Palace On Wheels

Welcome aboard The Palace On Wheels on its splendid and enchanting royal journey through the bygone era of the erstwhile Maharajas.

Though times have changed and the winds have shifted, the Palace On Wheels cruises along in royal style, the kind only the Maharajas of yesteryears could have perpetuated and enjoyed.

The exquisite and exclusive Palace On Wheels has luxurious cabins, wall to wall carpeting, a well stocked bar, two dining cars and a very personalized service… in fact, almost everything that could compromise of heaven on earth for seven days!

THE COACHES
The 14 coaches are named after former Rajput states matching the aesthetics and interiors of the royal past. Each saloon has a mini pantry and a lounge to ensure availability of hot and cold beverage, and refreshments and a place to relax and get together.

ROOMS
14 fully air-conditioned deluxe saloons, each a combination of 4 twin bedded chambers with channel music, intercom, attached toilets, running hot and cold water, shower, wall to wall carpeting and other amenities. The furniture with its inlaid motifs has been specially created for the Palace on Wheels.

RESTAURANTS
The train has two lavish restaurants “The Maharaja” and “The Maharani” with a Rajasthani ambience serving palate tickling Continental, Chinese, India and Rajasthani cuisines.

BAR
The train also boasts of a well stocked bar offering the choicest of sprits of Indian and international brands. Each coach also offers a good collection of books to choose from.

FACILITIES
The Palace on Wheels is regularly refurbished to a great extent. The decor in the saloons, bar lounge has been changed, keeping in mind the traditionally aesthetic yet modern, Palace on Wheels.

Toilets have been redone and are maintained sparkling clean. Each saloon lounge has been equipped with color television and a CD player. A satellite phone is on the way to make you communicate anywhere in the world from the train.

Source by: Tour packages

Pushkar Fair

Pushkar, the holy town in Rajasthan is located 11 kms from Ajmer and 130 kms from Jaipur. It is known for it’s sacred lake. This little town is dotted with temples and is the only place in the country with temples and is the only place in the country with a temple dedicated to Lord Brahma, the creator of the Universe. Legend has it that this lake was fomed wher Lord of creationdropped a lotus on the day of the full moon. Many People came on all over the world. Pushkar fair is one of the most inpornt festival in India.

Every November, the famous Pushkar Fair is held for 7 days, finishing on Kartik Poornima. The Fair is predominantly a gathering with thousands of camels, cattle and gorses for trade, with added attractions of games, races, local folkdances, song and entertainment.

All day long, thousands of devotees can be seen taking a di in the holy lake, In the evening the entire town reverberates with the ringing of bells, as hundred of oil lamps light the banks of the lake.

We take this opportunity to bring one very important point to your attention, which we feel will help you plan your Pushkar tour better. Normally, tourists vist Pushkar two/three days prior to the full moon date, which is on November 11. However, the actual camel trading will start by Noember 04th, when camels arrive by the thousands and the fun and excitement of Pushkar begins. The main buying and selling of the animals will take place over the next 7 days and most of the camels would leave Pushkar by November 11, with only hundred odd animals left of the balance two days. This may cause some disappointment amongst your clients who came to Pushkar towards the end of the Fair,

The colourful-tented Dining Hall serves excellent buffet breakfast and indian and Continental begetarian meals. In the mornings, take our camel cart to the centre of the town, where you mingle with the locals and see the trading of hundreds of camels in a tradition which goes back to the beginning of this Century, Stroll around the market place and enjoy a light-hearted banter as you bargain with the shopkeepers. A large number of stalls sell just about everything and the beat of loud music adds to the atmosphere.

Return to the peace and quiet of your camp. After a test, enjoy and participate in some of the events organises specially for you. You also have time to browse around the ‘bazaar’ in the camp, where local artisans make and sell their wares. After dinner, be entertained by dances and musicians from the local villages, while you sit around bonfires in the wilderness of the desert. We look forward to welcoming you at the Pushkar Fair.

