Sunday, July 25, 2010
The beach temples of Mahabalipuram
Mahabalipuram has long and glorious history; It was a flourishing port city in the seventh century under the Pallavas. The Pallava rulers built some breath taking monuments along the sea which can still be seen today. This pristine beach is famous for its gigantic monuments like sculptures, monolithic Rathas, caves and temples. The monuments are so grand and well made that it is a major tourist attraction. Tourist from all over the world come to Mahabalipuram to enjoy the rich history and culture of the place and at the same time, enjoy the majestic beach.
The Mahabalipuram beach is a great place for sunbathing and the resorts near the beach offer various activities like surfing, diving and motor boating. For the adventurous people, there is a snake venom extraction center near the beach where venom is extracted from deadly and poisonous snakes like the Cobra, Russels Viper, krait to name a few. There is also a crocodile farm near the beach where crocodiles and alligators are bred and then released in the wild. Both these places are a must visit as they are unique and exotic.
As there many beautiful temple in and around Mahabalipuram, a visit to these places will make you re live the history and tradition of the place. The grandeur of these rock cut temples are to be seen to be believed. The Department of Tourism Of the Government of Tamil Nadu organizes a Dance Festival once a year on the Mahabalipuram beach, it's a must watch event.
The Mahabalipuram beach can be visited through out the year but the best time to visit is from November to February.
Mahabalipuram is well connected to all the major cities in India through air, rail and road. The nearest airport is Chennai. The nearest railway station is Chengalpattu which is 29 km from Mahabalipuram. The roads leading to Mahabalipuram are good and well connected to all the major places in Tamil Nadu.
So get ready to visit the beach temples of Mahabalipuram and enjoy the pristine beach at the same time.
Clean and green “Kapu Beach”
The town of Kapu is in the Udupi district in the state of Karnataka. It is situated about 12 kms from the main Udupi City and 45 kms from Mangalore. Kapu is easily accessible by road. Buses ply on regular basis from Udupi and Mangalore to Kapu. One has to get down at the main Kapu bus stand and take an auto rickshaw. The fare is around 50 bucks one-way. The beach is relatively empty on week days and moderately crowded during weekends. During weekends, people come with family and friends to enjoy the serenity of the vast Arabian Sea. The waves breaking on the sands and the rocks are a treat to watch. There are many food joints along the beach which serve good cuisines. Try the local fish and crab dishes, they are simply amazing.
People visit the beach for the mystic sunrise and sunset which adds a new dimension to the whole experience. Taking a walk here is an experience in itself. Just stroll lazily along the beach and admire the beauty of nature.
Situated on one end of the beach is the famous Kapu Lighthouse. The light house was built in 1901 and is well maintained by the authorities. For a very nominal fee, one can visit the light house. The view of the Arabian Sea from the top of the light house is anything but breath taking.
Sometimes, the afternoons on the beach can get a bit hot so carry your head gear, a sun screen lotion and sun glasses along when visiting the beach. Though one can visit the beach anytime of the year but the rainy season is the best time to visit. The greenery along the beach with coconut plantations and the rough sea will mesmerize your senses.
So take a stroll at the Kapu Beach and rejuvenate your mind and your body and enjoy the bliss.
The most serene beach of the east coast - Gopalpur on Sea
There is a lighthouse near the sea which gives a superb view of Gopalpur. A visit to the lighthouse is must for all. The largest saltwater in India, lake Chilka can also be seen from the lighthouse.
Gopalpur was originally a fishing village but gained prominence under the British rule. The British transformed the tiny village into a major port to export goods to Burma. Because of its natural beauty, it was a perfect getaway for the British and the rich Indians. But after the war, the trade with Burma stopped and it lost its status as an important port and reverted back to a small fishing village. It was only in the modern times that people recognized its value as a beach resort and tourism picked up.
Gopalpur is 16 km away from the nearest town of Behrampur and 180 km from Bhubaneshwar. One can catch the flight to Bhubaneshwar and then travel to Gopalpur by road. Since Gopalpur is tourist hotspot, there are many good resorts and hotel with brilliant sea view.
Though now regarded as one of the best beaches in the country, it still has not got the hustle and bustle of other famous beaches in India. If you want to enjoy a quite and pristine beach getaway, search no more, Gopalpur is the place.
Get closer to the wild side - Kaziranga National Park
Kaziranga National Park is situated in the northeastern state of Assam in India. It covers an area of 430 sq km. with an additional area of 429 km. Kaziranga National Park was declared a protected wildlife sanctuary in 1940. In 1985, it was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO because of its natural habitat and rich diverse wild life.
