragini devi.Maharagini is the form of Durga Bhagwati.Ragini is a sattavie form of Mother Goddess ,i.e, the form of tranquility and bliss. After offering our prayers, we proceeded to Sonamarg using horses for some part of the journey. Enjoyed the climb to the glaciers.

On 27/10/2012, We went to visit GULMARG popularly called the Meadow of flowers and rightly so as we felt enchanted by the beautiful expanse of the landscape covered with blooming flowers. The Gondola ropeway is about 5 KMs long & is probably the highest ropeway in the world. We went to the second level and felt as if we were on top of the world presenting an amazing view of the breathtaking valley.Enjoyed to the fullest.

On 28/10/2012,We went to local markets for shopping of Kashmiri handicrafts,Pashmina shawls, paper mache ,carpets and numerous wooden carvings, locally-produced Kesar ,etc.We took our flight to Delhi and thus our exciting tour of the Kashmir valley ended with beautiful moments to cherish and with everlasting memories of the place popularly called the “Heaven on the Earth”.

ANDAMAN & NICOBAR Islands: The Union Territory with the magical charisma to make any visitor dumb & speechless through its natural splendour

OUR TOUR OF THE ANDAMAN ISLANDS :

In Oct.1998, We (a group of seven persons) set off on a 09 days(25/10/1998 to 02/11/1998) tour of the historical Andaman & Nicobar Islands & had a memorable experience of a lifetime. We were amazed by historical and cultural background of the Indian territory.On our return journey we could spare 4-days time to visit Calcutta, JagannathPuri dham,Puri beach, Konark sun temple,Nandan Kanan,Bhubaneshwar,famous Chilka lake& the Maa Kalijai temple in the Chilka lake.

ABOUT ANDMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS :

The Andaman Islands are an Indian archipelogy in the Bay of Bengal.Its the Union Territory of India comprising 572 islands(of which 37 are inhabited) ,are a group of Islands at the juncture of Bay of Bengal &the Arabian Sea.Established on 01/11/1956,its capital & largest city is Port Blair ,ranked 28th in area. Its official language: Hindi, English, spoken Bengali,Tamil Telugu,Malyalam,Nicobarese, Kurukh,Munda,&Kharia.The three districts are South Andamans with Port Blair as capital, North& middle Andamans with Mayabunder as capital & Nicobar distt with Car Nicobar as capital.

HISTORY OF THE ANDMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS:

(1)First inhabitants: Earliest Archeological evidence is some 2200 yrs.Since that time Andamanese have diversified into linguistically & culturally distinct territorial group. The Nicobaris appear to belong to various backgrounds.Some Nicobaries speak a Mon-Khmer language & the Shompenese whose language is of uncertain affiliation.(2)Chola Empire period (3)Danish colonial period & British rule (4)World War II :During the period A&N Islands were under the Japanese control and nominally Azad Hind Fauz .Bose visited the Islands during the war and renamed them as Shaheed dweep & Swarajdweep. On 07/10/1945,the Japanese surrendered the A&N Islands to the I.N.A. After Independence A&N became part of India in 1950and Union Territory in 1956.Since 1980 India is developing Defence facilities in the A&N Island having a strategic role in the bay of Bengal and the Molacca strait. On 26/12/2004,Tsunami & Earthquake in Indian ocean left 2000 dead, 4000 children orphaned and 40000 injured .The Lighthouse at Indira point was damaged.83 sq KM area land got submerged which the UT lost. Only the aboriginal people survived because of their oral traditions passed down from generations warned them to evacuate from the larger waves that follow Earthquakes.

RELIGION:Hinduism69.44%,Christians27.7%,Islam8.51%,Sikh0.33% Buddh0.08%

Agriculture:Paddy,coconut,mango,sapota,Orange,banana,Papaya,Pineaple, Industry: Handicrafts, polythene bags, PVC Pipes, soft drinks, bakery products, furniture ,major tourist hub -Adventure sports-snorkeling& sea walking, Naval museum, Trekking, bird watch. Power Generation is through Diesel Generating plants on large scale. INTERNET Expansion Project is scheduled to complete in Dec 2019. CHATHAM Island saw mill is the largest saw mill in Asia. Samudrika Naval maritime museum offers a good collection. Other attractions are :Fisheries Aquarium, Sovenirs shops, Marina park, Vir Savarkar park, Mahatma Ganndhi park, Lighthouse Restaurant for sea Food, Aberdien Bazar, Womens Jail.

College & Universities: Tagore Govt College of Education, Andaman Law College.