Trek the hills

Far inland, lying on the windward site of the Western Ghats, Kerala has a long chain of lush, mist-clad hill stations that offer the most enchanting experience of nature in all its virgin beauty. Punctuating the forested hills are numerous waterfalls that roar, gurgle and splash down the mountainside. Almost all these breathtaking cascades are the venues for picnics and excursions round the year. The Palaruvi falls in Kollam (Palaruvi means’ stream of milk’), Athirapally and Vazhachal near Thrissur are some of the better known.

Winding up the forested high ranges are the most delightful trekking trails in the country. Some of them adventurously exciting, others enchanting in equal measure. All washed in the spice-scented air of endless acres of plantations – of tea, Devi Lake with its mineral water springs and picturesque surroundings, and Wagamon – a trekker’s delight

Going further north, you will have to negotiate at least 10 hairpin bends on the ghat road that passes through the breathtaking evergreen forests of the Sahyadri Ranges on the way to Nelliyampathy, the panoramic hill station in Palakkad. Attappady, also in Palakkad, is a beautiful synthesis of mountains, rivers and forests and is of great interest to anthropologists. This is the natural home of many tribals like the Irulars and Mudugas.

At the northeastern tip of the state is Wayanad district, the most pristine region of Kerala. Located 1300 -2100 m above sea level, Wayanad is renowned for is coffee, tea, cardamom, pepper and rubber plantations. Mist-capped mountains and breathtaking scenery dominate other tourist attractions. Lakkidi, the gateway to Wayanad, is a lovely mix of lofty peaks, gurgling streams and luxuriant forests. Pakshipathalam as the name suggests is a bird sanctuary which is also known for its trekking tracks. Chembra peak 2100 m above mean sea level, the highest point in Wayanad, is ideal for trekking Pookot Lake, the perennial fresh water lake, nestled among wooded hills, is the only one of its kind in Kerala. Boating facilities, a children’s park, a handicrafts and spices emporium and a fresh water aquarium are among the tourist facilities available here.

Source: I read the magazines

Hotel Le Royal Meridien in Chennai

Address :

1, G.S.T. Road, St. Thomas Mount, Chennai 600 016, Tamil Nadu – INDIA

Ratings :

5 Star Deluxe

Location :

5 Kms. from Airport, 1.5 Kms. from Railway Station.
Hotel Le Royal Meridien Proximity to the Industrial Estate Area and very near to Shopping Centre, Chennai Trade Centre, Race Course and Universities.

Hotel Description :

Hotel Le Royal Meridien is one of the few hotels that can be known to pamper the guests with the impeccable service and luxury. Hotel also offers a massage center for traditional relaxing massages and also state of the art modern gymnasium facilities. The beautiful gardens around the hotel have been sculptured to provide the guests with the treatment of a lifetime.

Accommodation at Le Royal Meridien :

STANDARD & DELUXE

All these rooms include electronic safes to accommodate laptops, tea and coffee-maker, two-line telephones with dataport, ISDN Internet connections, minibar, satellite television, room control panel, spy hole and security chain, smoke detectors, sprinklers and soundproofing.

SUPERIOR

These rooms have a king bed, two IDD phone lines, interactive television, dataport, high-speed Internet access, safe, minibar, mineral water, fruit bowl, tea and coffee-maker. The room area is 330 square feet and the bathroom 60 square feet.

DELUXE

These rooms have a king bed, view, airport transfers, breakfast, two IDD phone lines, interactive television, dataport, high-speed Internet access, safe, minibar, mineral water, fruit bowl, tea and coffee-maker. The room area is 330 square feet and the bathroom 60 square feet.

DELUXE VIEW

These room amenities include airport transfers, breakfast, two IDD phone lines, interactive television, dataport, high-speed Internet access, safe, minibar, mineral water, fruit bowl, tea and coffee-maker. The room area is 330 square feet and the bathroom 60 square feet.