Kaziranga is famous for the great one horned Indian rhinoceros or the Asian rhino. It is the only place in the world where these majestic beasts are found in its natural habitat. Apart from the rhino, the park is also well known for its tigers. In fact it was declared a tiger reserve in 2006and boasts of the highest tiger density in the world. Besides these, a variety of animals like the Indian elephant, wild water buffalo, swamp deer, Indian bison, hog deer, sloth bear, leopard, leopard cat, jungle cats, otters, hog badgers, gibbons, wild boar, jackals, pythons, monitors, to name a few, are found in large number here. Apart from the wildlife, Kaziranga is a bird watchers delight. Many kind of rare birds can be seen here. Oriental Honey Buzzard, Black Shouldered Kite, Black Kite, Brahminy Kite, Pallas’ Fishing Eagle, White Tailed Eagle, Grey Headed Fishing Eagle, Himalayan Griffon are some of the raptors who dwell in this park. During the winters, many migratory birds like the Greylag Geese, Ruddy Shelduck, Gadwall and many other types of birds come to the numerous lakes, water holes and the swamps in the park.
The best way of observing this rich diversity of flora and fauna would be on an elephant back. There are regular elephant safaris in the park for visitors. Also, there are jeep safaris organized by the park. Observatory towers are set in different places for people to observe the birds and animals with out disturbing them.
Apart from the park, visitors can visit the nearby, coffee and rubber plantations of the Karbi people. The Karbis are tribal people of the northeast. Visitors can visit their houses and get a preview about their culture, lifestyle, traditions and their way of living.
Kaziranga is open from mid November to early April. During the rainy season, the park is closed for visitors.
As the place is well known among wildlife enthusiasts, there are many hotels outside the park for accommodation and food.
Kaziranga National Park can be reach by air. Guwahati which is 217 km away and Jorhat which is 97 km are the nearest airports. There are regular bus services from Kaziranga to Guwahati and Jorhat. The nearest railway station is Furkating which is 75 km from the park. The park is well connected by roads to all the major cities of Assam.
If you are nature lover who want to witness wildlife in its full glory or want to have a thrilling jungle safari, then there can be no other place better than Kaziranga National Park. Pack your gear and head straight to the great wilderness called Kaziranga.
Get closer to the wild side - Kaziranga National Park
Kaziranga National Park is situated in the northeastern state of Assam in India. It covers an area of 430 sq km. with an additional area of 429 km. Kaziranga National Park was declared a protected wildlife sanctuary in 1940. In 1985, it was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO because of its natural habitat and rich diverse wild life.
Kaziranga is famous for the great one horned Indian rhinoceros or the Asian rhino. It is the only place in the world where these majestic beasts are found in its natural habitat. Apart from the rhino, the park is also well known for its tigers. In fact it was declared a tiger reserve in 2006and boasts of the highest tiger density in the world. Besides these, a variety of animals like the Indian elephant, wild water buffalo, swamp deer, Indian bison, hog deer, sloth bear, leopard, leopard cat, jungle cats, otters, hog badgers, gibbons, wild boar, jackals, pythons, monitors, to name a few, are found in large number here. Apart from the wildlife, Kaziranga is a bird watchers delight. Many kind of rare birds can be seen here. Oriental Honey Buzzard, Black Shouldered Kite, Black Kite, Brahminy Kite, Pallas’ Fishing Eagle, White Tailed Eagle, Grey Headed Fishing Eagle, Himalayan Griffon are some of the raptors who dwell in this park. During the winters, many migratory birds like the Greylag Geese, Ruddy Shelduck, Gadwall and many other types of birds come to the numerous lakes, water holes and the swamps in the park.
The best way of observing this rich diversity of flora and fauna would be on an elephant back. There are regular elephant safaris in the park for visitors. Also, there are jeep safaris organized by the park. Observatory towers are set in different places for people to observe the birds and animals with out disturbing them.
Apart from the park, visitors can visit the nearby, coffee and rubber plantations of the Karbi people. The Karbis are tribal people of the northeast. Visitors can visit their houses and get a preview about their culture, lifestyle, traditions and their way of living.
Kaziranga is open from mid November to early April. During the rainy season, the park is closed for visitors.
As the place is well known among wildlife enthusiasts, there are many hotels outside the park for accommodation and food.
Kaziranga National Park can be reach by air. Guwahati which is 217 km away and Jorhat which is 97 km are the nearest airports. There are regular bus services from Kaziranga to Guwahati and Jorhat. The nearest railway station is Furkating which is 75 km from the park. The park is well connected by roads to all the major cities of Assam.
If you are nature lover who want to witness wildlife in its full glory or want to have a thrilling jungle safari, then there can be no other place better than Kaziranga National Park. Pack your gear and head straight to the great wilderness called Kaziranga.
The unexplored beaches of Ganpatipule
As these beaches are relatively unexplored, not many people know about them; such beaches can make am ideal getaway for an holiday. Imagine, no one to disturb or bother you while you enjoy the tranquility of serene beach. Doesn't it sound amazing and too good to be true ?
Ganpatipule is one such beach which is relatively empty though it is one of the most pristine beaches of western India. Imagine walking on the golden sand with waves from the Arabian sea crashing against it and making sweet sound of nothing in your ears. Its like a dream come true !
