Delhi Agra Jaipur
Gondal in Gujarat
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March 25 2011
Blink and you will pass it by Gondal is truly a small leafy town about 40 kms from Rajkot.
It lies on a gentle river and was once the capital of a princely State run by Jadeja Rajputs. Even the Mughals held away here once but it was recovered by the Rajputs in the 1650s. Maharaja Bhagwat Singhji ruled in the 19th century.
Gondal’s claim to fame is the string of palaces that exist here.
The Naulakha Museum is open to the public. It is located in a somewhat decrepit riverside palace. This palace was built in a mixture of styles. What stands out are the striking gargoyles. The Museum has a number of royal artifacts. Pride of place is taken by scales used to weigh the Maharaja in 1934.Apparrantly the Maharaja was weighed against silver, which was then distributed to the poor. This was an annual feature on his birthday.
The car museum is interesting for vintage car lovers. The museum houses the Royal fleet of cars. You will see over 50 very impressive vehicles. The best loved, perhaps, dates back to 1907. This was made by the "New Engine Company Acton".
Another interesting place to visit is an Ayurvedic Pharmacy where the practice of indigenous ancient Indian medicine--Ayurveda, still continues using ancient treatises. This is the Shri Bhuvaneshwari Aushadhashram Ayurvedic Pharmacy. The founding physician of this Pharmacy is said to have first used the title of Mahatma (great soul) to address Gandhi and the name stuck.
This Pharmacy dates back to 1910 when it was founded by the Royal Physician. This pharmacy still manufactures medicines as per ancient texts. You can see all the machinery involved. It is possible to buy medicine for conditions such as hair loss, insomnia, vertigo etc. Have faith and the medicines just might work.
A white 19th century building houses the Swami Narayan temple belonging to the wealthy Swami Narayan sect. This is built on land donated by the Maharaja and has an attached farm. Bird watchers will delight in visiting the Veri Lake. This is really a large reservoir that attracts many migratory birds as well.
The Udhyog Bharti Khadi Gramudyog is where you will find hundreds of women employed spinning cotton in the upper storey of what is really a huge shop. Downstairs you can buy Khadi goods made from the hand woven cotton made famous y mahatma Gandhi and the National leaders of the time, who wore Khadi as a protest against mill made textiles from England during the British rule. You can buy saris and khadi outfits.
There are few places to stay and they are pretty basic. A short distance from the Orchard Palace and part of the Bhuvaneswari complex is the Bhuvaneshwari Guest House basic but clean.
The Orchard Palace, a small palace, was once a royal guesthouse for guests of the Maharaja. Its rooms are not opulent but are filled with 1930s furniture and so provide a link to its past glory. One advantage of staying here is that you get free admission to Gondal's attractions.
For a delicious vegetarian "thali" meal the best place is Dreamland near the bus stand. It is truly hot and good.
Gondal is connected by bus to Rajkot (one hour) Junagadh (2 hours) and Porbander (three hours). Trains from Rajkot to Junagadh stop at Gondal.
Karla & Bhaja Caves of Maharashtra - Ajanta Ellora Shadow
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March 20 2011
Most tourists are aware of the famous Ajanta and Ellora Caves but few have heard of the Karla and Bhaja Caves which date back to the 2nd century BC and are amongst the oldest and perhaps finest example of the early Buddhist rock-cut temple genre in India.
Though on a much smaller scale than the better known Ajanta and Ellora their charm lies in their simple charm, serene surroundings and hardly any commercialization. As a result they also get fewer visitors which some may find a blessing and reason enough to visit.
So if you literally want to take the road less travelled then you will enjoy your visit. Take your time exploring and enjoy the countryside.
Your take off point can be Bombay or Pune but the closest is Lonavla from where you can hire an auto rickshaw to get you there.
The most impressive cave is at Karla and a short climb will bring you to this spectacular Cave. Karla Cave is considered by historians to be the largest early Buddhist Chaitya in the country. It is around 40 meters long and about 15 meters high. Completed in 80 BC it is said to be carved by monks and artisans from the surrounding rock.
Yet it imitates the more prevalent and hence more familiar (to them) wooden architecture of the time. Of course it is not as impressive as the Kailash Temple of Ellora but next to that it is the second most impressive in Maharashtra. it is interesting to see how light filters into the cave through a semi-circular "sun window" to bathe the stupa or dogba in light, quite an engineering achievement considering that it was built in 80 BC.
This stupa or dogba is considered to be the representation of the Buddha. This Stupa is protected by a carved wooden umbrella. The cave's roof is ribbed with wooden beams of teak which are said to be original. There are 37 pillars which form the aisle and each one is topped by a carved kneeling elephant, the elephant considered a sacred symbol in Buddhism. At the time the caves were built the carved elephant heads on the sides of the vestibule had ivory tusks and must have presented quite a sight.