ROYAL CLUB

Guests staying in the Royal Club benefit from a king bed, lounge, butler service, breakfast, airport transfers, two IDD phone lines, interactive television, dataport, high-speed Internet access, safe, minibar, mineral water, fruit bowl, tea and coffee-maker. The room area is 360 square feet and the bathroom 60 square feet.

SUITES

All suites include a dedicated guest lift, exclusive Royal Club Lounge, check-in and check-out in either the room or lounge, complimentary breakfast, tea and coffee and soft drinks all day in the lounge, cocktail hour with canapés, airport transfers, pressing of garments, use of the boardroom, butler service, choice of daily newspapers and business magazines. Business facilities are also available. All suites are equipped with a fax machine.

EXECUTIVE SUITE

These suites have a king bed, lounge, butler service, breakfast, airport transfers, two IDD phone lines, interactive television, dataport, high-speed Internet access, safe, minibar, mineral water, fruit bowl, tea and coffee-maker. The room area is 360 square feet and the bathroom 60 square feet.

A spacious one-bedroom suite overlooking the atrium, gardens or city view. Bathrooms have a separate shower and bath. Some Deluxe Suites have a walk-in closet, and one suite has been specially designed for the physically challenged person. The room area is 600 square feet and bathroom 80 square feet.

ROYAL CLUB SUITE

Three suites, individually decorated and located on the Royal Club floor. These suites feature a master bedroom and en suite bathroom, with a separate shower and bath, a study, a grand salon, separate dining room, a foyer and guest toilet. The room area is 1320 square feet and the bathroom 40 square feet.

PRESIDENTIAL SUITE

A large one-bedroom suite, with separate dining area and pantry, a large sitting room, a study, separate toilet and a guard room. The room area is 1980 square feet and the bathroom 40 square feet.

Restaurants at Le Royal Meridien :

NAVARATNA

This authentic à la carte restaurant serves the country’s finest royal Indian cuisine. A private dining room is available for up to 12 persons and an intimate bar is available for pre-dinner drinks.

CILANTRO

A 24-hour international dining restaurant famous for its seven show kitchens and creative buffets. Cilantro serves international and Indian cuisine and boasts the only teppenyaki counter in the city.

KAYAL

Located on the top floor of the hotel, with magnificent views of the gardens and pool, this idyllic location is home to the only Mediterranean speciality seafood restaurant in the city. Live cooking.

THE DOME

Located off the lobby, this bar serves a wide selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and televises major sporting events.

THE LOBBY LOUNGE

Serving speciality teas, coffee and soft beverages along with a variety of hot and cold snacks.

LE GOURMANDISE

Located in the foyer, this French-designed delicatessen is pure indulgence, offering a wide variety of home-made savouries, breads, pastries, cakes, sweets and chocolates.

CABANA BARAND GRILL

Located next to the pool, surrounded by landscaped gardens, this outdoor dining experience is home to a host of international dishes from the grill, barbecue and tandoor, accompanied by exotic cocktails and sundowners.

Facilities & Services at Le Royal Meridien :

BUSINESS FACILITIES
»State-of-the-art Business Centre
»ISDN/Internet access
»Video Conferencing and Comprehensive AV facilities
»There are nine meeting Rooms accommodating up to 1200 guests
»Ballroom

HEALTH AND FITNESS
»Health & fitness Club
»Steam/Sauna/Jacuzzi
»Massage facilities
»Swimming Pool
»Golf/Riding/Polo
»Water Sports available on request

ROOM FACILITIES
»Wooden floors and marble bathrooms
»All rooms have mini bar
»Computer with Dataport/ Modem
»Television set with satellite channels
»Electronic safe
»Tea and coffee making facility
»Direct dial telephone with data port

OTHER FACILITIES
»Travel Desk
»Currency Exchange
»Laundry
»Car Parking
»24 hrs-room service

Source:Travel India

The Leela Resort in Goa

What do you get when you blend South India’s temple traditions with Portuguese heritage? A 5 star beach resort called The Leela Kempinski Goa, for one. Sprawled over 75 endless acres in idyllic South Goa, the property boasts a 12 hole, par 3 golf course for the aficionados. And if you prefer to unwind by not doing anything at all, you have the Mobor beach pretty much to yourself. The bustling fishing village along the Sal River, to the south, offers a fascinating insight into how the lucky locals of Goa live.