Ganpatipule lies in the western state of Maharashtra in India about 375 kms from the city of Mumbai. One has to take the scenic Mumbai-Goa highway to reach Ganpatipule. The road are a treat in themselves, with lush greenery and beautiful scenic beauty, mesmerizing you all the way. On the way one comes across many tiny fishing hamlets where people go on doing their daily chores in a very unhurried way.
Once you reach Ganpatipule, the first thing that you will notice are the crystal clear water and pristine beach. The beaches are devoid of rocks and humans which is a rare and welcoming site. As Ganpatipule is a renowned pilgrimage site, it is not difficult to find accommodation. There are many government approved and private hotels available.
On the beach, there are other activities like para gliding and going with the local fishermen for fishing. One can hire a car and drive on the beach. During the evening you can enjoy a quite drink in the moonlight or can dance and enjoy with your friends and family all through the night. The options are endless. Enjoy the beach, the way you want it and get disconnected from the stress and tension of your hectic life. People who have visited this place, do visit again and again.
Apart from the beach, Ganpatipule is well known for its temple of Lord Ganesh known as Swayambhu Ganpati. The entire hillock where the temple is located, is believed to be Lord Ganesh and is revered by the people. There are numerous other temples worth visiting in Ganpatipule.
Though Ganpatipule can be visited through the year, but the best time to visit is during or after the monsoons as various springs and waterfall come up all over the place and the place is lush green. It is a delightful sight to watch and feel the nature.
Mumbai is the nearest airport which is 375 kms from Ganpatipule. By rail, get down at Ratnagiri and hire a rickshaw to Ganpatipule, the distance is about 45 kms. Buses from Mumbai and Pune ply regularly to Ganpatipule.
So what are you waiting for pack your bags and endeavor yourself on a journey of bliss.
Monday, May 4, 2009
The Silent Era of Indian Cinema
Indians are known to follow three things religiously namely cricket, cinema and religion itself. Among these, cinema has influenced their life more than anything else. And this love for cinema is old as cinema itself and people used to flock the theatres to see the silent movies. The history of Indian cinema is more than 100 years old. The first silent movie to be released in India was on 7th July 1897 at Hotel Watson in Bombay by the Leiumour Brothers who produced the film. The film had only six scenes in all and was 10 minutes long. The first Indian to produce a film was H.S.Bhatwdekar. He got a camera from London and shot 2 scenes of 3 minutes each. He titled them as Do Pahalwanon Ki Kushti and Bandar Kho Nachata Hua Madaari, which was released in December 1889. On 1st January 1900, a Britisher by the name of Mr Taivello released a silent movie at Novelty Cinema at Lamington Road, Bombay. Fatima, an Indian dancer was the star of the movie. Ram Chandra Gopal Torne, N.G. Chitre and Stevenson, a cinematographer jointly produced a 22 minutes silent film named Pundalik. This film was based on a life of an actual saint from Maharashtra. But the year 1913 saw the real evolution of Indian cinema. A full length silent movie was produced by one Mr Dadasaheb Phalke, who later on earned the title of the father of Indian cinema. The name of the movie was ‘Raja Harishchandra’ and it was based on the Sanskrit epic of a famous mythological king of India. The total length of the movie was 40 minutes. A unique feature about this movie was that there were no female artists in it as working in a movie was a taboo and the male artists enacted the roles of female characters. It was a taboo to such an extent in the society that Dadasaheb Phalke had to tell his artists to tell everybody that they were working in a factory of a man named Harishchadra. The movie had English and Hindi subtitles and was released at the coronation Cinema in Bombay. Dadashaeb made many other movies after this. He made Mohini Bhasmasur in 1913, Satyavan Savitri in 1914 and Lanka Dahan in 1917. Lanka Dahan went on to become India’s first box office hit. Many silent movies were made in the 1920’s. Dhiren ganguly made Bilat Ferat, a love story in 1921. Madan made Nala Damayanti in 1921, Pati Bhakti in 1922 and Noor Jehan in 1923. The famous Baburao painter made Maya Bazaar in 1923, Kaala Naag in 1924 and Cinema Queen in 1926. Other notable silent movies were Bhaneli Bhamini, Anarkali, Gopal Krishna, Chandramukhi, Hatim Tai, Diler Jigar, Raajrani Meera. Though these movies were known as silent movies, they had music which was made by certain instruments like a tabla, flute or a sitar which would accompany the scenes. As there were no dialogues, they had subtitles mainly in English and one regional language. In the year 1931 Ardeshir Irani made India’s first talking movie that is movie with sound and dialogues, Alam Ara. With this a new chapter in cinema started. Silent movies were still produced at this time but within a short span of time it eventually died out as it could not meet with the competition of talking cinema as people preferred the later. Many artist who did very well during the silent era struggled as they were not good in dialogue delivery but at the same time artist with excellent voice and acting power came to the limelight. Songs were an addition feature added to the cinema. Nearly half a century later, in 1988 S.Sreenivas Rao experimented with a silent movie named Pushpak which had no dialogues or subtitles. Well known actor Kamal Hasan was the lead actor of the movie. The movie was made very well and went on to become a big box office hit.