Famous tourist attractions :

CELLULAR JAIL: The cellular jail also known as Kalapani is an old colonial prison situated in Port Blair, capital of A&N Islands. Although the complex of cellular jail was constructed in 1906,the Britishers had been using A&N Islands as prisons since the sepoy mutiny of 1857. Soon after the mutiny widespread execution of the rebels and survivors were banished to the island as prisoners. It was used particularly to exile political prisoners and where subjected to many atrocities at the hands of the British. Notable freedom fighters were Shri Battukeshwar dutt, Yogendra Shukla and Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. In the jail premises you cannot help overcome a strong patriotic fervor. Now its a government of India complex and recognized as a national memorial monument that showcases the life of prisoners during the British era. Its a horrifying and darkest period in the history of India. There are 694 cells and as the name suggest all the prisoners are kept separately in their cells. There is a common watch tower at the top of the prison building.

Havelock Island (great Andamans), Elephant beach with coral reef, Ross Island(the biggest island with pristine beaches ,coconut groves ,adventure sports ) and Smith island at Diglipur ,Neil island for peaceful time off is Andamans rustic piece known for nice sunset, Chidiya tapu ,Corbyns cove island, MG marine national park, Mount Harriat national park, cinque Island, Barron Island, little Andaman, Netaji SC Bose dweep, Mud volcano Diglipur.

Our Andaman Nicobar visit:

DAY-1 :Today we set off for our tour of the Cellular Jail, Water Sports,the Light & Sound show scheduled in the evening for which one has to buy separate entry tickets. Enjoyed the water sports immensely along with the L&S show. We also got the opportunity to see Vir Savarkars prison cell. It was a very sad& sentimental occasion for all of us.

JOLLY BUOY ISLAND
ENJOYING AT JOLLY BUOY ISLAND

DAY-2 :Enjoyed our visit to Jolly Buoy island tour,Wandoor islands and mahatma Gandhi Park visit. It was a very exciting and educating tour.

DAY-3. Had a very interesting tour of the Zoo,Corbyn Coves beach, Phoenix jetty and took a exciting 7- island Harbour cruise

DAY-4-We visited the Samudrika fish aquarium,Marina park,Mayabunder cruise. This completes the list of all the places we intended to explore.It was a magical place where we found ourselves spell-bound and ,at times,could not blink our eyes dreading to lose the enchanting expanse of beautiful sceneries,sunsets and the colourful flaura & fauna.

DAY-5, After the most exquisite and amazing tour of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, we took our return flight to Dumdum, Calcutta.

Day-6,7,8,&9 :Before proceeding home we had a few days at our disposal to visit Calcutta, Jagannathpuri ,Konark & Bhubaneshwar, Chilka lake and enjoyed the visits enormously. With us we carried fond reminiscences of the amazing/magnificent tour.

Visits to SHILLONG( The Scotland of the East), GANGTOK (The Gateway to the Sikkim)& DARJEELING (The Queen of Himalayas)

We undertook a 10-days family tour to Shillong,Gangtok & Darjeeling from 28/09/06 to 07/10/06thoroughly enjoying the panoramas of their spectacular& alluring views .

(I)DAY-1&2: SHILLONG TOUR –

Shillong is nestled between the paradisaical Garo & Khasi hills. It is the abode of clouds with sparkling waterfalls, lakes. Visited the 7 sisters falls symbolizing the 7 north- eastern sister states. Went to the Mawsynram village of Khasi hills having the max rainfall recorded at 11,872mm in peak monsoon in India followed by Cherrapunji recording 11,430mm in peak season.Also visited the Elephant falls,Don Bosco museum, Golf course, Shillong peak & the exciting Mosmai caves .

About SHILLONG.

SHILLONG is a very cool and pleasant hill station,the capital of Meghalaya and H/q of Khasi hills district often referred to as Scotland of the east.It is located between the Brahmputra and Surma valleys. SHILLONG was the capital of undivided Assam till creation of new state of Meghalaya on 21.1.72 with its capital SHILLONG. Assam then shifted its capital to Dispur. SHILLONG lies on the SHILLONG plateau 100 KM from Guwahati. Nearest airport is Umroi at 30 KM but has limited flights including Calcutta. It is well connected by road: NH 40 to Guwahati and NH 44/44A to Tripura and Mizoram. Religion: Christian- 46.5%, Hinduism – 42%, Islam 4.5% and Sikkim/Buddhism and Jainism – 6.9%. View Gangtok from nearly Ganesh tok point. Sports: Golf. Education: IIM, NE Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Medical Sciences. NIT, NIFT, SHILLONG Law college, newspaper in English and Khasi. Important location: Indian Air Force and Police bazar, very populous territory .Important personalities – Amita Malik, Anwaruddin Chaudhary, Arundhati Roy. Incidentally Dr APJ Abdul Kalam passed away in SHILLONG on 27.7.2015.