Being a luxury resort means that The Leela Kempinski Goa offers you a choice 185 rooms, suites and villas, as well as from a host of dining options and leisure activities. Add to this a state-of-the-art business centre and you have the perfect destination for a company conference too.

Accommodation

Dotting the 75 acres of lush gardens and sparkling lagoons that we call The Leela Kempinski Goa are a 185 plush rooms and suites. All rooms are spacious, elegantly furnished and come with central air conditioning, colour TV with satellite channels, DVD players and CD players, wi-fi internet connectivity and private balconies so that you can enjoy a relaxing breakfast or a romantic dinner. All rooms also have a lagoon view except the Royal Villas and Presidential Suite, which face the ocean and overlook the golf course.

The Presidential Suite, the Royal Villas and the 6 Club Suites come with a personal plunge pool.

Meetings and Events

The Leela Kempinski Goa is recognised as one of the most stunning luxury resorts in Goa. But it is also has an equally beautiful alter-ego – that of one of the best business hotels in Goa. One of the few places where you can retreat to do some serious business, The Leela Kempinski Goa has a host of venues that can handle from 16 to 400 guests. Of course, our business centre is outfitted with the latest in audio-video technology.

Aparanta

Lower lobby level, with capacity of 400 for reception, 350 for sit down dinner and 400 pax theatre style conference seating. The hall opens out to a lawn which can be used for coffee breaks.

Hampi

At the lobby level , adjacent to the Business Centre, seating capacity upto 200 theatre style and 100 for classroom style.

Bidar and Badami

At lobby level, each can accommodate 24 seats, theatre style and 16 boardroom style.

Services & Facilities

In India, a guest is treated like the incarnation of God. And part of how we make you feel this way at The Leela Kempinski Goa is by offering a host of divine services.

Leisure + Pleasure

By offering a wide and welcome array of leisure and pleasure that combine the best of a luxury beach resort and a premier business hotel, The Leela Kempinski Goa spoils guests for choice.

* 12 hole, par-3 Golf course
* Airport transfers
* Baby cots
* Baby sitting (with prior intimation)
* Badminton
* Banquet facilities

In-room

At The Leela Kempinski Goa, we try to make staying indoors as inviting as exploring the golf course or any other delightful part of our 75 acre paradise. How? By providing you the finest in in-room services and facilities.

* Bathrobe
* CD music system
* Ceiling fan
* Coffee and tea making facility
* Complimentary toiletries
* DVD player

Spa

The internationally acclaimed Spa at The Leela Kempinski Goa is renowned for its extensive selection of professional Ayurvedic therapies and services. An in-house Ayurveda doctor and an expert team of therapists ensure guests have a genuine, rejuvenating experience. The Shirodhara and Warm Stone Massages are signature therapies of our Spa and are highly recommended for the ultimate in stress-relief and relaxation.

Reflecting Goa’s unique mix of Eastern and Western traditions, The Spa also offers massages and treatments from around the world, as well as yoga, steam rooms, saunas and a fully equipped gym.

Getting Here

The Leela Kempinski Goa was built to be the ultimate luxury resort for people seeking refuge from big-city stress. This is the precise reason why its stunning location next to a river, by the sea, but far from humanity. Luckily, the only settlement of people nearby is the neighbouring fishing village by the Sal.