Today a modern temple has been built near the mouth of the Karla Cave which does detract somewhat from its charm but then again it brings pilgrims here and provides some colour and life to this otherwise desolate area from here the Bhaja caves are approximately 10 km and a brisk 2 hour walk away. You can always take a rickshaw.
Of course from the main road it is only 3 km to the quieter Bhaja caves. The surroundings are green and lush and there is calmness about the area. There are around 18 caves of which 10 are viharas and said to date from around 200BC. Cave number 12 is an open chaitya and said to pre-date Karla. This cave contains a simple stupa/dogba. Beyond this is a collection of 14 stupas, five inside and nine outside one of the caves.
An added bonus is the view from the Bhaja Caves. You can see two forts - the Lohagad fort and the Visapur fort local children will happily volunteer to be your guides and take you there for a small tip.
Maharashtra Tourism runs a clean and pleasant Karla Resort set under the trees and besides a small lake. So relax and even go boating on the lake. It is a much better option than staying in Lonavla where you have to go eventually to get to your onward destination.
Himachal's Narkanda: For Winter Skiing and Summer Hikes
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March 13 2011
A quiet town, Narkanda is just a two hour ride (65km) away from the happening hill town of Simla. Simla (now called Shimla) was once the summer capital of India during British rule and now is the capital of Himachal Pradesh. At 8,100 feet (2708 meters) it is slightly higher than Simla (7400 feet). The road from Simla to Narkanda runs almost near the crest of the mountain, gradually ascending and offering spectacular views of the different valleys twisting and turning from one spur to another. The delightful village of Fagu is a welcome stop for some hot tea and a breath taking view of Narkanda.
Narkanda is located on the ridge of the last watershed before the Himalayan range. Below it lies the Suttej Valley to the north and the Giri River and beyond it is the snowy massif. It is difficult to believe that the sleepy town of Narkanda sits astride the watershed between the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. Hattu Peak is a great attraction. 2000 feet higher than Narkanda it is a trekkers delight.
The hilly curves near Hattu Peak are dotted with age-old churches. You might even catch a glimpse of a Buddhist temple in the style of Tibet. In summer it becomes a favorite camping site. Stay at a camp here and be one with nature, enjoy spectacular views of the sunset while you relax and de-stress. Visit the Devi temple located on Hattu Peak. Dedicated to the mother goddess, it is a “must visit” for visitors. In May an annual summer fair is held at the temple. Hundreds descend on the temple and its surroundings adding colour to the scenic hill side.
It you enjoy walking through the jungle, take a well marked track from the Devi Temple. You will reach a mountain top meadow called the Joh Bagh. Rest a while and eat a picnic lunch.
The little resorts amid pine trees like Tethys are very popular with visitors. It is from here that you set out for outdoor adventure. Trek or hire bikes or motorcycles to discover the hills but go easy on the hairpin bends which come up ever so often and add to the thrill. After a hectic day spent outdoors, spend pleasant evenings inside the resorts. Great conversation goes with bonfires and Tandoori food and hot drinks.
Perhaps the best time to visit is in the autumn. The setting sun casts a golden glow on the snowy peaks around. The area around Narkanda hums with activity, as this is the orchard region of Himachal with apple being the chief crop. Crates of apples lie on the roadside to be picked up by trucks headed for market.
In winter it is the skiing destination of Himachal. In December, skiing enthusiast flock to Narkanda looking for adventure. The skiing season goes on till March. Ski trails are aplenty, both for beginners and for experts.
Narkanda is only 16 m from Kotagarh where Satyananda Stokes, an American, began apple farming. So put on your walking shoes and explore the Kotgarh area, dotted with apple orchards.
Narkand a lies on the National Highway connecting Simla to Kinnaur (the famous old Hindustan – Tibet road) to Shipki-La. Simla is only a two hour ride away and is connected by a good road to Kalka where several trains await you. Alternatively ride the Simla-Kalka Toy Train to the Shatabdi and other trains from Kalka.
Make Money Traveling With Stock Photography
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March 13 2011
"The use of traveling is to regulate imagination by reality, and instead of thinking how things may be, to see them as they are." - Samuel Johnson
There are several stock photography websites that want your pictures. These sites will pay you a percentage for every one of your pictures that gets downloaded, each time it is downloaded. Your pictures can be downloaded an unlimited number of times.
Many individuals, businesses, organizations, websites and print publications are in constant need of a wide variety of quality photographs for their websites, sales letters, brochures, magazines, videos and newspapers. These entities regularly turn to stock photography websites to buy the photographs that they need.
You can submit your digital photographs to digital stock photography websites. You don't need to be a professional photographer. You just need a digital camera (with extra memory cards) and internet access. Signing up for these websites is free. Each time one of your pictures is downloaded you'll get paid a percentage of the cost of the photograph, which generally comes to twenty-five cents to several dollars.