(ii ) GANGTOK Visit :

Most popularly known as Hill Top, the beautiful hill station is the Gateway to Sikkim .Gangtok is very alluring ,pleasantly boisterous covered with clouds ,gives a spectacular view of Mt Kanchengjunga near Zemu glacier at an altitude of 8598mts.It is also the base for trekkers to Himalayan ranges. It has mesmerizing prismatic beauty with winding hilly roads if seen from a birds view or in a cable car .River Teesta is one of the best location for water rafting in the NE.

DAY-3&4

Travelled from Shillong to Gangtok via Guwahati visiting Mata Kamakhya devi mandir !At Gangtok we visited the local spots such as MG Road , Namgyal Institute of Tibetology. DAY-5

Visited Nathula pass ,Tshangu lake, Baba mandir , Tsomgo lake ,Tashi view point, Rumteck monastery. DAY-6&7

Took a fabulous & breathtaking tour of Lachung valley,Yungthang valley ,Seven sisters lake & Zero Point.

About GANGTOK:

It is the largest town &capital of Sikkim& headquarter of East Sikkim distt at 1650 mts altitude.It has mild temperatures all around the year. Populated with different ethenicities -Bhutias,Lepchas,Indian Gorkhas.It is center of Sikkims tourism Industry. Official language are English Bhutia, Lapcha, Nepali. In 1975,after after integration with Union of India, Gangtok was made India’s 22nd state capital .Most popular monastery is Enchey monastery built in 1840.River Teesta is the lifeline of Gangtok.MG Road is main shopping & cultural centers of Gangtok .Ecotourism is new theme generating crores of revenue. The cottage industry & Agriculture offer new opportunities for Agritourism. TRANSPORT: cable car,NH 31A,nearest railhead is -New Jalpaiguri. Pakyong Airport isa greenfield Airport near Gangtok. CULTURE : Namgyal Institute of Tibetology ,State museum. MAJOR festivals: the new year Losar with devil dances in Jan-Feb, Nepali festivals are Chotrul Duchen . Buddha Jayanti is celebrated apart from birthdays of other Gurus. Popular food are Momos ,wai wai, Thupka , chowmin,Thenthuk, Fakthu, Gyathuk, wonton. SPORTS: Football, cricket ,Archery. Thangka ,handicraft ,Chhaams are costumed monastic dances on ceremonies & festive season especially on the Tibetan new year.

Day 8 –

Travelled from Gangtok to Darjeeling which is popularly called the Queen of Himalayas. Visited the famous rock garden and Ganga maiya .

(iii)Day-9 DAJEELING TOUR

Visit to the Tigerhill (Sunrise point- with a panoramic view of Mt. Everest & Mt . Kanchenjunga together ),Tea plantation, ropeway cable-car, Darjeeling war memorial, Himalayan Mountaineering Institute .Tigerhill is the summit of Ghoom- the highest railway station of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway.

About DARJEELING

At 2050 Mtrs altitude, it is HQ of Darjeeling district located in lesser Himalayas known for tea industry, views of Kanchenjunga , Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (a UNESCO world heritage site). It is partially autonomous state of WB and a popular tourist destination. LANGUAGE :Bengali and Nepali. Until 19th century Darjeeling was controlled by Sikkim. Its history is intertwined with sikkim, Nepal, British India and Bhutan. Darjeeling was settled through Suhauli treaty-1816.RELIGION: Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity. FESTIVALS :Dashain, Tihar ,Losar, Buddha jayanti ,Christmas, new year called Losar in Jan/Feb. CULTURE: Peace Pagoda-1962 built by Japanese-Buddhist organization, Tibetan Refugee Self Help centre. Many Nepali Hindus & various Buddhist and other ethnic groups such as Lepchas ,Bhutias etc. have their own languages and culture and yet share a largely harmonious co-existence.

LOCAL CUSINE :

Momos,thugpa,soyabin bambooshoots,rice-roti,butter tea&Tongpa-an alcoholic drink.

Day 10 – Darjeeling to Jalpaiguri

Travelled by toy train popularly called the Darjeeling Himalayan Rail (D.H.R). It was a fantastic & exciting joy ride equally enjoyed by children & the grown ups. We concluded our memorable& mesmerizing tour on a very happy and joyous note.