* International & Domestic Airports: 40 kms
* National Railway Station: 7 kms
* Panjim (capital city of Goa): 50 kms
* Margoa: 17 kms

Source: Resorts in India

Hotel Fisherman’s cove in Chennai

Address :

Covelong Beach,Kanchipuram Dist.,Tamil Nadu – INDIA

Ratings :

5 Star

Location :

40 Kms. – Airport, 45 Kms. – Railway Station.
Hotel Fisherman’s Cove is situated on the beach.

Hotel Description :

Hotel Fisherman’s Cove is also one of the three properties of the famous Indian chain of hotels of Taj Group of Hotels in Chennai. Hotel was one of the most impressive Dutch fort built in India and have now been converted into one of the most famous beach resorts in South India. The sun and the sand that surround the hotel offers a perfect setting for relaxing and enjoying few days of leisure and pleasure.

Accommodation at Fisherman’s Cove :

Hotel Fisherman Cove in Chennai has 80 rooms including 38 cottages. Hotel Fisherman Cove in Chennai – All accommodation at the hotel is centrally air conditioned, with international direct dial facility, channel music, colour television with satellite programs. VCRs on request. 24 hour room service. Laundry service.

STANDARD ROOM

Elegantly appointed, most of the rooms are sea facing at Hotel Fisherman’s Cove in Chennai.

COTTAGES

Spacious and rustic in look, these cottages have a private sit out and garden at Hotel Fisherman Cove in Chennai. Some have a view of the sea.

LUXURY SEA FACING COTTAGES

Private sit out and lawn with a great view of the sea from the bed; and a Jacuzzi at Hotel Fisherman Cove in Chennai.

Restaurant at Fisherman’s Cove :

ANCHORAGE

Located on the deck, overlooking the swimming pool, serves Indian, Continental and Chinese cuisine.

CLAY PIPE

When it’s time to lift your spirits, come raise a toast at the bar.

BAY VIEW POINT

A romantic open air beach restaurant, serving grilled and barbecued seafood specialties.

Facilities & Services at Fisherman’s Cove :

ROOM FACILITIES

» 24 hours Room Service
» H/C running water
» Tea/Coffee maker
» T.V. with Channel Music
» Telephone STD/ISD
» Direct Dialing

BUSINESS FACILITIES

» Business Center
» Banquet & Conference Facilities
» Shopping Arcade
» Massage Center

OTHER FACILITIES

» Safe Deposit
» Doctor on Call
» Laundry
» Money Changer
» Safe Deposit
» Baby Sitting
» Valet
» Travel Desk Service

Source: Travel India

Hotel ITC Park Sheraton and Towers in chennai

Address :

132, T.T.K. Road,Chennai 600 018, Tamil Nadu -INDIA

Ratings :

5 Star Deluxe

Location :

11 Kms. from Airport, 13 Kms. from Railway Station.
Hotel ITC Park Sheraton and Towers is situated in the down town area of Chennai.

Hotel Description :

Hotel ITC Park Sheraton and Towers Hotel is one of the two properties of the famous WelcomHotels group of hotels. This is the most exclusive address that one can think of while in Chennai. Hotel is for the who is who of any stream of life. Top of the line hotel Park Sheraton & Towers offer guests with the liberty of being in the city center while exploring the business, shopping and tourist attractions of the city.

Accommodation at ITC Park Sheraton and Towers :

Hotel offers 283 rooms that also includes 38 exclusive suites. The rooms are furnished with the finest of every thing with every minute detail that can offer complete rest to the guests have been taken care of. Finest in hospitality and personalised service in an atmosphere of gracious elegance. Where everything you need is provided for under one roof.

Facilities & Services at ITC Park Sheraton and Towers :

BUSINESS FACILITIES
» Two business centres
» Fully equiped
» Board rooms

HEALTH AND FITNESS
» Billiards Room
» Health Club
» Gymnasium
» Ayurvedic Massage facilities
» Beauty Salon

OTHER FACILITIES
» Shopping Arcade
» Foreign Exchange Counter
» Dublin – Irish Pub
» Vijays – Sports Cafe
» Travel Desk
» Florist
» Palmist
» Doctor on call
» Happy Hour for Resident Guests

ROOM FACILITIES
» Ladies Floor
» All suites Floor
» Non-Smoking rooms on request
» In-room safes
» Tea-coffee makers
» Personalised voice mail
» Dual line telephones with data port
» Internet connection
» Butler service in Towers Rooms

Source: Royal Holidays India

Culture of India

INDIAN CULTURE

In a manner of speaking, culture is everything in a particular society, and one can as easily speak of the culture of Hindustani music and Bengali bhadralok society as one can of the culture of the working-class, Hindi film-viewers, rickshaw-pullers, and India’s modernizing elites. Indian culture is no easy composite of varying styles and influences.