Just about any type of digital picture is accepted as long as it is of high quality. Your pictures need to be in JPG/JPEG and for most stock websites they should be 1600 x 1200 pixels or larger. New photographers for Shutterstock need to submit photographs that are 4.0 Megapixels or Million Pixels (MP).
You can calculate the number of pixels in a photograph by multiplying the width by the height. A picture that is 1600x1200 is 1.92 million pixels.
In photographs that depict a minor, or where an identifiable human face is visible, you will need to send a model release with the picture to the website. You need to submit original work and make sure that you do not include copyrighted material or logos in your images. Do not submit photographs that have been increased in size from their original file size. You should read the submission guidelines from each website before you start posting your pictures.
Once you have uploaded a picture to a stock photography website, it stays there for as long as you like (even for years). Every time it gets downloaded you earn money. You can upload your pictures to several different websites as long as the websites allow the submission of non-exclusive photographs.
For example: let's say that you have accumulated 1,000 high quality photographs for stock photography websites. You upload each image to ten different websites. So each site now has 1,000 different pictures. You have a total of 10,000 images uploaded on the various sites. If each of your pictures get downloaded just twice every thirty days, and your commission is only $0.25 cents for each download, you'll be making $5,000 a month!
You can take ten pictures a day and upload each one to ten different stock photography websites. In just three months you'll have about 900 photographs uploaded 9,000 times.
What is really cool about this is that once your pictures are uploaded they continue to make money for you with no additional work on your part. If you continuously upload pictures to the stock websites you can earn even more. There are several people that do this full-time and make $5,000, even $8,000 a month.
Most of the stock websites pay you once a month through PayPal, MoneyBookers, paper check or direct deposit.
You can start by taking pictures in your area, or travel anywhere and make a very healthy living by taking stock photographs. The more pictures you upload, the more earning potential you have. You can make great money from this "job" from just about anywhere in the world.
Corbett National Park
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March 01 2011
Set up in 1936 as Hailey National park it became Ramganga National Park till in 1957 it was re-named Corbett national Park after the legendary hunter/conservationist Jim Corbett. Jim Sahib as he was affectionately called by the people of the region, Kumaon, rid the area of men-eating tigers.
His most famous book is "The man-eaters of Kumaon". His house in Kaladungi (25km from Ramnagar) is now preserved as a museum giving you insights into his life. After killing man-eating tigers he became so enamored of them and the wildlife around that he became an ardent conservationist using his camera instead of his gun.
Today unfortunately the tiger numbers have been substantially reduced (there are only some 150-160 in Corbett) but even so visitors will enjoy a visit to this park. The best time to visit is 15 November to 15 June as major portions of the Park, particularly around Dhikala), are closed during the rest of the year because of the Monsoon and the breeding season.
So check before you visit.
The best part of the Park is the Dhikala area, which is also the core Park area. About 50 Km northwest of Ramnagar (where the main reception Center is located) Dhikala is deep inside the Reserve and even offers accommodation for overnight stays, provided you book ahead of time.
Take an elephant safari at Dhikala (first come first served...so come early) leaving 6am and again 4pm. Indian wildlife is largely nocturnal so these are the best viewing times in the Park. If you are lucky you may even see the tiger in the wild.
Today tracking of tigers and tying of "kills" is not allowed so you have to be really fortunate to see the tiger. Even so wildlife enthusiasts will not come away disappointed, as there is a lot of wildlife to see in the Park. Located as it is in the foothills of the Himalayas, with a Sal forest, grasslands and river running through it, it provides a habitat for herds of wild elephants, sloth bears and several kinds of deer (sambhar, hog deer, barking deer, spotted deer or chital). Just keep your binoculars handy and also your cameras.
The black-faced monkeys (langurs) and the red-faced and red-bottomed ones (rhesus Macaques) can be seen jumping from tree to tree and are the first to raise an alarm on spotting the tiger. Leopards have often been sighted as have wild boars and jackals. The cries of peacocks are heard as they run across the paths providing a splash of colour. The crocodiles, both mugger and gharials can be seen sunning themselves on the banks of the Ramganga River.
Birders can see several kinds of birds who make their home in the Park. The Ramganga Resevoir attracts a large number of migratory birds (mid-December-March) who come here to escape the harsh Central Asian/Siberian Winter.
Those not lucky enough to get on an elephant can rent a 4 Wheel drive vehicle permitted in the Park for wildlife viewing. Book this when you get your Park permit at the Ramnagar Reception center. Anglers can get a permit to fish in the Ramganga outside the Park. If you are lucky you can catch mahseer, a game fish, which is also good to eat.
The nearest rail head is Ramnagar, which is the terminus of Delhi-Moradabad-Ramnagar broad gauge branch of North East Railway. Ramnagar is connected by road to Delhi as well as Lucknow. Delhi is 240 km away via Kashipur-Moradabad-Ghaziabad, while Lucknow is 432 km via Kashipur-Rampur & Bareilly. The nearest airport is at Pantnagar about 80 km from Ramnagar.