VISIT TO THE HEAVENLY & DIVINE PARADISE : TAWANG DISTRICT OF ARUNACHAL PRADESH

About TAWANG:

It is one of the 16 districts of Arunachal Pradesh formed after splitting from West Kameng in 1989.Situated at 10000ft above m.s.l,it boasts of having the largest monastery in India and second largest in the world after Lhasa monastery in Tibet.Tawang monastery was founded by Merek Lama Lodre Gyatso in 1681 at the behest of 5th Dalai Lama named Tawang Galdan Namgye Lhatse.It has a commanding view of Tawang river valley comprising the snow-capped mountains and corniferous forest. Monastery is triple- storied with assembly Hall ,ten functional structures with 65 residential quarters for students ,Lamas& monks,a school &its own water supply system and a Centre for Buddhist Cultural studies. Monpas belonging to the Gelug sect are the dominant sect of Kameng region.Monpas boys join the monasteries and become Lamas.Religion is Tibetan Buddhism.Main festivals are Choksar,Losar,Ajilamu & Tongya. A visit to Tawang requires an Innerline permit issued by Concerned Govt Officers based in Kolkatta,Guwahati ,Tejpur & New Delhi. Tawang was historically part of Tibet.The 1914-Simla Accord defined the Mahon line deviding British India &Tibet. Tibet lost its independence in 1950. In the 1962 Sino-India war ,Tawang was salvaged from the Chinese invasion & is proudly part of India as on date.The current Dalai Lama(14th) fled from Tibet in 1959 to escape from Chinese Army and spent most of the time in Tawang before shifting to Tejpur. A bi-weekly helicopter service was started from Guwahati in Oct.2014.Places of interest around Tawang are Bhalukpong, Bomdila, Dirang, Sela pass,Madhuri Lake,PTso Lake Bumla pass, Begam hill, Helmet top Maitri-sthal

TAWANG TOUR (06/10/2008 to 11/10/2008)

We, a family of 4 persons,perfomed the Tejpur to Tawang journey by road passing through amazing spots of unimaginable sceinic beauty.

Day-1- Tejpur to Bomdila :

Started the tour by Tata Sumo via Nameri & Bhalukpong .At Bhalukpong, we got our Innerline Permits checked for entering into Arunachal Pradesh being border point.Proceeded to Bomdila where we visited the monastery and took a hotel for nightstay.

Day-2- Bomdila to Dirang :

On the way enjoyed the picturesque views of mountains & watersprings ,watched young Lamas playing football near a Gompa & we also participated in the game.Also paid a visit to the 450 years old Dirang Gompa.Then we had an early dinner,took a Tent Hotel accommodation (which was very comfortable & cozy) by the side of Kameng river.We felt mesmerized by the sound of the rustling of tree leaves due to breeze & musical gurgling of the river currents.We felt very fresh on waking up.

VERY NICE SPOT BESIDE THE KAMENG RIVER
RELISHING THE REFRESHING WARM WATER OF THE SPRING BESIDE OUR TENT ACCOMODATION

Day-3-Dirang to Tawang :

morning we took bath in the warm water spring flowing near our Tent accommodation believed to have some medicinal significance. On the way we crossed the Sela Pass(at 13700 ft) having a heavenly aura about it. Had a nice walk viewing the surroundings all so beautiful as far as our sight could reach. Also watched the Nuranang waterfalls which was a treat to the eyes.Reached Tawang in the evening &it was like a dream come true. Took a hotel and had a good nights rest.

Day-4-Tawang monastery & War memorial visit:

Paid visit to the historical Gompa & proceeded to see the War memorial built in memory of the soldiers who laid their lives in the Indo-Chinese war in 1962 to protect and salvage Tawang . Also paid our solemn tributes to Subedar Joginder Singh who was killed in the 1962 war fighting fiercely with enemy till his last breath.

Day-5-Tawang to Bumla, China border ,Maitri sthal ,Madhuri lake, PTso lake:

First of all we proceeded to the Bumla pass and Maitri sthal on the Indo-China border.Indian soldiers (the Sikh regiment) gave us a warm welcome and we reciprocated by giving them a crisp salute to exhibit honour for the noble services/duties they are rendering to the nation.We forgot our tiredness (arisng out of lower Oxygen levels)seeing the rare spectacle which we watched unblinkingly. We watched the Begum hill, the Helmet Top on the China border and felt high on emotions about the atmosphere there. On our way back we turned towards Sangster lake at Y junction.It is popularly called the Madhuri lake for the shooting of the film Koyala featuring Madhuri Dixi, Also went to see the picturesque PTso lake quite near to it.Bumla-Pass is believed to be the escape route of Dalai Lama from Tibet to Tawang.It is at 16500 ft altitude.Finally we returned to Tawang and took night rest.

Day-6-Return from Tawang to Tejpur:

In the morning we went to a good restaurant for having some tasty local cuisine. Out of curiosity ,we checked the complete menu of local dishes:Rice,bambooshoot,pika pila,lukter, pehak, apang ,marua ,chura ,Thupka ,khasi ,khu,rachang,gyapa-khazi ,puta ,bresi and momos .After the wholesome meal we started back on our return journey to Tejpur and reached safely in late evening hours thanking the Almighty for bestowing us the opportunity to visit such a magnificent place full of peaceful serenity of the monasteries, picturesque vistas of the breathtaking sceneries with great feeling of breathing in a very healthy atmosphere devoid of any kind of pollution. It was an amazing & unforgettable tour.

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