In the matter of cuisine, for instance, the North and the South share little, and these broad categorizations say little about the distinctions between the peppery hot food of Andhra and the coastal, largely coconut-based, cuisine of Kerala.

In thinking of architecture, one’s mind traverses from the great temple cities of the South — Chidambaram, Rameswaram, Kanchipuram, Madurai, and numerous others — to the architectural splendors of the Vijaynagar empire and the erotic sculptures of Khajuraho to the grand Mughal architecture of Delhi, Agra, and Fatehpur Sikri.

And what of modest roadside shrines, the step-wells of Gujarat, or the havelis of Jaisalmer with their impeccable lattice work? But culture is not only a matter of music, dance, art, and cinema, for marriage customs, death rites, patterns of pilgrimage to holy cities, modes of raising children, treatment of elders, and innumerable other aspects of everyday life are stitched into the meaning of culture.

India. Birthplace of civilizations, cradle of religions, still home to almost a quarter of the world’s people.

India has dominated the world stage through most of human history, as the home of mighty empires, as a powerful trading nation, and as a wellspring of culture and civilization.

India has always intrigued and fascinated the rest of the world.
The “fabulous Indies”.
Rumours of its empires and its wealth brought traders and travelers.
Alexander the Great marched across Asia to India.
Arab and Jewish traders sailed here.

At one time Roman soldiers were barracked here.
The ancient Greeks had trading colonies.
Columbus wasn’t looking for America.
He hoped to find a new route to India.
European history dramatically favoured nations with an India connection.

India excelled in international trade.
Five thousand years ago the thriving cities of the Indus Valley traded with Mesopotamia.

Indian traders spread their goods and influence through South East Asia.
The Hindu island of Bali is one surviving remnant of a great trading empire.

Spices, gems, pearls and silks flowed out of India into the rest of the world.
Crafts, textiles, and exotic birds and animals were also traded.
Hannibal’s elephants came from India.
So did many of the lavish fabrics craved by Roman nobility.
At one point, so much gold was leaving Rome for India that the Roman economy was seriously weakened.

India was the ‘Japan’ of the ancient world, dominating trade relationships.
Ideas and culture spread with trade goods.
India gifted a numbering system and mathematics to the world.
Philosophy, sciences, and medicine reached unrivalled heights, enriching the great scientific achievements of China and the Arab world.
The influences of Indian thought can be found in early European culture, and still today, Indian philosophy is influencing modern global cultures.

India has had an epic history. Great empires rose and fell.
Colossal armies clashed -hundreds of thousands of soldiers, thousands of elephants and horses, thundering cannons – often at the whims of capricious rulers.
Great fortresses and palaces were built and destroyed.
War, pestilence, or invaders shattered long periods of prosperity and peace.

The colonial era brought new and different challenges to India, culminating in an Independence Movement without parallel, that has left an indelible mark on non-violent

struggles for freedom and justice throughout the modern world.

During this dramatic history, society in India wove an intricate web of relationships, rituals, and duties, yet remained astonishingly tolerant and diverse.
Great religions developed and spread from India.
Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, and Sikhs trace their roots from India.
India has the second largest Muslim population in the world and is home to Animists, Christians, Zoroastrians, Bah’a’is, Jews, and others.

This elaborate history and culture is slowly finding its expression on the World Wide Web.
Many of the best sites on India have been built by educational institutions around the world.

There are increasing numbers of sites developed in India by Indians, reflecting both the techological skills here and the keen interest in projecting an Indian presence on the Net.

The term culture refers to a state of intellectual development or manners.
The social and political forces that influence the growth of a human being is defined as culture.

Indian culture is rich and diverse and as a result unique in its very own way.
Our manners, way of communicating with one another, etc are one of the important components of our culture.

Even though we have accepted modern means of living, improved our lifestyle, our values and beliefs still remain unchanged.

A person can change his way of clothing, way of eating and living but the rich values in a person always remains unchanged because they are deeply rooted within our hearts, mind, body and soul which we receive from our culture.

Indian culture treats guests as god and serves them and takes care of them as if they are a part and parcel of the family itself.

Even though we don’t have anything to eat, the guests are never left hungry and are always looked after by the members of the family. Elders and the respect for elders is a major component in Indian culture.

Elders are the driving force for any family and hence the love and respect for elders comes from within and is not artificial.
An individual takes blessings from his elders by touching their feet.
Elders drill and pass on the Indian culture within us as we grow.
“Respect one another” is another lesson that is taught from the books of Indian culture. All people are alike and respecting one another is ones duty.

In foreign countries the relation between the boss and the employee is like a master and slave and is purely monetary whereas in Indian culture the relation between the boss and the employee is more like homely relations unlike foreign countries.

Helpful nature is another striking feature in our Indian culture.
Right from our early days of childhood we are taught to help one another in need of help and distress.

If not monetary then at least in kind or non-monetary ways.
Indian culture tells us to multiply and distribute joy and happiness and share sadness and pain.

It tells us that by all this we can develop co-operation and better living amongst ourselves and subsequently make this world a better place to live in.
Even though India is a country of various religions and caste our culture tells us just one thing ‘phir bhi dil hai hidustani ‘.

India is a land of great diversity, more heterogenous than any other country in the world.
Four major racial groups have met and merged in India resulting in a complex demographic profile.

The pale-skinned Europoid entered from the western mountain passes, encountering settled populations of Dasyu, the dark skinned ones of Rig Vedic description.

The Aryans established a dominant presence in the northwest and the Gangetic plain, but the people of Mongoloid descent remained undisturbed in the Himalayan region and

the highlands of the northeast.

Their affinity with the southeast Asian world is remarkable and is reflected in the motifs used in the crafts.
Though the Mongoloid people influenced the racial pattern of tribes in the eastern provinces of Orissa and Bihar, by and large, they stayed within central India.

Southerners in peninsular India might have had a link with Negroid racial elements, as deduced from contemporary populations with dark skins and tightly curled hair.

But the only true Negrito are isolated in the Andaman Islands.
The ethnic diversity is reflected in the variety of languages and dialects used in India – 17 major languages and 900 dialects or closely related subsidiary languages.

The Indo-European group, particularly the sub-branch of the Indic languages, concentrated as dialects of northwest India and the Gangetic plains, share a linguistic pool with

modern French, English, Greek and Persian, indicative of migrations of Europoid people.

The Dravidian language family alone consists of 23 languages. Tamil is spoken in TamilNadu, Telugu in Andhra Pradesh, Kannada in Karnataka and Malayalam in Kerala.

Tribal groups of Oraon, Munda and Santhal scattered through the highlands of eastern and central India use the languages of the Austro-Asiatic family, but many of the dialects with only oral traditions have lost.

Less than one per cent of modern India’s population – comprising the Mizo, Naga, Lushai and Khasi , to name a few tribes – is inheritor to the languages of the Tibeto-Burman family.

Secluded by geography and, later, protected by policy, their ethnological and linguistic identity has survived. Christian missionaries have contributed to the standardization of some of these languages.

Source: visit Royal Holidays India

Calcutta

Calcutta, generally, evokes strong emotions. For many outsiders, it is a city in turmoil. For the native, there is no better place on earth.

Often described as a paradox Calcutta no only makes light of the title but seems to injoy it. It is a city where extremes of riches and abject poverty coexist, where opel astras jostle for space with a hand-pulled rickshow on the same street, where decrepit facade of a building many screen the plush interiors. The list is endless. But it is also the city where Rabindranath Tagores, Satyajit Rays and Mother Teresas thrive. Perhaps, it was meant to be like that.

The city came into existence under the British after the famous battle of plassey more then 300 years ago. And served as the launching pad for annexation fo the entire subcontinent. it was the seat of power of the growing empire till New Delhi was built. Till the 60s Calcutta was the most important city of India; the indudtrial, commercial and cultural capital with embellishments to match. It sported some of the finest monuments in the country. It was the land of opportunity.

Then events took over. Industry and businesses shifted elsewhere. Presiding over a largely impoverished region the city was deprived of crucial maintenance founds. decay set in.

However, a turn for the better is visible. New constructions improved infrastructure and a general realisation of global changes have changed the atmosphere. The city has expanded much beyond its earlier limits with many new, well-planned satellite townships and suburbs.

Awareness of heritage and need to preserve it has improved the lot of structures like the Victoria Memorial and Howrah Bridge, Virtually the emblems of the East. Old names of the roads are being shown alongside the new.

Visitor interest is not slow in responding. New and better hotels have come up to cover their need, dining out is becoming a pleasure with wider options and cuisines, swanky market complexes featuring the latest products of world markets are rising everywhere. Calcutta is for the next millennium.

Howrah bridge

Popularly known as the Rabindra Setu, Howrah Bridge is an engineering marvel and is counted amongst the busiest cantilever bridge in the World. Observing a daily traffic of about 60,000 vehicles and innumerable pedestrians, Howrah bridge have equalled its position to Sydney Harbor Bridge. But the later can never dream of such a traffic. The bridge connects Kolkata and Howrah and is the lifeline of the city. The best way to enjoy its stately beauty is to view it from the middle of the river.

History :

Constructed in 1939 and the bridge was opened to traffic in 1943 which cost as estimated Rs.333 crores, built from 26,500 tons of steel. It is a sort of ‘Cantilever bridge’. In it cantilevers project from piers and are connected by girders. Erected during World War II to give Allied troops access to the Burmese front, replacing an earlier pontoon bridge that opened to let river traffic through.

Essentially, it had two portions. For the convenient plying of man and traffic, the pool was connected as a whole. However, the bridge was unfastened everyday, particularly during night for steamers, boats and other aquatic vehicles to ply. From 19th August, 1879, the bridge was illuminated by fixing electric poles at the centre. This was done by using the electricity rendered from the dynamo at the Mallick Ghat Pumping Station. The Bridge was then 1528 ft. long and 62 ft. wide. On both sides were pavements 7 ft. wide for the sake of pedestrians. The 48 ft. road in between, was for plying of traffic.

Today’s Scenario :

The eight-lane bridge carries a steady flow of more than lakh vehicles and 2 million commuters every day. The best way to enjoy its stately beauty is to view it from the middle of the river where photography is strictly prohibited. The ferries running from below Howrah Station are a more convenient way to cross the river and give a good view of the bridge.

Links :

The busy Rabindra Setu or Howrah Bridge connects the city to Kolkata’s Burrabazar. A second bridge – the Vidyasagar Setu connects south Howrah to the Kolkata Maidan.

Near Howrah Bridge :

» Howrah Station

The Howrah Railway Station is one of the largest in the world with rail connections to all major Indian cities and towns. Howrah Station also serves as an important terminus for the suburban railway services of the Eastern and the South Eastern Railway. Located on the west side of the Hooghly River, it is linked to Kolkata by the Howrah Bridge.

Other nearby attraction of Howrah Bridge :

From Howrah Bridge, you can visit its nearby attractions such as Millenium Park, Eden Garden, Bara Bazar, BBD Bagh that will surely make your visit to Howarah Bridge more memorable.

Source: visit clickindia.com